SIGHTINGS bill erkelens on sustainability practices We talk about the need to reduce our impact and get to net-zero in 2050 — what will yachting look like then? What will be sailing? What will the boats look like? Good questions to ponder, right? Bill Erkelens, chief operating officer for 11th Hour Racing Team in the Ocean Race 2022-23, raised these points in a recent conversation around their sustainability program. The team, inspired and supported by its sponsor 11th Hour Racing, not only works to win high-profile ocean racing events, it also works with the sailing community and maritime industries to advance solutions and practices that protect and restore the health of our oceans. But what does this really mean, and is the team walking the talk? As Bill explained, the team's sustainability effort is not just a nod to playing 'green'. Among the international sailing community, 11th Hour Racing Team is a leading example of how to, at the least, start a sustainable effort inside a sailing organization. Challenged by its sponsors to engage in a more holistic and environmentally supportive approach to everything the team is involved with — from boatbuilding to the oceans it crosses to the events it participates in — the team formed its own continued on outside column of next sightings page
the return of the The Latitude 38 Crew List Party will return on Thursday, September 9, at the Bay Model Visitor Center in Sausalito, from 6 to 9 p.m. The pandemic is the only thing that's paused a Crew List Party since the early 1980s, when we created them to introduce skippers and crew who want to sail San Francisco Bay or sail over the horizon. Since then, thousands of sailing connections have resulted in millions of sailing miles. All of our crew parties are geared toward helping people find sailing opportunities for cruising, racing or daysailing. The Fall Crew List Party is ideal for boat owners seeking crew who want to head south to Mexico or crew seeking a boat to do the same. It's also well-suited for folks looking for midwinter race crew, or for anyone who just wants to
Spread: 11th Hour Racing Team during a training session out of Newport, RI. The team spent 24 hours offshore testing foil performance, sails and liveability on their IMOCA 60. Inset right: team COO Bill Erkelens of Point Richmond.
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