Episode #49: Fred Huffman on the Powerful Past of West Coast Sailing

Welcome back to Latitude 38’s podcast, Good Jibes! This week’s host, Ryan Foland, is joined by Fred Huffman to chat growing up a sailor and the history of West Coast sailing. Fred’s been sailing as long as he can remember and has raced across oceans more times than you can count.

Hear what it was like watching his dad build a boat, sailing off the California coast during World War II, his love for Catalina Island, all the experience that comes with more than 50 years at sea, and why the pressure of racing adds a special spark. This episode covers everything from Catalina to Hawaii to Europe.

Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What are floating dry docks?
• Could you sail in the harbor during World War II?
• What was Catalina Island used for during the war?
• Why is sailing still such a big part of Fred’s life?
• How many TransPac races has he done?
• Did he leave school to race?
• How did his dad build his boat?
• Short Tacks: What advice does Fred have for West Coast sailors?

Learn more at BlueWaterCruisingClub.org.

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

Show Notes

• Fred Huffman on the Powerful Past of West Coast Sailing
  • [0:22] Welcome to Good Jibes with Latitude 38
  • [0:28] Ryan Foland
  • [0:53] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • [1:16] Learn more at BlueWaterCruisingClub.org
  • [2:06] What’s a story that shaped Fred as a sailor?
  • [2:35] How did his dad build his boat?
  • [4:32] Where did the name of the boat come from?
  • [7:03] Catalina Island
  • [7:52] What are floating dry docks?
  • [9:27] Could you sail in the harbor during World War II?
  • [10:49] What was Catalina Island used for during the war?
  • [11:33] Podcast
  • [13:38] Blue Water Cruising Club
  • [15:58] The Isthmus
  • [16:30] Big Geiger Cove
  • [18:38] Have you ever done the Ha-Ha? The Baja Ha-Ha is a low pressure, super fun cruising rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas – a great way to kick off the season of cruising and make friends. The 2022 Baja Ha-Ha is 10/31-11/12. Find out more and sign up at Baja-HaHa.com
  • Racing
  • [20:12] Farallones
  • [21:42] COVID-19 Pandemic
  • [22:22] Why is sailing still such a big part of Fred’s life?
  • [23:54] TransPac
  • [27:54] Did Fred leave school to race?
  • [28:54] What timeframe was this?
  • [29:31] What was it like being a rigger?
  • [32:58] How many TransPac races has Fred done?
  • [34:53] If you’re looking to add to your racing crew, check out Ryan’s Sailing Resume
  • [36:38] How does racing across the ocean compare to cruising across the ocean?
  • [39:39] Good Jibes with Latitude 38 Episode #7: Brendan Huffman on Prepping for a Major Race
  • [42:53] Did you know every month you can get your copy of Latitude 38 delivered directly to your mailbox? Subscribe at Latitude38.com/Subscriptions
  • Short Tacks
  • [43:56] What’s Fred’s favorite make and model boat he’s been on?
  • [46:16] What’s his ideal racing-cruising ratio?
  • [47:43] What advice does he have for West Coast sailors?
  • [48:49] Channel Islands
  • [50:32] Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual by Nigel Calder
  • [51:20] What does Fred think about Latitude 38?
  • [52:37] Learn more at BlueWaterCruisingClub.org
  • [52:44] Make sure to follow Good Jibes with Latitude 38 on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
  • [52:54] Got a great sailing story to submit? Do so at [email protected]
  • [52:57] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • [53:02] Email [email protected] to advertise on this podcast or in Latitude 38 sailing magazine
  • [53:08] Check out the July 2022 issue of Latitude 38
  • Theme Song: Pineapple Dream by SOLXIS

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