September 17, 2003

Photos of the Day: Derek M Baylis

September 17 – San Francisco Bay

Today’s Photos of the Day are of the Tom
Wylie designed 65-ft unstayed cat ketch Derek M Baylis
launched this spring by Wylie Cats of Watsonville. The plan is
she’ll be a marine research vessel. A near sistership is expected
to be launched sometime soon in Southern California for Randy
Repass, founder of West Marine.

The Moët Cup: A Really Good Show
Continues Through Saturday

September 17 – San Francisco

The Moët Cup competition between Oracle
BMW Racing and Alinghi on the San Francisco Cityfront continued
yesterday with excellent racing in strong breezes under sunny
skies. Oracle BMW took both races yesterday, with Larry Ellison
beating Ernesto Bertarelli by 24 seconds in the Owner/Driver
class, and Gavin Brady besting Jochen Shuemann by 27 seconds
in the Pro/Driver Series.

The consensus of yachting journalists from
the United States and aboard is that the Moët Cup is turning
out to be a much better event than expected. They’ve been impressed
by the condition of the boats, the level of sailing, the great
winds, and the spectator-friendly venue. Given that context,
it should be clear that we’re not shilling for billionaires when
we say you really ought to get down to the Cityfront and check
it out. Great facilities have been set up on the waterfront between
the St. Francis and Golden Gate YCs, and when it gets a little
cold or the boats get a ways away, you can move inside heated
buildings, buy hot coffee, and watch the action on graphic displays.

Chris Tanna of Lake Tahoe made himself comfortable watching the
races, bringing his own chair and table, plus wine and cheese.

There will be two races a day through Saturday,
and with the weather getting warmer, we’d expect particularly
big crowds on Friday and Saturday. Although private boats aren’t
prohibited from the course, it’s been extremely crowded on the
water, and we actually think you’ll enjoy yourselves more from
shore. Latitude 38 Managing Editor John Riise has tried
it both ways, and recommends the latter.

Dawn Riley, a vet of her own America’s Cup campaign, provides
commentary for the racing.

One of the most interesting comments yesterday
came from Ross Halcrow of Oracle BMW, who noted had they tried
racing the IACC boat Young America in these conditions,
she would have broke and sank. “So it’s pretty exciting
to be sailing here with Oracle BMW on these great solid boats,
and being able to sheet on and sit down there to leeward getting
covered in water without worrying about what’s going to break
next.”

For more information on the event, visit
www.moetcup.com.

Speaking of Superb Photographer Thierry
Martinez . . .

September 17 – Cherbourg, France

Check out his photos of the new Mari-Cha
IV – particularly the one from aft – at www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/03/0911mc.
Is that some kind of monster boat or what? Assuming she survives
Hurricane Isabel, the plan is for her to take a crack at the
Transatlantic Record, then head to the Caribbean for some fun
races such as Antigua, and then maybe come around to the Pacific
for next July’s West Marine Pacific Cup. The big schooner, which
is believed to be capable of hitting 40 knots, would not be eligible
for the TransPac in 2005 because of rating limitations. But wouldn’t
it be cool to see a boat that might be capable of sailing from
San Francisco to Hawaii in something like five days?

A Plug for San Francisco Bay Sailing

September 17 – San Francisco Bay

“It’s what all Bay sailors have known
for years – there isn’t a better venue for such a fine event
as this Moët Cup,” writes Bob Rynd. “I was out
watching the boats yesterday, and it’s the most fantastic thing
to happen on the Bay since . . . well, since last week’s Big
Boat Series and the T-Mobile International.”

Mark Rudiger to Speak at the Corinthian
YC on Thursday

September 17 – San Francisco

Mark Rudiger, one of the best and most
sought-after ocean racing navigators in the world, will be speaking
at the Corinthian YC on Thursday night, September 18 (that’s
tomorrow). Mark has been the navigator on five first-to-finish
TransPac boats, two Sydney to Hobart first-to-finish boats, and
this summer, first to finish on the inaugural Daimler-Chrysler
Transatlantic race. He was navigator for Paul Cayard on EF
Language when they won the Whitbread Around the World Race,
and was co-skipper on Assa Abloy when they took second
to John Kostecki in the Volvo Ocean Race. As a regular on maxis
Sayonara and Pegasus, Mark brings an amazing perspective
on the state of long-distance ocean races.

Mark Rudiger (with family) in Hawaii
Photo Latitude/Rob

The club doors will open at 6 p.m. with
a $10/person buffet and no-host bar. Mark will start his talk
around 7 p.m., wrapping up around 9 p.m. Admission is only $10
per person, and proceeds will be split between Hospice of Marin
and Lake of the Pines Youth Sailing. Reservations are strongly
encouraged, as seating will be limited. To make reservations,
call CYC at (415) 435-4771 or visit www.cyc.org/speakers/markrudiger.html and
fill out the online reservations form.

Isabel Not Far from the East Coast

September 17 – Eastern Seaboard

We just want to let all you folks – and
particularly boat owners – know that our hearts are with you
as Isabel is about to strike. Do all you can for your boats,
but remember that they can be replaced but you can’t.

Graphic Courtesy Unisys Weather
See http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2003/index.html

YOTREPS

September 17 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht
tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn.

Weather Updates

September 17 – Pacific
Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

Check out this guide to San Francisco Bay
Navigational Aids: http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/sfports.html.

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/Maps/Southwest.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

The site for the Pacific Ocean sea states
has moved to http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/PacRegSSA.shtml.

For views of sea states anywhere in the world,
see http://www.oceanweather.com/data.