April 25, 2002

By Grzegorz | April 25, 2002

Thanks to Boat Show, the
deadline for the huge May issue of Latitude
38 (due out Tuesday, April 30), and this weekend’s Ensenada
Race, we’ve been ‘dark’ more often than we like the last week
or so. By next week, we should be back on pace.

Photo of the Day

April 25 – Annapolis

We’ve all heard of spinnaker flying, but
what about ‘spinnaker walking? Check out this guy on Assa
Abloy from the Volvo Around the World Race.

The Volvo fleet, by the way, is motoring
in company to Annapolis in preparation for this Sunday’s start
of the 3,400-mile leg to La Rochelle, France. John Kostecki’s
illbruck has a good grip on first with 41 points, while
Mark Rudiger’s Assa Abloy is in second with 34 points.

For more, see www.volvooceanrace.com.

Photo Courtesy Volvo Ocean
Race

Orange’s
Jules Verne Record in Doubt

April 25 – Atlantic Ocean

Having taken special care to protect his
boat and crew for the first 80% of the Jules Verne Around the
World record attempt, Bruno Peyron of the maxi cat now finds
himself with a major problem. The titanium ball on which the
full load of the 42-meter mast sits is half cracked and in danger
of failing. After 55 days of averaging 18.41 knots, Peyron must
now take his foot off the gas pedal, and he must pick an easier
route for the boat, one that will be about 25% longer than normal.
A sure thing has turned into a nail-biter!

A Different Kind of Puddle Jump

April 25 – Pacific Ocean

Gene and Sheri Seybold of the Stockton
Sailing Club-based Esprit 37 Reflections are doing a different
kind of Puddle Jump. Instead of sailing from Mexico to the Marquesas,
they have gone down to Panama and the Galapagos, and are now
heading across.

Revving Up the Trimarans

April 25 – Europe

The long winter is almost
over in Europe, and they are getting ready for the 60-ft ORMA
circuit. Check out this fleet action! And check out Foncia,
the latest from Van Peteghem Lauriot Prevost for Alain Gautier.
Why don’t we have this action in the United States?

Photo Courtesy VPLP

YOTREPS

April 25 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? Check out YOTREPS –
‘yacht reports’ – at http://www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/

Weather Updates

April 25 – Pacific Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

To see what the winds are like on the Bay
and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/.
The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay is at
www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey/.

California Coast Weather

Looking for current as well as recent wind
and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena
and the Mexican border? Here’s the place – which has further
links to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S.: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stuff/southwest/swstmap.shtml.

Pacific Winds and Pressure

The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology
page posts a daily
map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds.

Pacific Sea State

Check out the Pacific Ocean sea states
at: http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.

For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.

Top / Index of Stories / Subscriptions / Classifieds / Home