BAJA HA-HA XXVI PROFILES, PART 1 While the Islander 36 was not designed specifically for cruising, multiple Ha-Ha vet Andrew Vik has been cruising his Islander 36 Geja in the Adriatic for something like the last 10 summers.
The sun sets on the Ha-Ha fleet somewhere off Baja California last year.
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s we speak, boats all over the West Coast are starting to congregate, as if hearing the siren call of the seasons, in all directions leading south. Preparations are being made, boats are being stocked, costumes are being contemplated, and people are scrambling to find crew (including certain Latitude editors hoping to catch a ride). In San Diego, there will slowly but surely be more cruisers tying up at docks and mooring balls, and dropping their anchors in a harbor near you. In early November, an armada of sailboats will fill San Diego Bay and sail for the horizon toward warmer climes and colder beers. It's time for the 26th Baja Ha-Ha. We wanted to introduce you to some of the fleet. This is Part One of sailor profiles that have been selected at random. (Pictures of boat owners do not necessarily correspond with the bios published in this installment.) If you're interested in doing this year's Ha-Ha, please go to www.baja-haha.com for more information. latitude / tim Notes: * indicates the number of people 18 or under on the boat. + indicates the number of times someone on the crew has done a Ha-Ha. When someone is referred to as a 'wife,' it only suggests an equal partner in a relationship. (W) indicates that the boat will be sailing using just white sails as opposed to gennakers or spinnakers. In many cases both the boat hailing port and the owner's city of residence are listed. All bios were written by the Grand Poobah, who both is responsible for and regrets any errors. Absolute — Islander 36 Tom and Katie Bosch San Diego Tom, 36, an engineering tech, and Page 82 •
Latitude 38
• September, 2019
his wife Katie, a preschool teacher, will be doing the Ha-Ha with two crew who hadn't been determined by press time. The Bosches only started sailing in July 2017, but having quickly fallen in love with it, have gone 'all in'. They bought Absolute in January this year, and had her rerigged a few months later. "This is our first boat, our first HaHa, and it will be by far our longest passage," they report. "We've enjoyed visiting Mexico for many years, and now can't wait to sail down the beautiful coast. After the Ha-Ha, we plan to cruise Mexico, then either head down to Central America or do the Pacific Puddle Jump. Our dream destination is
'Absolute'
French Polynesia." The Islander 36, one of the most popular one-design classes ever on San Francisco Bay, was designed by Alan Gurney. He also designed the legendary 73-ft Windward Passage before souring on the yacht-design business.
*Amazing Grace III — Island Packet 44 (W) Kim and Dona Eddy Seattle, WA Kim, 66, is a retired service tech, while Dona is a retired teacher. Granddaughter Jordyn, 13, will be along as crew. What a great experience she'll have to share with her friends when she gets home! The Eddys have been sailing for 30 years and have owned four boats; the most recent, their Island Packet, for just six months. They are veterans of a Vancouver Island circumnavigation, but have no idea what they'll do after the Ha-Ha. They have yet to determine their dream destination, and are keeping their fingers crossed that their current boat is their dream boat. Blind Faith — Bruce Roberts 44 Richard Michaelson Bodega Bay Richard, 72, is an ASA instructor, six-pack captain, and instrument-rated pilot who loves retirement. He'll be sailing south with a big crew: Darrel Dean, 75, a retired geologist; Terry Wasik, 72, a retired contractor; Scott Hayward, 57, a carpenter; Nicky Hayward, Scott's wife; Michelle Bogoger, 42, an entrepreneur; and Dawn May, a nanny. "I've been sailing for 40 years," says Richard, "and own three sailboats: a Capri 14.2, a Catalina 270, and the Bruce Roberts 44. Blind Faith has been mine for four years. She was designed as a center-cockpit ketch, but has been modified to have a fishing cockpit aft. I spent decades dreaming of a boat like her, and I found her." This will be everyone's first Ha-Ha, although Richard and Darrell once spent two weeks sailing toward the Society Islands. Alas, they had to give up in Santa Barbara because of storm damage and fatigue. 'Capt. Rick', as he's sometimes known, is right-handed and loves Key lime pie. He and his wife's dream destinations are Provence, France, and Haifa, Israel. "Perhaps sometime in the future we could alternate between them annually," he muses. After the Ha-Ha, some of the crew will fly home, while others will continue on up to La Paz. Then, it's back to Bodega Bay.