The name of the game with today’s Photo
of the Day is identify the area seen in the photo. We’ll give
you a couple of hints. It’s one of the most beautiful – and dangerous
– places in the United States. It also has great sailing and
warm water. Many of you have been there. Back when we used to
kick around in the harbor toward the top of the photo, there
were usually a bunch of guys handcuffed to one of the waterfront
bars. This was because the saucy woman behind the bar had a standing
offer: escape from the handcuffs she put on them, and the drinks
would be free. For the answer, keep reading today’s ‘Lectronic.
Photo Latitude/Richard
Orange
Continues to Do Well in Less than Ideal Conditions
March 6 – Atlantic Ocean
Bruno Peyron and the maxi cat Orange
continue to battle less than optimum sailing conditions in their
Jules Verne attempt, but continue to do well. Having battled
rough seas, wind from unfavorable angles, and now lighter winds,
the gaudily painted cat has still averaged 18.85 knots for the
last 24 hours, and is now 1,700 miles from the equator. With
relatively calm conditions, the crew is carefully checking the
whole boat over. This means that Florent Chastel went to the
top of the mast – from the inside.
“It’s true that it can be a bit stressful,
and it’s no good if you’re claustrophobic when hauled up this
huge chimney” added Florent. “I’m going to check everything,
including the repairs that were made to where the top broke.
But I can’t complain, as before I had to haul myself up with
the strength of my own arms. Now there’s a halyard for hoisting
me up the inside, right to the top.”
Photo Courtesy Orange
Maybe the Megayacht Challenge Is not Such
a Good Idea
March 6 – Newport, RI
Some folks in the Northeast, including
the folks from Yachting magazine, have come up with a
new – and we think not very good – idea for a boat race to be
held off Newport, Rhode Island, August 22-25. The event is to
be called the Megayacht Challenge, and is a motoryacht race for
megayachts – meaning vessels over 100 feet. One thousand invitations
were sent out. The first 30 owners that pony up the $25,000 entry
fee will get slots. There is no word yet as to whether the boat
will have to race with their helicopter(s) onboard or not.
The way we see it, this is going to provide
environmentalists and haters of boats with great ammunition to
besmirch the image of all mariners. Somebody is going to figure
out how many gallons these megayachts burn an hour – you’d be
stunned – and loudly start raising the issue of wretched excess
on the water. There will be trickle-down to the owners of 25
to 40 foot boats, but it won’t be good trickle-down.
And what’s the contest about anyway? Who
has forked over the money for the largest engines and whose captain
can put the throttle forward fastest? We’re against it.
It Happened Again
March 6 – Mexico
We run three-bladed folding Max-Props on Profligate, and have really liked them. At least when
they’ve stayed with the boat. In the last eight months, we’ve
had two of them simply fall off while underway, and nobody can
figure out why. One time it was a prop that had been just checked
by the factory, and professionally installed – we were there
watching – on a brand new Sail Drive. The second time, it was
a eight-month old prop that had been ultra carefully installed
by the same professional.
We’re not knocking the product, we’re just
interested if anyone else has had a similar experience. If so,
email Richard.
Banderas Bay Regatta
March 6 – Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Adios,
we’re off to Mexico for next week’s Banderas Bay Regatta. ‘Lectronic
Latitude will be on hiatus tomorrow and Friday, and we’re not
sure how often it will appear next week, but be sure to check
back with us, or subscribe by
emailand we’ll notify you by email when we post a
new edition.
Last Year’s Banderas Bay Regatta Photo Latitude/Richard
Photo of the Day
March 6 – Somewhere in the USA
Today’s Photo
of the Day is of Christmas Cove and behind it Red Hook on
St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
YOTREPS
March 6 – 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/
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.
