Latitude 38 August Issue Out Today

Welcome to the August issue of Latitude 38. July was a busy month on the Pacific, with sailors heading to Hawaii and back for the Transpac and Singlehanded Transpacific races. We cover those and more in this month’s magazine. Here’s a preview.

Transpac 2025 — Unplugged No More

Define “high speed” and where in the world you are, and maybe there’s more to the story. I can tell you this: Internet accessibility changes the ocean racing game. The Transpac YC committee puts strict limits on what can be accessed. If it provides you with information that will help you win the yacht race and it costs money, then it is off limits. If the information is free and publicly available, have at it.

Singlehanded Transpacific Race — Victory Over Adversity

Most yacht races start with a bang (or, these days, more likely a horn). Two bangs instead means a postponement, which might last from five minutes to two hours. On June 20, the Singlehanded Sailing Society took a show of hands at the mandatory skippers’ meeting for the 2025 Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race and postponed for 25 hours.

Whatever Happened to Express 37 Hull #63? — Phase One

Somewhere in a forgotten barn in Washington, a sailing legend waited, wrapped in dust and silence. My heart pounded as we drove east along the Columbia River Gorge to rescue the last Express 37 ever built, and whose ultimate fate was to be the landfill. Whichever the case, the Discovery-Recovery and Delivery is an anomaly, as I came across this “yet-to-be-assembled” hull #63 in Stevenson, Washington, thanks to Andy Schwenk. I’m not sure if I should thank him or curse him for the information he passed on about this “free mystery boat somewhere in Oregon or Washington.”

Letters: Memories Can Still Be Made on Lake Merritt; Operation Covering Eagle; Foreign-Flagged Cruisers Have To Pay Up in Washington State; From a Washington State Attorney; plus a mail sack full of more readers’ letters and comments.
Sightings: Fall 2025 Crew Party, Last Ha-Ha; Sausalito Boat Show Coming September 19–21; Is DIY D.y.i.n.g?; 2025 Wosser Trophies; Accidental Mexico Cruisers; and more.
Max Ebb: “Puzzled”
Racing Sheet: Peak season regattas and championships covered here include the Moore 24 Nationals and Long Beach Race Week; the YRA’s Half Moon Bay Race, In the Bay Series, and new Women’s Championship Series; the US Wingfoil Championship; the ILCA PCCs; the Mercury Hart Nunes Regatta; the El Toro Nationals; StFYC’s Woodies Invitational; and the WA360. See much more in Box Scores and Race Notes.
Changes in Latitudes: With reports this month on Keeldragger’s long-delayed Great Pacific Adventure; Lochinvar’s long Pacific Puddle Jump; Tardigrade’s northern adventure; and a tasty selection of Cruise Notes.
All the latest in sailboats and sailboat gear for sale, Classy Classifieds.

We appreciate all readers and all our supporters — you keep Latitude 38 in print. Please show your appreciation by supporting the advertisers who have made this issue possible. Shop here.

Now, go get your copy! Here’s a map of Bay Area distributors.