Latitude 38 August 1998 by Latitude 38 Media, LLC

VOLUME 254, August 1998

We Go where the wind blows

hen it comes to security Grand Marina is right up there with San Quentin. Night watch on our docks, parking lot and in our marine Center. Secured gatehouses and common facilities; our \ on-site security staff patrols the area to prevent your property from being damaged or stolen.

Located in quiet Alameda, Grand marina is protected from the sea as well. Don't leave your investment floating in just any marina. Get total piece of mind - security from Grand Marina. '

FAcamess • Over 400 Concrete Berths 30-60 ft.

• 60 Ton TRAVELIFT

• Secured Gatehouses (Key Accessed Only)

• 2 Acre Boatyard

• Dockside Electrical (up to 50 A - 220 V)

• Complete Service Facilities

• Cable TV & Telephone Services

• Chandlery

• Trailerable Dry Storage

• Electronics Sales & Service

• Heated & Tiled Restrooms with

• Engine Maintenance & Repair

Individual Showers

• Machine/Prop Shop

• Full Service Fuel Dock & Mini Mart

• Rigging Shop

• Sailboat & Powerboat Brokers On Site

• Canvas Work and Woodworking

I—H™™"™—~—~—z--—r—7——

(510

8 6 5 - 1 2 0 0

GRAND MARINA GENTRY-ANDERSON Leasing Office Open Daily

2099 Grand Street Alameda, CA 94501

with six-month tense (36’ & muter)

Page 2

• b&Zt-Ji 3? • August, 1998

Brush the Competition Aside! (A Pineapple Sails ad with some real teeth in it!)

Photo: Mariah’s Eyes Photography, (510) 864-1144

Robert Nance, a Sacramento dentist, sailed his Newport 30 II, Water-pik, into first overall in this year’s Pacific Cup race to Hawaii. Water-pik crossed the finish line at Kaneohe Bay in just twelve days and nine hours after leaving San Francisco, correcting out first among the sixty-two finishers! This was Bob’s third Pacific Cup, so he knows the drill. Water-Pik was well-prepared, with a stellar crew in John Dillow and Mel Morrison, an ample supply of crackers and pea¬ nut butter and Pop Tarts - and a full set of Pineapple Sails, including three fast, well-behaved spinnakers. Bob Nance chose Pineapple as much for the support of his sailmaker as for the performance of the sails. From sail selection to sail trim to sailing in general, you too can take advantage of the wisdom gained in our twenty-five years in sailmaking.

*Water-Pik,

heading for Hawaii

YOGR DEALER FOR: Musto Foul Weather Gear & Headfoil 2 Sails in need of repair may be dropped off at: West Marine Products in Oakland or Stockton Svendsen’s in Alameda & Bay Riggers in Sausalito

PINEAPPLE SAILS

*Powered by Pineapples

Phone (510) 444-4321 Fax (510) 444-0302 Website www.sailmaker.com 123 SECOND STREET, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 94607 August. 1998 • UtiU/c'iS • Page 3

We Offer Choices... Introducing the New Island Packet 380 LOA 39'7" LWL 32'0" Beam 13'2" Draft 4'7" Displacement 21,000 lbs. Sail Area 885'2" Island Packet has done it again. The new 380 is an instant success with almost 20 boats ordered within the first three weeks of its introduction. This fourth generation design features a streamlined underbody and refined keel design along with optimized rig for enhanced sailing performance. The interior is the most comfortable and spacious of any boat near its size. If you're considering any new liveaboard bluewater cruiser up to 43' you simply must check out new Island Packet 380. Introductory sail away at $219,959.

ISLAND PACKET 320 Boat of the Year , Best Midsized | w.,^4. Cruiser i‘Jj| 1998 Jfe

The Island Packet 45 is a remarkable yacht that simply does everything you could ask a cruiser to do with finesse. The boat is quick and well mannered with a roomy, elegantly appointed interior. The superior quality is readily apparent. This is the only boat ever to win Cruising World magazine's Best Boat and Best Value awards.

The 320 combines all the quality and features you'd expect from Island Packet. Check out the new 320 and you'll see why Cruising World selected the 320 as the 1998 Boat of the Year winner for best small cruiser. This is the ideal boat choice for those looking for good quality, roomy, comfortable accommodations and an easily managed yacht under 35 feet. Excellent sailing performance.

Cruising World Magazine’s 1998 Best Full Size Cruiser and Overall Cruising Boat of the Year

Superb German Craftsmanship and Engineering • Fast, Elegant and Comfortable X-Yachts

are among the world's finest. If you are looking for an elegant bruiser that can win ocean races look no further. X-ceptional Quality X-traordinary Speed

Page 4 • UtUiJiZS • August. 1998

Three-

AT OUR

TwoCabin

Cabin

LOA LWL Beam Draft

417" 36'1" 13' 57"

Sailaway for $183,623

The new Oceanis 411 is an exceptional yacht. The boat has a traditional look with raised teak bulwarks. The interior is elegant and roomy with a feel very similar to the larger 461. This may be all the boat you will ever need for extended or local cruising. A great liveaboard.

Beneteau 36 Center Cockpit

With the room of a 40-footer and extreme ease of handling, the new 36 is a must see. Standard equipment such as furling main and jib makes this boat simple to handle. Her refined hull design makes her a swift and nimble cruiser. Below decks you'll find a great aft stateroom, a large gourmet galley, comfortable forward stateroom and a large comfy saloon. All at a very reasonable price.

Beneteau 40 Center Cockpit

The all new Beneteau First 4j0.7 combines a sleek and sophisticated racer with all the comforts of a luxurious cruiser. Her Bruce Farr designed hull and powerful rig provide excellent performance whether you're knocking the 'socks off your competition on the race course or if you just want to get to the next harbor a little more quickly than usual. Sailaway at only $174,900 with four Quantum Sails and Harken deck gear.

BROKERAGE

BENETEAU 351, '95.$108,000

Passage!Jach§ 1230 Brickyard Cove Rd. Pt. Richmond, CA 94801

This excellent center cockpit bluewater passage maker is a swift and comfortable seagoing home. The 40CC exemplifies Beneteau quality, performance and value.

(510) 236-2633 BENETEAU 38, ’83. $59,900

Fax (510) 234-0118 www.sfsailing.com/passage August, 1998 • Ia&UJUZS • Page 5

CONTENTS

BOAT LOANS from S**>*«K

Trident Funding

"a fresh approach from people you can trust"

In Northern California call

JOAN BURLEIGH

(800) 690-7770 In Southern California call

JEFF LONG KIT CARLSON

(888) 883-8634

http://yachtvvorkl.com/trident Page 6 • UiUtJtJS • August, 1998

subscriptions calendar letters loose lips s sightings pacific cup gumboots singlehanded transpac tahiti flotilla entorcement guide, pt. II ocean racing records eye on the bay coastal cup max ebb: by the book j/24 worlds the racing sheet world of chartering changes in latitudes classy classifieds advertisers' index brokerage

24 36 88

94 120

136 142 150 156 164 170 174 178 182 si 86

198 206 222 234 236

COVER PHOTO BY First Light For the next 20 months or so. New Zealand will be the focus of the sailing world, Andy and Jill Rothman of the Tiburon-based J/44 'First Light' are already there — where they shot this photo of other cruisers who have arrived early. While there are nearly endless cruising spots in New Zealand, it's going to be chock-a-block near Auckland. Copyright 1998 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc. Latitude 38 welcomes editorial contributions in the form of stories, anecdotes, photographs - anything but poems, please; we gotta draw the line some¬ where. Articles with the best chance at publication must 1) pertain to a West Coast or universal sailing audience, 2) be accompanied by a variety of pertinent, in-focus black and white (preferable) or color prints with identifica¬ tion of-all boats, situations and people therein; and 3) be legible. Anything you want back must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Submissions not accompanied by an SASE will not be returned. We also advise that you not send original photographs or negatives unless we specifically request them; copies will work just fine. Notification time varies with our workload, but generally runs four to six weeks. Please don't contact us before then by phone or mail. Send all submissions to Latitude 38 editorial department. 15 Locust Ave.. Mill Valley, C A 94941. For more specific information, request writers' guidelines from the above address.

WmMt

Bav Island 30' Catalina, 1987. Very well equippet and nicely maintained. Asking $34,500.

the wind stops. $16,500.

YACHTS flU

Monohull Brokerage

The interior feels as big as most 36' boots. At our dock. $44,900.

Price just reduced and the owner's want her sold. Great cruiser. Now $119,500.

CT41

§i

(510) 814-0400

Center cockpit, offshore cruiser. At our docks. Asking $69,900.

27' LANCER M/S.$16,500

33' SWIFT, 79.$44,900

27' NOR SEA, "93 .$49,500

36' COLUMBIA.$28,500

28' SAN JUAN, '78.$12,500

37' TARTAN, 78.$69,500

28' LANCER.$9,500

40' STEVENS, '82.$119,500

28' PEARSON, '79.$13,950

41' CORONADO.$49,950

30' NEWPORT.$12,500

41' CT, center cockpit.$69,900

30' AKIDO, 70.$18,500

41' MORGAN, '87.$109,500

30' SAN JUAN.$13,800

42' PEARSON, 79.$99,500

30’ C&C, 71 .$18,500

44' PETERSON.$124,500

32' CATEISHER.$96,000

45' EXPLORER/78.$103,500

33' CS .$35,000

57' ALDEN,'31 .$180,000

NEW USTING

42' PEARSON 424

■

BBla 41' Morgan Classic, 1987. Well kept with a good equipment list. Our dock. $109,500.

Your catamaran experts on the West Coast. Here’s a small list. Call for more!

37' Tartan. Fixed keel, cruise equipped ant at our dock. Come take a look. $69,500.

Very affordable and roomy liveaboard/ cruiser. Call for more info. $49,950.

1 f you're thinking of cruising, stop by am toke a look at this one! Now $99,500.

ots of recent upgrades. Call for complete

c etails or stop by to see her. $124,500.

42' VENEZIA, '97.$377,000

Multihulls

45' KRONOS, '92.$295,000 47' MAYOTTE, '96 .$590,000 48' PRIVILEGE 14.7.from $295,000

36' SOLARIS,'91 . $124,000

48’ PRIVILEGE 482.from $284,000

37' LAGOON .from $179,000

53' CATANA, '93.$519,000

39' PRIVILEGE .from $169,000

55' LAGOON.$480,000

40’ DEAN, '97. $265,000

55' MASHFORD.$438,000

40' NORSEMAN, '93. $249,000

56' MARQUISES.$525,000

42' CATANA, '91.$199,000 42’ LAGOON,.from $224,000 42' KENNEX 420, '92 . $200,000

Great Cruising Yachts in the Caribbean

57' LAGOON.$500,000

37' Prout Snowgoose. One of the most afford¬ able world cruising cats on the market. $99,000.

SitnpSOtlBuy 40’ 42’ 43' 43’ 43’

44'

59' JONGERT Looking for the safety of steel and the luxury of a cruising yacht? Here she is. $495,000.

44' 44' 46' 47' 48'

OCEANIS, ’95. CATALINA, ’89 . OYSTER, '82 . SWAN, 69. BENETEAU 432, '84 ... ROBERTS STEEL. MORGAN 191 . JEANNEAU Sun Magic, CSY Walk Over, 77 ... BENETEAU 456 . SWAN S&S, 78. C&C LANDFALL, '80 ...

.$139,000 .$107,000 .$195,000 .$99,000 .$54,000 .$120,000 .$111,200 '90 $159,000 from $75,000 .$159,000 .$225,000 .$159,000

One of many ex-charter boats thol make great cruisers. Call our cal expert and find out why.

• 48' 49' 51' 5V 52' 55' 59' 62' 73'

St. MdUrtetl BRUCE ROBERTS STEEL .... BOWMAN, '80. CUSTOM ALUMINUM, '94 BENETEAU FIRST 51, '89 . GRAND SOLEIL, '91 . SWAN, 70. JONGERT, 72. NAUTICAL, '85. STEEL SCHOONER, '86 ...

$229,000 $195,000 . $250,000 . $279,000 . $400,000 .*$379,000 . $495,000 . $380,000 $175,000

More than 80 boats available!

Stop by and see us in Grand Marina, Alameda

60' HELLMAN STEEL, '96 .$750,000 77' ETEL, '84.$349,000

Sales • Charters • ASA Sailing School

62' NAUTICAL Well appointed, well equipped and the envy of many. A great bluewater cruiser. $375,000.

Home Page: http://yachtworid.com/bayisland e-mail: bayisle@ccnet.com 2099 GRAND STREET A ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA 94501 A (510)814-0400 FAX (510) 814-8765 August, 1998 •

U&UJt 28

• Page 7

SUBSCRIPTIONS □ Enclosed is $26.00 for one year Third Class Postage (Delivery time 2-3 weeks; Postal Service will not forward third class, so you must make address change with us in writing.)

Q Third

irises 60' 1»slS

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Easy Access from Marin and the East Bay Dry Boat Storage Available — Ready for summer FREE 24 Hour Double Wide Launch Ramp Berths Available 261 to 70' Restaurant and General Store Within Walking Distance 24 Hour Security fJ. „ '

★ Laundry Room ★ Storage Lockers Available

Marina Bay Yacht Club

Class Renewal (current subs, only!)

□ Enclosed is $50.00 for one year First Class Postage (Delivery Time 2 to 3 days) (Canada & Mexico: First Class Only}

□ First Class Renewal (current subs, only!) □ Gift Subscription

- Gift Card to read from:

We regret that we cannot accept foreign subscriptions, nor do we bill or accept credit cards for payment. Check or money order must accompany subscription request.

Name Address City

State

Zip

Please allow 4-6 weeks to process changes/additions, plus delivery time.

Free Day Use Guest Berthing Visit, drink and dine at the fabulous waterfront Salute restaurant!

Guest docks on "G" Dock adjacent to harbormaster's office. 1340 Marina Way South, Richmond, California 94804 Richmond Marina Bay Harbormaster

INDIVIDUAL ISSUE ORDERS Current issue = $5.00

□

We have a marine-oriented business/yacht club in Califor¬ nia which will distribute copies of Latitude 38. (Please fill out your name and address and mail it to the address below. Distribution will be supplied upon approval.)

□

Please send me further information for distribution outside California.

OUTBOARDS

Delta Sailors

Type of Business

Business Name Address City

State

County

Zip

Phone Number

Only Sea-Power offers: • Summer sale cash & carry pricing

Outboards_

• Broad selection • Large inventory

Power In Tune With Nature

HOIST PA

• Convenient location

mnrariE

• Expert service

IANsWUsW [outboards"

Shop and compare - from our full range of 2 and 4-stroke engines you'll find a reliable engine at the best price anywhere.

sea-power --

Southbound Cruisers

Outboards from:

With classy ad placed = $3.00

DISTRIBUTION

-Call Today (510) 236-1013 -

CASH & CARRY PRICING

•

Back Issues = $7.00 (must indicate exact issue by month or vol. #)

—

—y raaffoco©

333 Kennedy St., Oakland, CA 94606 • www.sea-power.com

(510) 533-9290 • Fax (510) 534-0908 Page 8 • biUtu/t 39 • August. 1998

we go where the wind blows"

Publisher/Exec. Editor.... Richard Spindler... . richard@latitude38.com.. . ext. 111 Bookkeeping.... Helen Nichols. . ext. 101 General Manager. ... Colleen Levine....colleen@latitude38.com.. . ext. 102 Production. ... Christine Weaver .....chris@latitude38.com. . ext. 103 Production. ... Kirstin Kremer... kirstin@latitude38.com..... ext. 104 Production. ...Annie Bates-Winship annie@latitude38.com ... .. ext. 104 Advertising. ... Mitch Perkins. ... mitch@latitude38.com... .. ext. 107 Advertising. ...John Arndt . ...john@latitude38.com. .. ext. 108 Senior Editor. ... Rob Moore. ...rob@latitude38.com. .. ext. 109 Managing Editor. ... John Riise. ...johnr@latitude38.com ... .. ext. 110 Associate Editor. ... Andy Turpin. ...andy@latitude38.com.... .. ext. 112 Directions to our office . ext. Classifieds. . ext. Subscriptions. . ext. Distribution. .distribution@latitude38.com...". ..ext. Editorial. .editorial@latitude38.com. .. ext. Other email. .general@latitude38.com Website. .www.latitutie38.com

212 21 24 25 26

15 Locust Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941 • (415)383-8200 Fax:(415)383-5816

Please address all correspondence by person or department name.

The Pacific Coast's Largest Catamaran Dealer "The Lagoon 410 is the best new cruising cat in the past 5 years!" Annapolis Sailboat Show, 1997 -

"Hello Aquilon” (Bye-bye Corsair) Welcome to the all-new, trailerable Aquilon 26, a state-of-the-art, performance-cruising catamaran. ---

The All-New Lagoon 410 (more photos & full details on our web site at www.cruisingcatsusa.com) □

□

3 cabin/2 head and private office)

version with 'owner's suite'

(w/opti. washer/dryer

8-13 knots under sail, 8.5 knots under power

□ Same interior room as a 50' monohull □ 2 hulls mean no heeling under sail and no rocking and rolling

□ □ □ □

at anchor Only 3'10" draft - fully beachable Galley up design - better visibility and comfort for the cook Exquisite no maintenance pearwood interior throughout Only $280,530*,ex-factory. Includes full B&G Electronics, autopilot & GPS, fridge, roller furl gen., etc. Hurry, 1999 price increase coming! Other luxury Lagoons from 47' to 67'. Call for details! ■

Gemini 105: (34' x 14' x 18"). Best value and most popular of all 40 cats we offer! 3 cabins/1 head. Only cat with centerbrds; draft 18” up, 5' w/brds down. Only cat that s 'turnkey' ready - just add food and fuel. Literally! Includes: 27hp diesel, main and furling genoa, stove, fridge, hot water, rigid bimini & dodger, s/t winches, compass, anchor and more. $115,000’.

The new Fountaine Pajot 35, 38 & 42 all have beautifully upgraded interiors (or 1999!

Tobago 35 (35' x 19' x 3') from Fountaine Pajot. Our choice for 'Best 35' Bluewater Cruising Cat.' Extra wide beam = maximum stability. Modern galley-up layout. 3 cabins & 1 head or 2 & 2. Includes: 2 Yanmar dsls, wind/spd/depth instruments, furling genoa, more. $169,996 in SF Bay.

PLUS: We offer other cat models from 26' ($85,000) to 120' ($10,000,000). Call for your choice.

Rod Gibbons’

Cruising Cats USA Grand Marina, 2099 Grand Street, Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 814-0251 • fax (510) 814-8765

www.cruisingcatsusa.com

•plus s/h, tax & options, etc.

Take a Look! www.cruisingcatsusa.com

llgdMNHi

. .

The Aquilon guarantees you 5 major benefits over the proven (but aging) Corsair F-model trimarans. 1. Comfort Catamarans heel less than half as much as trimarans - barely 5 to 6 degrees vs. 12 to 14 degrees! Besides greater comfort, this 'no-heel' sailing also is an added safety bonus for any children, pets or crew onboard. 2. Roominess (A) The Aquilon 26's cockpit is 230% larger than the F-28’s. (81 sq. ft. vs. 35 sq. ft.) (B) Each Aquilon hull offers full standing headroom. (You can barely SIT upright in the F28's lone hull.) (C) And the Aquilon 26 has FOUR separate living areas double berth cabin, head w/ shower, Ushaped galley (see photo), Lshaped dining settee (converts into a 2nd double berth). 3. Economy The Aquilon 26 costs $2,000 LESS than a comparably equipped F-28, yet the Aquilon is roomier than the F-31 (which is $30,000 more expensive than an Aquilon!) 4. Performance The Aquilon is a 'mini-muscle' boat. She motors at over 10 knots and can sail in excess of 20 knots! 5. Trailerable Because the Aquilon weighs only 1,950 lbs. (nearly 500 lbs. less than an F-28), it's very easy to tow. (See photo with a com¬ pact auto pulling an Aquilon.) It's easy to take your Aquilon to Puget Sound, Lake Tahoe, the Pa¬ cific coast, the Sea of Cortez you name it!

August. 1998 • UMUtlS • Page 9

mmm

. ■J-.i

O'NEILL-

NEW CATALINAS

YACHT CENTER

CatalinaJIIfachts NEW CAT ALINAS Santa Cruz slip subleases available with new purchase! BROKERAGE 24‘ 27' 27' 32' 45'

COLUMBIA CHALLENGER ...$2,900 CATALINA 270, '96.42,800 SANTA CRUZ, 77.12,500 CATALINA 320, '96.71,000 MULL CUSTOM,'81 .129,000

POWER 23' 29' 32' 36' 73'

REGAL,'90.$18,950 PROLINE, '93. Pending PHOENIX BLACKHAWK, '86.28,900 MMC TRAWLER, new power. 74,500 CUSTOM CAT, '95 ...)..Inquire

2222 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

(408) 476-5202 Fax (408) 476-5238

NEW CATALINA 470

oneillyc@cruzio.com • www.oneillnet.com

STANDING RIGGING-] REPLACEMENT SPECIALISTS Standing and running rigging, custom made in our full service facility located on the Alameda/ Oakland Estuary (docks up to 75' in front of our shop). Whether you're looking for that edge on the race course, or planning to circumnavigate the world, we can make it happen. • Custom and production masts and booms • Wires swaged from 5/32" to 5/8“ in both 316 and 304 stainless • Dacron, Vectran, Technora, and Spectral fiber ropes custom covered and spliced I • Written rigging inspections and guotes for insurance • Optimization of deck space using carefully selected hardware from around the world • 50+ mph Whaler Loro for fast, efficient service in your dock.

ROLLER SAf.ES AND EXPERT INSTALLATION FURLING harken mo&n

HANSEN RIGGING 2307 Blanding, Suite H, Alameda CA 94501

_(510) 521 -7027_ Page 10 • UMuA.12 • August. 1998

Now is the time for... SUMMER ENGINE TUNE-UPS & REPAIR • • • • •

Highly Skilled Workers Fiberglass Repair Blister Jobs Bottom Jobs 30 Ton Lift

Engine Service

Call for a quote today!

For engine service you can trust.

• Repair • Repower • Sales • Service Parts • Rebuilt Engines • Generators

ru ISUZU

§§Perkins VOLVO Authorized Dealers

BRITISH MARINE

D I ESELS

#9 Embarcadero Cove Oakland, CA 94606

(800) 400-2757 (510) 534-2757

Conveniently located on the Oakland Estuary - 2 blocks from West Marine

International Sailino Products 42 Great Neck Road • Waterford, CT 06385 Phone: 800-645-7676 • Fax: 860-701-3432 • e-mail: ISPonline@aol.com Since 1979 ISP has offered the very best gear for the performance sailor, many items not available anywhere else! And without excep¬ tion, all items have been tested by performance sailors around the world. The selection below is Just a small sampling of the many product we sell. To receive our new. Fall 1998 catalog, write, call, fax or e-mail us.

Dinghy Smock by Pro Rainer. Cut with flexibility and mobility in mind lutre- wflletprobf Pi' coated nylon makes this top lightweight and comfort¬ able, idea! for one design sailing, ioredeck work, and even jet skiing. Unlined. All seams are taped. Red/Royal. Yellow/Navy, Sizes XS-XL $65.95 Dinghy Trousers by Pro Rainer. Made from the same material as the dinghy smock. These mid¬ chest bibs are a perfect match for the top. Adjustable suspenders and soft ankle closures provide a great fit. Unlined. All seams are taped. Royal or Navy, Sizes XS-XL $59.95

Kenora Jacket by

pockets keep items | wind and water. Com Navy. Royal Mint ( a

Pro Rainer. Great for jac ket is too much and a shell is not: enough. 1 he shell is HD Taslon flyldfl- wuh & durable poiyeurethane water nusistam Cmting. Tffe body tmd collar arc lined with iffoi /dumbfo -J5 ox, pqgyestef fleece. The sleeves are hoed wait lightweight needle punch: insulation st« » in wjffo. a nv ton tat 1 eta tatng, Corofoit;sole rib test waistband ar<-1 _ cuffs seal out the' cofcl Zippered handwarmet K zippers ■with internal storm Sap seal out H pocket. Sizes XS-XXL Odors. Red, only). $49.95;

If a product Jails due to a manufacturing defect, even after extended use. PmRainer'uM, nj&i

Laser Ranging System by Bushneii. Range up to 400 yards and small one hand operation, it proves to be indispensible to the racing sailor. Emits invisible, eyesafe, infrared pulses that are reflected off a target back to its receiving optics. Sophisticated circuitry and a high speed clock are used to instantaneously calculate distances. Key features: 1 yd/m accu¬ racy, water resistant, 60 ^ second display cf results, lightweight ergonomic design, auto¬ matic Shutoff, inaudible operation. 4 x Pefma focus monocular, battery powered Limited 1 vear warranty. $289.95 Model 20-0400 Ibberson Rigger's Knife Available only from ISP. This is a knife made for the serious rigger, designed to perform when oth¬ ers just won't cut it. Built on the Ibberson tra¬ dition. Professional quality' knives with Sheffield stainless steel. The top-rated marine knives in the world. Stainless steel blade with hardwood handle and brass' bolster. A shackler and screwdriver have been incorporated into the blade. Sheath is made of heavy dutynylon webbing with optional lanyard. Made in England. Available with thick or thin blade. Model IBBRIG Knife with free sheath $89.95

Datascope

Polo Shirts by li'CSG two butfcox 1 xx>p fuxed >. 1 box j#&g available in navy. white, red, forest green. rov; fl blue, berry, turquoise, banana, and rural M/i > XS-XXL. $►36.95 Long sleevM, available in red, navy. and forest $i%Q1 XS-XXL. $41.95 available in navy

patented electronic

roof prism rMnocular (472’ @ 1000 a

precision

Avaterprucfl hand held unit. The ergon

quartz

-etokff>re» 9/hfoffinp t« mfcmorv, (A-ntcs *{i*,

w in h u rx bit enes • nth tdesl.

and sltw '

Allen Inventory Rec .mo '

Gold Folding Bicycle

by 1 Xthort* Dahon lowers the

L^^tedfolsihgbKvdowMifoetoJrMountmGdd; CVhfch is |xA!sf redin cdfirl ST^jP" •’,,, ^ Odd ^■jodel Qflf LfpBotflfl Outy

las:, take SO"’-., off ! a prfcv tv .4! HPIf inventory^ifdjinces. kmlk tion.ai and we reserve foe right t» correct sy»^Sl8»sSiSsi«SvSs8S

Winch

s 199.00 $211.00 $208.00

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designed

JilTeiencc- in 1 .c.itticqs aid • i-ily .1 |flaybulge. Weigh* lev than 12

Fiber

Folding Bkyde by Dalton. No Igresisis salt air corrosion totter titan foam Dahort, the leader m folding bicycles. 5ed Shlimno gears, grip sfalt, Stainless steel frame and fork,'-20” alloy wheels steel spokes, and alloy brake caliper. Weighs 29 fe.Tolds to only 13" x 25" x jy.Srtciudes kickstand and rear carrier. Model L8054 Stainless Steel Mariner $489.95

by KVH inte¬

chronometer *U in one stock

t >y Titan. "The ultimate performance M

Model I0LV Single Bail Bering Handle Model 10VDG Double Ball Bearing Handle. Model 10VMG Maxi Grip Ball Beatteg

rangefinder, a high-quality 5 x 30

Carbon

Handle

fiber molded under extreme tempferknre and pressure: nc^ rigid handle The hMvi weighs k-ss ti,.,n II ounces and it also floats! One year manufaetqfefls warranty ..

minated fluxgate compass (0.5°

yds.)

Viper

winch handle tstfto erfanet Designed and built,. by MeCotughy-Ttan especially for tire ractag pros who are looking for the competitive edge

grates an extremely accurate illu¬ accuracy), a

ek letter, and graphic embroidery rein. gold, and royal blue thread. Please inquire about pricing.

Script, red

$42 50

todc tarns. Hu ndreds of products to

Please refer to code LAT0898 when ©rd

FOK'OIM MARINA HOME OF THE ALAMEDA YACHT CLUB A 9^

Our Prime Location Includes Close, Easy Access to the Bay Competitive Rates 500 Berths up to 60' Nighttime Security Free Pump-Out Station

Clean Restrooms Quest Berthing Yacht Brokerage on Site Power, Water, Phone and Dockbox at each Berth

1535 BUENA VISTA AVENUE, ALAMEDA, CA 94501

MFJUUMAN TURNBUCKLES In Stock From Hayn

New Catalog Available

INavPod INSTRUMENT HOUSINGS For a single instrument or complete navstation at the helm. Shown is the NKW 0*10 Radar/Chartplotter Navl’od for ”hig screen” LCD electronics. Mounted above is the popular NI* 1003 Three Instrument Navpod. The At; 10 AngleGuard can easily replace standard 9.5" on center pedestal guards. MANUFACTURED BY

OCEAN EQUIPMENT, INC. 893 Production Place Newport Beach, CA 92663 Tel: 949.515.1470, Fax. 949.515.1477 Page 12 • UiUi^O.'iS • August. 1998

HAYN ENTERPRISES,LLC 496 East Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Call 600-346-4296 Fax 800-441-4296 email sales@hayn.com web www.hayn.com (online soon)

HHHHHHHHBHHHi

"Everyone Needs a Bigger Boat"

KENSINGTON YACHT & SHIP BROKERS Fortman Marina

Sausalito

1535 Buena Vista, Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 865-1777 Fax (510) 865-8789 e-mail: noahfox@aol.com

(415) 332-1707 e-mail: kenyacht@aol.com website: http: / / y achtworld .com / kensington

32' FUJI KETCH, 1977 Sturdy, top quality ocean cruiser. Asking $29,500.

OYSTER 485

CO-OP LISTINGS AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA.

sfw ®gi

40' WECO SLOOP, 1985 New Zealand's steel-hulled pride. Extensive cruising inventory. Asking $139,000.

WAUQUIEZ Pretorians Centurions 35’ to 59’ •OYSTERS CONTACT US FOR SPECS

BUC NET

35' RAFIKI, 1979 A full-keeled moderate displacement cruiser in great shape. Asking $66,000. (sistership)

28’ NEWPORT, 1985 A clean Bay boat. Diesel, low hours. Asking $18,000.

31’ VINDO, 1974 One of Sweden's best. Shows pride of ownership. Asking $55,000.

OYSTER 435

39' WESTS AIL SLOOP, 1980 Heavily built performance cruiser. Asking $118,000. (sistership)

45' NEW ZEALAND SLOOP, 1981. Gary Mull designed performance cruiser/ racer for any ocean. Asking $129,000 obo.

41' CORONADO, 1972 Comfortable super spacious liveaboard great shape. Asking $50,000.

38' WEST INDIES KETCH, 1979 Experienced ocean cruiser with all the right stuff. Asking $69,900.

August, 1998 •

• Page 13

DEMO SAIL WEEKEND August 22-22 Call for a Reservation

Seawind 1000

Last month we issued a challenge to Rod Gibbons, dealer for the Aqullon catamaran, to allow him an opportunity to prove out on the Say the'case he attempts to make in his advertising. We offered to meet him at the launch ramp at Grand St. to compare set up times and then move to a race on the Say. Rod Gibbons and Aqullon decided not to show. Could it be that the paper case sounds better in print than the truth that is apparent in the real world? We know if you come down and test sail any of Corsair's highly successful,' folding, performance multihulls you will find an honest boat that has satisfied hundreds of happy owners worldwide. The ingenuity, performance and quality of every Farrier designed Corsair trimaran can’t be beat.

Our new Seawind has just arrived. A real performer. A sensible bluewater catamaran. Come by, take a ride and see for yourself.

Until anyone can prove otherwise well encourage you to be skeptical of all claims made on paper and trust your real world experiences first. Come test sail a Corsair and see for yourself today. - Gary Helms

PDQ

FDQ32 From one of the world's leading manu¬ facturers of cruising multihblls. PPQ has opened the door to multihull cruis¬ ing for hundreds of satisfied owners. Step aboard and you'll know why!

34' Spencer. $25,000.

PPQ 36 Northern California Corsair Dealer

BROKERAGE.BROKERAGE

2415 Mariner Square Dr. Alameda, CA 94501

(510)865-2511 Fax (510) 865-021*

YACHT SALES INC.

email Helmz@aol.com

Teri Enger • Jim Butterworth • Gary Helms Page 14 • U&UM11 • August, 1998

36‘ NEWICK TRI. $59,950.

We have a trlfoiler trade-in! Your chance to own new sailing speed at a great price. Includes trailer. Call today!

BROKERAGE

DUG NGT 1

1070 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 100 Alameda, CA 94501

FAX (510) 865-1220 http://www.yachtworld.com/bgy e-mail: bgy@worldnet.att.net

YACHTS

Dealer for:

Pacific Seacraft

Sales: Jack Meagher Jim Marco Chuck Gorman

Corporation 31, PH 32, 34, 37, 40, PH 40, 44

STANDARD Harken Roller Furl Headsail & Staysail Full Batten Mainsail 120% Staysail Singlehander's Package Chrome Plated Bronze Deck Hardware B&B Network Instruments Adler-Barbour DC Refrigeration Whitlock Pedestal Steering w/Single Lever Throttle Ritchie Compass Heart Freedom 20 Inverter/Battery Charger Icom VHF Radio w/Masthead Antenna Lightning Ground System SSB Radio Copper Ground System Solid Boom Vang 3-Burner Propane Stove/Oven/Broiler Hot/Cold Fresh Water Cockpit Shower/Combing Box Raw Water Anchor/Deck Wash Polyurethane Varnish Interior Teak Oil Exterior Woodwork Corian Sink Countertops

(510) 865-6151

(^emgsm

Seacraft

333, 350, 380

OPTIONS Blue Hull Color/Contrasting Non-Skid Lighthouse 1501 GGWS Windlass (with reversing circuit & extra foot button) Mast Pulpits Teak Dorade Boxes w/Chrome Cowls

C'-Jj AT'”

Tw,

Louvered Cabinet Doors Recessed Microwave Red/White Dome Lights Raw Water Spigot w/Foot Pump

^$$$$ 1998 Seacraft 40' Hull #21 At Our Docks!

Seagull Water Purifier New Water Tank Manifold Location Epoxied Bottom Freight & Commissioning

August, 1998 •

• Page 15

Teak and fiberglass seats equal bruised knees and tender tushes. There is a cure! SottomSidcrg™ provide the comfort you want without the nuisance of conventional cushions. No soggy seats, split seams or stuck zippers. mi

• Waterproof • Closed Cell Foam '

• Slide Resistant • Best Looking

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(800) 438-0633 • Fax (206) 780-1012 EMAIL: bottomsidr@aol.com *>

DONATE YOUR BOAT TO

STANFORD SAILING For a 1998 Tax Deduction

You will be surprised how attractive and easy donating your boat to help support the Stanford Sailing Team can be. Stanford University is seeking sailing vessels & motoiyachts of any size and condition - CALL NOW!

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SAILING PROGRAM For more information, please contact Steve Bourdow

Stanford Sailing Office

(650) 364-1292 Page 16 •

3? • August, 1998

Dirty Fuel Tank? Call The Professionals

in# PetroClean

ADVANCED FLUID RECLAIMING SERVICES

TOLL FREE

1 (888) 999-5959 (707) 938-5959 Serving the Greater Bay Area

The Marine Tank Cleaning Experts!! Factory Certified Technicians • Insured

TAYANA

ASK THE SAILOR WHO OWNS ONE!

42' TAYANA CNTR or AFT COCKPIT CUTTER

48' TAYANA CENTER COCKPIT CUTTER

58' TAYANA CENTER COCKPIT CUTTER

Robert Harris design. Good cruising displace¬ ment, 1000 sq. ft. sail, 50 hp Yanmar diesel. Rich teak and spruce below deck. Above deck she is "overrigged". And all gear "oversized" to insure long wear and reliability for offshore use. $236,000 F O B. San Francisco.

Robert Perry design. Fast, comfortable and roomy offshore cruiser. Can be customized to your taste. Delivery (approx.) six months. $305,000 F O B. California

Deep fixed keel, tall rig, great sail carrying capacity, many lay outs to choose from, modi¬ fication of popular 55 Tayana center cockpit cutter, $425,000 F O B. California.

PILOT HOUSE CUTTERS AVAILABLE ~ 37 • 48 • 58 ~ ASK FOR DETAILS

55' TAYANA CENTER COCKPIT CUTTER, '85

50' STEEL HANS GARBERS Built Auxiliary Sloop

40' PANDA CUTTER, '82, Perry Designed

Just listed. Loaded with equipment. Has been cruising and ready for more! Inquire for price detail.

Masthead rig w/trunk cabin. Classic design. Ex¬ tensively rebuiltand shows beautifully. Video avail¬ able to see; apply for detail. Asking $150,000.

Just listed. Double ender. One of a kind interior luxurious, color keyed! Really well equipped and in Bristol condition! Owner moving up. $169,000.

36' MAGELLAN KETCH

33' HUNTER SLOOP

42' TAYANA CENTER COCKPIT CUTTER, '85

Angelman designed cruising ketch. Volvo 36 hp dsl, full keel, Exc. condition! Furling jib, right electronics. Greatliveaboard . See to appreciate . Asking $52,000

Yanmar diesel, furling jib, roomy and well lighted. Look at this one for a good buy! $22,000.

New listing! Furling jib, staysail, new main furling! Current electronics, 2 staterooms, 2 heads. Very roomy/well equipped. Exc. cond. Asking $159,000.

? HUGH JONES Yacht Broker

P*C*JUc

tthA&wk

TAYANA Importer for Eighteen Years! *

We'

2051 Grand Street #12, Alameda, CA 94501 Tel (510) 865-2541 Fax (510) 865-2369 August, 1998 • UVAJUli • Page 17

REDEEM THIS COUPON FOR

THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY

FREE

$100 OFF ON YARD LABOR SERVICES*

And yes, there is a

FREE LUNCH... at our restaurant, The Ramp

^^utdoo7restaurant|

* Certain restrictions apply

835 China Basin St. FOOT OF MARIPOSA ST. San Francisco, CA 94107 Convenient Location 5 Minutes to Downtown SF, Easy Walk to PacBell Park

23rd Annual

111$ iso afiia

»=Srs^=si

, And the Kamv

the mom-

Craig Page, Yard Manager 1 621-2378.

THE TRAILERABLE

SEAWARD

• One Person Mast Raising

(415) 626-3275 • (415) 626-9172 FAX sfbw@earthlink.net

SALMON HARBOR MARINA^!

Bow Sprit With Anchor Roller »Shoal Keel With Wing Aft Easy to Launch • Performs Well • 5'9-l/2" Headroom Only 3,600, lbs. • 8 Opening SS Ports Big T Berth • Diesel or Outboard • Galvanized Trailer

Salmon Harbor Marina is Oregon's largest recreational boating and full service/self-contained RV camping facility, offering excel¬ lent moorage rates at a beautiful 750-siip marina which is conve¬ niently located on the southern Oregon coast next to prime fishing, crabbing and cruising grounds. As an example, the ANNUAL moorage rate for a 24-' boat is only $502 and a 26' boat is $6?5 all utilities included. Salmon Harbor's recreational facility is complete with all the amenities including concrete and wooden docks, two boat lifts, boat repair, fuel dock, restaurants, charter boats, restrooms and showers.

Also available: Seaward 23 and Fox 19, both with unstayed carbon fiber masts. Call for more info.

THE SAILING LIFE™ New and Used Sailboats Ph. 503-289-6306 • Ph. 800-763-1445 • Fox 503-289-7507 260 NE Tomahawk Island Drive, Portland, Oregon 97217 • email sailing lif@aol.com Page 18 • UuuMIS • August, 1998

For more information, contact:

SALMON HARBOR MARINA P.O. Box 1007, Winchester Bay, OR 97467 Bus. (541) 271-2407 Fax (541) 271-2060

e-mail salmon@presys.com

San Francisco's Yacht Broker Since 1969

Northern California's SABRE

& SABRE LINE Dealer

Sabre 452

1998 76' W-Class Racing Yacht Wild Horses

The Sabre 452 is the new flagship of the Sabre fleet. This yacht maintains a perfect balance between every amenity desired for comfortable, safe cruising, and the newest technology in materials and components and state of the art keel, hull and rig design. Base boot $400,000.

Baltic 51 Rascallion

New Zealand Custom 44 Procyon

Cruise with speed ond all of the comforts of home in this world class yacht.

Totolly equipped for cruising in virtually new condition - Kiwi perfection.

44' Swan 441

Ranger 29

new engine

Gary Mull design

Baltic 38

aft cabin layout

Golden Wave 42

Hylas 44

center cockpit

Esprit 37

$84,000

Northwest styling

Pearson 424

Swan 39

new listing

motivated

10 MARINA BLVD. • SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123 • PHONE (415) 567-8880 Rtfi FAX (415) 567-6725 • email sales@citysf.com • website http://yachtworld.com/cityyachts NGT PLEASE VISIT OUR FUEL DOCK AT GASHOUSE COVE MARINA • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • 9AM TO 5PM August, 1998 •

• Page 19

We’ve got you covered.

The SATELLITE 406™ has saved lives everywhere on the planet. The U.S. Coast Guard determined in the report A Study of Lifesaving Systems that “more lives would have been saved if vessels had 406 EPIRBs rather than inflatable survival craft.”* In an emergency, your best chance for survival is to summon help fast. Whether you’re traveling just offshore or crossing the Atlantic, you should carry a life raft, but a 406 EPIRB is the most accurate, reliable device you can depend on ACR

when all else fails. In an emergency, a SATELLITE 406™ EPIRB will continuously transmit your precise location C&1 *nd st,„ t0 bring help fast. And the ACR SATELLITE 406 is tough. It withstands extreme heat or cold while , it keeps on sending your position. Required 5-year battery replacement for the radio beacon is easily available at service centers worldwide. For details, visit the safety and survival section at your marine supply dealer. Electronics Inc

Your Ultimate Way Out. ACR Electronics, Inc., 5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 USA • http://www.acrelectronics.com/ 'Emeigma- Position Indicating Radio Beacon

‘Federal Register Vol 62, No. 189 Tuesday Sept. 30,1997 Rules and Regulations

BLUE - GREEN - BROWN Catalina 42 owners bought the boat because of its spa¬ cious interior. What they came to learn is how well the boat sails. With its deep keel and rudder, the boat is stiff, fast and comfortable. With tanks below the sole there is plenty of storage. You pick, green or blue water, the Cat¬ alina 42 will go anywhere...

CATALINA 42 The Catalina 380 was built with the cruiser in mind. Our customers wanted a great sailing boat with a true twocabin interior. The 380‘s aft owner’s cabin gives you space, privacy and a real bed. With its large galley, spending a night, week or month is a pleasure.

fils

The Catalina 270 offers speed and comfort that most 27 footers wished they had. It was chosen over all others as 'Boat of the Year' not only for its space, but because it is such a joy to sail. The 270 features a three cylinder diesel engine, a roomy cockpit and easy handling. Brown or green, it will do it...

mmm ■

OPEN BOAT WEEKEND ★ AUGUST 8-9 ★

CATALINA 42,1990

PASSPORT 40,1987

A liveaboard dream. Forced air heat, refrigeration, 3 private bedrooms.

Beauty, strength and class. Two to choose from, both cruise ready.

PEARSON 323,1979

CATALINA 36,1984

Top condition with recent LP paint jobf Cruise or daysail.

Great space with a bonus: it sails great.

10 AM-4 PM

★ GREAT BROKERAGE BOATS AT OUR DOCKS ★ 42' Catalina, 1990...$122,000 42' Nova, 1987, powerboat....$149,000 40' Passport, 1987..2 from $149,000 36' Catalina, 1984...$52,500 35! Alberg, 1966..$24*500 34' Catalina, 1986.... New Listing $57,000 34' Aloha, 1984. Sale Pending $55,000 34' Cal Mk III, 1978..Reduced $30,500 32' Pearson 323, 1979. .$37,500 32' T raveller, 1979. .$39,900 300 Carver, 1994, powerboat .$82,500 30' Catalina. . 3 from $20,900 30' Nonsuch, 1981.'. .$57,500 30' O'Day, 1979 . .$19,900 29.5' Hunter, 1994 . .Reduced $44,900 28' O'Day, 1978... .$19,500 270 Catalina, 1995. ... New Listing $43,000 27’ Catalina, 1981. .2 from $10,500 27' Dartsailer, 1980. .Reduced $36,500

farallone yacht sales ★ (510)523-6730 1070 MARINA VILLAGE PARKWAY #104 ALAMEDA, CA 94501 August, 1998 • U&XtUt Z2 • Page 21

BAVARIA / YACHTS

BOATS ^ AFLOAT”^ Show “SS?"

EXCLUSIVE

Sail this magnificent performance cruising yacht away for only $287,900 which includes teak decks, spinnaker gear, Espar heat, dodger, electric windlass and more.

Arriving

42 Ocean

1 In slock

"We think the Bavaria is an exceptionally well-built boat. —

Practical Sailor magazine

"yodtl oi ffce yea*" —

Yacht magazine

“...pricing does not seem to reflect the premium quality.” —

Pacific Yachting magazine

51 Ocean Center cockpit with raised salon — the ultimate in cruising: at a surprisingly affordable price.

What you don’t see is also what you get.

Yacht Sales West Inc Toll Free: 1-800-993-7245 Seattle - Lake Union

Vancouver - Granville Island

Tel: 206.378.0081

Tel: 604.488.1202

Fax:

Fax: 604.488.1203 Email: c&cyachts@pro.net

206.378.0084

Email: bavyacht@wolfenet.com

Bavaria Yachts are built under strict Germanischer Lloyd’s supervision, and each Bavaria is certified before leaving the production facility. This certifies the highest in construction, fittings and on-board systems. Bavaria’s are 100 A5 offshore certified.

See more Bavarias @ Web Site: www.bavaria-yachts.com

Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts-.Bavaria Yachts—Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts Page 22 • UfcWtSi? • August, 1998

Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts—Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts...Bavaria Yachts,

Visit us Sept16-20 Seattle, WA

1998 Lake Union

UjJljJiJ AWARD WINNING ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS

“Sitting On A Dock By The Bay” Open Everyday Breakfast Lunch Dinner Casual Dining Sunrise to Sunset 7 am - 6 pm

limit!!

(Summers till 9pm) Beer & Wine Fresh Roasted Peanuts Sunny South Beach Harbor Pier 40 The Embarcadero San Frandsco 94107

Fresh Roasted Coffee Shipped Anywhere

www.pier40.com 415-495-3815 SO. BEACH HARBOR Wl= HAVE OUR OWN DOCK

Boats for Rent (415) 543-7333

eoffer bareboat charters, 22 - 43 feet in San Francisco, just minutes from some of the BEST sailing in the world! Want to relax? Let our USCG captains do all of the work. Additions to our fleet include: • Beneteau 432 • Hunter 37

Custom Solutions for Your Custom Problems

Let our knowledgeable and professional rigging team manage your project.

We have the Answers to your Questions. Winning Technology for the Hot Race or the Casual Cruise

• Ericson 38 • C&C 40

• Beneteau 39 • Catalina 320

Call TODAY for a FREE Brochure!

Sii /L /11 £5 FRAncisca Lessons • Rentals

South Beach Riaaers

•

Sailing Club

• Expert advise, sales, and splicing of Vectran, Spectra, Technora, and Dacron by our certified splicer. • Professional survey and tune for your rig • Standing and running rigging replacement • Sales and installation of all marine hardware • Fabrication and^hydraulics • Insurance work • Over 100,000 miles racing and cruising experience

Call Tom Today... We can make your boat perform for you!

Inside Pier 40, South Beach Harbor, San Francisco

SOUTH BEACH RIGGERS-TOM RELYEA Tel: 415*974»6063 Fax: 415*974«6064

www.baysail.com/spinnaker

The Embarcadero at Pier 40 South Beach Harbor San Francisco

CALENDAR

1285,000 SAIL AWAY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA More Standard Equipment than Any Boat Its Size! Check Out This Partial List: Main & Genoa Huge Master Stateroom Boomvang Hydraulic Steering lOOhp Yanmar Sparcraft Rigging

LATITUDE/ROB

Generator Refrigeration Propane Stove/Oven Microwave Roller Furling Windlass with Remote

Nonrace Aug. 1 — Aeolian YC’s Marine Swap Meet, beginning at 7:30 a.m.; $10 for sellers. Clear out your locker and garage, or fill them back up. AolYC, (510) 523-2586. Aug. 1-2 — Marin YC Classic Yacht & Car Show, benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hank Wagner, 884-2904 (nights). Aug. 6 — Sau&alito YC Cruise Seminar #1, featuring local rigger and Pac Cup class winner Jim 'JP' Plumley. Dinner avail¬ able at 7 p.m.; free seminar begins around 7:30. Pat Broderick, (707) 528-2109. Aug. 7 — Friday night, full moon. Howl! Aug. 8 — Marine Swap Meet at Point San Pablo YC, 8 a.m. to noon. Sellers' fee is $5. Info, (510) 233-1046. Aug. 9 — Ballena Bay YC open house, 2-5 p.m. Check it out! Info, (510) 523-2292. Aug. 12 — Cruising Seminar with Serge and Robin Teste. Learn about 'the life’ from these accomplished local circum¬ navigators. $5 donation to cover the pizza; 7 p.m. at Berkeley YC, (510) 843-9292. Ajig. 15 — Polaris crew reunion at Modern Sailing Academy (Sausalito), 10 a.m. to noon. RSVP, 331-8250. Aug. 15-16 — Islander 36 Association Cruise to Marin YC. Tim Koester, (510) 638-7638. Aug. 15-16 — Ericson 27 Fleet Cruise to mellow Angel Is¬ land. BJ Blackburn, 665-4390. Aug. 15-16 — 5th Annual Rendezvous for the California Cape Doiy Owners Association (sail and power) at the Benicia Ma¬ rina. Info, 435-4433. Aug. 18 — SF Bay Oceanic Crew Group monthly meeting, featuring Vince Christian on "Underwater Photography." Fort Mason Center, room C210, free, 7 p.m. Info, 979-4866. Aug. 20 — Baja Ah-Ha Seminar #3: "Preparing Yourself', 7 p.m. at UK Sailmakers in Alameda. Sponsored by UK, Waypoint and HF Radio. Info, (510) 769-1547. Aug. 20 — Sausalito YC Cruise Seminar #2, featuring Bill Maritato of Maritime Electronics. Get up to date on GPS, radar, long range communications and more. Same drill as August 6. Aug. 22 — Flea Market at the Sausalito West Marine store, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $10 for sellers' spots. Richard, 332-0202. Aug. 23 — Overboard Recovery Clinic for Women, offered by Club Nautique. "Actually retrieve a live swimmer!" Info, (510) 865-4700. Aug. 29 — 8th Annual Vallejo YC Flea Market, beginning at 9 a.m. "If it's legal, sell it." Toni, (707) 642-1996. Aug. 29 — Catalina Owners' Rendezvous at Encinal YC. Details, (510) 523-6730.

Call for Complete Equipment List and Boat Specs

rMari £Yach

Lowrie Yacht Harbor 40 Pt. San Pedro Rd. San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 454-7595 FAX (415) 454-2561

Page 24 • IrtZUM.'}'/ • August, 1998

Boat name of the month, spotted at the J/24 Worlds. Sept. 8 — Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 15's Safe Boating Classes begin. Registration is 7-9 p.m. at South San Francisco Adult School. Details, Frank Sullivan, (650) 343-6315. Sept. 8-Oct. 22 — "Sailing and Seamanship," a free 7-week course by the USCG Auxiliary, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:309:30 p.m. at the Sausalito CC. Text books are $20; register at 7

South Beach Harbor on the San Francisco waterfront at Pier 40 • Ideal Sailing Weather • Walk to Downtown • Good Parking & Security Spinnaker Sailing - Lessons, Rentals, Charters.543-7333 Rendezvous Charters - Sailing & Motoryacht Cruises.j. 543-7333 Premier Yacht Sales - Boat Sales..495-5335 South Beach Riggers - Rigging, Custom Work. 974-6063 North Beach Marine Canvas - Canvas, Interiors.:L 543-1887 South Beach Yacht Club - New Members Welcome.495-2295 Pier 40 Roastery & Cafe - Open Daily 7:00 am.495-3815

The Embarcadero at Pier 40, San Francisco, CA 94107 Harbormaster: 415-495-4911 FAX 415-512-1351 August, 1998

• UlUusUlS • Page 25

1 IDI35

Get in the fast lane of sailing

Built by Carroll Marine, Ltd.

Standing on the deck of a 1 D35 puts you in the fast lane. For competitors, the tightly controlled, one-design rule guarantees equitable competition. For hobbyists, the quality construction and design guarantee handling ease. For both, the 1 Ct35 guarantees affordable fun. Fast

Easy to Handle

High Hull Form Stability Low Center of Gravity Lightweight Carbon Fiber Mast Low Jib^Overlap No Runners 18.5 hp Inboard Engine

Easily Transported Trailerable behind Your Personal Vehicle Weighs Only 6550 lbs. Simply Unbeatable Affordable Low Maintenance Quality Construction & Design

353 Sacramento Street San Francisco CA 94111 Tel: 415-397-3535 Fax: 415-397-3536

P.O. Box 60204 San Diego CA 92166 Tel: 619-224-6323

Page26 • UlXtJcli • August. 1998

CALENDAR p.m. For more info, call Paul, 389-8754 (after Aug. 23). Sept. 12 — Encinal YC Nautical Flea Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $15 for sellers; food available. Info, (510) 522-3272. Sept. 12-13 — Westsail Owner's Association Rendezvous at the Point San Pablo YC. Guest speakers, pot luck dinner, gen¬ eral mayhem. Mike Sisson, (707) 446-5966 (days). Sept. 12-13 &.17-20 — NCMA’s 27th Annual Fall Boat Show at Jack London Square. Info, (800) 698-5777. Sept. 19 — FUchmond Marina Bay Boat Fest and Multi-cul¬ tural Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details, (510) 236-1013. Oct. 27 — Baha Ha-Ha V — don't get left on the beach! Keep reading the magazine for details, or call the Grand Poobah at (415) 383-8200, ext. Ill, for enlightenment. Racing ^ug. 1 — SSS Half Moon Bay Fta.ce, a new event on the shorthanded racing circuit. Paul Miller, 924-0767. Aug. 1 — Spring SCOFtE #4. SCYC, (831) 425-0690. Aug. 1-2 — Second Season Opener, hosted by Encinal YC. Here we go again! YRA, 771-9500. Aug. 1-2 — Sportboat/Albert Simpson Regatta for J/105s, ll:Metres, Etchells, Melgi and J/24s. StFYC, 563-6363. Aug. 2 — Fall SCORE # 1. SCYC, (831) 425-0690. Aug. 2-8 — El Toro Nationals high up on Huntington Lake. Diane Kroll, 592-0242. Aug. 3-14 — FlHORC's Twentieth Anniversary Kenwood Cup. See The Racing Sheet for the entry list or check out www.kenwoodcorp.com/kenwoodcup. Ken Morrison, (808) 946-9061. Aug. 7 — 26th Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race, one of the SoCal biggies. SBYC, (805) 965-8112. Aug. 8 — North Series #2 (of three), hosted by Benicia YC. Noble Griswold, (707) 745-8598. Aug. 8 — Cowells Classic for Jester dinghies. Big yucks, little bucks. Joe Francis, (831) 476-7392. N Aug. 8 — OYRA/GGYC Gate Crasher Race. YRA, 771-9500. Aug. 8-9 — 505 Invitational. Santa Cruz YC, (831) 425-0690. Aug. 9 — Redwood Cup #1 (series continues on 8/23 and 9/6). John Herne, (650) 368-6358. Aug. 9 — Bay Challenge, a boardsailing marathon from the Cityfront to the Berkeley Pier and back. Rescheduled from June due to lack of breeze. StFYC, 563-6363. Aug. 14-16 — Moore 24 Nationals. StFYC, 563-6363. Aug. 15 — Tinker Inflatable Sailing Dinghy Regatta on the Oakland Estuary. Island YC; Dave Hall, (510) 814-0471. Aug. 15 — HDA #9, the Islands Tour. YRA, 771-9500. Aug. 15 — Estuary Inter-Club Series #5, hosted by Club Nautique. George Gurrola, (510) 843-9417. Aug. 15 — Fall One Design #1. SCYC, (831) 425-0690. Aug. 15 — South Bay YRA #5, courtesy of San Leandro YC. Mike Dixon, (510) 635-5878. Aug. 15-16— Summer Keelboat Invitational. Berkeley Circle racing for Etchells, Express 37s, J/35s, Santana 35s, Melgi and Wylie Wabbits. San Francisco YC, 789-5647 (race office). Aug. 15-16 — Frank's Tract Regatta, moved to a new venue out of the weeds (near #41 on the San Joaquin River). Andreas Cove YC; Byrant Bowington, (916) 348-1256. Aug. 15-16 — Millimeter PCCs, hosted by Fremont SC on Lake Elizabeth. Call about chartering a boat. Richard Hubbert, (650) 946-6557. Aug. 21, 1988 — Ten Years After, from the September '88 Latitude: "Stop the presses! Right as we put the finishing touches on The Racing Sheet we found out that Morgan Larson, the 17year-old budding superstar from Santa Cruz, won the 1988 Sears Cup down in Houston. The series, the most prestigious junior sailing championship in the country, was held in J/22s. Morgan, representing StFYC along with crew Haley King and

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12 • Page 27

Ever thought about commissioning artist Jim DeWitt to do a painting bf your boat? Now's your chance! Meet the artist and have him paint your boat racing in the

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33' Soverel, '85, Something Special... 29,900

40' Custom Wylie, 77, Lois Lane.. .. 55,000

30' Olson 91 IS, '89, Lycea. 39,000

38' Beneteau 38s5, '91.Pending 99,000

30' J/30,79, Hot Flash .. 24,500

37' Express, ‘85, Secret of NIMH Pending 68,500

30' Scampi, 77.Reduced 18,500

36' Islander, 72, Juggernaut.. Pending 34,900

i'J/80, '93, Hum. 22,900

35' J/35, '93, Rapture**.Reduced 84,500

•' Melges, '94, Yee Ha. 28,000

35' J/35, '93, Panjandrum*. 87,500 35' OysterSJ Hustler, '88, Cabaret. 44,900

* Indicates Southern California Boats ** Indicates Seattle Boats

35' Santana, 79, Hot Flash*. 33,000 35‘ Santana, '80, Breakout... Reduced29,900

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Page 30 • UiUoJtS8 • August, 1998

CALENDAR Brandon Paine, pulled it out in the last race. 'To be honest, we don't know much more than that. We never did actually speak to Morgan, who was home for about two minutes before jetting to England to compete in the Laser Worlds. According to his father Bob, himself a well-known Santa Cruz sailor, Morgan has had a hectic month. Earlier in August, he came in; third in the Governor's Cup in Newport Beach; then, he finished ninth in the O’Day Trophy (the U.S. singlehanded championship) in Sunfish back in Boston. Next month, it's back to reality (i.e., school) for the Soquel High School senior. "This is only the second time a Northern Californian has won the Sears Cup (John Kostecki won in 1981). Our congratu¬ lations to Morgan on this accomplishment — hopefully, we'll track him down for an interview sometime soon." Aug. 22 — PICYA's Chispa Small Boat Perpetual Trophy (La¬ sers^ and Youth Sailing Trophies (El Toros). Santa Cruz YG; Jim Samuels, (831) 724-6602. Aug. 22 — Gracie & George Regatta, a popular coed shorthanded race in the South Bay and Estuary. A western hoedown party will follow. Hee-haaa! Encinal YC; Margaret Fago, (510T 522-1309 (evenings). Aug. 22-23 — OYRA Half Moon Bay Race, co-hosted by Is¬ land YC and Half Moon Bay YC. YRA, 771-9500. Aug. 22-29 — 30th International Knarr Championship, the trienniel Bay gathering of Knarr stars. StFYC, 563-6363. Aug. 30 — Day on Monterey Bay. SCYC., (831) 425-0690. Sept. 4 — Windjammers Race, 65 downwind miles to Santa Cruz. Classes for spinnaker boats, motor allowance and possi¬ bly non-spinnaker. YRA, 771-9500. Sept. 5 —Jazz Cup, an always delightful 24-mile spinnaker run up to Benicia. Co-hosted by South Beach YC and Benicia YC; Kirk Kelson, 255-9019. Sept. 5 — Master Mariners Chickenship Regatta, the an¬ nual wooden boat invasion of the peaceful port of Petaluma. Steve Lewis, (650) 968-4341. Sept. 5-6 — GMC Yukon/Sailing World NOOD Regatta. Pre¬ liminary dance card includes J/24s, Melgi, SC 27s, Express. 27s, Hawkfarms, J/29s, Olson 30s, Mount Gay 30s, WylieCat 30s, Mumm 30s, 1 l:Metres, J/35s, J/105s, and J/120s. StFYC, 563-6363. Sept. 12-13 — West Marine Fun Regatta, hosted by Santa Cruz YC and NCYSA. On-the-water clinics, afternoon barbeque and Boardwalk pass (Saturday) followed by races (Sunday). Open to all youth sailors 7-17. Scott Lechner, (831) 295-9547. Sept. 12-13 — Dolphin Cup Regatta, three races for SC 50s and 52s. Monterey Peninsula YC, (831) 372-9686. Sept. 12-13 — Easom Founders Regatta for Etchells. SFYC, 435-9133. Sept. 12-13 — Millimeter National Championship at Encinal YC. Richard Hubbert, (650) 946-6557. Sept. 19-20 — Cal 20 Nationals. SFYC, 435-9133. Sept. 24-27 — Big Boat Series, better late than never. In¬ vited classes currently include lD-48s, ULDB 70s, IMS 50footers, SC 52s, Farr 40s, J/ 120s, J/ 105s and customized PHRF. StFYC, 563-6363. Nov. 7 — Golden Gate YC Midwinters begin. We included this just to scare you — now get back to enjoying the summer! Summer Beer Can Races BAY VIEW BOAT CLUB — Monday Night Madness. Fall: 8/

10, 8/24, 9/7, 9/21, 9/28. John Super, 243-0426. BERKELEY YC — Friday Night Races, through 9/25. Paul Kamen, (510) 540-7968. BENICIA YC —Thursday Race Series, through 9/24. Noble Griswold, (707) 745-8598. CORINTHIAN YC — Friday Night Series, through 9/11. Mat-

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UtZUMlS

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COYOTE POINT YC — Wednesday Nights, through 9/30. Mark Neumann, (650) 696-9616. ENCINAL YC — Friday Night Twilight Summer Series: 8/7, 8/21, 9/11, 9/25. Bill Stephens, (510) 426-6927. GOLDEN GATE YC — Folkboat Wednesday Nights: 8/5-8/ 26. Ed Welch, 851-3800. ISLAND YC — Friday Nights on the Estuaiy: 8/14, 8/28, { 9/18, 10/2. Glen Krawiec, (510) 339-9451. LAKE WASHINGTON SC — Thursday Night Series, alter¬ nate weeks through 9/17. Dave Lemoine, (916) 753-6718. MONTEREY PENINSULA YC — Wednesday Night Sunset / Series through 10/21. John Ruck, (831) 647-1917. ' OAKLAND YC — Sweet 16 Series (Wednesday nights), through 9/16. Fred Joyce, (510) 522-4320. PITTSBURG YC — Thursday Night Series, through the end of Daylight Savings Time. Vernon Huffer, (510) 432-0390. { RICHMOND YC — Wednesday Night Series: 8/5, 8/19, 9/2, 9/16. Paula Harris, (510) 237-6180. SANTA CRUZ YC — Wednesday Night Races, through 10/ 21. Larry Weaver, (831) 423-8111. SAUSALITO YC — Tuesday Sunset Series: 8/11, 8/25, 9/8, 9/22. Ernie Lacey, 331-8203. SIERRA POINT YC — Saturday Afternoons: 8/8,9/12, 10/ 10. John Felch, (408) 741-0880. SOUTH BEACH YC — Friday Nights: 8/7, 8/21, 8/28. Kirk Kelsen, 255-9019. ST. FRANCIS YC/GOLDEN GATE YC — Friday Night Se¬ ries, through 9/4. Matt Jones, 563-6363. TIBURON YC — Friday Nights: 8/7, 8/21, 9/11. Free! Don Walder, 924-8689. VALLEJO YC —Wednesday Nights, through 9/16. Russ Taft, (510) 376-6723. '

Please send your calendar items by the 1 Oth of the month to Latitude 38 (Attn: Calendar). 15 Locust Avenue, Mill Valley, CA, 94941. Better yet, fax them to us at (415) 383-5816 or email them to us at editorial@latitude38.com. But please, no phoneins! Calendar listings are for marine-related events that are ei¬ ther free or don’t cost much to attend. The Calendar is not meant to support commercial enterprises. Unless otherwise noted, all phone numbers listed in the Calendar are in the 415 area code.

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I'm responding to Michael Clark’s May letter to the editor concerning the abandoned boiler in the Alameda Estuary. I hope my response will clarify what we can and can't do. The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has limited Congressional authorization to remove hazards to navigation to protect commercial and military navigation traf¬ fic. Basically, we have the authority to remove hazards from the federal channels of San Francisco Bay and its tributaries. We can also remove debris floating outside federal channels if the debris is likely to move into the channel. We do not have the authority to remove derelicts or obstruc¬ tions which are not in a federal channel or are unlikely to move into such a channel. We also are unable to remove hazards located in shallow water where our vessels can’t safely operate. Unfortunately, the boiler Mr. Clark referred to is not in a federal channel and there is no likelihood that it will move within the channel’s boundaries. Because of that, we do not have the authority to remove the boiler. Given those guidelines, we encourage members of the public to contact us to report hazards to navigation. You can do so by calling either the Raccoon (415-699-1482), the Grizzly (415-6991990) or the Navigation Section directly (415-332-0334). Please be sure to provide as much information as possible, such as location, size, material, and also your name and phone number so we can contact you for additional information, or to notify you of our actions. Jay Hawkins Chief, Navigation Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jay — Thanks for the explanation. It points out once again how inefficient organizations — be they businesses, governments or drug smuggling cartels — become when they get too big. And alas, we suspect civil engineers don't have the renegade-type personalities necessary to say to hell with authorizations and just rip that boiler out in the middle of some night — no matter how much damage and pollution it might prevent.

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Page 36 • UlOwfeJ? • August, 1998

(NIshe treated me well and made me laugh As an ode to George Olson on the 20th anniversary of the ubiquitous Olson 30, I feel compelled to publicly thank him for the incredible fun I had with hull number one, Mas Rapido. Almost all the sailing I did with the boat was either single or doublehanded, mostly in Southern California. I was, however, able to race her in the '94 Pacific Cup. During the 12-day tran¬ sit, we posted a couple of 200-mile days and a few others close to that. The biggest thrill I had with the boat, however, was hitting 22 knots on the backside of Santa Cruz Island during the '96 Hardway Race from Santa Barbara to Ventura. At the top of the island, we set what I believe is the only 1.5 chicken kite ever made for an Olson 30. Mas Rapido immediately accelerated to 15 knots, at which point she became as stable as a table. The wind — later reported to have been 50 knots with gusts to 70 — continued to increase. I was petrified, as was my brotherin-law, so we just ieft the chute up and held on tight. Had we tried to drop the chute in those conditions, I believe we would have flicked the rig right out of the boat. I'm glad George de¬ signed a boat that could be driven with one hand, even at 22 knots, because I needed the other hand for my death grip on a stanchion. While both of us were scared, I also remembered laughing at how bloody intense the experience was. I'm proud to say that I owned and raced the oldest Olson 30 good and hard, and in return she treated me well and made me laugh. Last fall I sold her to a chap in Santa Cruz; maybe she's

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TUI THEY DRILLED A HOLE IN MY BOAT I just returned from Mexico after four wonderful seasons cruising the mainland and the Sea of Cortez aboard my Northstar. The sailing, cruising friends, and experiences were, of course, great. The unexpected benefit was that I came to know, and perhaps a little better understand, Mexico and her people. There is truly a warmth down there. I did have a problem, however, when I had my boat trucked up through Nogales to San Diego. Sometime during that trip she was inspected by customs agents who were so zealous that they actually drilled a hole through the hull of my boat. Not only did they drill the hole below the waterline, but they ne¬ glected to tell me about it! I had driven behind Northstar all the way, watching her rock and roll up the highway. I wouldn't do that again, as it’s best not to watch. Anyway, the truck carrying my boat had to go through the truck crossing at the border while I had to go through the passenger crossing. I was allowed right through and waited over by the truck exit. Two hours later the truck with Northstar finally came through. Francisco, the driver, in¬ dicated their had been some problem, but I wasn’t able to un¬ derstand what. I later discovered the problem in the yard in Tucson when the boat was being loaded onto an American truck, feeing the fresh hole in my boat was a bit of a shock — to say the least. I’ve since talked with Customs and they say they'll pay for the repairs. We'll see. I realize that there is a drug problem at our borders and that law enforcement agencies face creative smuggling techniques. But I think that with a tiny bit of knowledge about boats, the hole in my hull could have been avoided. I assume the agents were looking for some kind of false compartment. Simply look¬ ing at the hull contour inside and then looking at the same contour on the outside would have made it obvious there wasn't room for a false compartment. The folks at Marina San Carlos Dry Storage, who were re¬ sponsible for the shipping, say that this is the first time such a thing has happened. Hopefully it won’t become standard pro¬ cedure. Dave Fiorito Northstar San Diego ft-ItRED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT I love your rag and read it faithfully every month — but there's one bit of misinformation you let out in the May issue. On page 92, in an answer to Ray Durkee’s question about the meaning of a green flare on the water, Bob Count's answer is, I believe, a little off. According to pages 87-88 of my Chapmans, "Distress sig¬ nals used by submarines of the U.S. Navy are not included in the U.S. or International Rules, but these should be known by the skippers of all craft plying offshore waters. "U.S. submarines are equipped with signal ejectors which may be used to launch identification signals, including emer¬ gency signals. Two general types of signals are used: smoke loats, and flares or stars. The smoke floats, which burn on the

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•

• Page 41

LETTERS

‘84 Golden Wave 42 — Renegade This Perry designed voyager is just back from the South Pacific and ready to go again. 2 private staterooms, 7 sails, rod rigging, SSB/Ham radio, EPIRB, GPS (2), Weatherfax, Radar, VHF radios (2), Loran, knot, depth, wind meters, stereo, autopilot, TV/VCR, Inverter, charger, 990 amps bat¬ teries, wind generator, inflatable w/ outboard, generator, dodger, bimini, windlass, 3 anchors, refrigeration, liferaft, Max prop, spares & more. Replacement $350,000. Reduced to $129,950.

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surface, produce a dense colored smoke for a period of 15 to 45 seconds. The flares or stars are propelled to a height of 300 to 400 feet from which they descend by small parachute, burning for about 25 seconds. "The color of tfie smoke or flare/star has the following mean¬ ing: Green or Black — used for training exercises only to indi¬ cate that a torpedo has been fired or the firing of a torpedo has been simulated. Yellow — indicates that the submarine is about to come to periscope depth from below periscope depth. Sur¬ face ships and craft should clear the area; do not stop propel¬ lers. Red — indicates an emergency condition within the sub¬ marine, and that it will surface immediately, if possible. Sur¬ face ships and craft should clear the area and stand by to give assistance after the submarine has surfaced. In the case of repeated red signals, or if the submarine fails to surface within a reasonable time, she may be assumed to be disabled. Mari¬ ners should determine the location, buoy it, look for the submarine's marker buoy, and advise U.S. Naval or Coast Guard authorities immediately.” I hope this clears up some misunderstanding on what dif¬ ferent color smoke, flare, or star signals are used. Steve Jackson Instructor, Hawaii Merchant Marine Training Services Honolulu, Hawaii HD-COYOTE Last fall I bought Coyote, the Beneteau One Ton that had been in Santa Cruz. I think this is the same boat that Dee Smith briefly mentioned in a recent article. I know the boat had a very active racing career in San Francisco, but would like any info you or your readers might be able to provide. The IOR bumps have been removed and the boat no\V handles very well at high speed. I’m optimizing her for singlehanded racing, and I am hoping to find any technical info or plans that still exist. I know that the rig was built by Chrisman and Hulse when their outfit was operating in the Bay Area. Peter Cullum Southern California Peter — Say, aren't you the guy who just sold Mas Rapido?

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Page 42 • Li&M 3? • August 1998

MTHUNDER IN HOLLYWOOD So there I was, reading my favorite sailing magazine while preparing for our annual cruise to Catalina, when lo and be¬ hold, I come across a letter to the editor from my father, one M. David Levin of New York City. I must admit to taking a certain pride in seeing his letter in print, since it was 1 who introduced him to Latitude, and I who — until the Goldberg/E&B/West Marine store in New York City started carrying it — sent him my copy each month. I was a bit dismayed, however, by the editor's response sug¬ gesting how cool it would be if I, Thunder, had a brother named Lightning. As you can imagine, I’ve been hearing jokes like that all my life, and would have expected something a bit more cre¬ ative from the editors of my favorite magazine. Just for your information, 1 am an only child. However, my parents claim that if I'd had a sister, they were going to name her Cloud. What can you do, it was the Sixties. By the way, in my continuing efforts to take over Hollywood, I'll be making a short film this fall about a young woman who finds the strength to make her dream of sailing across the Pa¬ cific, rather than living a normal' lift, come true. Unfortunately, we have zero budget for the project and desperately need some kind soul who will allow us the use of his/her 35 to 50-ft tradi¬ tional-looking sailboat in Marina del Rey for about a week’s

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Define flin. iling? on your

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Ganis Credit Corporation is in the business of fi nancing fun - however you define it. For over seventeen years boaters across America have trusted Ganis Credit Corporation for their financing needs. We have proudly loaned over $4 billion by providing quick, professional service from the day you apply to the day you make the last payment. GANIS CREDIT CORPORATION

LETTERS shoot. We can’t pay, but we can provide the oh-so-impressive screen credit of Executive Producer. If any of your readers would be interested in helping us out and making a 'name' for them¬ selves in the film business, they can reach me.by e-mail at stormJront@jps. net. Hope you like the .Schubert — and thanks for the great read and inspiration eveiy month. Thunder Levin Earendil MacGregor 25 Santa Monica Thunder — While we realize that a name like yours would entail shouldering a bit of an extra burden, we still think it's a great name. Then again, we were a product of the Sixties also. iVhile the Wanderer doesn't give a rat's behind about becom¬ ing a 'name' in Hollywood — or even sleeping with the starlet — he does love a project and an adventure. Even more important, he can put his hands on a new 63-foot catamaran that can be used for a week or so in Marina del Rey this October. If the boat is traditional enough for you and the timing is right, have your people call the Wanderer's people and they'll 'do a meeting', 'take a lunch', or whatever it is people do in Hollywood. ft 11 RIPPING OUT AND TEARING APART We have an older — what other kind is there? —Whitby 42 ketch. Last January, we called upon the good folks at Svendsen’s to send someone over to look into the possibility of tearing out and rebuilding the interior. This man came over, listened to what we wanted, and essentially left with a 'don’t call us, we’ll call you when we have some time' farewell. Wow. So now it's July, and I guess they’ve just been busier than all get out, be¬ cause there’s been no call. And we have even come\up with some more ideas for the starboard side of the main salon. Our question is simple: where can we find someone who can do the boat work we’re not skilled enough to do? We have searched your ads and Classy Classifieds, but seem to have missed any who have advertised there. Even though we don’t dress like wealthy consumer types, we do have the money for the work, but aren't skilled enough to do it ourselves. Who, pray tell, can help us? P.S. We lost our previous Michaelanne, an Islander 36, in hurricane Marilyn in September of 1995. Back then you asked us what we thought of the Islander as a cruising boat, and we said we loved it. We still do and we still miss her. It wasn’t her fault we were stuck in the Virgin Islands for reasons beyond our control. Mike and Anne Kelty Michaelanne, Whitby 42 909 Marina Village Parkway, #105, Alameda

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Mike and Anne — While we can't comment on your specific case, we can make some general observations. First, as you're probably aware, this is about as good as the economy ever gets. As a result, it seems like everybody who isn't buying a new boat is wanting to get their current boat upgraded. Most local marine businesses have more work than they can handle. Why don't they hire extra help? With unemployment so low, qualified and reliable workers are hard to find — let alone keep. Secondly, the boat industry is relatively seasonal, so the mostly small compa¬ nies in it don't want to hire somebody for the summer and then have to lay them off or carry them through a much slower winter. As good an explanation as that might be, it doesn't get your interior built. Our suggestions: Call Svendsen's and the other yards and see if they're going to have time in the near future. You might also try independent shipwrights, who don't have as much

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LETTERS

I Want To Say

THANKS!

overhead, in the Classy Classifieds. Paging through the last is¬ sue, we see business classifieds from Fred Anderson (page 227), Woodrum Marine (229), and Steve's Marine (233), all of whom do exactly what you're looking for. If they can't help you right away, perhaps they can refer you to someone who can.

till KNOW WHERE YOU ARE Latitude readers often dump on those of us who use gas rather than wind for power. However, not every sailor is„all he or she should be. Just before sundown on July 6, we were on our way back to Bethel Island from Mildred Island in our powerboat when we were flagged down by a jet-ski rider. He told us that he'd been flagged down by a guy in an outboard spying he’d run out of gas. Normally, we consider jet-skiers to be only slightly more evolved than pond scum, but this man had taken the trouble to search for someone who could help these people. We backtracked and found the disabled boat. The driver explained their proble'm. They were three couples who had sailboats anchored at Mandeville Tip for the fireworks. They'd taken the outboard out to do some scouting of the area, but they ran out of gas be¬ cause they'd been monitoring the gauge for the automatic oil injector tank rather than the gauge for the gas tank. They had a cell phone with which to call Vessel Assist. Un¬ fortunately, they didn’t know where they were and didn't have a chart, so they couldn't tell Vessel Assist where to find them. Directions such as "the blackberry bushes by the third big tree after the long rock levee" just don’t help that much. So I gave them my well-worn copy of Hal Schell’s Delta Map and Guide and pointed out to them exactly where they were. We left them with the map and Vessel Assist on its way. This experience points out several lessons that anybody who takes out any boat — power or sail — should pay attention to: One, know your equipment. No matter how experienced you are, every boat is a little different, so make sure you know about its operation, instrumentation and safety features before em¬ barking. Two, be prepared. The old Boy Scout motto applies doubly on the water. Make sure you have the necessary charts, equipment, fuel, and so forth for your planned trip. And third, plan your trip. Know where you are and let others know where you plan to be. This particular situation turned out to be just an inconve¬ nience, but similar mistakes under other conditions could have led to more serious consequences. John Palmer Centurion Bethel Island

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415 • 331 • 6275 Page46 • UtiUdt-12 • August, 1998

John — Yours is good advice. On the other hand, we wouldn't be too hard on them, because who among us hasn't made our share of stupid mistakes? Furthermore, one of the nice things about the Delta is that it's relatively benign. If you run out of gas — or start sinking — usually the worst that's going to happen is that you're going to have to spend the night on some levee. By the way, we don't have anything against people with pow¬ erboats — unless they leave their gensets on all night or cruise across a crowded bay at 45 knots. We don't even have anything against jet-skiers — provided they enjoy themselves responsi¬ bly, a big part of which means out of sight and hearing of most other people. fUlTHEY CAME TO OUR ASSISTANCE Thanks to the '98 Delta Ditch Run organizers for hosting the event — and Latitude for the accurate account of the race. We're even more grateful to the unknown commercial vessel and fish-

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UtLUJcJ9

• Page 47

like to match the boat to the cruise. Sometimes that means power instead of sail.” life-long sailor — &

name withheld by request

We realize it may border on heresy to suggest in a sailing rag that there are times when one prefers a power boat. But, much as we like to sail, when squeez¬ ing a Delta cruise into a long weekend, or taking outof-town guests across the bay for dinner, the comfort and performance of a trawler has its advantages. Recognizing this fact of life, Mainship Trawlers are now available for charter from Club Nautique. If you would like to enjoy the trawler life-style, but have no experience, we offer a complete Trawler School. After just 6 days of training, you’ll receive your Bareboat Trawler certification and be qualified to skipper and bareboat charter single and twin screw trawlers, guaranteed! The limited introductory price for this training package is a mere $1,550. This includes Club Nautique membership which entitles you to a 35% discount on trawler charters, along with a host of other privileges. Call today for details.

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LETTERS ing boatowners who came to our assistance by helping us right our overturned boat near Benicia. As a result, we didn’t suffer any damage beyond the "man-sized hole" in the mainsail. Congratulations also to Jay and Pease Glaser, who displayed great sportsmanship by stopping to offer us assistance — be¬ fore continuing on to win this year's blustery race. We'll be back next year. Alan O’Driscoll Beowulf V La Honda If 4 THESE KINDLY FOLKS Myself and fellow sailor Bob Shea, CDR United States Navy, would like to thank the young family aboard the Pompano Beach, Florida-based powerboat So Seas the Day for towing us out of a dangerous chop. It happened around 1600 on June 27 just north of Red Rock and the Richmond Bridge. The chop was the product of a tidal current flowing much stronger than anything .we could have predicted. We'd been trying to beat our way home against the choppy seas — the likes of which I'd never seen before on the Bay — for three hours. These kindly folks on the powerboat hauled us — against creaming seas and a relentless tidal flow — all the way back to the Berkeley Marina. Once we were safe inside the break¬ water, they cast us free, did a 180°, and went on their way. My Cape Dory Typhoon is just over 18 feet long, which is why I never sail alone. It’s not hard to find a skipper who is a better sailor than I, but CDR Shea, who has been sailing since he was 12, is one of the best. My thanks to him, too. Someone once told me that the sailing community, by and large, is the way the world ought to be: free, but helpful. I be¬ lieved it, and now my belief has been substantiated. Noel Peattie Winters

Noel — We presume you mean the boating community at large1 is "free and helpful", not just the sailing community. If there's a lesson to be learned from your experience, it's that San Francisco and San Pablo Bays are not 'protected waters' and therefore they are not suitable for all boats in all weather conditions. Owners of smaller boats, particularly those with lim¬ ited sailing experience, should evaluate the weather conditions s carefully before putting themselves at risk. The overwhelming ji number of boating accidents and deaths in California occur on or j from boats less than 25 feet in length. Have fun, but please be: careful.

ft liNIGHTMARE FOR REAL You published my recent letter under the heading, How to\ Avoid Such a Nightmare. In your comments, you wondered who is the contemporary' sailor Rod Stevens (sic). Surely this is a memory lapse. Rod Stevens (sic) — actually not quite a contemporaiy, since he died recently — is the brother of Olin Stevens (sic). In a recent ar¬ ticle in Cruising World, Olin describes Rod as "much the better sailor." Rod was well known for his meticulous boat prepara¬ tion and abilities as a skipper. He was an integral part of i Sparkman & Stephens' involvement in America's Cup designs. John Richards ! Northern California ;

1-800-343-SAIL • (510) 865-4700 1150 Ballena Blvd., Alameda, CA 94501

www.sailors.com/clubnautique Page 48 • Utitu/*12 • August, 1998

John — We obviously didn't express ourselves very clearly. Our point was that someone who had passed on — even if he, had been as talented as Rod Stephens — could not. by dejinition be a "contemporary."

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• 1*ZCUUl Zi • Page 49

WHALE • POINT

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• UiiitJcJg • August, 1998

Thanks to the readers who responded to my request for info regarding origin of the first Ericson 35s. I have received ad copy from old magazines and newspapers of the late '60s. The "open secret" that the discarded hull mold of an Alberg 35 became — with a new deck and interior — the Ericson 35 is verified off¬ handedly by a newspaper story recounting the history of the Ericson company. It was also mentioned that the Ericson 32 came from the old Columbia Sabre 32 mold. According to the material I've acquired, Ericson Yachts started in Orange, CA, with the 35 and 32. The company changed hands in "66, at which time they began producing a long line of origi¬ nal designs from the board of Bruce King. I can’t tell which newspaper the article appeared in, but the author was Almon Lockahey, Boating Editor. The article was written in the '69-"70 season, because the author mentions that "the firm looks for¬ ward to doubling its sales in 1970." Comments on the Ericson List on the internet suggest that Bruce King is writing a book, so more light on the Ericson his¬ tory m&y be on the way. Ken Brink Northern California

MHE LEFT ms MARKIE ON MAZATLAN

I was disappointed to learn that Dick Markie, manager of Marina Mazatlan, was fired by the developer, Grupo Situr. We’d like to express our support for 'Mistral Dick', for the assistance, advice, support and encouragement he's given to us and fellow cruisers. When Marina Mazatlan first opened, we were there to ob¬ serve not only Dick's unmatched hospitality, but his dedication to the challenge of getting the marina operational. It was odd to see this vast marina complex surrounded by vacant land. We learned that the marina was to be the centerpiece of a grand resort development, but that the devaluation of the peso had depleted the developer's reserves just as the marina was about to begin generating revenue. We also learned that Dick had spent his own money to get electricity, water and other services connected so that cruisers would be willing to stay. I was so impressed at this effort that I considered investing in the stock of the parent company, Grupo Sidek. I knew it had been battered by the peso crash, but thought they might have the savvy to make a turnaround. Ultimately, I decided not to invest. I suggest that Grupo Situr is mistaken if they think they "can’t afford" to keep Markie; they can't afford to lose him! With¬ out Markie’s investment of time and money, the marina would not have been able to operate. Furthermore, his efforts to pro¬ mote Mazatlan as a cruising destination had succeeded in mak¬ ing it a regular stop rather than a rare side trip for cruisers. We’ve decided to bypass Marina Mazatlan next year in pro¬ test of Situr's foolishly shortsighted action, and will wait and see what develops before we consider returning. We suggest that other cruisers do likewise. Dave, Nancy and Haley Reynolds Martin Sunshine Puerto Escondido, B.C.S., and Fort Bragg 1UI SCATTERED ON THE WIND

Enclosed is another year’s subscription to your great maga¬ zine — and a picture of sailors from the Puget Sound area hav¬ ing a beer and reading Latitude at Noemi’s in Zihuatanejo.

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LETTERS Last February my wife and I spent a week in Z-Town visiting our friends Mike and Julie Frick, who are cruising Mexico on their Alajuela 38 Surprize. While there, we naturally got to know many of the cruisers. Every morning, while we ate breakfast at our hotel overlooking the bay, we listened to the local radio net. On our first mewing we heard Blair, aboard Capricorn Cat, invite anyone who wanted to join him on his boat for a snorkeling trip. Our friends immediately responded saying that they would like to go — and bring us along. No problemo. PHOTO: MARIAH'S EYES PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike & Sue Proudfoot (and friends) in their newly restored boat.

We first made sails for Mike & Sue in 1985 and '87 for a previous boat, so it is especially pleasing that after they found their retirement world cruiser and meticulously restored it, they again came to us for sails to comple¬ ment its beauty and provide worryfree years of use.

HOGIN SAILS Specialists in cruising and traditional sails for 30 years •

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• Repairs • Recuts In the Alameda Marina at 1801-D Clement Ave. • Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 523-4388 e-mail: hogjn@aol.com www.hoginsails.com Mon to Fri 8:30 am to 5 pm • Sat 10 am to 2 pm

Page 52

• UtUtJcZS • August, 1998

Our week’s visit was filled with fun, adventure — and a great escape from the Northwest's winter rains. Pictured from left to right are Mel and Barbara Davidson, Bon Accord from Belling¬ ham, WA; Lowell and Mary Larsen, Carina, from Anacortes, WA; Mike Frick, Surprize, Shelton, WA; Mark Swartout, yours truly from Olympia, WA; and Julie Frick. Everyone in the picture has since scattered on the ^ind. Mark J. Swartout Breezin' Olympia, Washington tUlSOCIETY COULD COME TUMBLING DOWN

When the new centuiy rolls around, we could be in bad trouble because of the inability of many computer and embed¬ ded chips to properly recognize and respond to the digits '2000'. You know, the 'millennium bug'. Because modern society is so dependent on computers and chips to do everything — running communications, power grids, factories, water purification, transportation, trains and trucks, medical devices, toasters, banking and finances, and just about everything else — society as we know it could come tumbling down just past the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999. If banks can’t process checks and the Federal Reserve Bank becomes defunct, the whole system of payments might become non-functional and there would be a run on banks. As such, it might become necessary to adopt a survival strategy involving the storing of food, water, medicines, household items, fuel, tangible media of exchange, and other items. See The Millen¬ nium Bug, by Hyatt, 1998, and Timebomb 2000, by Yourdon & Yourdon, 1998. I raise this issue in the cruising community in order to get help in making a decision. While I might be better able to avoid the worst consequences of M-bug social disruption by adopting survival tactics in a land-based setting — away from large met¬ ropolitan areas, of course — I'm also contemplating buying a cruising boat in order to 'get away'. If I were to take off on a cruising boat, however, I wouldn't b.e able to count on the avail¬ ability of fuel, and I'd have to expect M-bug problems with elec¬ tronic navigation, weather forecasting, and various boat sys¬ tems.

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LETTERS

Hood Sailmakers From Fiber to Finish

Hood takes the complete approach to sailmaking, beginning with cloth and ending with you. In between is a sophisticated system of computer-aided design programs linked to laser cutting and refined manufacturing. We guard against breakdown at sea or on the race course by making and using our own hardware for extra strength and dependability. The final details of each sail is hand-finished by highly skilled crafts people who care as much about your sail as you do. No shortcuts are ever taken in the creation of your sails. The quality of Hood sails is controlled from the first to the final hand stitch. Our cloth is designed and manufactured exclusively for the specific purpose your sails. Hood is the only sailmaker who can offer you this guarantee of quality and the experience of forty years in sailmaking. For these reasons. Hood sailmakers remains the most trusted name in sailmaking.

RACING SAILS • CRUISING SAILS CONSULTATION DUTCHMAN*

HOOD Forespar Call Robin Sodaro (415) 332-4104 Fax (415) 332-0943

(800) 883-7245 466 Coioma St., Sausalito, CA 94965 Page 54 •

UtxUilS •

August, 1998

Have any Latitude 38 readers thought about the M-bug prob¬ lem in this light? Are any of you making plans to counteract adverse effects of the bug that are certain to happen? Charles S. Rebert Redwood City V . Chades — During an ill-fated honeymoon in Bora Bora, we met a Greek guy named Tomas who was cruising aboard an old 24-foot racing boat. At the beginning of each year, Tomas would buy five gallon containers of nee and beans, as well as smaller quantities of cooking oil, flour and spices. He supplemented this with seafood and occasional bananas and vegetables. He used about five gallons of propane a year to prepare his food. Tomas had been contentedly cruising like this for about six years, said he haql everything he needed, and was planning to continue to cruise in such a fashion for another three years. He taught us how little you really needed to enjoy life. In our estimation, it wouldn't be difficult for a family of four to live for a year off the gear and goods they could easily fit into the typical 40-foot cruising boat. In fact, it might make for a great experiment — and would in any event be a heck of a lot more fun than living in the dreary Biosphere. Perhaps the best places to survive the meltdown of society would be off the coasts of tall islands in the Caribbean, such as Puerto Rico, Dominica or Grenada. The tropical climates are ideal for solar and wind generators, the sea is full of life, rain is plen¬ tiful in the highlands, and food grows wild in many places. And after a couple of nights of sipping homemade rum and swaying your butt to the sweet sounds reverberating off the steel drums, you'll be glad society melted down. If the Panama Canal was too crowded because of the rush to get to the Caribbean, the coast of Mexico between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco would be a good alternative—provided your solar panels provided enough power to keep your watermaker(s) put¬ ting out sweet water. IUIthe treasure was too hot I’ve been out cruising for the past two seasons enjoying vari¬ ous adventures. My latest experience was so strange, however, that I had to share it with your readers. One day my girlfriend and I were anchored at an island in Mexico that's well known to cruisers. After hiking to a remote rocky beach, we started beachcombing amid the usual trash — old oil containers, decomposing thongs, bits of poly line, pieces of lumber and so forth. Suddenly, my girlfriend cried out: "I’ve scored big time!" I asked if she had found a spool of fishing line — which she, from a distance, appeared to be holding in her hand. But she repeated one word with emphasis: "No, I’ve scored! Dope!" She held up a kilo of marijuana wrapped in cardboard and plastic wrap. Since the kilo was tightly compressed, neatly packaged, and only slightly damp, we assumed it had been dumped or lost overboard from a drug runner’s boat. Good grief! We high-fived each other and then wondered what to do as we hadn't smoked grass since Reagan was in the White House. But being children of the '60s, we decided to tiy some for old time's sake. Wow, it was the real stuff all right! We both realized that this treasure was just a little too hot for a couple of gringo tourists in a country with a busy navy, third world jails, and a rich neighbor to the north throwing countless millions at a drug war. So we quickly decided to dis¬ pose of our inconvenient windfall. We found an even more re¬ mote spot on the island and, in the tradition of the pirates that once cruised these waters, buried it — in an ecologically-ap-

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August. 1998 •

• Page 55

LETTERS

BARNETT YACHT INSURAN Emergency lines are the ones you use just before the bar closes.

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proved fashion. The most fun was making the 'treasure map' later on. So there the dope sits, slowly decomposing. Will we ever go back for it? I doubt it. . . but anything is possible. Nonetheless, we'd be interested in knowing what other Latitude readers would have done. We diso wonder if anyone else has found contra¬ band washed ashore? Perhaps an annual award for the best 'found object' could be established. P.S. What's the street value of a kilo of pot these days? Anonymous (For Obvious Reasons) aka 'Captain Lucky’ Captain Lucky — Packages and even bales of dope washing ashore aren't the most unusual occurrences, as smugglers some¬ times find themselves wanting the stuff off their boats — and right now! Naturally, such finds go unreported. As for the street value of a kilo, a retired expert told us he figured about $3,500. lUlNbT THE RHYME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER

2730 Shelter Island Drive San Diego, California 92106 You may contact us by calling toll free from:

U.S. & Canada 800/655-9224 Mexico 95-877-466-7245 or from:

I refer to the "ancient joke" mentioned on page 84 of the June '98 edition. As 1 recall there was much more to it, such as: Balls cried the Queen, if I had them I’d be King. The King laughed — he had to. The King called for Daniel to come forth. But Daniel slipped on some camel dung, And came fifth . . . etc. I’ll call if I remember more — but don't hold your breath. Sidney Messer Ancient Mariner Sausalito

Antigua 1-877-466-7245

Italy 1678-76144

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Australia/Telstra 1-800-1-45850

Marshall Islands 1-877-466-7245

Cayman Islands 1-877-466-7245 Colombia 980-15-4473

Netherlands 0-800-022-7304

Re: "Little white ones." The ancient joke continues, "The King laughed, not because he wanted to, but because he had two." More ancients: "And they're off!" said the butcher, as he dropped the meat cleaver in his lap. 1 m cured! said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

New Zealand/Tnzi 0-800-448303

France 0-800-911781

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Some old sailing buddies and I finally decided to do the 'malebonding' weekend we'd been dreaming of for the past few years. We're high school and college friends who used to spend a lot of time sailing together before careers, marriages, and kids started occupying most of our time. We were all psyched when there was a miraculous cosmic convergence that created a 'free' week¬ end in May on all of our very busy calendars! We jumped at the chance and booked an Ericson 30 from a charter company in the West Bay. With blessings from our wives — and a wink' that it would be their turn next time — we made the pilgrimage from various points in Northern California to arrive on the dock on Friday afternoon. One friend and I had previous sailboat chartering experi¬ ence,, mostly with the large charter companies operating out of Anacortes. We listened carefully as the employee of the charter outfit — 111 call him ’Steve' — briefed us very briefly on the boat and its systems. Steve was about to say bon voyage when I reminded him that we might need a.little instruction on how to use the stove — which I noticed looked as though it hadn't been used in years. He seemed taken aback by our intention to operate the stove, and after a quick look, announced that the stove

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TARTAN T-3800 FEATURES... MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL

38 hp Yanmar diesel Racor fuel filter/water separator 50+ gal. fuel w/remote gauge 100+ gal. water w/remote and sight gauges Holding tank w/Y valve and macerator pump Heart inverter/charger w/remote control 3 deep cycle batteries w/switch OPSIDE QUALITY FEATURES 10 Hood SS portlights w/screens 4 SS dorade vents w/line guards Bright polished Hood deck hatches SS midship mooring cleats w/chocks 40" SS Destroyer wheel w/Ritchie SP5 binnacle compass 4 Harken self-tailing winches SS swim ladder and shower on step-through transom SS stem head fitting w/anchor roller STANDING AND RUNNING RIGGING Halyards led aft through rope clutches 2 single line reefs led aft through rope clutches BELOW DECK CONVENIENCES AND FEATURES Full nav station w/chart stowage Corian counters galley, head and vanity 3 burner Force 10 gimballed propane stove Adler-Barbour refer/freezer, front and top loading Aft cabin w/double berth Hanging (wet) locker in head Built-in trash bin Courtesy night lighting at cabin sole

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UuxUcli •

August, 1998

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was "not working." 'Hmmmm,' I thought to myself, 'this might be a problem given the fact that ours was a two-night charter'. Realizing that we were serious about our wild notion of cooking and eating, Steve offered us a beat-up portable alcohol 'burner'. Shortly thereafter we cast off the lines and were motoring through Richardson Bay, still excited about the great sailing ahead of us. I went below to grab a beer when, on impulse, I decided to check the water system. When nothing happened as I turned the knobs, 1 didn't panic, but assumed the manual foot pump would get the water flowing. Wrong! Not a drop. I was amazed, baffled, and really irritated! Trying to console my mates, I told them we actually could survive the weekend with beer being our only form of potable liquid. "Brushing teeth with Amstel Light won’t be that bad," I said trying to cheer them up. But seriously, paying nearly $600 for a 30-foot boat that didn’t have water or a functional stove? We could have wasted our precious sailing time heading back to charter base to fill the water tanks, but decided we would likejy be able to get water at Ayala Cove — so we kept going. Later, at South Beach Marina, we attempted to fill the tanks. Incredibly, we found that the water tank had been sealed off just below the cap! My only other bareboat chartering experiences have been with the huge and well-maintained fleets in the San Juan Is¬ lands. Needless to say, I was surprised and disappointed with this outfit's failure to deliver a reasonably equipped and main¬ tained charter vessel — as they had advertised. My purpose in writing is to ask if anyone else chartering in Northern California has had a similar experience. Maybe Lati¬ tude could get the discussion going about local charter outfits and how they rate. P S. My friend, who actually booked the charter, is in the process of contacting the managers of the charter outfit to let them know of our complaints. I have not heard their side of the stoiy and do not know if they have agreed to his request for some monetary compensation. Ken Shears Cameron Park Ken — No boat should be allowed out on a two night charter without a good stove and water. Assuming you described the situation accurately, we think you deserve a hefty refund — and an apology. MTIDES, GERIATRICS AND COSTA RICA

When you receive Latitude by 'cheap mail’, you get behind, so I have some delayed comments. In the May Changes and on your web site, you mention and compliment Mike Hopper’s Windows '95 tide program. If any¬ one wants to know, Mike and Joyce Hopper spent five years sailing Horizon from San Francisco to Florida. Sandy and I met them on the ham radio and in person in the San Bias Islands of Panama. We've all been in Florida for two years and see each other every few months. Mike is a computer programmer and Joyce is running a restaurant to fill the cruising kitty — the financial one, not Pumpkin "the furry one," as they say. They are doing an extensive refit prior to resuming their life. The Hoppers are among those of us who cruise to live rather than live to cruise. If you visit the Hoppers at their web site — www.geocities.com/SiliconValey/Horzon/1195 — there's a link to Mike's tide program with 7,000 locations Worldwide. Second subject: the May Sightings about David Clark, and Gayle Pickford's letter about Merl Petersen. These two senior circumnavigators make me wonder if we shouldn't revive the

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www.yachtworld.com/ballenabay August, 1998 •

• Page 59

LETTERS

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Geriatric Cruisers Society — Changes, March 1994. I'm only 72, but I stick to 'green water' cruising and leave the more ad¬ venturous stuff to the other guys. Anyway, Sandy and I are off down island' again in the fall after the refit is done and we've rented the house Sandy bought for my old age, we'll split. If anyone is interested in renting a nice house with pool and dock 30 miles north of Tampa, get in touch. Finally, the Martins' letter in June's Changes — and other recent letters — mention the crime problem in Costa Rica. The Martins skipped the Gulfo de Nicoya and Punterenas because of reports of crime. We stayed at Isle Gitana, in the Gulf, where Carl Ruegg hired a bunch of locals, all brothers. In fact, their family includes 32 brothers, most of whom live in the area. It seems that Dad had five wives and didn't get around to count¬ ing his female children. Because the family members depend upon cruisers for their income — and they constitute a fair share of the local popula¬ tion — I think crime is limited. We heard of no crime at Isla Gitana, and we left Utopia for two inland trips. The inland beauty is the best part of 'Tico land'. Ruegg runs a weekly trip to Puntarenas, so it's easy to get around. It’s also possible to take a ferry. The harbor at Puntarenas is well-protected, but when I went up the mast 1 could see that the water is dirty with trash. Merle Petersen's schooner Viveka dragged her anchor there because it got fouled on a garbage bag and wouldn't bite. There always seem to be problems in Puntarenas. Thanks for letting us keep informed about our home that we can’t afford. Jack and Sandy Mooney Utopia, Challenger 32 Hudsdp, Florida Jack & Sandy — We assume that you haven't heard, but Carl Ruegg recently passed away.

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3# • August, 1998

TNIfour week summer

How do we Northwest sailors cope mentally and spiritually? Basically, winter is the best time to sail up here! And since winter lasts so long, we have ample opportunity to sail. Gener¬ ally, summer consists of light winds, sun, and lots of people. Everyone's trying to capture the feeling of tropical paradise within the 'four week summer'. While our winters may be gray and drizzly, they're not ex¬ tremely cold. If we have four weeks of summer, we also only have four weeks of real winter — meaning when the tempera¬ ture drops to near freezing. Spring and fall are actually the best sailing months. It may not be balmy and predictable, but that's when the wind blows. I guess it comes down to what kind of sailor you are or want to be. Personally, fair weather sailing can get boring and doesn’t prepare you for 'the real world' — at least for those of us who dream of oceans yonder. My wife and 1 have been living aboard here in the Northwest for six years and try to get the sails up at least once a month, all year round. Summer? We don't need no stinking summer! Cory Brown and Erica Karson Soma Seattle till A SAILING VESSEL UNDER POWER AT NIGHT

Capt. Deakin missed a few things in his July letter about navigation lights. He was accurate about rule 25 of the Rules of the Road (Navigations Rules, also called COLREGS) — as far as he went. What he did not include may mislead some people.

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In the beginning of the rules there Eire some definitions, among them, rule 3, DEFINITIONS: 3(b) The term power driven vessel' means any vessel pro¬ pelled by machinery; 3(c) The term sailing vessel' means any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used. (All emphasis mine.) Therefore, a sailing vessel under power at night, regardless of size, is required under the rules to display the lights of a power driven vessel whether she is under sail or not. No one is going to see the sails at night and be confused about the sailboat's right of way status under the rules. The inverted black cone required for vessels over 12 meters (40 feet) in length, when under power and sail is to avoid confusion in the day¬ time. i For anyone who really wants to know what their legal obli¬ gations are, get a copy of COMDTINSTM16672.2C, Navigational Rules, International-Inland, which is where I got all my infor¬ mation. Incidentally, vessels over 12 meters in length are re¬ quired to have this book aboard when operating in U.S. territo¬ rial waters — three miles off the coast — which would include San Francisco Bay. First as a sailor — I grew up on the Bay as a rag merchant — and second, as a Coastie, I still love your rag after over 20 years. Glenn Woodbury Feather Alameda UNCOMFORTABLE WITH AN ALL AROUND WHITE LIGHT

Robert Chave inquired about the legality of showing deck level navigation lights and a masthead tricolor simultaneously while under power. Obviously, he was concerned about making his presence better known to other traffic. While he was cor¬ rectly told that this was not legal, there is another option which accomplishes the desired end. In Rule 23, Section (c)(i) of the COLREGS there is an ob¬ scure but useful specification: "A power driven vessel of less than 12 meters in length (sic) may in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule (the standard nav lights for power boats) exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights." In other words, the steaming light and the stem lights may be com¬ bined into one light that can be shown at the masthead. A lot of tricolor lights provide a 360° anchor light as an op¬ tion. While this is a lousy idea for an anchor light because two amps an hour waste too much juice, it's a straightforward mat¬ ter to wire it so it goes on along with the deck level nav lights to serve as a combined steaming and stem light. If there is an¬ other steaming light already installed, it, along with the exist¬ ing white stern light, must be shut down in order to be legal. I ve done this on my own boat and feel a lot more comfortable with an all-around white light at the masthead while under power. While under sail, of course, the masthead tricolor is legal. Jeff Bowers Shahrazad, Valiant 40 Alameda tUiTHAT AND NOT WEARING UNDERWEAR

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I was going to write a spiffy piece on cruising the Caribbean now versus 20 years ago, but 1 see from Letters that there is a more 'pressing' problem. Although I'm not a doctor and don't watch them on television, my solution for boat butt' is Desitin diaper rash cream. That and not wearing underwear. Wash the affected area, apply the cream, and forget the underwear. After a couple of days of treatment, life should be good again.

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UUXUcli •

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LETTERS

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Loose clothing — or none at all — really does help as any kind of chafe just makes the problem worse. While Desitin is messy and smells like cod liver oil, it's waterproof and works for all sorts of skin problems. The short version of the change 20 years has brought about in the Caribbean: There are more charter boats and cruise ships — but it's still a great place with excellent weather and people. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in the Pacific next year. Jim Forrest Dancer Boston

standard on new and Jim — We don't know anything about Desitin, but when it comes to pure sailing there's nowhere we've found that can touch the conditions found in the Caribbean. Don't be too disappointed if you find the trades in the Pacific to be inconsistent by compari¬ son.

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MALBERG AND ER1CSON 35 MARK I OWNERS

Mk-I is the correct sub-category for the 1965 and 1966 Ericson 35s — but you’ll never see that on the old brochures. Why? Because the early boats only became 'Mark I' when Pearson changed to the Mk-II in 1967. The change to a Mark II happened after just two years of building Mark I’s because Pearson was sued for copyright infringement — they'd been using the Alberg hull mold without permission. At least that's how I remember it from a conversation that I had with Bruce King, which designed all the later Ericsons, about 15 years ago. This information doesn’t fully stack up with what readers Rich Perenon and Roger Brown wrote in the June issue, but it's how I remember it. I'd love to know thg whole story. Along with some partners, I own Escape, hull #36 of the Ericson 35 Mk-I's. She was built in '66. The boat has reason¬ ably classic lines and is pretty enough to solicit a few, "Nice looking boat!" shouts from across the water. As the former owner of a 30 Square Meter, I have an appreciation of how much boat it takes to be thrown such a compliment. What makes the MkI stand out more than the Alberg 35 is that there is a lot more wood showing on deck. When the wood is kept up, the boats look very nice. These boats are really stout and came in one of two sail plans. The three-foot taller mast is known as the 'Southern California' rig. Ericson offered two different hull lay-up sched¬ ules. One featured solid glass while the other had a foam core. Escape has the foam core — which is why I was talking to Bruce King in '83.1 had noticed that when going through rough water, the whole bow section would spring in and out. King's response to this was that disbonding of any core — especially a PVC foam core that has poor shear strength — is an expected occur¬ rence in an older boat. His advice was to either re-core it with balsa or get rid of the boat. We decided, after much deliberation, to re-core, and had it done at Kim Desenberg's shop in Alameda. It was a major job, costing about half of the boat's $15,000 value and taking sev¬ eral months. The work consisted of a complete replacement of the core and inner hull from the bow to the forward chainplates, then epoxy ejections in the area aft of the re-cored bow to about one half of the way to the stem. In addition, there was some deck re-coring plus a build-up of the area between the tum-ofthe-bilge and the keel to prevent 'panting'. Another thing that we did — which may be of interest to owners of deck-stepped masts — was to replace the sagging laminated wood mast-step with a stainless steel weldment that

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arches over the interior doorway. It was all cut-in from the out¬ side, where it could be patched over easily with glass and paint. My partner Jim Podolski and I had one of those little learn¬ ing experiences' while doing this job. We mixed-up a full gallon of epoxy and poured it all into the new hole. Jim had just started to set the three-fooblong stainless weldment down in the epoxy pool when we learned why it's better to mix several smaller batches of epoxy rather than one big one. The epoxy pool got so hot that there was enough smoke to catch the yard's attention. In addition, there was quickly solidifying foam to deal with. It all worked out, however, and the system has performed well for several years now. We’ve had our Escape at the Richmond YC since the '70s, so she's probably the Ericson 35 that Perenon had seen there. There are also three Alberg 35s at the club. I know of two other Ericson Mk-I’s on the Bay; one in Alameda and one at Pier 39. Over the years, we’ve collected some neat reference materi¬ als for both boats, such as IMS ratings, polar plots. Atomic 4 maintenance manuals, prop sizes, and the like. It would be fun to organize a gathering of Ericson Mk-I's and Alberg 35s in or¬ der to swap war stories and such. If anyone is interested, they can call me at (510) 548-8207 and we’ll sail some place. Rich Seals Escape, Ericson 35 Mk-I Richmond Mnot a spoof, famous or otherwise

On page 217 of the May '98 issue there was a photo of a woman with a sextant. The caption read: "A sextant is no longer an antique — not since hackers have found a way to access the software that controls GPS satellites." I couldn’t find any other reference to this problem in the adjoining Changes in Latitudes text, but perhaps I didn’t look far enough afield. I called the Coast Guard to see if they were aware of this problem. The person I spoke to said 'no', but wanted more in¬ formation. If you’re serious about this, I suggest that you contact the Coast Guard so they can put it out on the Local Notice to Mari¬ ners. If this is another of your famous spoofs, please let me know, as I teach celestial navigation at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa and want to give my students the correct informa¬ tion. Thanks for a consistently outstanding magazine. Neal T. Walker Costa Mesa Neal — The caption about hackers getting access to GPS soft¬ ware was not a spoof. We'd written more extensively about it in a previous issue based on widespread reports that had appeared in the mainstream national press. Whether the hackers had ac¬ tually gotten to the stage where they were capable of screwing up the GPS system is not clear. In any event, you may be getting some more celestial stu¬ dents. fUlWHY INVITE BIG GOVERNMENT?

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In a recent issue there was a letter from John O'Conner about the scattering of ashes at sea. I can’t believe that someone would want, seek, or even invite Big Government into the question. After all, the human body is a natural non-polluting organism just like the fish. And didn't we all originally come from the ocean thousands of years ago? So why. ask? The ashes of all my grandparents, my parents, and some other relatives have been scattered somewhere between our home in Newport Beach and Catalina Island. Our family never

Why do sailors recommend to their friends? san francisco

Bay’s most prominent islands and the alluring Golden Gate. When chartering from Berkeley, you are immediately in great sailing condi¬ tions with your favorite destinations al¬ ready in sight. Sailor magazine said,

“OCSC’s location gives its sailors instant access to some of the finest sailing on the planet.”

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Choosing the right sailing school is more than just finding a place to take a class. Sailing opens up a whole new world for you, your friends and family. You want to find a facility that gives you the life style as well as the sport. OCSC knows this better than anyone! We pioneered the “club concept” 19 years ago. Our focus is to provide you with instant access to every phase of the sport without requiring boat ownership. At OCSC you learn from professionals. You choose from an excellent fleet of charter yachts. You are certified to bareboat charter anywhere in the world. And you connect with a great group of like minded enthusiasts at social activi¬ ties and special events.

At OCSC you have it all.

At OCSC we combine our extraor¬ dinary location, the smallest class sizes in the industry and state of the art equip¬ ment with a curriculum that is thorough and efficient. Our modular training pro¬ gram consists of a progressive ladder of individual classes, each dovetailed to the next with clearly defined expecta¬ tions and certifications. You may slip into the program at a level appropriate for your current skills. Everything nec¬ essary is included for your success: textbooks and collateral materials, spray gear and fioat vests, the right boat for each level, even your lunches with full day classes are provided. Bring your sunglasses and a sense of adventure; we supply the rest.

Great Instructors OCSC instructors are US Coast Guard licensed and US Sailing certified professionals. Each has been thor¬ oughly screened for outstanding sea¬ manship and communications skills

(fewer than one in twenty instructor applicants make the grade). Then we thoroughly train them in the proven teaching methods OCSC has devel¬ oped, The twenty-five men and women who make up the OCSC instructional staff are simply the best qualified and most prepared teachers in the industry. They average at least 5 years with us. You will find them ail to be patient, caring guides who will share your enthusiam and excitement about sail¬ ing and each new skill you master.

The Full Service Club OCSC offers a wide range of activi¬ ties to make your sailing easy, fun and economical. Regularly scheduled events include afternoon picnic sails, moonlight sails, weekend cruises, semi¬ nars, video nights, exciting vacation cruises around the world and more. These activities take full advan¬ tage of our world-class waterfront facil¬ ity, which includes a two story club¬ house with a commanding three bridge bay view, fully equipped classroom, and sunny outdoor deck, all set in a landscaped park, and all just a few steps from the forty yachts waiting at bur docks. Please visit us anytime at your conve¬ nience. We'll take the time to show you our facility and discuss your goals. You will dis¬ cover that sailing is more than a sport - it's an exciting new life style!

Why Berkeley? Because sailing is a natural, sen¬ sual and intuitive activity, the pleasure you derive from it is inseparable from the environment in which you sail. OCSC’s central San Francisco Bay lo¬ cation places you in sailing conditions that are the envy of sailors worldwide. The steady, consistent winds on Berkeley's Olympic Circle create an ideal training environment for learning. At OCSC, your sailing backdrop is the beautiful San Francisco skyline, the

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LETTERS s/y.iLino since 1980 REDWOOD CITY (650) 363-1390

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cared what the current laws were because we didn't think it was anybody else’s business. Another matter — death at sea. In my 26 years as a detec¬ tive before retiring, I dealt with many murders. Two of the deaths were at sea. In both cases, the surviving crew contacted the Coast Guard to Advise them of the problem. They also kept a detailed log of the illness and death. Both times the body was buried at sea. One was buried approximately 450 miles north of Kwajalein, the other about 290 miles east of Japan. When both of the American families returned to the United States, they were interviewed by the Coast Guard and me. Due to the illness involved and the extensive radio contacts, both the Coast Guard and I felt crimes had not been committed and that the burial at sea had been justified. By the way, the sec¬ ond part of this letter has nothing to do with the first issue of the scattering of ashes. We're now on the island of Corsica, having been in the Med for the past nine months. We're sailing around the world and expect to be back in good old Newport Beach by December 31, 1999 — for a party with friends. Great magazine — but hard to find in Italy. Paul Langone

Join us in Paradise

Tricia Too Monte Carlo, Monaco

UPCOMING TRIPS

Greece - Sept. 7

Paul — We just spent some time on the Italian and French Rivieras. Had we only known, we would have been delighted to hand deliver a selection of the latest Latitudes.

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The unidentified singlehander charging the Bay on page 124 of June's Sightings is Einer Elbeck at the helm of his Nor'West 33 Sunshine. As Einer demonstrates, the NorWest fleet is alive and kicking. Eighteen of these seakindly, Chuck Bums designed cruisers were built in Alameda from 1978 to 1981. Hull #19 is still in the mold, but Arch Woodliff, the NorWest builder, threat¬ ens to commission her soon. After all, the new engine — circa 1981 — sits ready in a crate beside her. In other Nor'West news: F red and Margaret Fago of Hogin Sails organized two Nor'West owners meetings in recent months, bringing owners of 10 of the 18 boats together. — Gene and Dotty Hanes, owners of Wither Thou, the very first NorWest 33, recently donated her to a sail training organi¬ zation in San Diego. — Three of the NorWest 33s are still actively sailed by the original owners. They are Falcon, Sunshine and Pippin. Several of the boats have recently undergone complete refurbishment, including Tao and Josephine. — At least two Nor'Wests, including Skye and Native Dancer, are being prepared for extended cruises. There's plenty of life in the Nor'West fleet! Simon Elphick Nor’West 33 #18, Native Dancer Half Moon Bay

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lUiTHE INTERNET MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE 1 recently read the letter from Wings regarding the use of a cellular phone for e-mail in Mexico. While I'm still in the States, e-mail has allowed me not just to stay in touch with family and friends, but continue to work at home — aboard our boat while cruising Southern California. Having worked as a teacher in public school for a few years, I wondered how my wife and I could ever leave the dock to go cruising. Then the internet came along and opened up the pos-

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LETTERS sibility. It began when I learned of a private, independent studyschool that had an on-line program. This may be the ticket!’ said the light going off in my head. I began working for the school a couple of years ago — and I continued to work for them when we moved away from the dock last May. We spertt the summer cruising around Ventura. Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz Island, then spent the winter at Catalina Island — where we've had a wonderful time. I corresponded with my students using e-mail. I use a cellu¬ lar phone with the box that goes between the phone and the laptop. I also installed an external antenna that gives me around a lOdb gain, which provided me with good reception from Catalina all during the winter. The only drawback is that the little box maxes out at 4800 baud, which makes things pretty slow. As someone stated in a previous letter, you don't do much web surfing at that speed. So far I've used a local cellular company and a Ventura-based local internet provider, but once we get to Mexico I like the idea of using a larger provider. The best, of course, would be to use satellites to communicate, but my earnings don't allow me that option. Right now, we re happy to be out and living a lifestyle that we find very satisfying. We headed south last fall with our fiveyear-old daughter and a six-week-old baby boy. It's been a won¬ derful experience for all of us, as we've had the time to really live and grow together. We re living cheaper, too, so don’t need to earn as much money to get by. This past year has been the best I can remember and the use of e-mail and other technology has made it all possible. We met a few cruisers on their way south last fall and they had to be in such a hurry because they needed to get back to work by a certain date. I know there will be more people in the future using the net in ways like this and I think there are great op¬ portunities for lifestyle changes for some of us. This may be an option for some folks going cruising and perhaps they can slow down a little if they can still work as they go. I just wanted others to know that recent technological break¬ throughs are opening up new opportunities to cruise. P S. A few months ago you ran a Changes from Peter and Kate aboard Rise and Shine, and didn't know what kind of boat they had or where they were from. The couple are cruising a Ventura-based Atkins 'Eric' ketch built of ferrocement. Dave Colvin Delight, Spindrift 43 Ventura Man insane assumption

I read with interest the discussion about dayshapes, light¬ ing, inland/international rules of the road. But either Capt. Deakin or I need a refresher. The rules work so that sailing vessels are lighted differently than vessels under power. A vessel under sail will not show a masthead light, while power-driven vessels — which always includes sailing vessels under power, sails up or not — will always show at least one masthead or all-round white light, depending on length and other circumstances (Rule 23, Inland and International). The rules do allow for uniquely lighting a vessel under sail. Rule 25, paragraph (b). Inland and International, indicates that sailing vessels less than 20 meters in length may show a tri¬ color light at or near the top of the mast — but not in conjunc¬ tion with sidelights and stemlight-. Any sailing vessel, regard¬ less of length, when showing sidelights and stemlight. may also show two all-round lights in a vertical line at or near the top of the mast, the upper being red and the lower being green (Rule

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In a previous issue, the Max Ebb and Lee Helm characters spent about four pages discussing their quest for the perfect shoal draft sailboat. As I finished the article I was amazed, dumb¬ founded, and truly mystified to find that they never once men¬ tioned the oldest, and most perfect, shoal draft sailboat design in the world — the multihull. It reminds me how seemingly intelligent Republicans and Democrats never mention the existence of the Libertarian Party when discussing the country's problems — even though Liber¬ tarians have been offering the only sane solutions to the same old problems that have been around for years. I guess it's the old if-we-don't-talk-about-it-then-it-doesn't-exist’ thing. Perhaps the analogy is a stretch and I'm not implying that multihulls are the only perfect shoal draft vessel around, but geez, they are one of them, aren’t they? Granted, your maga¬ zine in general does acknowledge the existence of multi’s quite often, but why so obvious an omission in the shoal draft article — especially considering that these characters were discussing a multihull (the Rave) in the previous issue? Did they "like" just discover the multihull? Oh yeah; "like", what's up with Lee Helm using the word "like" every other sen¬ tence? If she's is supposed to be so intelligent, why does the author make her sound like such a retard? It was great to read that after all these years John Guzwell is still messing around with boats. His Trekka was such a cool little boat, and his book was such an inspiration to me. P.S. I’ve been a landlubber in San Diego going on two years now, and your magazine is one of the things that keeps me going. I'd love to read more about cruisers who are 'seasteading' on the cheap and how they are doing it. ( Steve Hobbs San Diego lUlHE FORGOT THAT PART — ALONG WITH MUCH ELSE

One and only one response to Color Us Stupid: First, Latitude was a little unfair to me in quoting a ’third party’ who is, in fact, a "close friend" of Buddy and Ruth on Anna Puma. Hardly an unbiased viewpoint as to whether I was "way out of line." Also, I’m concerned about getting a fair shake from all the Bay Area types. Secondly, apparently my letter was entirely misinterpreted by Latitude. The entire "dispute" was never about money but, in fact, about appreciation. Buddy’s right, no mention of money was ever made by me. Nor am I upset by the out-of-pocket ex¬ penses which, I neglected to mention, encompass a couple of hundred dollars of ComSat charges. These were incurred dis¬ cussing Buddy’s headstay problem with Latitude's "third party." It was this "third party's" request which got me first involved with Ruth and Buddy. As to good terms, I’m not on good terms with your "third party." Haven't been and won't be. Final item regarding "third party." I never suggested or oth-

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• August, 1998

erwise made any effort or representation that Moonshadow come to the aid of the Downeast 32. Moonshadow had a busted SSB, and their only means of communication was their Inmarsat C with which they could e-mail me. At the request of the SSB net, administered by Ruth on Anna Purna, I alerted Moonshadow of the situation with the Downeast 32. I never made any recom¬ mendation one way or the other. I will be happy to provide Lati¬ tude a copy of all the e-mail correspondence between Moon¬ shadow and my boat for your readers to judge for themselves. Finally, I never became angry over Moonshadow’s or any¬ body else’s response to the plight of the Downeast 32, nor up¬ set at anybody on the net. My sole comment was listening to the Downeast skipper, who was distressed and fatigued after losing his engine and a whole lot of sleep with no help in sight. Th&t was my reference to "calling in the cavalry." I never said that Moonshadow had to go to their rescue. In fact, Moonshadow e-mailed me that they could not go to the rescue as the Downeast was too far to the northwest of their position. Glad to provide thqt e-mail also if "anonymous" wishes to continue this bullshit. Ruth’s representation that Moonshadow "was relieved" is a crock. Finally, let me briefly address Buddy's concerns as espoused in his letter. His "thanks at least a dozen times" was missed by me. Geez, Buddy, you’re welcome. I must have nodded off at the time(s). But do go ahead with "stories about (me)." I love stories. As to the merits of your $68 shackle, as soon as you show me that it is 316L stainless steel, forged, and a deep 3/4” type. I’ll get right down to your place and buy one. As to Buddy’s representation that I "insisted" that he use my fitting, he was kind. I actually held a gun to his head and demanded that he use my fitting. Did the same thing as 1 designed and drew the part so the French machinist could make it for him. I think that Buddy forgot that part — along with much else. Since this entire matter has lamentably deteriorated into name-calling, I have a suggestion for Buddy. Just write a check for $68 and send it to Latitude, and they can then make a do¬ nation of $68 to one of the homeless shelters in your name. I’m going sailing, and to all a good night. W. M. Wochos Doc, 53-foot sloop W.M. — Even if everything you say is true, it seems to us you've gone a little over the top. In any event, you've gotten your two punches in. Let's leave it at that and move on to more pleas¬ ant stuff. IT11A VERY SPECIAL MAN

As the author of the book William Willis. The Abiding Sailor — not published in the United States — and an admirer of the man's character, please let me add some additional facts about this very special man. Willis was born in Hamburg in 1893, the oldest son of a single parent. His family roots were from Bohemia in Europe. He immigrated to the United States in 1910, changing his Slavonian name to William Willis. Starting at age 15. he spent most of his life as a mariner, including sailing on square riggers and making several passages around Cape Horn. He worked also as a longshoreman, in San Francisco among other places. Willis achieved some international fame after his 6,700 mile solo passage in 1954 from Callao to Pago Pago on the balsa raft Seven Little Sisters. It took 115 days. He wrote two books dur¬ ing this period: The Gods Were Kind and Whom the Sea Has Taken, the latter being an autobiography. Willis' next venture, at age 70, was a singlehanded voyage on the steel raft Age Unlimited from Callao to Samoa to

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•

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LETTERS

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Townsville, Australia in '63-'64. The 10,000-mile passage took him 205 days, and was the longest raft passage ever made. Books from this period were An Angel On Each Shoulder, and Hell, Hail and Hurricanes, a book of poems. In 1966, at age 72, Willis undertook still another venture, this one called The Oldest Man In the Smallest Boat'. He took off from New York in the 12-foot Little One and set sail for En¬ gland. Willis suffered a hernia attack shortly after starting and was rescued by a passing freighter. The following year restarted the same trip with the same boat. Delayed because of bad winds and exhausted, Willis was rescued by a fishing ship after 89 days. He was still 1,200 miles from England. Not one to give up, in 1968, at age 74, Willis again tried to cross the Atlantic in the 12-foot boat. Eighty days after he started, Little One was found — empty, damaged and flooded — by a Russian trawler. Willis was a common man, a romantic, ecologically minded and veiy humble. Although admired by many people around the world, he never received the recognition due him in his new country. In fact, some authors — such as Holm and Clark — singled Willis out for sarcasm. For those interested in William Willis, Little One is on display at the Newport News Mariners Museum, some memorabilia from the Seven Little Sisters passage are exhibited in the Pago Pago Museum, and his books can be found in out-of-print catalogs. Willis is not the only immigrant to the United States who didn’t receive his due. Jean Gau, formerly of France, twice sailed around the world aboard the old double-ender Atom and an¬ other five times across the Atlantic. He sailed more than 100,000 miles singlehanded prior to 1970! But how many of your read¬ ers have even heard of him? Dr. Andrew Urbanczyk Half Moon Bay

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UtiitUt-ZS

• August, 1998

1UISTEAMING LIGHT ON BOW Capt. Deakin’s June comment. "It is interesting to note that no special lights are required to distinguish between a boat under sail and power at night," misses a very important point. A sailboat sailing at night must display sidelights and a stern light and should be distinguished by the lack of a forward-fac¬ ing white masthead light. As soon as the sailboat turns on its engine, however, it becomes a powerboat and must display a masthead light — which is a white light shining forward in an arc of 225°. Of the approximately 100 sailboats that I've been on over the past 15 years, this light has been indicated on the electrical panel as 'Steaming Light' or 'Bow Light'. When you turn on the engine, you turn on this light. With this light on, a sailboat with sails up at night can very easily be seen to be under power. As for daylight running, a common-sense approach followed by many sailboats is to furl the headsail when powering with the engine. This almost always indicates a sailboat under power, but of course it is not a COLREGS rule. As for displaying the downward conical shape, keep an eye on the inspected sailing vessels on the Bay such as the big schooners. Most likely they will be displaying the shape when they have both their engine on and sails up. It's sometimes hard to pick the shape out of all the rigging up front. (The in-

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UxxuMli •

Page 77

LETTERS

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UnuJcSS

• August, 1998

spected sail training schooners I crew on in Southern Califor¬ nia have the shapes and display them as appropriate.) With regard to Steve Malais’ letter, he is correct that a sail¬ boat of less than 20 meters can show her lights in a combined lantern — red, green, and white — at the masthead and that the lights down on., the deck must be off when the combined lantern is on. But it is also important to note that any size sailboat can also show at the masthead two all-around lights, the top being red and the bottom being green — ’red over green, sailing machine’ — and that the deck sidelights and stern lights must also be on. Thus, for sailboats, there are two types of masthead light arrangements possible. One requires the deck-level running lights to be off, the other requires the deck-level running lights be on, For cruisers out on the ocean, the ’red over green’ all-around lights at the masthead in combination with deck sidelights and stern lights makes for a very well lit boat, which should in¬ crease safety. ' ' Paul A. Myers USCG Licensed Mariner Pomona DUhe made life easier and more fun for cruisers

In the event you have not heard, Dick Markie has been re¬ lieved of his responsibilities as Harbormaster at Marina Mazatlan. Apparently it was a cost cutting measure by owners Grupo Situr, as no other reason was given for his termination. As you know, Dick was an icon in the cruising community and will be missed by all who visited Mazatlan. In particular, those who radioed in distress in the middle of the night for help getting through the breakwater to the calm waters inside. I re¬ member one night in ’96 we left Mazatlan for Puerto Vallarta at 0200. Markie insisted that we call him on the radio at 0200 so he could safely guide us out the sometimes hazardous chan¬ nel. Dick made life easier and more fun for cruisers in the ma¬ rina by publishing a cruisers' guide to services in Mazatlan, by organizing the annual Thanksgiving feast, making special ar¬ rangements for the bull fights and Carnival, and hosting the monthly 'moon howl'. Unfortunately, Dick’s unexplained departure is just another example of how cruising in Mexico seems to be changing. Please join me and the rest of his friends in wishing him well in what¬ ever new venture he pursues. Dick Switzer Illusions

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UtuUclQ •

August 1998

LETTERS wasn't enjoyable. Having not set up a radio sked with the oth¬ ers, I lost track of them. I assumed I'd made it to San Francisco behind everyone, but as it turned out only one other boat ar¬ rived ahead of me: Conclusion: Don’t head south from the Pacific Northwest in April, and don't take off until you get all the weather informa¬ tion possible. As covered in the June '97 Latitude, five Pacifica '97 boats sailed from Sausalito last May 10 for the Marquesas to start the second leg of the circumnavigation. I led the pack with Isle of Skye, my Spencer 46. The others were Clint and Sara Eckstein with their Anacortes-based Hardin 45 Shania Makar, Dean and Pat Crane from Puyallup in their Crane Dancin'; Dorothy and Dave Fryer with their Victoria-based Downeast 38 Kablooncv, and Qeri and Dale Miller from Yachats, Oregon, in their Downeast 32 Wind Gypsy. From San Francisco we angled southwest to intercept 125°W, where we planned to sail down to 5°S. The plan allowed us to have room to do our westing in the trades without having to worryv about tacking back to the Marquesas. In general the weather was good, although the wind — at less than 20 knots — was lighter than we expected. I figured on making the 3,000mile journey in 25 days, but it took 26. The next boat was six days back, while the last was 16 days back. Thank God for waterline length! Our group kept in radio contact with one another twice a day: in the morning for weather and in the afternoon for chat sessions. While enroute we joined a loose-knit group of about 20 other boats making similar passages, and in so doing be¬ came friends with the rest of the wonderful cruising commu¬ nity. All of the systems on my boat worked well and, thanks^ to the 24 gph watermaker, were able to have hot showers regularly. The elevated heat in the engine room put a strain in the refrig/ freezer, so we gave up on that and went without cool stuff. I'd had to motor for 4.5 days to cross the ITCZ, and worried that I wouldn't have any in reserve until I reached Tahiti. I needn't have worried as there was plenty of fuel to be pumped from the docks at Hiva Oa and Nuku Hiva. Food was also plentiful in the larger ports, but expensive. I had to rush through the Marquesas in order to meet my wife on schedule in Tahiti. I stopped at Rangiroa in the Tuamotus .to enjoy the great diving. We rejoined our group in Papeete after spending a great two weeks in Moorea. We were also joined in Papeete by Bill Barnes, who had sailed his Cascade 29 straight from Anacortes to Tahiti. He arrived after a 52-day passage, weak but in good spirits. While in Papeete, the couple who sailed down with my grand¬ daughter and I decided to switch to another boat in the Pacifica '97 group. I recruited two experienced French fellows as re¬ placement for as far as Tahiti, but they got off in American Samoa. We nonetheless had a good trip to Bora Bora, Rarotonga, Palmerston Atoll and American Samoa. The only two crew for the final legs to Tonga and Fiji were myself and Jennell Turner, an 18-year-old that had been a math student of mine in high school. While in Suva, Fiji, Jennell joined Medusa, a Norwegian boat, and continued on to Brisbane. She was then either going to return home or visit a new friend in France. With diminished crew, I decided to put my boat on the hard in Fiji — actually it was ’buried’ at Vuda Point Marina to protect her against cyclones. This allowed me to return home, rest, get more crew, and return this summer. As you read this, my wife and I should be cruising the western islands of Fiji, after which I'll head off to Vaunatu and Cairns, Australia. That will put me

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back on schedule — albeit a year late. As for the others, the Cranes put their boat on the hard in Raiatea after Dean suffered a serious knee injury. They returned to the States for treatment and will resume the course some¬ time this year. The Fryers made it to Brisbane — where she's from — and wilbtake a year's break before continuing. The Mill¬ ers sold their boat in New Caledonia after getting their asking price. The Ecksteins are continuing on the original schedule, although I haven't seen them since Fiji. Bill Barnes’ boat is in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Crew shortages and back prob¬ lems put him behind schedule, but he plans to resume. Greg Peterson, aboard Glad Bon Anee, left the States last and is some¬ where out in the western Pacific hoping to catch up and make it to the Med. , With an infusion of new and experienced crew, I hope to be in Singapore for Christmas, and in the Med by spring of '99. 1 plan to cruise there during the summer with my wife, put the boat on the hard in Turkey while I return home, then return to the boat in spring. Later in 2000,1 plan to sail across the Atlan¬ tic, to the Caribbean, then either to Panama or up to Houston for shipping back to the West Coast. So while 1 anticipated a two-year circumnavigation, it looks like it will be four years. But what’s a couple of years here and there? With my best wishes, Ken Stevens of Newport, Oregon, has taken over Pacifica 2000, and has been holding biennial meet¬ ings. They'll probably cruise down to Mexico before sailing across to the South Pacific. Two things I've learned: 1) It’s good to get in lots of ocean experience before heading across an ocean, and 2) Putting on such events is an awful lot of work. Pat McKinnon Oak Harbor, WA \

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Rick — The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea explains it pretty well: "Seven Seas, a saying which really means all the waters which cover the earth and refers in fact to the seven oceans: the Arctic, Antarctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific. South Pacific and Indian." Its almost certain that the "seven seas' was merely a slang term of the times to indicate that a sailor had been "everywhere". Those who have read the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam might re¬ call the following lines: "Which of our coming and departure heeds, As the seven seas should heed a pebble cast." By the way, what’s the origin of the word fabulistic"? iMiFACTORY SPECS WANTED

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1 m writing hoping that someone in your readership can help me obtain factory data on the Cheoy Lee Offshore 27. Mine was built in 1971 and is yard hull #2498. I have no data whatsoever and am in particular need of the rigging measurements for all the fixed rigging, forestay, sides and rear. I know that there are several other ways of figuring out the

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LETTERS rigging lengths without, having the hard data — such as step¬ ping the mast with ropes and then measuring. I also need spreaders for the mast. Despite what others have told me, I feel the best way is to have the factory specs. The area that I live in has very little resources for sailing vessels, and I haven't been able to find out if Cheoy Lee is even still in business. James Rogers Mystic Wind P.0. Box 6728, Brookings, OR 97415 Janes — The last thing you want is the factory data, as specs on production boats were and still are changed constantly. Fur¬ thermore, after 27 years, it's quite possible the original mast has been changed or modified. The only way to be sure to get the lengths right is by working with what you have. Solve your problem as follows: 1) Measure your spar as well as the offsets for the headstay, backstay and shrouds. 2) Call a sppr maker with this data so he can determine what size and length spreaders you need. This isn't rocket science as Cheoy Lee rigs weren't built to close tolerances. 3) Based on this data and a little geometry, calculate the length of each stay and shr oud. Add two extra feet to each of the lengths. 3) Swage one end of eachfitting andfit it on the mast. 4) Raise the mast, holding it in place with halyards. 5) Trim the stays and shrouds to the correct length. 6) Secure the lower ends of the shrouds and stays with Norseman or Sta-Lock fittings, both of which can be reused or redone if you make an error. 7) Go sailing. If you still have questions, track down our old buddy Sam Vahey who lives in Brookings along with his Santa Cruz 27. Cheoy Lee is still in business, but now they only sell very large motorsailers and motor yachts. Who knows, theygnight still have Offshore 27 plans just for kicks. Fax them at (852) 2-3075577 in Kowloon, Hong Kong. tUiWHAT’S WELL EQUIPPED?

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Over the years I’ve been reading with interest the letters and stories from people out cruising and those planning a cruise. The one thing I've noticed lately is the increased infatuation with the latest electronic gadgetry. It seems that if you don’t have all the bells and whistles, you can't make it out there. Then I came across your requirements for a possible Ha-Ha Across the Pacific. You stated that the event will be limited to "25 well-equipped boats". This got me to wondering if you meant that the boat be well-equipped with the latest in electronic gad¬ getry, or that the boat be properly equipped for a safe passage? Because as you surely know, the two are not synonymous. I'm also curious about people who sign their letters 'Planet Earth'. What do they put on their passports? Steve H. San Diego Steve — The following are, in order of importance, the nine most important 'ingredients' in what we believe would be a "wellequipped boat": 1) One — but preferably two — people who have made a simi¬ lar passage aboard a similar boat. ■ 2) One — but preferably two — people who have made a simi¬ lar passage aboard a similar boat. 3) One — but preferably two — people who have made a simi¬ lar passage aboard a similar boat. (Are we getting our point across about the importance of at least one Crew with ocean experience?) 4) Good main with good light air and heavy air headsails. 5) GPS. 6) VHF radio.

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LETTERS 7) EPIRB. 8) Big anchor with adequate rode. 9) Stereo with good speakers. Put that stuff on a decent boat and you can sail just about anywhere in safety and reasonable comfort. If someone sends us a letter or e-mail without a return ad¬ dress, we narrow down the possibilities as much possible, which leaves . . . Planet Earth. Right? ff liSTRUTTING GAMECOCK

I wuz robbed! I read with nostalgia your report on the '98 Master Mariners Regatta. It took us a week fighting the seas to get to the St. Francis YC starting line on race day. We aboard Manu Tai were in Division A and won the event hands down — despite being told by a yacht that we were hailing that spinna¬ kers were a 'no-no'. This after I took the spinnaker handicap! Anyhow, I did get a huge trophy — which Exxon, my host, immediately lifted. They were our cheap-ass sponsors, having picked our name out of a hat. We did get a $1.97 mug, and an Exxon flag which we flew at the truck. Now what really gets my bilge afoul is this: We never heard of nor received that most cherished "golden banner with a strut¬ ting gamecock." Just because we came up from L.A. must have loaded their bilges. Can anyone have them make amends and send me a banner? Twould be nice. Stan Lieberman Schooner, Manu Tai Areata

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Just wait 'til next year. As reported in last month's article on the Antigua Classic Regatta, which took place ih mid-April, the long-awaited showdown between the J-Class yachts Endeavour and the recently restored Velsheda never really materialized. The former, it turns out, was under charter and the charterer wasn’t particularly interested in racing. We learned ‘the rest of the story' from Endeavour owner Elizabeth Meyer. Turns out the charterer, 32-year-old Argen¬ tinian Leo Couturier, ended up buying Shamrock V, the first Jboat ever built and the last of the surviving three out of a total of 10 that were built between 1934 and 1937. Shamrock Valias been owned for the last few years by the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport, Rhode Island, which Meyer co-founded in 1993. Elizabeth declined to disclose the selling price of the boat, but noted that “the proceeds will give us a substantial portion of the $10 million needed to restore Coronet.” Coronet, the school’s ‘flagship’ project, is a 178-ft schooner built in 18$5. Shamrock is going to be on the move under her new owner almost as much as Endeavour is under Meyer. She’ll spend the rest of the summer sailing out of Newport, charter this winter in the West Indies, get an extensive refit next summer (including a new aluminum mast and carbon 'Park Avenue’ boom), and be back in the West Indies fpr the winter of 1999-2000. After that, who knows? She may return to New England or go to the Med. When asked when the sailing world might finally get to see Endeavour and Velsheda seriously go mano-a-mano, she said ’The Next Classic Regatta.” The added attraction: Shamrock V will round out the J-Class ’fleet’ in ‘99. (The IYRS is a non-profit organization designed to tegch the skills, history and related sciences involved in the restoration of classic yachts. They can be reached at (401) 849-3060; fax (401) 849-1642.) Tabarly’s body recovered. In June, the world was saddened by the loss of the great French sailor Eric Tabarly, who fell off his vintage yacht near Milford Haven on the 12th. Last month, the body of the 66year-old sailor was recovered by a fishing boat.

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Smoke on the water. The Martinez YC suffered a devastating fire in July. The good news is that no one was hurt. The bad news is that, although the building is still sound, the interior rs a total loss. Among items lost is the collection of yacht club burgees from around the world. “We would very much like to replace those as soon as possible,” says MYC secretary Harriette Langmeier. So you yacht club members out there: be sure to contact whoever is in charge of burgees and have one shipped to Martinez YC (P.O. Box 128, Martinez, CA 94553). Harriette thanks the many people who have already helped but in cleanup and repairs, and notes that “MYC is not only still going, but has great spirit and will rise again!” Crossing the boundaries. The final title to complete the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's 1998-1999 seven-play season was announced last month. It is called Ravenshead. a modern opera for solo voice, directed by TonyTaccone. The production opens March 10, 1999, and closes April 4. Why are we telling you all this in a sailing magazine? Because Ravenshead is based on the true stoiy of Donald Crowhurst. In 1968, Crowhurst participated in the first nonstop round-the-

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LOOSE LIPS world race aboard his trimaran Teignmouth Electron. However, for reasons known only to himself, Crowhurst did not proceed around the world with the handful of other competitors. Instead, he sailed in circles around the south Atlantic and transmitted false position reports, apparently hoping to dash for home and the £5,000 first prize when the time was right. Isolation and the stress of the deception eventually got to Crowhurst. When Teignmouth Electron was finally found ghosting along off Brazil eight months after the start of the race, Crowhurst was long gone. Logbooks on board detailed the faked sunsights — a mathematical process much more complicated than working out real sunsights, since it had to be performed in reverse — and a personal journal that told of his descent into madness and his decision to just step off the boat in the middle of the ocean. Eventual race winner Robin Knox-Johnson, who donated the £5,000 to a fund for Crowhurst’s family, said, “None of us should judge him too harshly." The Berkeley Repertory Theatre press release says Ravenshead “presents a timeless re¬ examination of mythology, ideology and the nature of‘truth’." For tickets or other information, contact the Berkeley Rep Box Office at (510) 845-4700.

“best binoculars to take to see’’ are a better

Let the games begin. We,were flabbergasted to learn at presstime that there is a third America’s Cup syndicate hard at work in our own backyard. Joining AmericaOne and America True in the quest to bring the Auld Mug to San Francisco is . . . uh, . . . “We’re not releasing the name of the syndicate at this time," said the chairman and CEO, who asked not to be identified. According to Mr. X, the syndicate skipper is a veteran of several America's Cups, as are many of the crew. Rounding out the complement are several hot young local sailors. The syndicate plans to introduce them all at a big press conference any day now. In the meantime, the crew have been hard at work sailing unidentified one-designs fitted with secret appendages at undisclosed locations. The design team is an international consortium of naval architects and engineers whose expertise spans the last five America’s Cups — although Mr. X couldn’t tell us who they were just yet. “I’d tell you where the office was, but even I don’t know,” he said. “ You can’t be too careful these days." “Well what can you tell us?” we asked. “We’ll be taking delivery of an LACC boat next month, but I can’t tell you which one. Also, we’re well into our fundraising — almost halfway toward our goal, in fact — but I can’t say exactly how much we have or where it came from. “And here’s something for you — exclusive to Latitude: a large Silicone Valley company has come aboard as our primary sponsor. They don’t want to announce it just yet, so you can’t print it, but when they do, you’ll be the first to know. We’re also on the verge of announcing that a world-class tactician has recently defected to us from another syndicate — but right now, we can’t tell you who he is or which syndicate. You never know who’s listening in these days.” “Yeah, right,” we said. “You know, we need more than ...” “Sorry to interrupt,” he interrupted. “I’m getting a Priority One alert from our main guard tower here at the compound. We apparently have a breech in the north wall. If it’s Conner’s Commandos again, they'll go right through the razor wire. They’re tough. Very hard to stop. I gotta go.

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LOOSE LIPS

Back from the dead. Jesus apparently wasn’t the only one able to pull off a resurrection. Back when the great Gloucester Schooners fished the Grand Banks, sometimes the fog would roll in so fast and thick that some all of a boat's dories would be unable to find the mofhership again. Most of the time, that spelled doom for the men in the dories, but not always. On more than one occasion, they would survive, on fish and dew, until the doiy fetched up somewhere. There are stories of dories drifting all the way to Europe, and one was found by a ship which took the men in it to Brazil. After recovering from their ordeal, the fishermen would eventually hitch a ride home on a ship bound for New England. Of course, there was no way to tell loved ones in advance that they were safe. Like ghosts come to life, Glou¬ cester fishermen would sometimes just1 show up back home, months after they were given up for dead. (This item culled from Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, one of the greatest books of the sea we’ve ever read. If you’re a cheapskate like us, you'll like to know that it’s now out in paperback.)

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SIGHTINGS the hard way home Enclosed you will find a picture of the head inlet from my Cal 31 Perpetual Motion. You’ll notice it is not on the boat where it should be. After completing our fifth Coastal Cup to Santa Barbara, we started on the uphill return to Benicia, envying those folks with trailerable boats who are able.to go to weather at 55 knots. Although we had 300 miles ahead of us, we felt pretty good knowing we had just won our division for the third time. At 1300 on July 1, about 25 miles into the trip, we came down hard off a wave and within minutes realized we were taking on water. At first we thought the bilge was just full and had not been pumped. But it was soon obvious by the rate the water was com¬ ing in that there was some other problem. Our first thought was that the slow leak we had experienced around the rudder pack¬ ing had opened up. But that looked fine. The next step was to check the thruhulls. The first one we checked was the head inlet. Imagine our surprise when we noticed it was no longer attached to the boat — and we could see day¬ light shining through the hole two feet below the waterline! As you can see from the photo, the thruhull and its backing came completely out of the hull, leaving a 2 5/8” hole. Luckily, we were able to use the 2” tapered plug I store nearby and a towel to stop the leak. And not a minute too soon. By the time we stopped the flooding — and with three bilge pumps going full blast — there was a foot and a half of water over the cabin sole. After returning to Santa Barbara and hauling out, we inspected the thruhull closely. It was apparent that there were two contributing fac¬ tors to the failure. One was that the backing to the thruhull was not a piece of wood, but several layers of fiberglass cloth that had been lami¬ nated to the inside of the hull. That would probably have been okay except that the inside of the hull was painted and the ‘glass was laid right over the paint. Though improperly done, we decided this bond was a minor con¬ tributor to the failure. The main cause was the original hole. It appears to have been cut too large. Whoever filled the hole did. so with resin, but no fiberglass for strength. A new hole was cut through that and the thruhull installed. I learned several lessons from this experience. The first is that one electric and two manual bilge pumps will not keep up with a hole the size we had. Secondly, it’s very important to keep plugs near all the thruhulls for just this kind of emergency. Most importantly: all thruhull fittings should be checked frequently, both in the water and when the boat is pulled for maintenance. Remember that a boat with flat sec¬ tions forward will give the worst pounding to thruhulls located there. (In addition to the head thruhull, we replaced one other forward thruhull while we were out of the water in Santa Barbara. The remain¬ ing two were installed correctly with wood backing plates.) We were very lucky this time. We were traveling with another boat, 1 had a great crew who didn’t panic, it occurred during daylight hours and we found the leak at a very early stage. Had it been 0200 in the morning I’m not sure we would have been as lucky. — noble brown

dream to nightmare Cruisers beware, an unintentional mistake turned our dream into a nightmare! As is the case with many cruisers in Mexico, it was our understand¬ ing that having a 20-year Temporary Import Permit for our boat al¬ lowed us to bring maintenance and repair gear into Mexico duty-free. continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 94 •

• July, 1998

the big ones Three Kiribati fishermen survived an almost unbelievable two months adrift in an open boat earlier this year. And emerged from the ordeal little the worse for wear. The story of Bauro Timea, Iotebwa Ubanaba and Koraubara Tebaka began on April 11, when the three friends went out in Tebaka’s 17-ft boat to catch some fish for an upcoming party. As always, they took two tanks of gas for the out¬ board. But when the first ran out and they hooked up the second, the engine sput¬ tered, died, and would not restart. They

SIGHTINGS nightmare — cont’d

tried paddling, but the current was too strong. As the sun went down, the three watched their home island of Maiana (a postage stamp in the South Pacific about halfway between Hawaii and New Guinea) become smaller and smaller in the dis¬ tance. They had exactly three coconuts and a few quarts of water aboard. ?They also had a big tuna. But that went bad during the night and they dumped it the next morning. None of the three were particularly worried at first. Stuff hap¬ pens, motors die. Someone always comes

Operating on that false assumption, we returned to California, visited friends and relatives, loaded up with needed parts for our boat, and headed south again.

continued middle of next sightings page

continued on outside column of next sightings page

As we approached the border at Nogales on June 20, we observed that there were lanes for automobiles and trucks. We entered an auto¬ mobile lane, received the 'red light', and were asked to pull over for inspection. We opened our vehicle, a 1985 Blazer, and were told to empty everything out so that Customs officials could look it over. When they asked what was in the boxes, we told them parts and personal items for use on our boat. We had attached copies of our 20-Year Im¬ port papers to each of the boxes, as other cruisers told us this might help clarify the purpose of the items and expedite our crossing. Not this time. We were then informed that we were in trouble be-

|‘Perpetual Motion’ (background) and ‘Freewind’charge out the \G olden Gate at the start of the ‘97 Coastal Cup. Going down the \coast is always more fun than coming home. ■

July, 1998 • UUbJUH • Page95

ILATITU DE/JR

that got away

SIGHTINGS got away

nightmare — cont’d cause we'd failed to declare the items to Customs. We tried to explain that we thought we'd done everything necessary to be legal and proper. They told us we were in the wrong lane to declare the items, and that we should have entered the lane to the far right, for the declaration of "commercial merchandise". We tried to explain that we didn't see the sign and simply followed the other automobile traffic. Even if we had seen the sign, we would have thought it was intended for vehicles car¬ rying merchandise for resale in Mexico. We were detained from 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. while Mexican officials sorted through everything. They put all of our personal belongings back into the vehicle, but confiscated all of the boat parts — which they valued at US $2,558. (The actual value was $2.134.) We were then told we had to pay $3,178 in penalties and fees, and that they would keep all of the parts for the boat. They also told Ray that he had to sign a statement — in Spanish — of the charges. They did call in an (inter¬ preter to translate it, because Ray refused to sign until he knew what the document said. Since we didn't have the money to pay the penalties and fees, the Mexican officials impounded our Blazer and instructed us to return on Monday morning to pay the fees. Only then would they release our car back to us. If we didn't pay the fee in 10 days, we'd forfeit the vehicle. So what had started out to be a happy day of anticipating returning to our boat — which is our home — turned into our worst nightmare. The Mexican officials did fyelp us get a ride back to a motel in Nogales. Not knowing which way to turn, the next morning we called the Vagabundos Travel Club, of which we're members. VagAssist, their assistance program, made several calls to the Mexico Ministry of Tour¬ ism and SACTEL (Service To Citizens) on our behalf. They advised us that it looked as though we were in violation of the Mexican Customs laws, but that we should tiy to get help from the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo when they opened on Monday. Getting this little bit of in¬ formation took almost all of Sunday. On Monday, the 22nd, we called the consulate at 8 a.m.. They re¬ quested that we fax copies of all the papers to them. They called us back and advised that the mistake we'd made at the border was a common one, and that there was not much they could do to help us. They advised us to consult with an international attorney, and faxed a list of them in the area. We contacted Sr. Rogelio Calderon Celaya, an attorney from Nogales, Mexico, who spoke excellent English. He advised us to come to his office, which was located across the border, so he could review the papers at no charge to us. If he felt he could help us, there would be a slight charge. After reviewing the papers we'd signed at the border, he said he thought he could try to get the penalties reduced, but he was pretty sure that they would keep all of the boat parts. He advised us to return to our motel and wait until he could make some contact with the Coordinator of Customs. Late that evening he called to advise us that he was unable to get any definite commitment, but that he would try again the next day. Our attorney picked us up at noon on the 23rd and took us to the Customs office at the border. We waited until after 2:30 p.m. to see the Coordinator of Customs, at which time we were told that he would not be available until after 6 p.m. We returned at 6. After a lengthy discus¬ sion, our attorney came out and advised us that, despite his appeals and a letter in our behalf from the U.S. Consulate, they could not reduce the penalties. We would have to pay a total of $3,178 and forfeit all of the boat parts. This caused Jan to break down and sob uncontrollably. Upon see¬ ing this, a man who looked like an official pulled Ray aside and said, "We are going to reevaluate the penalties and try to help you in this situation". Our attorney told us there was a group of officials from Mexico City visiting the Customs office who happened to observe Jan's distress, and one high official felt some compassion for our situation. He said they would redo the paperwork and we should return in two continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 96 •

* July. 1998

along to rescue fishermen in trouble. But days passed, then weeks, and no one came. The men saw many ships go by but could never get their attention. They rationed the coconuts and bottled water as long as they could, then they started living on fish they caught and rain¬ water. After they had drifted for six weeks, a longliner fishing boat went by, dragging its line. Trebaka, 42, and his buddies grabbed it and tied it to their little boat. Several hours later, the vessel’s crew reeled in their ‘catch’, but incredibly, would not allow the three castaways aboard. They gave them a little water and cast them off!

SIGHTINGS — cont’d On June 11, 600 miles south of Guam — and almost 2,000 miles from home, Tebaka and his mates were finally res¬ cued by a Taiwanese fishing boat. Though weak, the three did their best to smile and appear jovial, thinking after the last en¬ counter that that would help in their rescue. The three men called home to their families from the fishing boat. Upon ar¬ rival in Guam, they were found to be in amazingly good health considering what they'd been through. Tebaka has fished all his life and says he’ll continue to do so. “But maybe just in the lagoon," he adds.

nightmare — cont’d hours to pay the reduced fees. He also advised us that we would have to wait until the next day in order to get our vehicle released. When we returned we were advised that the penalties and fees had been re¬ duced to $458. Our attorney was amazed that they had made such a large reduction. We were more relieved than amazed. On June 24, we met our attorney at his office at 10 a.m. He took us to the Customs office at the border to get the release papers for our vehicle. It took approximately two hours to process the paperwork. He then took us to the impound yard, where additional paperwork was required. At approximately 2:30 p.m., we were finally free and on our way back to the U.S. — without any of our boat parts. It was a veiy traumatic experience for us. Our attorney, Sr. Rogelio, a veiy kind and understanding man, stood by us through all of it. He was more like a friend than an attorney. At one point he had told us that if the Customs officers had filed our case with the criminal divi¬ sion, they would have taken Ray — who had been driving the vehicle — continued on outside column of next sightings page

What big time, professional sailors really say on j.-_ ocean races...

SUmimttt!!!

HOLD ON!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

July, 1998 • UMmUW • Page97

SIGHTINGS fire up

nightmare — cont’d directly to jail. The situation certainly could have been worse, even though at the time we felt it was our worst nightmare come true. We’d like to warn all of our cruising friends and all future cruisers that they should do careful research through the Mexican Consulate and the Mexican Customs to know precisely what procedures to follow when bringing goods into Mexico. Our terrible experience taught us that a 20-Year Import Permit for your boat doesn't mean you have an exemption. There are procedures to get exemptions for repair materi¬ als — but they must be cleared through Customs in advance. Some of the rules differ depending on the mode of transportation used to enter Mexico. In any event, don't depend on word of mouth as we did. Get your information through official sources, and get it documented. If any of you reading this should ever be in need of an international attorney in Mexico, we would highly recommend, Sr. Rogelio Calderon Celaya, telephone 011-52-631-2-53-90. He is veiy knowledgeable about Customs laws in Mexico. — ray and jan johnson \

the cat man of whiskeytown lake Next time you think sailing is a lot of work, think about Mike Strahle. The Redding, California-based sailor has competed up and down the West Coast, been to Australia three times on racing campaigns, runs a Hobie Cat dealership and designs specialized sailing gear. He’s also a quadrapalegic. The 38-year-old Strahle was born and raised in the shadow of North¬ ern California’s Mount Shasta, not far from the Oregon border. He learned to ski at an early age and loved to compete. A passion for speed took him to Squaw Valley in the mid-1980s. A self-described ‘extreme skier’, Strahle worked as a logger back in Shasta during the summers, earning enough money to ‘burn up’ the mountain during the winter. In 1984, he bought a Hobie Cat, and raced on the local lake circuits. Like most competitive skiers, life for Strahle was ‘straight down’ the mountain. Until January, 1985, that is. On a fast run in less than optimum conditions, Strahle took a bad fall, breaking several verte¬ brae in his neck. When he came to, he realized he would never walk again. The rehabilitation was hard, both mentally and physically. For an active person like Strahle, it was the toughest challenge of his life. And while Strahle’s body may have been damaged, his spirit refused to give up. The day after his release from rehabilitation, Strahle, with the help of a friend, went out for a sail. Getting back on the water helped Strahle focus on new directions. It also made him realize that while sailing may have been the tonic that the doctor ordered, it was physically uncomfortable for a severely dis¬ abled person like himself. Especially on a Hobie Cat. On the way home from their day on the water, Strahle asked his friend to stop at a nearby muffler shop. After bending a few pipes and welding a few quick joints, the world's first Trap Seat was born. The seat, which bolts up quickly to any Hobie Cat, forms a small hammock outboard of the trampoline from which a sailor, disabled or not, can steer comfortably. Eighteen months and several design changes later, Strahle got a patent for the invention. Only three weeks after being released from rehab, he orga¬ nized the first handicap regatta at nearby Whiskeytown Lake, with teams competing in locally-borrowed boats. Strahle's accident did nothing to diminish his competitive spirit. In 1988, he convinced Hobie to help sponsor the first World Trap Seat Championships in San Diego. Hobie even flew in John Rossdugan for the event. Rossdugan, a former Hobie 16 national Champion before an accident put him in a wheel chair, later went on to become a doctor. Strahle sailed to a second in the event, a quarter point behind Rossdugan. There have been Trap Seat National and World Champi¬ onships every year since in such far-flung locales as Seattle and the continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 98 •

• July. 1998

According to an item in the July, 1998, Marine Digest and Transportation News, the barge Southeast Trader caught fire on May 18, while under tow of the tug Polar Star 32 miles off Humboldt Bay. The barge’s deck cargo: nine yachts. After the blaze was extinguished, the barge was towed into Eureka on May 19.

Mike Strahle at the helm of his Hobie 16. The ‘Trap Seat’ he developed (and sits in) has helped many physically challenged people to go sailing.

SIGHTINGS

above

strahle — cont’d

Six of the nine boats — all over 40 feet in length — were believed to be total losses with estimated damages in excess of $2 million. The cause of the fire was not specified. We would love to hear more about this incident from anyone with photos or first¬ hand knowledge of it.

South Pacific. That same year, 1988, Strahle started his current business, The Sail Shop. Conveniently located in Redding on the way to Whiskeytown Lake, The Sail Shop is a Hobie dealership, Pineapple Sails dealer and

West Marine distributor. When it's time for sailing, Strahle enlists one of his brothers, neph¬ ews or many friends as crew. Having no use of his legs and only limited

JOHN SKORIAK

continued on outside column of next sightings page

July, 1998 • UXUJ*12 • Pag© 99

SIGHTINGS knarr IKCs

you dirty rat My husband Rick and I recently returned from a South Pacific cruise. We left Marina del Rey in November '95 on the good ship Nereides, a 45-ft Garden Porpoise ketch. It was a lifetime dream come true. Our favorite stops along the way were colorful Guatemala, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua,' the Galapagos and Marquesas Islands, the Kingdom ofTonga and last but not least, lovely New Zealand. The only real nega¬ tives in three years were a stolen dinghy in Costa Rica (which we re¬ trieved for a ransom) and a Panamanian taxi driver who stole our gro¬ ceries the day before we checked out. As we return to the rat race of L.A., I would like to share one of the experiences from our travels that I consider to have been unique. After all of the provisioning and preparation one does for a long voyage, I thought we had covered every area. We had a year’s supply of food, including 80 small canned hams that our friends to this day tease us about, asking, “How many hams are left"? However, with all the boat maintenance, details, and emotions involved in leaving family and friends, it never occurred to me that we would need a rat trap. While in Costa Rica, fellow cruisers on Enigma told their frustrating story of having a rat aboard for two months. From their experience, we learned not to tie up to wharves. But it happened to us anyw&y. We still don't know how it got aboard. It might have hitched a ride on our dinghy, or as one local suggested, it swam out to the boat. All we know for sure is that we acquired it on theTuamotu Island of Ahi and dropped it overboard before arriving in Papeete. Our rat was a quick learner. Our first attempt to catch it was with a rusty Victor trap that was loaned to us by a French couple who had made a Robinson Crusoe type home in Ahi. I tried my mom’s old standby, the chunk of cheese, with no luck. Next, we tried the sticky paper trap our friends on Chimera swore would “work for sure.” The rat dragged the paper out of the bottom galley drawer and escaped. Next, we improvised a trap from a jerry jug cut in half, tacked on one side to a plywood base and held open on the other end with a sensitive trigger. When the rat went for the bait, the trigger would col¬ lapse the jug and we’d have him. One night we heard a bang. We grabbed the trap and ran topside with a flashlight to toss the hapless rat over¬ board. But as we lifted the jerry jug, we saw to our dismay that it was empty. No rat. False alarm. By this time, we were having to ‘clean up’ after the rat every morn¬ ing. Not only droppings, but wrappers, clothing and other items it had appropriated during the night. One morning I woke to find the wooden buttons on my bathing suit literally eaten off. Another time, my Orien¬ tal jewelry had been gnawed on the corners. Roger, our crew at the time, opened his drawer one morning to find his shirt full of holes. No one was getting much sleep due to the gnawing, munching sounds which rarely began before midnight. Unfortunately, they proved diffi¬ cult if not impossible to trace amid all the other normal boat sounds. The rat was also having a field day in all food storage areas except the fridge, and we were pretty sure he would learn to open that soon enough. Peanut butter seemed to be a favorite, as he ate half the plas¬ tic lid off in order to dunk his head in for the feast. Would the wiring be next? We must get this ‘dirty rat’. We bought a large new rat trap at our next stop, the island of Apataki of all places! Now it was only a matter of time. At this point, I knew all the habits and favorite goodies of this creature. I kept a record of its nightly journeys and preferred places. We rigged the trap in a basket full of various edibles that I kept by the sink. The bait: a large pecan smothered in peanut butter. This time, the ‘bang’ signalled success. We caught the culprit-on the 12th night (which seemed like the 12th of never) and gave him a burial at sea. This incident happened in May, 1997. A year later I was still finding evidence of his brief stay. For example, the mystery of what happened to my scarf was solved months later when it was found in a remote part of the bilge, shredded to bits. The rat had literally lifted it from continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 100 •

UMJU12

• July, 1998

Spectating at a sailboat race is never going to require a new stadium every de¬ cade. But even if you don't know port from starboard, it can be hugely entertaining. If you race, you can learn a hell of a lot by watching top-notch skippers like those at the recent J/24 Worlds (see page 182) go, at each other around the buoys.

SIGHTINGS return to the bay If you missed the J’s though, there are still plenty of regattas left in ‘98. One of the better ones is the 30th International Knarr Championship, due to be held off the Cityfront on August 22 through 29. The Knarrs are an anomaly in the sail¬ ing world. Compared to practically any

you dirty rat — cont’d under our noses — it had been in my drawer under our berth! Based on our experience, I recommend that all cruisers include at least one rat trap when provisioning for their next, cruise. If you do have the misfortune of picking up a rodent stowaway, the only other things you’ll need are good powers of observation, perseverance and more than a little luck. — Rick & Toni Knier

continued middle of next sightings page

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SIGHTINGS knarrs

catching up with america true The past couple of months have been very eventful for America True. There have been advances in many aspects including fundraising, sail¬ ing team, boat design, New Zealand preparations, and marketing. Fundraising — To reach our $28 million goal, we are relying on three main sources: individual donors, corporate partnerships, and mer¬ chandise sales. We continue to receive strong support from our loyal followers. A few months ago, we sent out a mailing to about 50,000 people asking for financial support. We received an incredible 10 per¬ cent donation return. Our corporate partners have provided us with valuable support with their expertise, computers, technical support, and other goods. In addition, our retail store at Pier 17 on San Francisco's famous Embarcadero has been very successful. Merchan¬ dise sales have exceeded our projections. Over 10,000 visitors have come to our store in only the past six months. To date, we have raised over $12 million, almost halfway to our goal. We have many prospec¬ tive corporate partnerships in development and have added two pro¬ fessional fundraisers to our team to help facilitate them. Sailing Team — John Cutler, previously with the U.S. Virgin Islands continued on outside column of next sightings page

's,.

design of the last 20 years, these 30-ft sloops are heavy and slow. They are al¬ lowed only two sails, a main and jib (no spinnakers). Yet here’s a fleet that boasts some of the best sailors and most corn¬ petitive racing of any fleet in the world. ‘The boat is simple, but that doesn't mean it’s not challenging," says Chris Andersen. “Sailing a Knarr well requires finding and maintaining a narrow perfor¬ mance groove that changes constantly with conditions. The boats may not be as lively as some newer designs, but they make up for it in being able to make one’s boat go half a knot faster than the com¬ petition and snooker them on tactics.” Testimony to the above is that, from year to year, nobody really dominates the fleet. ‘The guy who was 7th last year may

Page 104. •

* July. 1998

SIGHTINGS — cont’d now be first," says Andersen. “And the reigning champion can — and frequently does — drop to third or fourth." The IKCs also form long lasting — and long distance — friendships. The venues revolve between the four main world fleets in Oslo and Bergen, Norway (the boat is a Norwegian design that debuted in 1946), Denmark and San Francisco Bay. At each such event, visiting sailors are housed in the homes of local ones. The St. Francis YC hosts this year’s IKCs. There'll be one race every day ex¬ cept Wednesday. Racing is round-robin, which means each skipper gets a differ¬ ent boat every day, and no owner is al¬ lowed to sail his own boat. If you like watching good sailboat racing, this is one 30-boat fleet that will offer it in spades.

Viaduct Basin, in downtown Auckland, is curntly under construction. Challenger eliminains begin in late 1999; the America’s Cup best nine races begin in late February, 2000.

america true — cont’d America's Cup syndicate, has joined our sailing team as a member of the afterguard. Cutler has raced in two America's Cups as tactician and skipper, won the Star Worlds match race championship three times, and is a bronze Olympic medalist. By recruiting the best sailing talent like Cutler, we are determined to have the finest America's Cup sailing team in the world. Testing Platform — America True has entered a binding agreement to purchase an LACC training boat. This 75-ft yacht competed in the 1995 America’s Cup series in San Diego. The team takes possession of the boat in December in Auckland. Boat Design —To have the fastest boat in the field, America True has recruited some of the best and most experienced designers in the world. Led by two-time America's Cup veteran, Phil Kaiko, this team includes Heiner Meldner, previously with Team Dennis Conner, whose fluid dynamics expertise has led to many notable advances in America's Cup boat technology. Both of these designers were part of the victori¬ ous 1992 America3 design team. We have completed several sessions of model tank and wind tunnel testing. Our newest alliance with NASA Lewis Research Center gives us the additional advantage of research consultation on sail and mast design by NASA engineers. We know the speed targets we have to beat and are well on the way to designing a superior America's Cup boat. Once we have what we consider the fast¬ est LACC boat design in the world, our boat builders will start con¬ struction, using a rare, high quality batch of carbon fiber that will enhance the effectiveness of the design. New Zealand Compound — America True has space # 10 in the Via¬ duct Village in Auckland. (In the artist's rendering below, that would be located near the shoreward [right] side of the row of compounds.) The plans we have developed with our partner, MBT Architects, are available on the America True weB site at www.americatrue.org. There is space for three boats, the travel lift, hospitality, and office space. Fast 43-foot Boats — America True has commissioned the building of two very unique support boats for use in Auckland. They are 43-foot super inflatable boats with a 30-foot tower containing weather instru¬ ments and communications equipment. One has a cabin for a com¬ plete computer station for use by the technical teams while still on the water. Marketing — America True is taking an unconventional approach to the America's Cup. There is a brand new way of thinking, from a woman CEO to a coed team, from a different way of generating funds to a unique and innovative technical program. Our theme and call to ac¬ tion spell that idea out veiy clearly and simply in three words: "Rock the Boat." We will be launching this campaign in the fall. We are training on the ID-48 circuit, including the Kenwood Cup in Hawaii in August and the Big Boat Series in San Francisco in Septem¬ ber. We will begin training in Auckland this fall, return to San Fran¬ cisco next spring, and be back in New Zealand the summer of 1999 for additional preparations for the Challenger Series. These advances coupled with the attainment of future goals will help make us one of the strongest contenders to win the America's Cup 2000. — compiled from recent America True press releases r4

junior sailing at its best For the past eight years, the Richmond Yacht Club and Stockton Sailing Club have joined forces to put on what is arguably the best one week junior sailing camp in the area. (Okay, we’re biased.) This year's event found 71 juniors ranging in age from 8 to 15 — nearly half of them girls — camping out on the grounds of SSC from the 12th through the 18th of July. We were a bit worried that we might end up in a period of summer doldrums, baking in the valley heat with naiy a breeze to move the El Toros around the Delta waters. But we lucked out. Although it did get continued on outside column of next sightings page

July, 1998 • UtUiJcZ? • Page 105

IGHTINGS juniors — cont’d hot — a couple of days topped 107° — we managed to get some mea sure of cooperation from Mother Nature. We had enough breeze every day to provide a nice variety of conditions for the kids, who ranged from novices through those using the camp as a tune-up for the up coming El Toro North American Championships. The first three days of camp consisted of drills, exercises and games designed to challenge skills at the various levels of ability. With five classes ranging from novice through advanced racer, there was some¬ thing for everyone. Early in the week the beginners gained confidence and managed to get out of the harbor onto the main channel with a satisfying sense of self-accomplishment. The two levels of intermediate sailors began learning the basics of racing and expanded their knowl¬ edge of the rules beyond the basic right-of-way stuff they learned as beginners. The advanced sailors honed their racing skills, concentrat ing on the tactics of starting and the nuances of mark roundings. t On Thursday everyone braved the river for a long distance race from the club to a beach downriver and back. The first leg was a 3.5 mile upwind beat. With nearly eveiyone sailing, the 65 El Toros presented a phalanx of sails from bank to bank. After a beach party/picnic break that saw the annual return of the swamp monster (you'll have to ask one of the juniors for an explanation), everyone mounted back up for the long, hot downwind drag race back to the club. Friday was the Championship Regatta for the hardware. With three separate courses spread along the river, each group of beginners, in¬ termediate and advanced kids had nearly 30 races between them over the course of the day. With moderate winds of 4 to' 10 knots all dhy it was perfect for the range of abilities represented in camp. Saturday morning, after a brief orientation on the intracacies of sailmaking, the juniors paired up for one of the most popular events of the week: the Make-a-sail Regatta Each team was given a plastic dropcloth, sdme duct tape and a few other odds and ends. They then had an hour in which to make an El Toro sail with which they would subsequently race, doublehanded, with crew and skipper trading places at each mark rounding. An unamed rep (initials ND) from a local sail loft (initials QS) was noticed recruiting in the parking lot at the end of the regatta. One team of tiny young ladies got the nice shape in their sail by one of them laying down on the sail after it was taped to the mast and boom — and the others lifting the spars until it was stretched

Pamplona on the Delta

—

the Bulls were out in force at the Junior Sailing Camp.

just right. (A patent is currently pending.) Every imaginable method of construction was employed, from straight taping to cutting individual panels and taping them together. One team even fashioned a jib with continued on outside column of next sightings page

106 •

UUbUtlg •

July, 1998

a meeting An-out-of-town sailor visiting the Corinthian Yacht Club docks in downtown Tiburon on Sunday, June 28, might have

Once again, the CYC cleared their docks of regu¬ lar customers to make way for the woodies. 'felt transported back in time. Before him were a forest of wooden spars, gaff rigs baggywrinkles and deadeyes. Wood rails sparkled under varnish, brass and bronze fittings shone brightly. There was even an ‘old tar' singing sea shanties that hark¬ ened back to the lusty days of the Bar¬ bary Coast. Local sailors, however, recognized the assembled classics as belonging to one of the Bay Area's most active fleets, the Mas¬ ter Mariners. This is the fourth year in a row that CYC has hosted the association’s annual gathering. It’s a weekend of meet¬ ings, awards, dinners and dancing that culminates with a Wooden Boat Show, where the general public gets a rare op¬ portunity to board and inspect the Bay ' Area's finest vintage yachts. From old heavy gaff-rigged scows like the National Park Services' Alma to sleek racing ma¬ chines (well, for their day) like the Kettenburg 38 Chorus\ from little 23-ft Bear-Class sloops to the 86-ft charter schooner Kaiulani. many of the fleet's ac¬ tive participants were on display. For those with a real appreciation of Bay Area sailing history, the gaff sloop Freda was on hand for inspection in nearly the ex¬ act place where she was built 113 years ago! The Master Mariners Benevolent As¬ sociation itself was already 18 years old when Freda was launched. It began in 1867, when working ships held races in the Bay, and the proceeds went to help disabled seamen and the families of those lost at sea. Discontinued in 1891, the

SIGHTINGS of the masters Master Mariners Regatta was revived in 1965 as a race for classic yachts. It has been held every year since, with as many

as 100 vessels participating in the annual Memorial Day weekend race. Today, the Master Mariners is active in promoting and maintaining interest in the Bay Area’s wooden boat fleet, one of the largest and most active classic sail¬ ing fleets in the country. True to its roots, active membership is restricted to vessels designed and built before World War II or, if built post-War, which have remained faithful to pre-war designs, materials and methods of construction. While its members preserve the time¬ less designs of Herreschoff, Alden, Chapelle, Garden, Atkins and other leg-

Glenn Montgomery of Santa Cruz had a rapt au¬ dience as he explained the building process of his 14-ft lapstrake sloop ‘Waif.’_ endary designers, the boat show at CYC is a relatively new venture for this active organization. A successful one, too. If you missed this year’s gathering, plan to ‘step back in time' next year, when the Masters return.

—john d. skoriak

juniors — con’td leftover trimmings. Perhaps even more amazing is that nearly every one of the sails survived the two-race competition. Sailing consistantly with two thirds (and beating the second place boat by only one point) the Plastic Fantastic Regatta was won by the team of Laura Hachman and Meghan McCormick. See the box for other winners. By the end of the week each kid must have consumed 100 gallons of water, slathered on 5 gallons of sunscreen and felt like they had sailed twice around the world. But they all said they want to come back next year. My guess is that the parent volunteers will probably recover enough by then to put it all together again next summer, too — same time, same place. After all, this is junior sailing at its best!! — tarry rn'collurn rye/see camp director '96-'98 Channel Cats (Beginner B) — Sportsmanship: Wesley Thomas and Sarah Wiener; Most Improved: Cameron Lutchansky and Heidi Groh; Championship Regatta: 1) Kaitlin Daly, 2) Piper Tracy, 3) Heidi Groh, 4) Wesley Thomas. Speed Demons (Beginner A) — Sportsmanship: Frank Miramontes and Sarah Shubert, Most Improved: Ben Shapiro and Emily White; Championship Regatta: 1) Josh Perisho, 2) Natalie Denning, 3) Mike Riddick, 4) Alex Lowry, 5) Ben Frush. Mean Green Machine (Intermediate B) —Sportsmanship: Kyle McCormick, Tara Smith, and Karen Wiener; Most Improved: Matt Schubert and Alexa Malott; Championship Re¬ gatta: 1) BJ Hodges, 2) Jared Gorley, 3) Matt Spevak, 4) Kyle McCormick, 5) Conrad Dobell. Intermediate A (too sophisticated for a cool name) — Sportsmanship: Jonathon Taylor and Lindsay Wall; Most Improved: Arjun Nair and Meghan McCormick; Championship Re¬ gatta: 1) Joel Hersch, 2) Whitney Murphy, 3) Lindsay Wall, 4) Sally Tracy, 5) Meghan McCormick. Advanced Racers (and a possible prelude to Huntington) — Sportsmanship: Travis Kool; Most Improved: David Kingston and Mallory McCollum; Championship Regatta: 1) JV Gilmour, 2) Travis Kool, 3) Brendan Daly, 4) Daryle Kool, 5) Cory Lutchansky.

mexico-only crew list Seasons come, seasons go. Baseball season is almost over and foot¬ ball season is about to begin. The hot season is upon us and the sail¬ ing season is in full swing. Bing cherries are still in season, but straw¬ berries are going out of season. It’s not quite the season to be jolly, but we did see A Man for All Seasons on TV the other day. And to every¬ thing there is a season, turn, turn, turn, and a time for every purpose under heaven. , Now that we’ve got that straight, we remind you that the Mexico cruising season will be upon us before you can say, “Give me an order of seasoned curly fries, a bottle of anything and a glazed donut." If Baja Ha-Ha Cruiser’s Rally applications we’ve been receiving are any indication — and they seem to have been these last few years — this fall will see another seaborne migration of epic proportions de¬ scend upon manana-land. Many of the estimated 400-500 yachts headed south will Tieed crew, which you seasoned veterans will know is why you’ve gotten this far into this article in the first place. The Mexico-Only Crew List helps match people who want to crew on Mexico-bound boats with boat owners who need crew. It also gives both parties more flexibility in that selection. You no longer need to settle for that friend of your uncle’s cousin’s daughter’s neighbor. Here’s how the thing works: fill out the appropriate forms on these pages and send them to us with the proper fee. Then, in the October issue, we will run a list of all names in two categories — Boat Owners Looking for Crew and Crew Looking for Boats. All names will be fol¬ lowed by information about the individual, including skill level, de¬ sires, special talents, experience, a contact number and, in the case of boat owners, the size and type of boat. All you have to do then is go down the appropriate list and call up the most appealing prospects. Through the Crew List, lots of people have had lots of neat adven¬ tures they otherwise might not have. But there are risks, which is why continued on outside column ot next sightings page

July, 1998 • LmUcIS • Page 107

SIGHTINGS crew list — cont’d we insist that ultimately, you must take responsibility for your own actions. Let’s face it, sailing is an inherently dangerous sport. And sailing long distances with people you haven’t known all that long on boats you don’t know that well is a whole other Pandora’s box. So, for

I WANT TO CREW IN MEXICO NAME(S):----AGE(S):__ SEX:PHONE OR OTHER CONTACT:__

(check as many as apply in all categories)

I WANT TO CREW: 1) _For the trip down 2) _While in Mexico 3) _Sea of Cortez Sail Week (April) 4) __For Baja Ha-Ha IV, the cruisers’ rally to Cabo starting October 28. 5) _Return trip up Baja 6) _Other____

MY EXPERIENCE IS: 1) _Little or none 2) _Some, mostly Bay sailing 3) _Moderate, some ocean cruising or racing 4) _Lots: a) extensive sailing; b) extensive cruising; c) foreign cruising

I CAN OFFER: 1) _Few skills, I am a novice sailor 2) _Skills of a norhial hand: watch standing, reefing, changing sails 3) _Skilled and experienced sailor. I can navigate, set a spinnaker, steer and handle basic mechanical problems. 4) _Cooking, provisioning or other food-related skills 5) _‘Local knowledge’: a) I have cruised Mexico before; b) I speak passable Spanish 6) _Companionship Mail completed form and $5 to: Mexico Only Crew List, 15 Locust Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941 by September 15, 1998.

the record, the Latitude 38 Crew List is an advertising supplement intended for informational purposes only. Latitude 38 does not make or imply any guarantee, warrantee or recommendation as to the char¬ acter of individuals participating in the Crew List or the conditions of the boats or equipment. You must judge those things for yourself. Still with us? Bueno! Here are the ground rules. 1) We must receive all Crew List forms by September 15. That doesn’t mean ‘postmarked by.’ It means in our sweaty little palms. No continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 108 • UxuMW • July, 1998

‘light’ at the end It does our hearts good to know that many of the legendary racing yachts live on. Among sailors, names like Ticonderoga. Windward Passage, Dorade, Esca¬ pade, Nina and Endeavour still elicit re¬ spect and awe. And to see or board one of these beautifully restored ocean grey¬ hounds is akin to shaking the hand of a Joe Montana or Willy Mays. Not all the great ones are with us any¬ more, unfortunately. The fortunes of oth¬ ers have waxed and waned over the years. One such yacht is the lovely 67-ft Frank Paine cutter Highland Light. Highland Light was launched in 1931, in time for the Trans-Atlantic Race. Al¬ though another new yacht, Rod and Olin Stephens’ Dorade, won that bout, High¬ land Light found her legs in the '32 Ber¬ muda Race. She set a record that year that stood until Bolero (now also restored) broke it in 1956. That record-breaking run was espe¬ cially dear to Bolero’s foredeck man. Bill Sherar knew Highland Light very well. Six years before, at the tender age of 19, he’d become boat captain of the yacht, which by then had been donated to the Naval Academy. (When original owner Dudley Wolfe died climbing K2 in 1936, it sur¬ prised everyone that his will specified that Highland Light — along with $ 100/Q00 “for the advancement of sailing” — was to be donated to the Naval Academy.) “We were first to finish in 16 out of 16 races that first year," recalls Sherar, now a retiree who lives in Louisiana. “Of course, we didn’t always save our time on handicap, but those were great days on a great boat.” In 1950, ‘51 and ‘52, Sherar and six crewmen sailed Highland Light in the Ber¬ muda Race. Among competitors in those days was a midshipman who went on to a different kind of voyaging — Jim Lovell went twice to the moon and back on Apollo 6 and 13. Wally Schirra was another High¬ land Light regular when he was at the Academy. (One source we talked to be¬ lieved Admiral Halsey had also sailed on the boat, and that all the presidents from 1933 to ‘53 were entertained aboard at one time or another.) A lot of history lives inside her weathered African mahogany hull. We all remember our first loves. Sherar kept track of Highland Light after she was declared surplus in the late ‘50s, and af¬ ter she was damaged during a tow down the Chesapeake and laid up in Norfolk for a while. He briefly lost track of her in the early ‘60s, then stumbled onto her, completely by accident, on the hard in San Pedro. She looked pretty awful. The boat has been through several

SIGHTINGS crew list — cont’d

of the tunnel owners since then. Her owner of the last 13 years, Wayne Howzie of Long Beach, had mostly restored the gutted hull when,

exceptions. 2) All forms must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. For crew looking for boats, that’s $5 apiece. For boat owners — who we figure spend enough money putting the boat together — that's $1. Don’t do what one Listee did a few years ago and include a signed,

I NEED CREW FOR MEXICO NAME(S): AGE(S):_

SEX:

PHONE OR OTHER CONTACT:

BOAT SIZE/TYPE: (check as many as apply in all categories)

I NEED CREW FOR: 1) .

2) _ 3) _ 4) _ ‘Highland Light’ in her prime. Designer Frank Paine chartered her for her the ‘32 Bermuda Race. Her mark of 71 hours, 31 minutes (almost a 9-knot average) stood until 1956. four years ago, the boat and all her warehoused gear were stolen while he was on an extended business trip out of town. He got the the ‘Light back only after a lengthy court battle — during which he was not allowed aboard the confiscated boat for four years. (That's a story in it¬ self; maybe another day.) Now Highland Light is going on the auc¬ tion block. The boat will be auctioned at the Federal Yard in Long Beach, Califor¬ nia, sometime in mid-September. The ex' act date had not been set at this writing; ^ we'll let you know it in the next issue. Bidding will start at $100,000. Sherar guesses she probably won’t go for much more than that, and notes somewhat wist¬ fully that there was a time when he might r ; have bought her. “But I just retired from the oil business; its been hard on most of us the last few years." ‘There's so much history in this boat,” he says. "I just hope she can be preserved for future sailors.” Howzie echoes the sentiment' He be¬ lieves that somewhere down the line, Highland Light will be restored, and will join the ranks of other resplendent clas¬ sic ocean racers that have lived to sail again. “She's survived eveiything else so far!”

5) _

6) _

- For the trip down 5) Return trip up Baja . While in Mexico 6) Other . Sea of Cortez Sail Week (April) - For Baia Ha-Ha IV, the cruisers’ rally to Cabo startina October 27. . Return trip up Baja . Other_

MY EXPERIENCE IS: 1) _Bay 2) _Ocean 3) _Foreign Cruising

I AM LOOKING FOR:

^-Enthusiasm — experience is not all that important 2). _ Moderately experienced sailor to share normal crew responsibilities 3) . _ Experienced sailor who can a) share navigation and/or mechanical skills; b) who can show me the ropes 4) . . Cooking, provisioning or other food-related skills 5) . . ‘Local knowledge’: someone who has a) been to Mexico before; b) speaks passable Spanish 6) . . Someone to help me bring the boat back up the coast 7) . . Someone to help me trailer boat back up/down the coast 8) . . Someone who might stick around it I decide to keep going beyond Mexico 9)_Other_ , Mail completed form and $1 to: Mexico Only Crew List, 15 Locust Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941 by September 15,1998.

blank check. (We did thank her for the new Corvette.) And don’t fax the forms to us. We have to receive the fee with the form. 3) One form per person, pleast — unless you and a friend want continued on outside column of next sightings page

July. 1998

• Page 109

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(415) 459-2666 August, 1998 • UtUiU^ Vi • Page H1

SIGHTINGS crew list — cont’d to go only if you can go together. Whether you’re a couple or just friends, applying for a 'group rate’ does diminish your chances of find¬ ing a boat somewhat. But holding out for a skipper who will take you both will certainly enhance the adventure. In these situations, both parties should fill out one Crew List form, but send in two fees. (If you think you'll need additional forms, simply make copies of the ones bn these pages.) 4) Be honest. The simplest rule of all. In this case, being honest means not inflating your experience or skill level because you think it’s what someone wants to hear. In sailing, perhaps more than any other sport, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, people who do can recognize it instantly. BS’ers don't get rides. Contrary to what you might think, honest folks of little or no expe¬ rience often get rides. It has to do with some experienced skippers preferring to train people in their way of doing things. i 5) Women can use first names only. Right about here on every Crew List since the dawn of creation, we implore readers not to use the Crew List for anything other than sailing to Mexico. And right about here is apparently where a massive testosterone release temporarily blinds male readers. Simply put: if you are female, you will get calls. Possibly lots of them. We’ve talked to women who say they have gotten hundreds of calls, some months or even years after the Crew List is published. For this reason, we recommend that women use first names only, continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 112 •

• July, 1998

gaslight In 1990, Sausalito master shipwright Billy Martinelli bought tons of steel to build a boat. One year and hundreds of welds later, he launched the 58-ft LOD Gaslight, modeled after a traditional San Francisco Bay gaff-rigged scow schooner. At the launch, Martinelli breathed a tem¬ porary sigh of relief. The biggest part of the project was finished. But Billy, who has worked on Wanderbird and many other boat projects, knew that the hard¬ est parts were yet to come. In the seven years since she was launched, Gaslight has received a deck, cabin, engine and tanks. Billy works to complete the boat as time and money per¬ mit. Two years ago, Martinelli had a chance to see the forest and the trees. The forest, one of the finest stands of Douglas Fir on the West Coast (if not the U.S.), was on a remote piece of land near Shelter Cove in Mendocino County. The trees had been offered as masts for Gaslight by a friend and fellow shipwright, Ed Ledder of

SIGHTINGS Bolinas. Martinelli chose two trees, one 98 years old, one 100. Both towered over 100 feet high. To save money, Billy and some friends felled the trees and moved them using tra¬ ditional lumberjack methods. They towed the trees on a special trailer from the Lost Coast to Martinelli's waterfront shop in SAusalito. There, Billy fashioned a tem¬ porary loft and set about converting the trees into masts, again using traditional methods. First he used spokeshaves to remove the bark, then began the long pro¬ cess of shaping and tapering. Unless one has access to a giant lathe (Billy didn’t), to make a round spar, you must first make a square one. Then its a matter of making the 4 sides into 8, 8 into 16, and so on. Once each mast had 64 facets, Martinelli finally rounded them with a plane — all by hand. In between the woodworking, Martinelli and his friend (and master of all ship¬ wrights) Harold Sommers began casting continued middle of next sightings page

crew list — cont’d and that they not use a home phone number as a contact. Instead, use a P.O. Box, answering service, fax number, email or other contact that insulates you a bit. It also makes screening easier. Finally — guys, are you listening? — sex with the skipper is not an age-old tradition of the sea. Don’t let some horny bozo tell you it is. 6) If you take part in the Crew List, you get into the Crew List party free! The Crew List party, scheduled for October from 6-9 p.m. at the Encinal YC in Alameda, is one of the biggest get-togethers of Mexico-bounders on the West Coast. This year, it’s going to take on a new dimension — several, in fact. We’re also inviting all Baja Ha-Ha veterans to come for an informal reunion, and all new Ha-Ha’ers to come and meet each other and those who have gone before. The party will likely be a little more orderly than in past years, too, with cruisingoriented speakers giving presentations. For Crew Listers, the party is a great place to meet the crew or skipper you’ve lined up over the phone, a crew or skipper if you haven’t lined one up over the phone (everyone wears color-coded name tags, so spotting crew or boat owners is easy), or just to come and have an enjoyable evening with like-minded people heading south. Like we say, if your name appears on the October Crew List, you get in free. Everybody else pays $5. (Exact change is most helpful.) If any of this seems confusing, not to worry. We’ll have more on all aspects of the Crew List in the next few issues. In fact, by the time you get to the Crew List parties, you’ll feel like a, uh, ‘seasoned’ profes¬ sional.

JOHN SKORIAK

gets rigged

July, 1998 • UMUtli • Page 113

SIGHTINGS gaslight

fired? In news that will astound most cruisers who have visited Mazatlan in the last 2 1/2 years, Dick Markie, the Harbormaster at Mazatlan Marina, has been fired. A former resident of both the Central Valley and Alameda, Markie cruised Mexico aboard his sailboat Mistral before accepting the job at the huge marina project that was just getting started on the outskirts of Mazatlan. Because of a devastating peso devaluation and virtu¬ ally no useable slips, the marina was dead in the water. Markie, known for his take-charge manner, is widely acknowl¬ edged with not just getting the marina going and filled to its current capacity, but within a year he'd made the city of Mazatlan into a popular cruising desti¬ nation and home base. Markie's approach was twofold. First came total customer service. Hfe ran the marina as though it were a big ship and he were the captain, on duty 24 hours a day. If you had a question or a Dick Markie and Oso aboard ‘Mistral. ’ problem, he usually had an immediate answer or solution. Second, he created a buzz at the marina — the Thanksgiving Day Feasts, Health Days with the local hospital, the bless¬ ings of the fleet, the parties for his dog Oso, howling at the moon — and also created a buzz for Mazatlan's big events such as Paster, Car¬ nival and the bullfights. Markie is most admired by cruisers, however, for taking an interest in the fives of sailors he'd never met. The entrance to the Mazatlan and El Cid marinas can be tricky during the day and dangerous at night. Yet on countless occasions, often in the middle of the night, Markie guided boats through, sometimes over the radio, sometimes in person. Why Markie was fired remains a mystery. The secretary for his su¬ perior at Grupo Situr said the company had always been happy with the job he'd done. In Markie's self-valuation, he was great at his job —1 but lousy at politics. And as another harbormaster in Mexico com¬ mented, "If you don't know how the politics works in Mexican busi¬ nesses, you're npt going to last." Upon being dismissed, Markie released the following statement: "To say that I'm truly disappointed and saddened that I will not be in¬ volved in the completion of this marina and the building of its reputa¬ tion to greater heights would be an understatement." If any marina was looking for a take-charge harbormaster, there’s one available now that would get the endorsement of literally hun¬ dreds of cruisers. Markie was retired previously, however, and it's un¬ clear if he'd been interested in taking on another project. We'd tell you that Markie's replacement had better have big feet, because he’s going to have some big shoes to fill — but Markie's posi¬ tion is being elirriinated. We wish Marina Mazatlan Marina the best, but we and many other cruisers can't help but wonder if they're not being centavo rich and peso foolish.

a sailing ‘push me-pull you’ Quiz: When is a two-hulled multihull not a catamaran? When it's a proa, of course. To be honest, we'd never seen one up close either until we met Russell Brown, a Port Townsend sailor who stopped off in the Bay earlier this summer aboard Jzerro on his way back from Baja. "It's an ancient Polynesian concept," explained Russell, who fabri¬ cates boat components for a living. The most unique thing about proas is that they essentially have two bows and no stern — sort of the nautical equivilent of Dr. Doolittle's continued on outside column of next sightings page Page 114 •

• July, 1998

iron mast fittings on a forge Billy had set up in his shop. Sommers installed and painted all of the upper bands and fit¬ tings. As the rig started to take shape, Port Townshend-based sailors and master boatbuilders George and Julia Maynard happened to be passing through in their beautiful classic wooden ketch Zulu. The Maynards worked with Martinelli to rig the spars. They spliced 600 feet of 5/8-inch wire and 150 feet of 1/2-inch wire, all wormed, parceled and served in the traditional manner. Custom leatherwork by the Maynards completed the job. Gleaming in fresh varnish and paint, the masts were finally stepped in June. Martinelli hopes to spread a full set of sails — main, fore, jib, topsail and fisher¬ man — on Gaslight by next spring. Until then, there's still much to be done, in¬ cluding the running rigging. Because you

SIGHTINGS don’t buy fittings for boats like Gaslight at your neighborhood chandlery, Martinelli will have to order at least 70 custom-made wooden blocks from Nova Scotia to handle the traditional sail plan, as well as 3,000 ft. of running rigging he estimates it will take to hoist it all. For Martinelli, the light at the end of Gaslight's tunnel will be not only sailing and enjoying his boat on the Bay with his many friends, but offering charters for up to 49 passengers when the scow schoo¬ ner receives her final Coast Guard certi¬ fication. And if that’s not enough, there’s the gauntlet recently thrown down by Gaslights nearest sistership, Alma. The Maritime Museum's orginal wooden scow schooner (built in 1891) has challenged Gaslight to a race, and Martinelli is eager to get to the start. —john d. skoriak

proa — cont’d push-me pull-you. Depending on which direction he wants to go, Russell can raise a headsail on either end and steer by either of two drop-down rudder systems — also one at each end. But he never actually tacks or jibes. The windward side is always the windward side and leeward is always leeward, hence the need for only one ama, which in this case is water ballasted. Sound awkward? When it comes to changing direction, it is — you actually have to stop the boat, drop one jib, raise the other, etc. The good news, though, is that proas point higher — 75 to 85° between tacks — than most other multihulls. And they're fast. This 36-footer does 21 knots off the wind. That’s because their structure is very ‘lightly loaded’ since they have ballast to windward instead of buoyancy to leeward. With the option of adding up to 500 pounds of water ballast in the ama, Jzerro's heel can be finely trimmed. "Their greatest promise," says Russell, ’’is for long-distance cruising or racing." But just because he's built three of them from scratch, doesn't mean he's interested in building one for you. He told us as much, so please don't call him. And just because he's singlehanded this one thousands of miles in relative comfort doesn't mean they’re for everybody. They aren’t. So if you run out tomorrow in an uncon¬ trollable frenzy and buy the first proa you can put your hands on, well, don't blame Russell. We promised him we'd warn you.

It may look like it, but nothing’s missing on this boat. ‘Jzerro’ is a proa. In the’70s, the sailing speed record was held by one of these things, a huge proa named Crossbow’

COURTESY RUSSELL BROWN

— cont’d

July, 1998 • iMXUtli • Page 115

SIGHTINGS short

baja ha-ha V There have been a couple of major changes in San Diego Bay since Latitude 38 sponsored the first Baja Ha-Ha rally five years ago. For one

thing, the Southern California economy was ailing back then, and as a Profligate Ceilidh Leda Wings Shanti Escapade Dreamtime Begone Sunset Neener3 Bilikin Passages Golden Ring Sula Saga Magic Dragon Full House NautIR.V. Tavarua MiklG Lyon Around Sanctuary Kabunza Recoveryl Mandolin Joy Ride Orion Sorrento Orinoco Flow Raven‘ Freya Diana B In The Mood Kiana Faith Timberiake Mudshark Fantasy En El Cordero Cracker Box Phaedra IV Moondance Pegasus AWOL Destiny Moontide Wisely Done Sunda Altalr Oppulence

Surfin’ 63 Cat Pearson 40 Dynamique 80 Nor1 Sea 27 Mariner 40 Caliber 40 Norseman 447 Westsail 32 MacGregor 65+ Catalina 42 Southern Cross 39 Hans Christian 33 Hudson 50 Bayfield 40 Wylie 65 Tayana 47 Catalina 42 Jensen 31 Hardin Voager 45 Gemini 105 cat Island Packet 40 CT cutter Pearson 365 Nordic 44 Cal 34 Cal 39 CT 49 DownEast 45 Hallberg-Rassy 36 Ingrid 38 Cutter Taswell 43 Cal 39 Catalina 36 Sceptre 41 Islander 36 Morgan 32 Express 37 Freedom 40 Beneteau 43 Hans Christ. 38 Islander 40 Kennex 445 Cat Hunter 54 Islander 40 Centurion 42 Mariner 40 Hylas 44 Cal 2-46 Cal 35 Cross 46 tri

Viagra Associates Jay & Janice Hawkins William Hogarty Gary & Mari Campbell Richard & Char Palmer John & Patti White Delbert & Carol Wiens Richard & Nancy Sequest Tolman & Jill Geffs Pete & Jean Ryan Fred & Beda Stewart Dan & Linda Green W. Berg & D. Baldasar Dennis & Kay Rogers The Stone Family Pete & Suzy Rummel Danielle Williams Al & Joann Jensen Dan Walters M. Beattie & L. Goldman Bob & Judy Lyon Bill Harris Steve Schultz Larry Flsch, Bill Claypool Todd & Ellen Mandeville Jim Ballou Mike Hibbetts David & Fran Taylor Bruce & Ginny Hilton Duane/Dorothy Alexander Bob & Barb Unanski Bill & Diana Barash Wayne & Sandy Benesch Davie & Ziggy Clark James Burbldge Tone Bernard David Fullerton Dick & Pat Mundy Ken & Cy Lamb John Graham Frank & Betty Raush Karl & Jill Matzke Hall & Wendy Palmer Steve & Jill Hoffman Michael & JoAnne Gray Michael & Leah Knoke Bill Wisely Graham Gibbons Tom & Diane Dunkleman Mel & Jo Ann White

Tiburon Sausalito Alameda Campbell PtHadlock, WA Silicon Valley Juneau, AK Sacramento Trabuco Cyn Corralitos, CA Juneau, AK San Francisco Seattle Eureka Sausalito New Bern, NC Sherman Oaks Vallejo v Newport Beach Santa Cruz Alameda Channel Is. San Francisco San Francisco Santa Cruz Sausalito San Francisco San Diego Gig Harbor, WA Alameda San Francisco San Anselmo Yuma, AZ Newport, OR Channel Is. Eureka San Mateo Alameda Alameda Sunnyvale Belmont, CA Palo Alto Palo Alto San Francisco Seattle, WA San Diego Sausalito Corona Del Mar San Francisco Napa

result there were plenty of empty berths. Today the Southern Califor¬ nia economy is humming and berths for boats over 35 feet are scarce. Secondly, five years ago relations between mariners and the San Diego Harbor Police were very poor. Today — thanks in part to the famous Ha-Ha panties protest' and the positive response of Chief Hight — relations between the San Diego Harbor Police and mariners are veiy good, maybe even the best on the coast. What does all this mean to Ha-Ha entries? If you want to berth a boat over 35 feet in San Diego prior to the October 27 start of the HaHa, you should reserve space immediately. The Harbor Police are aware of our situation and will be working with the Ha-Ha to make sure ev¬ erybody gets accommodated. If the berthing shortage becomes serious enough, restrictions might be eased on some three-day anchorages, or a whole new anchorage might temporarily be made available. continued outside column of next sightings page Page 116 • UMmU

• June, 1998

PACIFICA AND COLOMBIA — Do people care? Some people do. We’ve re¬ ported on several occasions about the re¬ cycling of such things as (military) tanks and old oil rigs into artificial reefs. But the latest two ‘swords to plowshares’ projects give us a glimmer of hope that homo sapiens may survive yet. The first comes from Pacifica, where Mitch Reid came up with a novel idea: turn the old waste recycling plant at Sharp Park into the Pacifica Aquarium and Research Laboratoiy. Most people love the idea, al¬ though nobody’s quite sure where the $25 million it will take is going to come from. The other ‘green news’ comes from Colombia, where that countiy’s Environ¬ mental Ministry sank six airplanes near the port city of Baranquilla in July. The planes, whose engines were removed and

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ii * ‘

m .

A, r ■

Baby boomer — Yeah, ‘Silent Miaow' could have used a little more tension in that jib hal¬ yard, but other than that, they were hunkered down, haulin 'butt and looking good this blus¬ tery July day. They are also frontrunners for a new category of T-shirt contest we thought up right after we got this image developed — biggest splash of the year.

‘

SIGHTINGS the fuselages weighted down with cement, were confiscated drug-smuggling aircraft. It's hoped the hulks will eventually form an underwater reef, and within a year host a rich variety of marine life. WHISKEYTOWN LAKE — According to the Blue Water Network, Whiskeytown L^ke is one of the 10 National Park ‘units’ most threatened by jet ski activity. Jet skis, in case you haven't noticed, contrib¬ ute mightily to air, water and noise pollu¬ tion. (According to the California Air Re¬ sources Board, “a two hour thrill ride on a jet ski releases the equivalent amount of hydrocarbons as driving a 1998 pas¬ senger vehicle 139,000 miles.") Other top10 parks include Lake Mead (NV), Glen Canyon (AZ), Padre Island (TX) and Gulf Island (FL).

ha ha — cont’d As of July 20, Baja Ha-Ha, Inc. had sent out 175 entry packets. The 51 boats that have already paid up are listed in the gray box on the previous page. It’s a pretty impressive fleet so far. If you want a Ha-Ha entry pack, send $10 and a stamped, selfaddressed 8.5"xl 1" envelope to Baja Ha-Ha, Inc., 21 Apollo Road, Tiburon CA 94920. If you plan to enter, we encourage you to complete your entry and send it in as soon as possible. We've never had to limit the number of entries before, but there's a first time for just about everything. The absolute deadline for receiving the entry form, the bio and the photographs is September 10. We don't know about the rest of you, but we're excited about this year's Ha-Ha. The massive fleet start. Halloween at Turtle Bay. Meet¬ ing scores of new folks at the beach party. The full moon and the warm¬ ing weather. The final miles to Cabo when the brilliant stars are out and it's 80 degrees in the middle of the night. Oh yeah! By the way, Baja Ha-Ha organizers now own the domain name bajahaha.com. If any of you web freaks who will be doing the rally are interested in setting it up and maintaining it, it would be great to post photos, results, messages, links, and all that other good stuff. Please contact richard@latitude38.com.

LATITUDE/JR

sightings

June. 1998 • UtZUdilS • Page 117

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•

• Page 119

SMASHING RECORDS —

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Clockwise from top left: Steve 'Big Toes' Crawford beseeches the crew of 'Trial Run' to ease him back down on deck. Although doublehander Michael Katz of 'Sabra' "looked death in the face," he still had a kiss for John Water' Mellen when they reached shore. Dave Nottage's J/44 'Kaimiloa' showing the form that won them class honors. Nicki and Alex Glass used the Pacific Cup to transform their. Express 27 'Killer' into a masthead rig.

1998 PACIFIC CUP

■

....

'Pyewacket's Roy Disney, upper right, with navigator Stan Honey, in the clouds above Kaneohe Bay, where they reign over the sleds, such as Magnitude', below, cross¬ ing the finish line. It's been three different transpacific records in three years for Disney and Pyewacket'.

„'ve never surfed so fast for so long," admited John, Jourdane, who has 35 Pacific crossings and two Whitbread Around the World Races to his credit. "Our worst day was 313 miles, while our best day was 343 miles — which before this year was about as fast as any sled has ever travelled. It was the sail of a lifetime!" Indicative of just how fast this year's 10th running of the West Marine Pacific Cup — 2,070 miles from San Fran¬ cisco to Kaneohe Bay, Oahu — turned out to be, Jourdane's ride, the Andrews 70 turbo sled Magnitude, was merely the third fastest of the four finishers in her division — more than eight hours off the pace.

■

Elapsed-time honors in this unprecedented recordbreaking year went to Roy Disney's almost too-soupedup-for-her-own-good ultra-turbo'd SC 70 Pyewacket, which completed the course in mind-boggling 6 days, 14 hours and 23 minutes. Mark McGwire or Ken Griffey will have to hit 85 home runs to smash a major record as thor¬ oughly. In so doing, Disney lowered the previous course record — the Wylie 70 Rage's excellent 7 days, 22 hours — by nearly 32 hours. In a sport where a quarter of a knot is an enormous speed differential, Pyewacket raised the aver¬ age speed from a very respectable 10.8 knots to a sensa-

SMASHING RECORDS tional 13.1 knots — an increase of close to 20%. A poll of sled veterans after the race revealed that very few of them thought they'd ever see the day when a monohull would cross the Pacific in 6.5 days. One

It was another great year to be ah early starter — better weather — and a smaller boat — cor¬ rect out well. of the few who did was Stan Honey of Palo Alto, Pyewacket's navigator. "The turbo sleds are easily capable of averaging 13 knots and more, so it was just a matter of getting consistent wind — especially in the middle of the course, which is tradi¬ tionally the slow part." With breezes mostly in the 16 to 22 knot range and relatively few squalls, the winds this year weren't particularly strong. "It blew five knots harder last year in the TransPac when we broke Merlin's 20-year old record," said Bob Lane of the Andrews 56 Medicine Man, "but tljis time we finished nearly a day earlier." Skip Stevely of Merlin reported that, "There was much less wind this year than last, and it was less scaiy. Nonetheless, our best day's run was 351 miles — which is more than 25 miles better than our best day last year." The two reasons the elapsed time record fell this year are, 1) because the big sleds had so much more horsepower, and even more importantly, 2) because the wind was incredibly consistent. "Our best hourly average was in the high sev¬ ens," said Steve Wynn of the S2 7.9 Arturo the Aqua Boy. "Our worst hourly average was in the low sevens." Such consistent high end numbers — nearly hull speed for the small displacement boat — are unheard of for a 2,000-mile passage. The remarkably consistent winds pro¬ pelled three boats — Pyewacket, the Lee 67 'mad science project' Merlin, and the only slightly 'over-turbo'd Magnitude — to easily shatter the previously unimag¬

inable 7-day barrier. Two other boats, the 70-foot Rage — which had established new California to Hawaii records, in each of the previous two Pacific Cups, and Medicine Man, both broke the 8-day bar¬ rier with ease. Imagine, an eight year old 56-footer with an old sail inventory aver¬ aging over 11 knots for over 2,000 miles — in what crewmember Cliff Stagg de¬ scribed as "such an uneventful race that it was almost boring." Six more boats — SC 50 Roller Coaster, SC 52s Rosebud and City Lights, the doublehanded Wylie 60 Roxanne, and Riptide 35s Ripple and Terremento — broke the 9-day barrier. That's correct, two 35-footers averaged nearly 10 knots for 2,000 ocean miles in a 'fun race'. A fun race that is, incidentally, attracting more competitive boats each year.

X or all the justifiable buzz about the sensational new elapsed times, the most prestigious Pacific Cup trophy— that for the overall handicap winner — was pre¬ sented to Robert Nance, skipper of the vintage Newport 30+ Water-Pik. The Sac¬ ramento dentist — and his loyal crew of

Early on it looked like Ripple1 was about to go to the bottom — rather than Hawaii in less than nine days. Mel Morrison and John Dillow — easily topped the record fleet of 69 boats, seven of which DNF'd. Some of Nance's friends — including his wife Barbara, who prefers to do her sailing in the warm waters of the British Virgins — thought that Latitude had slammed Water Pik by identifying her as "the slowest boat in the race." Since so many non-racers are confused by the handicap system, here's the scoop: By virtue of Water Pik having the high¬ est PHRF handicap in the race — 203 seconds per mile — the rating committee indeed decided that she — indeed, any Newport 30 — had the lowest speed po¬ tential of any boat in the fleet on this

Home are the sailors, home from the sea, glad to be off their Moore 24 'Low Profile', inset right, with girlfriends Lisa and Nancy on their knee.

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1998 PACIFIC CUP

course. And they were right. But instead of being discouraged by this, Nance's friends should be damn proud of him and his crew, because correcting'out first means that they outsailed every other crew in the race. Now that's something to ge( excited about! Handicaps are arbitrary, of course. In theTransPac, they are structured in such a way that a small boat can t win. in the Pacific Cup, the ratings are such that it would be easier for a SC 70 to sail through the eye of a needle than to correct out in the top ten. Despite crushing the old record, for example, the best Pyewacket could do was correct out 45th. Lest anyone try to use the arbitrary nature of handicaps to detract from Nance's victory, it should be noted that Water Pik corrected out a whopping six hours ahead of the second place boat, and 15 hours ahead of the third place boat. Water Pik's handicap woulql have had to be dropped more than a minute a mile — a staggering amount — for her to have fallen to even third place. The 18-year old boat not only won fair and square — she won big.

ance, Morrison and Dillow first did the Pacific Cup in '92. "The first one was for survival," remembers Morrison, "as the rudder broke 400 miles out, the bulk¬ heads broke, and the engine broke." Nance had Morrison rebuild and modify the boat at Morrison's Rancho Cordova boatyard. "When we returned in '94 it was for revenge,” said Nance, "to prove that both we and Water Pik were good enough for the race." "This year was to go as fast as we could," said Morrison," and we succeeded, beating our old record by 30 hours." Dillow added, "It's the fun race to Hawaii, but it's more fun if you win." Key to their success was bringing one less crew, which saved a critical 500 pounds, and sailing the shortest distance possible — just 42 miles more than the rhumbline. Because there were so few windshifts, the three-man crew only jibed four times. Unlike the later starting boats, Water Pik sailed out the Gate in ideal conditions with a full main. They found perfect wind most of the way, never more than 25 knots, and even had a mid-ocean birth¬ day party for Mel. He got a pizza, a cup¬ cake with a candle, and 1.5 ounces of Jack Daniels on the otherwise dry boat. All hell finally broke loose on their last night at sea. "We had nine hours of squalls," said Morrison. "Previously we'd just driven through them, but this time — wham! — we went down in the first one even though we were only carrying the small kite. We got hit by squalls every ten minutes for the rest of the night, so we sailed with just the main — and still averaged nine knots!" Having sailed together for so long, the Water Pik crew could work with an un-

They who laugh last, laugh best. Mel, John, and skipper Robert Nance of ‘Water Pik' howl at the article that called their boat the slowest. usually flexible watch system. "We knew that John and I never needed more than an hour's sleep," said Nance. "But Mel, our go-fast guy during the day, had to get four hours. So we just worked around him." As for upcoming Pacific Cups, Nance advised, "Santa Claus says he's going to treat me to a new boat, something that skips over the waves."

oublehanders, particularly in Moore 24s, have always done well in the Pacific Cup, so it was no surprise that Doug Frolich and John Donovan of the ;Merlin‘ didn't go too hi-tech, not with a 20-yearold #4 and using a can a tuna for the helmsmen to brace themselves against. But she did good!

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mold to match the hull. 0 Step four, install mold. © Step five, laminate new hull from inside. © Step six, post warning. Picture yourself racing your Melges 24 Smokin ’ in the Memorial Day Regatta. You’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months. It’s a beautiful day, and you’re making your way through the fleet. While concentrating on your driving you’ve also been keeping an eye on the other boats.. You tack onto starboard, take a peek below you: great, the only boat on port is an Olson 30. You let a few seconds go by, look again, and now the Ol¬ son is closer and hasn't altered course. You’re get¬ ting concerned. You hail, “Starboard," and he im¬ mediately bears away - great no problem. Then all of a sudden the Olson rounds up as fast as he bore away, and now he’s headed right for you! CRUNCH! Now you have a major hole in the boat! Are we having fun? If the above happens to you, one of the deci¬ sions you’ll need to make is, where will you take your boat to get it fixed? In the Bay Area you can choose from several boat yards, but when it comes to something as important as getting your boat re¬ paired after a major ’incident', this becomes a criti¬ cal decision. Partners in Smokin Kevin Clark and Dave Oliver, chose KKMI, When asked why, they said, “Because of Kim Desenberg, one of their yard

Page 124 •

UUU/c3g •

August, 1998

managers; we’ve worked with him before. Plus we talked to other people, and they all had good things to say about KKMI.” Said co-owner Clark, “I also liked the way they approached the repair. We were concerned the boat might be ruined forever. The way they proposed to repair our boat was not only going to restore it to like new condition, I also was impressed with their cost effective ideas.” 1 KKMI’s president Ken Keefe said, “Because we work on quite a few of the 'Big Boats' some people think that’s all we want to do. In fact that is far from the truth. I’d say the repair on this Melges is a great example of how we tackle most jobs here.” In reviewing the background of the crew at KKMI we found that many got their start in the marine business working on small boats. It’s this experi¬ ence that’s provided them with a strong founda¬ tion. Kim Desenberg said, “When it comes to effi¬ ciency this is where we shine. Having spent many years working on smaller boats we understand, probably more than anybody else, the importance of keeping the costs down. On the Melges there are several ways one could approach this type of repair. What we’ve done is repair the boat in the strongest and most 'one design' sensitive manner

possible. The boat will be as strong as if it had never been in a collision. It won’t be any heavier due to additional fairing compounds. A perfect so¬ lution.” The repair of Smokin' involved the building of a special mold that perfectly matched the shape of the hull. Once the broken fiberglass was removed and the core 'tapered', the mold was applied over the hole in the hull. From the inside new fiberglass was laid up to match the original laminate and core material. When the interior glasswork was com¬ pleted, the mold was removed and a light layer of fiberglass was applied before the gelcoat was matched and finished. All in-all, it sounds like a very simple job, but without the guidance of Kim Desenberg and the fantastic crew at KKMI, the tar¬ geted result would not have been achieved. KKMI works on all kinds of boats, both big and small, wood and fiberglass. Their crew includes expert painters, electricians, mechanics and ship¬ wrights, just to name a few. If you are looking for a yard that is dedicated to superior service and ex¬ pert workmanship at a fair price, KKMI is the yard to call. - „

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CLASS ACT: Did you know that more people have climbed Mt. Everest than have raced in the Round the World Race? Winning this race is no small feat! A Black Tie reception was held in honor of skipper and crew of EF Language to celebrate their success. Never have I seen such a display of humility. Skip¬ per thanking crew . . . crew thanking their wives. Local sailors Paul Cayard, Kimo Worthington and Mark Rudiger are more than exceptionally talented . . . they embody the spirit of what can be achieved when you put your mind to it. I salute their success, and we share in the vision of many more wonderful things to come .. . America’s Cup year 2000. ★ ★ ★ HEARTBREAK HOTEL: No one delights in break¬ downs, nautical or otherwise, but when your boat goes snap, crackle or pop . . . it’s good to know there’s a place like KKMI. This month has seen its fair share of breakdowns, from masts to hull sides . . . there’s been a 'whole lot of smashin’ going on'. While the quest to go faster continues . . .Zephyros went be¬ yond the speed limit and made an unplanned visit to KKMI after her mast broke. Cassiopeia was forced to retire from the Victoria/Maui Race when problems developed with her rudder ... a call from offshore organized a weekend haulout that put her back on course to Hawaii. On the alive and well side ... the crew from Geodis, the BOC 60’, sent a letter to the crew at KKMI expressing their gratitude for repair¬ ing their keel, which ultimately enabled them set a new record from the U.S.A. to Europe. ★ ★ ★ I SAY NOTHING: Just like Sergeant Schultz ... I can’t tell you the theme for next month's yard party at KKMI. The crew there has been working to sur¬ pass previous parties. Well... let’s see, how do you top Madonna, Jim Carey, Elvis, ’Zydeco Flames' and actual flame throwers in, a boat yard? As I said, “I say nothing.” Oh yes, I forgot to mention . . . you can’t get in without proper.identification. Regulations .. . you know. ★ ★ ★ “MAKIN’ THE BIG ByCKS”: Are you in the ma¬ rine business? Do you want to earn more money? Does tjje place where you work now kinda’ stink? If you answered YES to all three questions then I've got four letters for you .... KKMI. From everything I hear . . . this is a great place to work. They offer fantastic wages, an outrageous benefits package in¬ cluding . . . even a share of KKMI’s profits! Now come on, if you’re serious about making more money or going somewhere in the marine business ... then you owe it to yourself to give KKMI a call. Last month veteran yacht broker Don Jesberg joined the team. Welcome aboard Don! Will your name be here next month? August, 1998

•

LUCUUc Vi

• Page 125

SMASHING RECORDS Sausalito-based Moore 24 Low Profile fin¬ ished second. The tiny surfing machine gained 20 miles on the displacement Wa¬ ter Pik on the last day, but simply ran out of race track, and corrected out six hours back. Frolich and Moore expected the big¬ gest challenge to be "surfing in survival conditions." but it turned out to be 'fa¬ tigue management'. "We were mentally and physically exhausted the entire way," they admitted. Just three days into it, Doug was having 'brain fades' and 'hallu¬ cinations' — both of which, by the way, were common in the fleet, particularly among the doublehanders. "Imagine being woken up every three hours, day and night, for 11.5 days, be¬ ing handed the tiller and told to surf the boat from the Farallones home to San Francisco," the two explained. "It's a whole lot more than just a long Santa Barbara Race. We figure we each drove the equiva¬ lent of 44 Doublehanded Farallones ," said Frolich. "You have no idea how much that is. Even though we were doing really well in the standings, it didn't mean anything to us. Just getting to Hawaii was all we could handle."

Robin Easton of 'Bodacious' at the Kaneohe YC, re-enacts falling overboard dhring the boat's only jibe of the entire race. He lived. And it’s not as though the Moore is a luxury ride. "Surfing at 13 knots was fine," said Donovan, "but at 15 it took a lot out of you." And getting sleep required crawl¬ ing into the tiny quarter berth, feet for¬ ward in case of 'rapid deceleration', and placing your hands over your chest King

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Inset: Steve Crawford of 'Trial Run' gives the 'stink eye' to a nearly failed U-bolt that could have dropped him to the deck. Spread: 'Grey Ghost', third overall, duels 'Ginger¬ bread Man' to the finish line.

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Tut style. But the noise was the real prob¬ lem. "It was like trying to sleep inside a steel drum while some kid was beating on it." As was the case with Water Pik. Frolich and Donovan had a terrible last night. They got caught with the .6 full runner up in about 38 knots of wind for about an hour. They had no choice but to ride it out, and it wasted them. When passed by another boat the next day with just white sails up and asked if they were all right, they responded dully, "We're just collect¬ ing our thoughts." While acknowledging that the little Moore is a "great boat", the next time they'd prefer to do it aboard something larger. But that's not to say they lived with total deprivation. "We had lots of bar food — Power Bars, Energy Bars, that kind of thing," laughed Donovan. "And unlimited hot showers, too!" Huh? "Sure, we just put a Handi-Wipe under an armpit for a few minutes and then scrubbed down." While the first two boats corrected hours in front of the rest of the fleet, third through tenth were separated by a total of only five hours. Doug Grant's Zaal 38 Grey Ghost, also based out of Sausalito,

1998 PACIFIC CUP

When one of the 'Terremento' crew set off this EPIRB by accident, the Coast Guard was on the scene with a C-130 in a matter of hours. corrected out third, 8.5 hours behind Water Pik. Given that the skipper is a naval architect, delivery skipper, and sail¬ ing instructor at Club Nautique who had done the race previously, the boat was well prepared. Since Grey Ghost is also a relatively heavy aluminum boat that had been designed for the Singlehanded At¬ lantic Race, Grant and crew had a con¬ trolled and rather uneventful trip.

Tom Petty and Skip Allan poke their heads out the top of Roxanne's rag-top, which they doublehanded to Hawaii in under 9 days!

"The first time we did the race, we just sailed to Hawaii," said Grant. 'This time we were focused and had a plan — and it made all the difference in the world." Unlike most heavier boats that tiy to sail the shortest distance possible, Grant and crew beam-reached from the minute they got outside the Gate. As a result, they found themselves far south of any other boats. But as Grant had calculated, there was more wind down there, and they pros¬ pered. There were only two small mishaps in Grey Ghost's crossing. First, the boom vang — like a bunch of others in the fleet — broke. Secondly, the cook, having la¬ bored long and hard preparing, was furi¬ ous when the boat zigged and the pizza pie zagged, landing 'face down’ on the cabin sole. Incensed, the cook fired the pizza overboard — right onto the main sheet! In fourth place, correcting out less than an hour back, were Pacific Northwest doublehanders Steve Wynn and Andy Schwenk aboard the S2 7.9 Arturo the Aqua Boy. Like Water Pik and Grey Ghost, Arturo had done a Pacific Cup before — well, a day of it until the rudder broke. Based on three of the top four finishers, perseverehce — heck, even revenge — are motivators that the Pacific Cup richly re¬ wards. Wynn and Schwenk, a fireman and teacher, respectively, made for a good pairing. Wynn, 31, had done well sailing small boats in college, while Schwenk, 33, had done 17 Hawaii races on the family Cal 40 and SC 40. Nonetheless, the two sailed perhaps the strangest race possible. First, the 7.9 is a MORC boat that doesn't surf and is most popular on lakes in the Midwest. Second, they carried white sails for the first six days. Third — talk about sleep deprivation, they sailed 'one on, one off for 12.5 days. Fourth, not wanting to have to wake someone from down below, they took turns sleeping on the cockpit sole! And yes, it was very cold. Finally, they wouldn't use the autopilot — "because of pride". No wonder they wouldn’t mind doing the next race "with some college buddies on something like a Nordic 44." Fifth place would have gone to Kurrewa, Robert Henderson's Bainbridge Island-based Farr 38, but radio problems prevented them from getting their daily positions to the race committee boat. A three-hour penalty dropped them to 9th. Moving into the fifth slot, therefore, was dinghy expert Jonathan McKee's Riptide 35 Ripple from Seattle, the only cutting edge — let alone modern — boat in the top five. Given her very light weight, huge

With the race over, a smiling Jody Rutledge, navi¬ gator on the J/29 'Gravity Storm', is able to see the humor in a broken boom. rig, deep bulb keel, bow sprit, and water ballast, she doesn't just surf, she planes. "It took 21 knots of true wind to get the boat to plane" reported Trevor Baylis, "at which time the bow would rise and the load on the helm would drop to zero. We had one 50-minute run where we never dropped below 14 knots. True, we peaked at 18.5, but we never went below 14." And it's not like they had all their tools going for them. "All the instruments Brian Boschma of the Ericson 34 ‘Red Sky' had a tough trip. He broke both rudders — and left his prescription glasses at home.

SMASHING RECORDS

Broken booms and broken vangs, such as on 'Kurrewa', were common this year. But it was her radio that really cost her 5th overall. crapped out on the way to the starting line, and we never could read the analog compass," said Baylis. "But it was just fine; you just sailed flat, kept the chute on the edge of a curl, and did everything you could from driving into the backs of the waves." * Such boats aren't for older folks or the faint of heart. "When you were out there driving, it was like getting shot in the face with a fire hose. But there were funny moments. It was time for Jonathan to re¬ lieve Morgan Larsen and me, so all of the suddenly, out comes a foul weather jacket; the boots, then the pants — are of which are getting drenched. Finally, out comes Jonathan, bare-assed, having been too sick to dress below. Getting into soak¬ ing clothes to start yopr watch couldn't have been fun." Ripple crashed three times going It's the '90s, which means little ones now wait at the finish line for moms to finish ocean races. Melinda Erkelens with 13-month-old Joshua.

across, two with Trevor at the helm, once with his wife Tina driving. "It wasn't a problem, not even with the water ballast on the wrong side." The two Riptide 35s presented the rat¬ ing committee with a real problem. As naval architect Carl Schumacher and sailmaker Kame Richards mused after the race, 'Tiying to rate a planing design with non-planing designs is as impossible as tiying to rate monohulls with multihulls. It can't be done." Positions six through ten went to Breila, Michael Whitby's Contessa 38 from Vancouver; Sabra, the Sausalito-based Wyliecat 39 Michael Katz doublehanded with John 'Water' Mellen; Grey Eagle, Bill Stephen's Valiant 40 from San Francisco; the aforementioned Kurrewa, and tenth, Azzura, the Alameda-based Azzura 310 doublehanded by Bruce Schwab and Jim Plumley. Positions six through ten, like one through five, were dominated by older designs. Only Azzura is new and inher¬ ently faster. As mentioned before, it's virtually im¬ possible for a big boat to correct out well in the Pacific Cup. Nonetheless, the broad distribution of Top Ten corrected time winners suggests that the handicap com¬ mittee did a good job of assigning ratings. The only division winners shut out of the Top Ten were Pyewacket, which won F, and Dave Nottage’s J/44 Kaimiloa. Nottage, a former maxi crew, got his Ha¬ waii-based boat home in under 10 days, a real achievement. Alas, the best he could correct out was 19th.

Prior to the start, line honors looked to be a battle between the R/P 75 Zephyrus and Roy Disney's hopped-up Pyewacket. On the assumption that Zephyrus is the faster boat, Disney — who already has a similar boat under con¬ struction — decided he had to max his boat out. First they piled on all the sail they figured they could carry, then navi¬ gator Stan Honey came up with the idea of hanging 7,000 pounds of water ballast from the weather rail in high-tech kevlar bags. Fortunately, Sally Lindsay-Honey, his wife, does exotic precision sewing for the aerospace industry between sewing spinnakers. To our knowledge, no other race in the world would permit water ballast to be hung over the weather rail, but the 'fun race to Hawaii' has taken a 'tell us what you've done, and we'll rate it' stance. Soon Zephryus joined the 'water fight', but with internal tanks. Two other in Division F didn't really stand a chance. Rage, the former record

Al Toma of 'Oa Oa' demonstrates the on-yourknees cooking and navigation position used on Olson 30s. holder, didn't have the horsepower or sta¬ bility, and Doug Baker, owner of the Andrews 70 Magnitude, wasn't interested in an all out 'arms race'. The final boat in the division was the magical Merlin, the original ultralight sled, now 21 years old.,She was dubbed the 'mad science project' because she sported ^a taller rig, huge chutes, long poles, a canting keel, and thrown together exter¬ nal water ballast. She was semi-chartered by a bunch of top flight sailors on the

1998 PACIFIC CUP wrong side of 40, several of whom had never met until just before the start. And no, they hadn't shaken down the boat. The big sleds got off in typically nasty Northern California conditions, with winds in the high 20s and sloppy seas. Many of even the most experienced sail¬ ors didn't feel well slamming through the chop 10 to 15 knots. It was particu¬ larly uncomfortable on Merlin, as water seemed to be coming in from everywhere. "By the first night," laughed Pete Heck, "we already had two inches of standing water inside the chart table!" Before the first day was out, Zephyrus did what she does best in Hawaii races, dropped her rig. With that it looked as though Pyewacket — which had rocketed away from the coast, was going to walk away with it. Being stiffer than all the other boats, she had a half knot advan¬ tage and was building a considerable lead. But on the third day of the race, the old guys on the 'mad science project' set a gigantic 5,400 square foot, second¬ hand, half-ounce spinnaker. Almost im¬ mediately, the boat took off like only Mer¬ lin can. They would carry this one sail — which has 89 foot luffs and 53 foot girth — until the last night. Soon, the fight for line honors became a David versus Goliath affair. Disney, a

great guy who has given much back to the sport, and his perfectly prepared and crewed Pyewacket played the role of Goliath. In the role of David, was Merlin, the ancient boat, old sails — they raced the first two days with a dacron #4 that had been built in 1977! — a crew of older strangers, and innovations such as a Costco-sized can of Starkist tuna to prop up the helmsman's footing. Furthermore, the boat continued to leak so much that they were never able to turn off the bilge pump. Way back on the first day, the water had knocked out all thejr instruSpread: Jeff Brown and the J/120 'Gingerbread Man' arrive home at Kaneohe Bay. Inset: Bruce and J.P leave home aboard a reefed 'Azzura'.

A cute plastic nurse administers to Jim Cullison of 'Rage', who had his leg bitten by a Great White Sheet Shark on the last jibe of the race. ments including — don't tell anyone — the running lights. "In addition," reports Heck, "every time the boat bounched off a wave — which was all the time — the cbmpass card spun around in circles." Merlin also had 'the coffin’. With the canting keel cranked up to weather, at the end of every long surf Merlin would — like all sleds — want to take a little dip to weather. In her regular configuration, this would be no problem. But in 'science project' mode, such a dip would put the ultra long pole in the water and rip the mast right out of the boat. Jon Andron got close to the 'coffin' once, scaring the hell out of everyone. For the rest of the race they pulled out early at the end of each surf just to avoid the coffin. In any event, the unthinkable started to happened. The 'mad science project', 50 miles behind the perfect Pyewacket, turned it on and started reeling the lead boat in. "I don't care how fast anybody else has told you they went or what kind of 24hour run they had," Steve Taft laughed after the race, "but I absolutely guaran¬ tee you that Merlin went faster and sailed further. If anybody says they did 25, then we did 28. If they say they did 28,1 prom¬ ise you we did 31. Nobody sailed faster than we did!" It wasn't cheap talk, because Merlin ripped off a 351-mile day — the best ever for a sled — andi a 349-miJe day. What Taft and Merlin veteran Stevely couldn't believe is that even at those speeds, they could only pull within 25 miles of

Pyewacket. What the Pyewacket crew couldn’t be¬ lieve, is that the old guys, with the old sails, with the two inches of water in the chart table, with the tuna can to stand on, and with the four bottles of fine wine each night — were rapidly gaining on them rather than sailing under. Because they weren't having the most relaxing time August. 1998

• ItMtJk'ii • Page 129

SMASHING RECORDS

Bruce Schwab and J.P. of 'Azzura'. Theirs was one of only two newer boats to correct out in the top ten. on their own boat. "It wasn't just a little bit scary," Roy Disney said later, "it was a lot scary — and probably a little dangerous. It wasn't that the conditions were bad, but the con¬ figuration of the boat. There was so much power in the rig, that after the first jibe the spinnaker track started moving from side to side. When the chute filled, there was this loud noise, and we knew if we kept sailing that way we'd blow the rig out of the boat." So the crew strapped the pole car to the #3 tack on the leeward side — Effec¬ tively losing a few extra feet of projection to the pole. It's illegal not to have pole on mast, so after Pyewacket finished they alerted the race committee that they'd made the change in the interest of safety. The race committee accepted the expla¬ nation and they weren't penalized. "But the worst part," Disney remem¬ bered, "was the final night. I was lying in my bunk and started hearing a commo¬ tion through my ear plugs. We’d been overtaken by a 32-knOt squall, the kind you'd chase with the normal rig. My son, Roy Pat, was driving and later confessed to being weak in the knees because the boat shuddered all over and started plan¬ ing along at 23 knots. 'Oh s-t, I started thinking to myself, only 50 miles to go and we're going to blow up!" After the race was over, both Disney and Honey said that maybe there needed to be some limits on how the big boats are configured. Said Disney, "You don't want to watch somebody commit suicide before your eyes." Pyewacket managed to hold Merlin off and actually rebuild her lead to finish 4.5 hours ahead. It was a satisfying victory Page 130 •

• August, 1998

for Disney, who started slow in transpa¬ cific races. It took him about a dozen races to get his first win, but now he's on a roll. In the last three years, he's won all three crewed TransPacs, setting new course records each time. The big question for next year is which boat to take? Although they finished second, the Merlin guys could claim several moral vic¬ tories: they'd given Pyewacket a hell of a scare, they set a new 24-hour sled record, they disproved critics who were sure they'd sail under — and most of all they seemed to have had less fright and more fun than the guys on Pyewacket. If given their choice of boats to do it again, they all said Merlin. s "Sailing Merlin in this configuration," explained Taft, "was like meeting the most beautiful women in the world and having the most wonderful uninhibited night with her, doing everything that had ever crossed your imagination. Doing the TransPac next year, where they limit the configuration, is going to be like a second date with the woman, where she says, "Honey, let's just hug tonight."

AA/^hen a fleet of nearly 70 boats takes off on a 2,000-mile voyage, there are bound to be incidents — lots of them. For instance, at least three crewmembers went overboard; fortunately, all were res¬ cued quickly. Robin Easton of Bodacious was on the bow for the boat's only jibe of the race when a wave hit. Like a gymnast on the high bar, he flew right over the top of the lifelines. Still tethered, however, he "slid right back aboard" when the helmsman rounded up. Although in the water for 30 seconds, Easton's SOSpenders did not in¬ flate. Andrew Schwenk, who was driving Arturo at 0400, fell overboard when a life¬ line broke. Held to the boat by only the wire in the tiller extension, he was pulled back aboard by crewmate Steve Wynn, who'd heard the splash while down be¬ low. Four days into the race, Ken Burnap, owner of the SC 50 Roller Coaster, decided to take a bath on the scoop. Harnessed to a stanchion, he stripped down and lath¬ ered up with Prell. Fearing he might kick a bucket overboard, he foolishly attached it to his harness. So when he did kick the bucket over, it made a perfect sea anchor — and jerked him off the boat. So there he was, 65-years old, buck naked, bounc¬ ing along the surface behind his boat at

A show of hands from the Wyliecat 39 Sabra'. Michael Katz says it will take hours with his ana¬ lyst to sort the trip out. John Mellen loved it. 14 knots — on a race he'd vowed never to do again. On the second try, one of the crew yanked him back aboard. With moderate winds and squalls this year, the biggest strain was on booms — particularly at the vang. Some booms broke despite close attention. Chris Benzak of the J/29 Gravity Storm re¬ ported they realized the vang was the weak point and therefore checked it ev¬ ery hour during daylight. So it broke dur¬ ing a 0400 squall 450 miles from the fin¬ ish. "The boom snapped right in half, so we just carried on with the 1.5 at 14 knots. The boat actually sailed faster with¬ out the main." One Flew True, a Newport 41, gets the award for the worst timing. "Halfway across was 1,035 miles," said Dennis Murphy, "so with 1,027 miles to go the gooseneck failed. Ten minues later the spinnaker pole end fitting came off, caus¬ ing us to drive over the chute. We had to cut the chute away, and having no boom or backup pole, had to sail the last half with a tiysail and a free-flying #3. We still averaged 125 miles a day. I can't wait for the next Pacific Cup." Kurrewa cracked her boom — but still corrected out 9th overall. Rudders were also a weak spot. Brian Boschma of the Ericson 34 Red Sky man¬ aged to break two of them. First, he lost the bottom half of the original rudder. "And I'd just bought the boat a year ago from a little old lady who kept it on a lake in Wisconsin and had never raced it!" Af¬ ter 48 hours, the emergency rudder broke, too. So Boschma put back on what was left of the original rudder. "It steered as well as my old J/24 did with a chute up." The Farr 44 Confetti lost her rudder

1998 West Marine Pacific Cup Results

early. Vanadis. a Wasa 38, and Transaction, a Catalina 38, lost their rudders too late to turn back. Transaction had previ¬ ously returned to port with a total elec¬ trical failure. Gravity Storm had a big crack in her rudder, but didn't lose it en¬ tirely. There were several other rudder fail¬ ures. The Perry 47 La Adriana almost lost her prop shaft halfway across. "We heard a loud noise back by rudder, so we pulled up the floorboards," said a crewmember. "It was obvious that the prop shaft was coming out. Rui Luis, sailmaker at Hogin Sails, grabbed the 1.5-inch shaft with his bare hands and pulled it back in. After a couple of hours with pipe clamps and a screwdriver, we got it back it back into place." Broken halyards were a dime a dozen. When Steve Crawford went aloft on Trial Run's last halyard to replace several bro¬ ken ones, he noticed that the U-bolt hold¬ ing him aloft had worn 85% through. "Get me down now!" he shouted. The crew did and he lived to tell about it. Nicki Glass, who doublehanded her Express 27 Killer with her brother, had both spinnaker poles break. The boat started as a masthead rig, but partway across an external bail ripped the top two feet off. Nicki feels guilty that her brother had such a bad time, but she can't wait to do it again with the same boat. "1 love it out on the ocean — even when things are going wrong." If any of the doublehanders had an autopilot that worked in the downwind conditions, we didn't hear about it. The biggest myth of the Pacific Cup is that it's a warm and sunny sail to Ha¬ waii. "It's only warm on the last day or two," said Skip Allan, who has made the trip many times. J'But this year it was re-ally cold and cloudy." There was a full moon on this race, which met with widespread approval. "It should be a schedule consideration," said Doug Grant of Grey Ghost. It was pitch black in the last Pacific Cup and people didn't like it. For Sue Corenman, aboard the SC 52 City Lights, the early going was rough, but not too rough. "You know, the kind of weathgr where you wear your sea boots while washing the dishes." 0 For Kame Richards, the conditions were mild enough "so that I don't even have to wait a couple of months to decide to do the next Pacific Cup." One of the most effective seasick medi¬ cations was Phenergen, a suppository that

f time

Owner

tigmeport

Car. Tim

DIVISION A 1 1 Water-Pik 2 5 Breila 3 13 Trial Run 4 15 Mintaka 5 23 Flyer 6 32 Copernicus 7 40 Kiaimakani 2 8 42 Jennifer Anne 9 50 Bona Roba 10 52 Laurel Anne 11 53 Daydreamer

Newport 30-2 Contessa 38 Passport 40 C&C 36 Ben. First 36s7 Ohlson 38 Cat. 36 Mk II Catalina 34 Gladiatuer 33 Hood 38 Hinckley 40

Robert Nance Michael Whitby Jack Bieda Gerry Brown William Johns Scott Hancock D. & C. Hinojosa Gary Westcott Scott Hillesland Kenneth Quenzer Charles Richard

San Francisco Vancouver, BC San Francisco San Francisco Moose, WY San Francisco Alameda San Francisco Portland, OR San Francisco San Francisco

07:12:28:11 08:05:24:01 08:11:15:15 08:13:14:16 08:16:34:16 08:21:33:52 09:04:58:18 09:05:49:52 09:17:41:33 10:00:08:30 10:01:47:17

DIVISION B 1 3 Grey Ghost 2 8 Grey Eagle 3 20 Cirrus 4 22 Gravity Storm 5 24 Bounty 6 28 Aldebaran 7 34 Scotch Mist 8 45 Siren 9 47 Significant Other 10 54 Pisces 11 57 One Flew Blue ~ - Red Sky - Transaction

Zaal 38 Valiant 40 Standfast 40 J/29 S&S 52 C&C 48 Landfall Cal 39 Cal 39 C&C 39 Landfall Hylas 44 Newport 41 Olson 34 Catalina 38

Doug Grant Bill Stephens Bill Myers Michael Brockman Dan Spradling Peter Whyte Ray Minehan D.& J. Mariscal Scott Adam Henry Gonzalez Dennis Murphy Brian Boschma Michael Wagner

San Francisco San Francisco Wilmington, DE Vancouver, WA San Francisco Dover, DE Sausalito Berkeley Drummond Isl. Ml San Mateo Tacoma, WA San Francisco Sausalito

08:03:04:28 08:07:04:24 08:16:09:29 08:16:17:53 08:17:37:02 08:19:37:01 09:00:33:22 09:11:34:45 09:13:30:20 10:03:01:12 10:12:24:00 DNF DNF

DIVISION C 1 9 Kurrewa 2 12 Bodacious 3 14 Perestroika 4 18 Puff 5 21 Millennium Falcon 6 29 Gingerbread Man 7 31 Skal 8 55 La Adriana 9 82 Vanadis “ - X-tJream

Farr 38 Farr 40 (1-ton) X-119 J/120 Brewer 60 J/120 Island Pet. 40 Perry 47 Wasa 38 X-119'

Robert Henderson J. Clauser/B. Tosse Gib Black Saburo Oniki Michael Ganahl Wayne Millar Mark & Linda Melson Sam La Vanaway Terry Anderson Steen Moller

Bainbridge Isl, WA San Francisco Honolulu Dover, DE San Francisco Kaneohe, HI San Francisco San Francisco Tacoma, WA San Francisco

08:07:06:15 08:10:03:44 08:12:58:11. 08:14:16:34 08:16:17:51 08:19:58:26 08:20:56:48 10:03:20:00 12:03:39:00 DNF

DIVISION D 1 19 Kaimiloa 2 25 Solution 3 27 Scorpio 4 43 Camelot 5 44 ProMotion - Osprey - - Pursuit

J/44 SC 40 Wylie 42 Hunter 54 SC 40 SC 40 Custom 48

Dave Nottage Fred Hibberd John Siegel Howard Shaw West Marine Nicholas Barran N. & R. Dawley

Kaneohe, HI San Francisco Santa Cruz Portland Santa Cruz Portland Norfolk, VA

■08:15:43:52 08:18:05:58 08:19:31:38 09:06:06:06 09:07:50:56 DNF DNF

DIVISION E 1 6 Ripple 2 11 Terremoto 3 17 Rollercoaster 4 26 Blue Chip 5 30 Surprise 6 33 Rosebud 7 35 Medicine Man 8 36 Oaxaca 9 38 Bay Wolf 10 41 City Lights

Riptide 35 Riptide 35 SC 50 Farr 40 Schum. 46 SC 52 Andrews 56 SC 50 SC 50 SC 52

Jonathan McKee Robert Alexander Ken Burnap Walt Logan S. & S. Chamberlin Roger Sturgeon Dean Briggs Patti & Dick Cranor Kirk Wilson Tom Sanborn

Seattle Seattle Santa Cruz Belvedere Pt. Richmond Santa Cruz Alameda San Francisco Los Angeles San Francisco

08:05:32:26 08:09:52:49 08:14:02:05 08:18:29:07 08:20:40:21 08:23:37:22 09:02:08:15 09:02:36:12 09:04:08:12 09:05:43:11

DIVISION F 1 56 Pyewacket 2 58 Magnitude 3 59 Rage 4 60 Merlin - - Zephyrus IV

SC 70+ Andrews 70+ Wylie 70 Lee 69 Reichel/Pugh 75

Roy E. Disney Doug Baker Steve Rander Donn Campion Zephyrus Partners

Los Angeles Long Beach Portland Santa Cruz Portland

10:10:49:50 10:14:28:27 10:18:16:30 10:20:30:41 DNF

DOUBLE HANDED 1 1 2 Low Profile 2 4 Arturo/Aqua Boy 3 7 Sabra 4 37 Killer 5 46 Alicante 6 49 Moretoise 7 61 Mariposa

Moore 24 S2 7.9 Wyliecat 39 Express 27 Sabre 38-2 Pearson 40 Ericson 37

D. Frolich/J. Donovan S. Wynn/A. Schwenk M. Katz/d. Mellen • N. & A. Glass R. & R. Pauling D. Ronk/J. Vetter D. Miller/R. Petrosik

f*t. Richmond Seattle Sausalito Richmond, TX Geyserville Vallejo Newport, OR

07:18:24:25 08:03:51:40 08:06:40:45 09:03:06:06 09:12:46:54 09:17:22:39 11:08:49:28

DOUBLE HANDED 1! 10 Azzura 1 2 16 OaOa 3 39 Roxanne 4 48 Surge III 5 51 Mystic - - Confetti

Azzura 310 Olson 30 Wylie 60 Express 37 Islander Pet. 40 Farr 44

B. Schwab/J. Plumley A. Thoma/J. Parry T. Petty/S. Allan C. Roskosz/R. Murphy G. & L. Brown P. & S. Wolcott

Alameda Makawao, HI Crystal Bay, NV Santa Cruz Lake Bay, WA San Francisco

08:08:46:10 08:13:41:20 09:04:40:35 09:13:39:50 09:21:29:07 DNF

August, 1998 • LiCUdi 12 * Page 131

1998 PACIFIC CUP had to be kept refrigerated. "After using one of those," said a patient, "you make yourself feel better so you don't have to take another." There were less squalls and mostly weaker squalls this year. Cliff Stagg said, "It was like walking a mile for a Camel, except we sailed 2,000 miles for one good squall." Medicine Man hit 24 knots in that one.

From the Reporter's Notebook: — "Say, what's that flashing light?" Three hundred miles from the finish, one of the crew aboard Bob Alexander's Rip¬ tide 35 Terremento crew fell on the sur¬ vival bag, advancing the switch on the EPIRB. That night they noticed a flash¬ ing light in the pack back and realized what had happened. Not long after, they saw some more lights — the landing lights of a Coast Guard C-130 wanting to know if they needed help. "It's obviously a very effective system," said an embarassed Alexander. — Oa Noa! Only one liferaft was in¬ flated this year. It happened while A1 Toma

of the Olson 30 Oa Oa was stuffing his liferaft deep into a car trunk. The inflated raft was wedged so tight and deep thatsj took three hours under the sizzling Ha¬ waiian sun to reach the deflation valve. — When the father of John Donovan, crew on the Moore 24 Low Profile, saw the tiny boat that his son proposed to take to Hawaii, he said, "It's obviously too late to tell you not to do anything silly." — Why can't a woman be more like a man? For the first three dqys, the crew of Red Sky "barfed our brains out". All ex¬ cept Sylvia the Studette’. — Why can't a woman be more like a man, part two. As the Hunter 54 Camelot was nearing the jibe for the finish line, they had a little locating their navigator. "Just a minute," shouted Patsy Fischer, "I'm in the head and almost done shaving my legs." — Merlin, the highest rated boat, owed Water Pik, the lowest-rated boat. 8.61 days on corrected time. She only made up 5.5 of them.

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GUMBOOT L/ooking back on the past 15 months sailing from California to our home at the top of the South Island in New Zealand, we've had the odd adventure. But most memories are of endless, peaceful sun¬ sets, hoping to catch that elusive green flash as we gently pull at anchor. How-

other than the fishing variety. Even the early cyclone that we sat through at Mus\ ket Cove in Fiji sounded rather pathetic

The next transmission we heard from 'Sirena' was a mayday...

ever, now that Gumboot is safely moored in her new home in Waikawa Bay in the Marlborough Sounds, we can certainly say that our trip began and ended with a bang! Leaving Marina del Rey in time to catch the start of the 1996 Baja Ha-Ha, we caught the Santa Ana express and had what we figured would be the wildest ride of our trip. Luckily, San Diego just hap¬ pened to be dead downwind. The children slept through the couple of knockdowns, and it actually got to be quite exhilarat¬ ing once we realized that — other than getting soaked from the occasional poop¬ ing — we were in no danger. With only a tiny piece of mainsail up, we screamed down the huge rollers in the full moon at 12 knots and tried to heed the old sailors' ditty, "When foot to wheel and back to wind, the helmsman dares not look be¬ hind.”

riving in Paihia, New Zealand, this ^\xriv ast November, our land-based friends Lnd family wanted to hear stories of how /e battled wild storms and treacherous ,eas. But as you know, tradewind sailing loesn’t lend too well to exciting stories Page 136 • UtZUUi 3? • August, 1998

with it’s (thankfully) 45-knot top speeds. At least we could complain about four days of submarining to weather in 35-40 knots on our way down from Fiji. Trouble is, I'd rather enjoyed it, as we had a friend on board as crew (so everyone got enough sleep) and the albatrosses riding the up¬ drafts of the big swells were enough to lift anyone's spirit. We found out why everyone raves about Whangarei as the place to do all those needed jobs on the boat. But being South Islanders, we sadly left many cruis¬ ing friends there. Our best buddies on Delphis peeled off in Auckland to go find work and put their kids in school for a season. The last of our extended interna¬ tional cruising family made it down to Tauranga, the town now vying with Whangarei for the cruisers' business. Things seemed cheaper there, but noth¬ ing was as handy as in Whangarei, ex¬

'Jandal', our Port-a-Boat, in action. It may not have been much on looks, but it was hardy, rowed well, and folded to take up little space. cept the proximity of ocean sailing. El Nino in New Zealand arrived in the form of a hot, glorious summer. It brought drought conditions for farmers on the east

coasts, but we certainly enjoyed the weeks of fine weather sailing that early New Year. One particularly lovely beam reach out of Tauranga took us past the constantly smoking volcano of White’s Island. Even the dreaded East Cape was calm. It was tempting to stop and explore, but all lo¬ cal advice said do your southing while the going was good, so we made it halfway down the North Island before stopping in at the little marina in Napier, the art deco city, to wait out a southerly front. And wait. And wait. Fairly windy there really, but the locals seem immune. We watched four boats go out to race in conditions that had getting out of the slip a real chal¬ lenge — and then three of the four promptly set tiny spinnakers! They kept saying to us, “But we haven’t ever done any offshore sailing. That must be really challenging." Yeah.

L/ocals offered lots of advice, dire warnings, and horrific stories about the conditions that might greet us down the Wairarapa Coast. We were told of boats making three or four attempts over weeks and weeks to get south before the weather finally cooperated and they motored the whole way.

GOES HOME built, especially close to shore. I felt at times as if I was on a beach watching the long line of closing out breakers, which would at times 'close out' on us with a roar, beam on. Talk about wet! Of course, it got worse at night as things always do. Our new windspeed in¬ dicator installed in Whangarei showed us the 65 knots that Maritime Radio had promised us — and more. Several times the upper 60s gave way to 70 until 1 just quit watching. The wind shrieked through the rigging and everything in my body wanted to go downwind. But that would mean heading in the direction of Chile, and it would take days to make back the lost miles. So it was just a matter of grit¬ ting our teeth and trusting that Gumboots big chainplates would do more than just look good. As bad as it was, we had no desire to leave the 'shelter' of land and head out into the Cook Strait to face even bigger seas. So we spent the next 24 hours head¬ ing up and down the coast waiting for con¬

Above, anchored in Bora Bora. Inset, a fine day in the Coral Sea. Despite her iOR heritage, 'Gumboot' has proven to be a great cruising boat. But after all, we'd come 14,000 miles so far, and it was only a jump of about 40 hours before we could find shelter in Wellington, or across the Cook Strait into the Sounds. Besides, theTaupo Maritime Radio gives excellent service, with weather reports on the SSB and VHF updated sev¬ eral times a day and night. We picked our window, checked opt of Napier one morn¬ ing and took off. Nobody blinked an eye when we checked back in that afternoon. We'd poked Gumboot's nose around Cape Kid¬ nappers to find a stiff southerly on our nose with a three-meter swell. Our new Napier friends took our lines and didn’t even say "told you so." A singiehanded Kiwi on Sirena was also trying to time his departure in between fronts. Finally, with forecasts calling for NW (offshore) of 30 knots and a high mov¬ ing on the country, we both liked the sound of the promised beam reach down the coast. So good-byes were said again, and we followed Sirena s wake a couple of hours later. It's always a good feeling to be back at sea and on our way again. That day the

lovely sailing conditions were marred only by the changing forecast that now had us expecting 40-knot winds. There are about 140 miles of unprotected coastline on the southeast corner of the North Island, and the area is renowned for winds roaring down out of the valleys or straight up or down the coast, making for very 'gusty sailing' as they call it.

The wind picked up that night to a good 40-45 knots and our last meal was breakfast. The high had taken a turn north and the gale warning was now upped to storm force, 55 knots. Bob and I were by this time hand steering two-hour watches. Not even George, our Sailomat, could handle the changeable conditions, and we were trying to hug the coast as closely as we could. Farther down the coast, Kevin on Sirena wasn't having much fun, either. In a radio conversation he said that his storm jib track and triplereefed main ripped out in a 70-knot gust. On hearing that, we lowered the main, lashed it down with extra ties, and pro¬ ceeded with just a corner of our #3 un¬ furled. Keeping the wind slightly forward, we proceeded at a comfortable 4-5 knots. It was amazing how quickly the waves

The Wahoo that didn't get away, or... "Take the bloody picture before we drop it!" Outbacker aerial for our SSB is at right. ditions to abate. Tacking was impossible. We had to gibe. We were pleased that Gumboot could actually sail a little to August, 1998 • bMUtVi • Page 137

GUMBOOT weather, as we would get pushed offshore everytime the wind dropped to 45-50 knots and the sail area wasn’t enough to

Above, Malcolm and Naomi with our daily bread'. Right, Naomi cartwheels across a sandbar that's not there at high tide. Cruising with kids is great. keep us moving forward. Easy enough to unfurl a little more sail, but soon enough the wind would be back with a vengeance, and it would lake two of us to furl it back in again. By now, Sirena was down to bare poles. The 18-year-old, 36-ft cruising sloop, had been taking on some water through the

keelbolts, but there was not much Kevin could do about it. He just lashed the tiller and went below, letting the boat get blown and tumbled out to sea, at times putting her spreaders in the water. During those two days an amateur land-based VHF radio station at Cape Palliser (the bottom, southeast corner) kept in hourly contact with our two boats. When it was all over, we met some of the farmers up and down the coast who had

listened in to our little drama. Of course, nothing could really have been done if something had happened to us in those atrocious conditions, but knowing they were there was wonderful. By daylight, the forecast finally called for abating conditions. Sirena found less wind first and set sail in the direction of South Island. Kevin sounded much more upbeat to be moving again and doing something productive. We, too, headed toward open water with a 'mere' 45-50 knots forecast. It's amazing how relative windspeed gets — that seemed downright tranquil!

The next radio transmission from Kevin was a mayday. Sirena had flown off a wave and a crack had appeared right along the keelbolts. Bailing was now by bucket as he talked calmly with Maritime Radio and followed their instructions to set off his EPIRB. It chilled Bob and I to

OBSERVATIONS, OPINIONS AND The Boat — Despite being heavily built and loaded with gear, Gumboot sails well in all conditions. Even in Mexico’s light airs we were able to sail most of the time. In fact, from the time we departed L.A. until we arrived in Waikawa, New Zealand, we only spent about $200 on diesel. Mind you, we don’t have the mindset of what seems to be the majority of cruisers — anything under 5 knots of boatspeed and on goes the motor. As long as the sails weren’t slatting in windless swells, we enjoyed the peace. Steering — Our Sailomat 601 windvane was a great choice. It handled the steering in almost all conditions. The autohelm was connected only when mo¬ toring or when the apparent wind was below 8 knots. It had no problems han¬ dling the boat under spinnaker for five consecutive days on the passage to the Marquesas — until the halyard chafed through and we sailed over the kitel Food — I was glad that Bob encour¬ aged me not to overdo provisioning when we left the States. Mexico is fully stocked even if you wanted to eat ’American’ the whole way. Panama was the place to bulk buy cheaply, but the danger is having things go bad if you overdo it. The Galapagos were a surprise, with goods much cheaper than in the now in-

Page 138 • LtKUMli • August, 1998

flationaiy Costa Rica. French Polynesia has expensive food, but flour, powdered milk, sugar and canned butter are all sub¬ sidized and therefore cheaper than the rest of the island groups. Stocking only enough to get us twice as far as our next destination kept the supplies fresh — the weevils can’t pro¬ create if you eat them — and the weight of the boat down. Refrigeration — We chose not to in¬ stall a ‘fridge or freezer. Mexico has a ready supply of bulk ice to fill the icebox, and on long passages the cold beer waiting at the end made landfall that much nicer. Canned butter and powdered milk don’t need cold to keep, yogurt is eaten as it’s made, and large fish are eaten/dried/ given away. Only once did we catch such a huge Wahoo in the middle of nowhere with no other boats nearby that we had to give some back to Neptune. Addictions — I must admit we’re pretty lowlife and got used to that highly processed Kraft-type cheese. You know, the stuff that won’t even melt on pizzas. And yes, the ubiquitous Spam and its various reincarnations. I could write a recipe book on canned corned beef, and it’s good for trading with the locals all the way across the Pacific. Again, though, don't buy canned

corned beef before leaving home. You’ll be amazed at just how many brands and varieties there are out there! Electrical Power — The biggest ben¬ efit to no ‘fridge was all the power we didn't need to generate. No running the engine for hours to have a cold freezer, only to have it die mid-ocean like they always seem to do. Refrigeration repair people can cruise in style on all the money they make in the tropics. As it was, one large solar panel on the stern was enough to keep us in lights, music, SSB and a com¬ puter for the children, although we did -have to restrict the latter, or the sun Would’ve had to shine 24 hours a day! First Aid —Thankfully, we didn’t have to think too much about what to take in our first aid kit. Our good friend Dr. Pe¬ ter, who has done a lot of offshore racing, knew our needs and made us a great duffle bag of necessities, everything from bum cream to suture kits. More thank¬ fully, we didn't need to use any of the se¬ rious stuff. Just lots of Band Aids and antiseptic for those coral cuts — and an¬ tibiotics for when they fester up anyway. The handiest item in the kit was called "3M Transpore Tape.'1 It sticks on instead of Band Aids, stays on a bit longer, lets the wound breathe and it's see-through so you can show off your gore!

GOES HOME

imagine what he was going through; what he would do. Launching a liferaft in those conditions was laughable, but it seemed he would have no option. He was taking on water fast, and with no other vessel in the immediate area, a helicopter was sent out. (Obviously, they are used to flying in bad conditions.) Kevin signed off to continue bailing so he’d still be there in the 35 minutes it would take to reach him. Apparently, Sirena sank less than 20 minutes after Kevin was airlifted off. We saw pictures of it days later on the front page of the local papers.

The next weather report for the Strait called for 50-knot southerlies. What? Sure enough, that’s what happened. After heav¬ ing to to wait for it, in a five-minute pe¬ riod, the wind — without losing any in¬ tensity, just clocked around 180°. After half an hour of ‘sailing’ over, under and through the still huge north swell, the op-

Musket Cove (Malololailai). 'Gumboot' sat out a cyclone here, but we don't recommend the place. posing winds finally sorted things out and we flew for Wellington and refuge. I’ve never been so pleased to see that windy city, or for that matter so pleased to hear a ’good’ forecast of 40 knots. We celebrated with our first meal ip;48 hours,

and the children finally climbed out of their bunks to watch the fairyland of city lights. They had coped so well with the whole thing as only children can, never complaining or showing fear. They stayed in their bunks talking and playing men¬ tal games, even sometimes being able to help mop up the various bits of the ocean

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON CRUISING Communicating — The SSB was a last-minute addition to Gumboot We just couldn’t justify the expense. In the end we compromised with a good radio and inexpensive antenna. Instead of insulat¬ ing the backstay and hauling out to put a heavy ground plate on the hull, we in¬ stalled an Australian ‘Outbacker’ aerial on our stern. It comes in two pieces that screw together, and has a movable plug for the different frequency bands. When talking with friends who want to change from, say, 4 megs to 6, I just had to do my ‘SSB aerobics' — run up iijto the cockpit, change the plug, and dash back down. The range seemed veiy adequate, although friends said we were weak at times. But I have a feeling it was more a problem of lack of experience with grounding. / We also had a great little 1COM Ham radio adapted for the marine bands. I never got around to sitting for a Ham li¬ cense and never missed the formal side of that communication, especially once out of Mexican waters when marine band nets are far more prolific. They take on a life of their own it seems: a couple of friends arrange a time and frequency, someone tells someone, and pretty soon lots of boats are tuning in to hear details of weather or anchorage tips. When there

are too many calling in, you have to meet somewhere else. And so it goes. Not many VHF-only boats out cruis¬ ing any more, although you can still get adequate weather and other information that way. I wouldn’t be without our SSB for keeping in touch with friends, some¬ thing that becomes more important the farther from home you get. Sqfety —We heard three maydays on our trip, and relayed for one of them. We also sent out a pan pan pan when we ended up briefly on Black Rock Reef off Fiji one day. We wouldn’t have bothered, but we happened to have four over 70year-olds on board (my parents, their cousin, and Bob’s mother). Yes well, that’s another embarrassing story, but it worked out in the end. Those Fijian reefs are damned hard to see. Dinghy things — One thing I would change next time would be to get a motor for our Port-a-boat dinghy. I love rowing, and it is a pain to have to lug around a motor and the dreaded petrol. But there are definite advantages. In addition to the obvious ones of safety — being able to set a kedge to get off tricky spots in windy conditions (as we would’ve liked to do in the Tuamotus), we’re also keen surfers. Since surf spots don’t generally make good anchorages, it would be nice not to

have to paddle a long way to get there. We did put up with a fair amount of teasing about our non-Avon-style choice of tender until we reached the Pacific. There, the cruising crowd became more international and dinghies far more var¬ ied than I’d ever seen. At any rate, the Poet-a-Boat was great for rowing in through the swells, and no worries about dragging her over rocks. Her name was Jandal by the way — the Kiwi version of flip flops. 'Gumboots' are what we wear on rainy days to keep our feet dry. Spinnakers — I'm so glad we ended up taking that spinnaker. You've read about our worst sailing days. Now let me tell you about our best: the most consis¬ tently good sailing conditions were dur¬ ing the ’96 Baja Ha-Ha, blasting down that coastline with a^decent 25-30 knots be¬ hind us, trying' to keep the spinnaker under some semblance of control with Gitana barrelling up our backside. What a sightl Later on. Bob and I had some fun days fighting over who got the tiller in those South Pacific Trades — when they behaved and actually happened, that is. And I’ll never forget flying along in the lee of one of the Tuamotu atolls, just feet away from the reef and being able to see through the palm trees to the wind-tossed lagoon inside.

August. 1998 • UKUJtZS • Page 139

GUMBOOT COES HOME THE CRUISING AFTERLIFE that would make their way down below. Fortunately none of us gets seasick, but they feel queasy when they are up and reading. Wellington’s wind dried us out in no time, and we spent four days recovering and enjoying the sights of ’the southern hemisphere's San Francisco', waiting for anything less than 35 knots to get the last 50 miles home. The dreaded Cook Strait is the bottleneck between New Zealand’s two main islands, but luckily we’d seen the worst and had a pleasant daysail across, timing the tiny entrance of Tory Channel into the sheltered waters of the Marlborough Sounds to miss the 7-knot current and the many ferries that go in and out each day.

umboot is a CF 37, an ex-IOR racer, heavily built in 1978. She's a fat girl with tumblehome sides that allow plenty of interior room for the four of us. We’ve always been pleased to have her big

Cumboot is now stripped of her cruis¬ ing gear. The windvane and solar panel live in the garage. Even the dodger has' been removed for speed, and we’re sur¬ prising the locals with just how fast she can go. There’s a keen racing fleet here. It’s taken us awhile to get used to the laketype sailing conditions with the hillsides and valleys channelling great gusts here and there, but we picked up the Club Championship Cup, as well as a fair amount of booze in prizes'over the last couple of months. So at least we’re keep¬ ing our hand in. But it’s still hard to re¬ member to take all those warm clothes when we head out. v chain plates, beefy rod rigging, and thick fiberglass, but never so pleased as we were during those two very challenging days. The wind and waves carried away our Windex, radar reflector, strobe light and, most sadly, our trusty Port-a-Boat din¬ ghy. But my middle of the night fears of losing the mast never materialized. I shud¬

der to think how it would have been if we had a wheel to steer with instead of our . extra long tiller. Crouched under the dodger, waves would still dump on my head, but standing at a wheel would have meant a greatly increased danger of wash¬ ing overboard, not to mention discomfort! So, our current journey is over. We’re all too soon back into Scouts, swimming teams, hockey and school support com¬ mittees. The children are as happy to be back at school and riding bikes as they were to be exploring the lagoon at Rangiroa — when you're aged 10 and 12 life’s pretty good all around, I guess. Bob and I would rather be sailing, but our kiwifruit orchard calls us back to responsi¬ bility, and the loom of the teenage years has me imagining it will be easier ashore. Now that I realize that Fiji and Tonga are such fantastic cruising grounds, I’m sure that we’ll be able to fit the occasional win¬ ter away until we find we can head off 'properly' again.

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3? • Page 141

'98 SINGLEHANDED TRANSPAC ^Throughout its 20-year history, the Singlehanded TransPac Race from San Francisco to Hanalei Bay, Kauai, has earned many epithets — courageous, he¬ roic, masochistic, insane. . . But after 'toughing it out' for 14 long days at sea in the cramped confines of his Moore 24, Greg Morris characterized this odd con-

of passage. Between these extremes were several repeat contestants who hoped to better their previous elapsed times, and a first-timer or two whose principal moti¬ vation was to enjoy a "pleasant ride" on the open ocean. Completing the cast of characters, were two feisty combatants who had a grudge to settle: Despite hand steering for as

His course resembled the footprints along the sands of Hanalei after a big night at the Tahiti Nui bar.

After singlehanding "countless tacks" against a flood tide, Steve Fossett was thrilled to finally get out the Gate, headed for open ocean. test with his own irreverent spin: 'This race is like a bug light for weirdos with boats." Regardless of whether you think of this year's 11 finishers as bold individualists or "weirdos with boats," each deserves a large measure of respect for solo-sailing the 2,120-mile run — a notable accom¬ plishment for any sailor. In doing so, they join a proud association of men and women— 141 to be exact — who've com¬ pleted the crossing since this biennial challenge was instituted in 1978. Collectively, this year's competitors represented a broad spectrum of attitudes toward singlehanded ocean racing. At one extreme was multimillionaire adventurer Steve Fossett aboard his 60-ft trimaran Lakota, who easily met his goal by set¬ ting a new elapsed time record: 7 days, 22 hours and 38 minutes. At the oppo¬ site extreme were low-key guys like Mike Dranginis aboard his Ericson 30 Compass Rose and Bob Gay aboard his Pretorian 35 Bravo, for whom simply arriving at Hanalei in one piece was its own reward, marking the culmination of a personal rite Page 142 •

• August, 1998

many as 14 hours a day, Greg Morris failed to beat his arch rival and bosom buddy, Ken 'the General' Roper, who, at age 68 completed his sixth SSS TransPac, further cementing his reputation as the event's most frequent participant. Roper has put 80,000 sea miles on his Finn Flyer 31 Harrier, much of it singlehanded. The range of boat types in this year's contest was almost as disparate as the skippers themselves. In addition to Lakota, which has brokeh close to two dozen ocean records around the world, there was John Guzzwell's half-size BOC racer Endangered Species; Bob CranmerBrown's Adler 60 Etosha, which was built for the '86 BOC race, and Morris' tiny Moore 24 with its lavender topsides, bright orange boot stripe and lime green underbelly, appropriately named Color Blind. A variety of more conventional racer/cruisers completed the field, includ¬ ing Giggles, a sweet Baltic 38, which Dale Parshall sailed to first place (on corrected time) among the monohulls.

Although Lakota' has hit 31 knots before, Fossett sailed her conservatively — under 28. forced to sail a zigzag course of jibe after jibe which, when plotted, resembled the footprints along the sands of Hanalei af¬ ter a big night at the Tahiti Nui bar — the singlehanders' favorite watering hole. As in years past, the starting line was laid off the Corinthian Yacht Club at mid¬ day on June 27. For Fossett and some others, just getting out of the Bay singlehanded was nerve-wracking. Hundreds of daysailors were on the water and the tide was flooding through the Gate: "I put in countless tacks," recalled Fossett, whose

■■■■

A-

D espite the uncertainties of racing to Hawaii in an El Nino year, conditions this year were milder than during sev¬ eral recent TransPacs, yet windy enough to allow Fossett to shave nearly a day off the previous record, set in the windy '94 race by Peter Hogg aboard the Antrim 40 tri Aotea. Nevertheless, some multihull enthusiasts were surprised that Lakota, being a 60-footer, didn't pare down the old mark by a greater margin — especially since the monohull Pyewacket bettered Lakota's time by 34 hours on her Pacific Cup crossing to Oahu. (That course is only 50 miles shorter.) But while monohulls were able to sail practically dead down¬ wind close to the rhumbline, Lakota was

Before you can cross the ocean, you've got t< work your way out of the Bay. On start day, trai fic was fairly heavy at times and a flood tide wa. running. Here, 'Endangered Species' chase 'Giggles' (left, to leeward).

— OUT IN THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

was literally pushed side> at times by the current. /as definitely the most mous part of the race." eanwhile, the 60-ft ketch ha had^ been conspicuf absent at the start. Bob imer-Brown woke up on day to find Etosha's 12keel stuck three feet into oft mud beneath the OakYacht Club docks, which been the pre-race staging area. By ime she was towed out by Vessel Asseveral hours later, she was late for tart. Having made three previous atits at the Singlehanded TransPac on (ante chartered boat — all of which plagued by problems — Cranmerm's greatest hope before the race had to sail an "uneventful race." But it i t to be, as a litany of troubles were > come. Etosha started nearly an hour i half later than the others after mog from Oakland to the line, an act inglish-born skipper would later pay ith a five-hour penalty.

Shortly after the start, Bruce Nesbit in ‘Razzberries’ leads Steve Faustina in 'Solitaire1.

T,.

wind went light that first night, leaving many skippers anxiously limping through the shipping lanes. "On the first night out I damn near ran into the side of a ship," confided boatbuilder John Guzzwell of Endangered Species. "I came up on deck and saw port lights on both sides of me. It had actually just slipped past me." "Once you get-into the trade winds,’you forget about the discomfort of working

your way off the coast," quipped Bruce Nesbit, who surfed his Olson 34 much of the way to Hanalei. But those first days of pounding out to sea proved to be the undoing of first-timers Jay Capell of Leilani Too and Dave Smith of Magic Carpel Ride. Capell dropped out on the second day when his boat be¬ gan taking on water through her bow and Smith was forced to retire when his gooseneck fit¬ ting broke and he shredded a sail or two. Early in the race the East Pacific High went south, so Lakota and Etosha dove down to lower latitudes to follow it, while the rest of the fleet stayed closer to the rhumbline. Although he had pulled far ahead of the other monohulls, the move put Cranmer-Brown in the path of peril on the third night. "At 2 a.m. I found my¬ self in the direct path of a container ship, " he recalls. After making radio contact, he learned that the vessel was four miles away, doing 16 knots on a collision course. Both skippers agreed to alter course, but with his spinnaker up, Cranmer-Brown was unable to veer far

'98 SINCLEHANDED TRANSPAC

mms

from the ship's path before she came down on top of Etosha. "The freighter passed so close, it took all wind out of my sails and I did a full 360 under spinna¬ ker. I’m so lucky to be here — 10 or 20

Looking and sailing much like a Swan, the Bal¬ tic, 'Giggles', leaves the Bay headed for glory. seconds earlier and it would have T-boned me."

Once away from the coast, steady trade winds drove the fleet from almost dead astern — a rare condition relative to years past. As a result, a decades-old cruising concept proved to be the sail plan du jour. "At first I was embarrassed to tell people I wasn’t flying a spinnaker aboard Giggles," admits Dale Parshall, who gave up on his kite after flying it "on the verge of catastrophe" throughout the first day.

Cantankerous on the outside, big-hearted on the inside, the General's completed six TransPacs. Instead, he poled out two twin 125 genoas, flown off a twin-track headstay. "Here I was trying to do this big sailing thing and I'm flying these wimpy double headsails." Parshall expected the sail change would allow his longtime friend and sail¬ ing rival, Bruce Nesbit, to pull away from Giggles in his lightweight Olson 34 Page 144 • UkuJcZS • August, 1998

Razzberries. But Parshall's system gave him consistent speed 24 hours a day with a minimum expenditure of energy. Giggles slowly passed Razzberries and continued to broaden the gap between them while Nesbit — and others — occasionally lost time while battling with their chutes. "I came up one night at midnight when the spinnaker was wrapped and it took me until 4:45 a.m. to clear it," laments the Mill Valley retiree. "I brought three old spinnakers that came with the boat," says Steve Faustina of the Barnett 42 Solitaire. "I tore up one,

"I tore up one spinnaker; wrapped another, then blew up the third." wrapped another on the forestay and had to destroy it, then blew up the third. Af¬ ter that, I spent two days sewing one of them; it ran for another 12 hours and it blew up again — but not where I sewed it! I guess I'm a pretty good seamstress," laughed the ex-Oakland cop. By the end of the race, Bob Gay of the Pretorian 35 Bravo had the most extreme viewpoint, however: "I hate spinnakers with a passion! They should make them illegal." Meanwhile, with a sage-like wisdom accumulated over five previous SSS TransPacs, the General (Ken Roper) had his own solution to dead-downwind run¬ ning. He'd had a special sail made for Harrier, constructed from two three-ounce genoas attached to a single luff tape. "I can sandwich the two halves together as a single jib with the sheet tied through both clews, or I can separate them and use them as a double headsail poled out." Roper's innovation — and his tenacity — won him first in class for the first time. Most other skippers eventually bagged their chutes for good and used the doubleheadsail arrangement — which is not al¬ lowed in most other races — for the re¬ mainder of the trip.

^3y the time Lakota was halfway through her record run, the rest of the fleet was still acclimating to their solitary life at sea. During the crossing, they would experience day after day of glorious trade wind sailing regularly punctuated by squalls and wind shifts, but no horren¬

Mike Drang inis started and finished with an enor¬ mous smile. "Beats workin'," he said. dous weather hit and no one was ever completely becalmed. The strongest wind reported was a gust of 42 knots, while 15 to 25 was the norm. The two dropouts notwithstanding, there was no major damage to any of the remaining 11 boats or bodies throughout the race, although there were plenty of blown sails and at least three racers got severely whacked on the head by their booms. You wouldn't expect experienced off¬ shore sailors to have head-butting con¬ tests with their booms, but the severe sleep deprivation inherent in the SSS TransPac is bound to cause slow reac¬ tions and errors in judgement. As Steve Faustina found out, a slap in the head is a particularly effective wake-up call. "I left the blood on the deck for days to remind me: 'that's your blood down there, and you don’t want to lose any more.' " The low-slung boom on Greg Morris'

spread: color Blind' is seen here as she et Hanalei Bay, just after crossing the finish Greg Morris (above) was the only competitoi dared fly a chute across the line. With no and onfy kneeling head room', his Moore 2< fast and fun, but exceedingly uncomfortab

OUT IN THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

Moore 24 smacked him on the left side of his head, sending him reeling. Before he could completely catch his balance, it came back again and popped him above his right eye. Luckily, Greg is as tough as a pitbull, so he recovered quickly. But that wasn’t the worst of his problems. After two previous attempts, no one was more determined to race hell-forleather from start to finish than Morris — including Fossett, who sails "very con-

slowed him down.

o 3 K

Sc After a problematic '94 race, Steve Faustina re¬ turned with determination and a bigger boat. servatively" when singlehanding. Morris hand-steered as much as he was physi¬ cally capable and never gave in to fatigue if a sail change was called for. But de¬ spite his best efforts a faulty installation

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When his autopilot stopped function¬ ing properly, Morris realized he needed to drill a hole and sink a bolt through the unit’s control arm, where it attaches to the rudder stock. He had a cordless drill and one sharp drill bit the proper size, but with the boat lying under bare poles and Morris’ body shoehorned as far aft as possible, so much water spilled in through a small access hole in the tran¬ som that he had to bucket it out every 30 minutes for fear Color Blind would sink. While being tossed by the swells, trying to complete the job was slow, torturous work. When he eventually finished the hole, it was an eighth of an inch off and he had to begin again. Finally, after five long hours he raised sail again, but the setback would cause him to lose a posi¬ tion in the ranks. Unfortunately, getting Color Blind squared away before the race was a frantic effort; he'd only sailed her offshore twice. Mike Dranginis alsq had a potentially grave problem, but he too made do. "About the fourth day out 1 worked the foot pump and there was no water." The jarring mo¬ tion of the boat had cracked his system's plastic piping, allowing both his fresh water tanks to drain into the bilge. Luck¬ ily he'd stashed bottled water all over the boat. "I think you really have to have re¬ dundancy built into everything, because

■

John Guzzwell didn't push too hard, but he had a grand time out on the ocean. you never know what's going to break."

Most TransPac'ers had plenty of high times, however, to balance out the difficulties. This was the inaugural ocean cruise for John Guzzwell's custom-built, 'Guzzwell 30’ Endangered Species. He only had an asymmetrical spinnaker, and wasn't set up to run double headsails, but ". . . with the genny poled out and two reefs in the main, you could drive that boat in 40 knots. It just screams along,” he confides with a proud smile. "I would just sit in the hatch laughing my head off watching that wake going by — it was like being on a destroyer." Etosha reached a top speed of 21 knots on her way to taking first-over-the-line honors among the monohulls. The accom¬ plishment was particularly notable since she'd sat idle for six years before her new owner, Steve Gale, and charterer Cranmer- Brown put her through a fran¬ tic six-week renovation process just prior to the race. One night at sea the skipper m&de a particularly poignant log entry: "I lie in my bunk and watch the wind in¬ struments at the masthead while the boat tears madly through the night under spin¬ naker, like a wild horse shaking its head with sheer exuberance over its speed. Ev¬ ery once in a while the keel would give out a loud moaning cry to the whales be¬ low as we hit 18 knots and I pray for noth¬ ing to break." As Bruce Nesbit put it, "The scenery August, 1998

•

Ut^UuUlS

• Page 145

'98 SINCLEHANDED TRANSPAC out there is dark blue water, light blue sky and puffy white clouds. That's it." Nev¬ ertheless there were occasional signs of life. Racing along at speeds as high as 12.5 knots, Endangered Species attracted a huge school of dolphins one day. 'There must have been a hun¬ dred of them and they were surfing with me down the waves. One of them kept leaping up and doing somer¬ saults. It was a really unique experience — so beautiful." _ Other boats 'it was wonderful; nothing had less atcompares," said Bob Gay. tractive visi¬ tors. One night when Nesbit came up to deal with a squall, a huge white sea bird was sitting on his stern pulpit. Bruce was enjoying his company as they sat side by side until the bird suddenly pooped all over the cockpit — and Bruce's leg. Oddly enough, the General had a simi¬ lar-looking visitor about the same time during the trip. And sure enough the un¬ invited guest left an unwelcome deposit in the cockpit of Harrier also. To add in¬ sult to injury though, before he flew off he also regurgitated a half-digested fly¬ "I did the race again to get a good, clean elapsed time," said Cranmer-Brown. But as with earlier attempts it wasn't to be. He was penalized for motoring after the pre-start cutoff time.

ing fish onto the cockpit floor. One of the strangest sightings, how¬ ever was made by Bob Gay. “I'd been ham¬ mered by squalls for 36 hours when 1 looked up and saw the moon through a Page 146 • iMZUdt-Zfl • August, 1998

Lakota topped 27 knots — gap in the clouds. Then her top speed is 31! Oth¬ behind me I thought 1 saw ers set egg timers which a waterspout that was allowed them only 15 min¬ arched at the top." Be¬ utes sleep at a stretch. fuddled, he radioed the Then there was Mike General about it, who ex¬ Dranginis, who swore he plained that it was, in fact, got more sleep than he a 'moonbow' — similar to a rainbow, but with differ¬ "I thought it was going to go!" said does at home. Although the object of ent shades of gray instead Delayne Brink of his wobbly mast. this race is to go it alone, each time it's of the full spectrum of colors. run we're told there's a heartfelt camara¬ Among other notablq log entries, derie that grows throughout the event as Cranmer-Brown once found himself these like-minded souls get to know one smack dab in the middle of a full naval another through daily radio call-ins via exercise 1,200 miles offshore. After sail¬ ing in isolation for days, Nesbit was sud¬ denly blasted by intense sekrch lights one night. The source was a Coast Guard pa¬ trol plane that was looking for two Pacific

"There must have been a hundred dolphins surfing with me down the waves." Cup boats which were thought to have been in distress. Delayne Brink, a school teacher from Seattle, was sitting in the cockpit of At Last one day, lamenting the recent shredding of his spinnaker and thinking to himself, "Too bad my sailmaker's not around," when he noticed a passing freighter. After raising the ship on VHF to chat, another voice came over 7 the airwaves: "Is that you, Brink?" i Ironically enough, I it was Brink’s Sei attle sailmaker » who was sailing l nearby. "Sorry," he said. "No time to repair your sail now. I’m racing in the Pacific Cup!"

e 11 i n g enough sleep to function sensibly is obviously one of the greatest chal¬ lenges of a solo _ ocean race like this. But each sailor dealt with the prob¬ lem in his own way. Fossett set a onehour alarm clock in addition to a radar alarm to alert him if traffic was nearby, and a speed alarm which would sound if

OUT IN THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

SSB and VHF. "The part I liked most was the company," noted Bob Gay, who figures himself to be the least experi¬ enced sailor in the group. "Eveiybody was talking about different rig¬ ging styles, how to set your sails, where the high was sitting and what they were planning to do. Several guys were very se¬ rious about winning, but at no one else's

expense. No one would ever withhold knowledge of a weather situation in or¬ der to win."

a damn — pushed as hard as possible during the final two days. Internally, their bodies underwent a struggle between the adrenaline produced by arrival anxiety and the debilitating effects of sleep depri¬ vation. Fossett, on the other hand, had

Jz3ecan.se position reports were given twice daily, each sailor was able to plot his competitors' paths, compute their handicaps and know exactly where he stood currently in the standings on cor¬ rected time — while friends and family back home followed the action on the SSS Web page (www.sfbaysss.org). As a result, those who were in danger of dropping back in the ranks — and gave

It's a SSS TranPac tradition to greet finishers with their favorite beverage. Nesbit's was wine.

i^ci,

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experienced the elation of finishing days earlier. He celebrated his record run with a "huge Mai Tai" and flew off to the Great Lakes, where he would break yet another record in the Chicago-to-Mackinac race. "With about 15 hours to go," said Cranmer-Brown, "I decided to put up the biggest spinnaker I had and go for it, but I kept falling asleep at the wheel. I ended up hand steering wing and wing 'til the finish." Morris too, eventually ran out of steam. "About three days out I knew I was get¬ ting ready for the sprint to the finish, and I knew how things were shaping up, but I just crashed for eight hours. Before that I'd never let myself sleep for more than 15 minutes at a stretch." A day and a half out, Color Blind was an hour behind Razzberries (on corrected time) and At Last was an hour ahead. They all pushed as hard as possible, getting little or no sleep the last 24 hours. But in the end, each boat held its position. Nev¬ ertheless eachTiad an emotionallycharged finish. fiThat was a fantastic day," recalled Nesbit. "The seas were fairly calm, the wind was strong and the boat was going eight or nine knots all the time. I'd get up on a wave and surf it forever." Meanwhile, 48 miles from the finish "all hell broke loose" aboard At Last. Her mylar headsail blew its tack and got wrapped around the headstay, then the sheet got wrapped twice around the end of the main boom, keeping Brink from August. 1998 • UtXULli • Page 147

'98 SINGLEHANDED TRANSPAC quickly get¬ ting things under con¬ trol. "I had visions of the stick coming down — it was whip¬ ping and wiggling like a noodle!" Eventually, "I knew if I attempted it, it would though, he force me to do a lot of learning," got it to- said Dale Parshall. gether and was the first in his class to cross the line.

finishfers sailed into the sweep¬ ing crescent bay beneath the green slopes of Bali Hai, broad smiles replaced frowns of fatigue. "What a great psychological payoff," beamed Dale Parshall of Giggles, who corrected out an hour ahead of the General to finish first in fleet. "There's so much emotion involved in the accomplish¬ ment — it’s deep-rooted stuff."

erans of past races are often lured back again when they are reminded that few other endeavors bring the same sense of camaraderie and personal fulfillment. Solo ocean racers are indeed a breed unto themselves. As Bob Gay put it, "The Singlehanded Sailing Society is an orga¬ nization of people who don’t usually join anything — the ultimate un-yacht club." — latitude/aet

Although there are always more talk¬ ers than doers when it comes to the Singlehanded TransPac, the next event, in the year 2000, has already generated a lot of chatter. At least half of this year's fleet have shown interest in making an¬ other run, as have many other members of the Singlehanded Sailing Society. Vet¬

1998 Singlehanded Transpac Results Name Q £ MULTIHULL CLASS 1 10 Lakota

Im < Grand Prix 60 tri

Owner/Charterer

Eiapeed Vms

Corrected Me

Steve Fossett

7-22:38:26

11-20:51:46

MONOHULL CLASS 1 1 1 Giggles 2 4 Razzberries 3 7 Solitaire 4 8 Etosha s 5 9 Endangered Species

Baltic 38 Olson 34 Barnett 42 Adler 60 Guzzwell 30

Dale Parshall Bruce Nesbit Stephen Faustina Robert Cranmer-Brown John Guzzwell

13-04:59:28 13-16:33:12 13-12:15:20 12-00:26:29 13-18:24:38

9-23:15:28 10-10:13:52 11-11:22:40 11-11:29:09 11-20:28:38

MONOHULL CLASS II 1 2 Harrier 2 3 At Last Color Blind 3 5 4 6 Compass Rose Bravo 5 .11 6 12 Leilani Too 6 12 Magic Carpet Ride

Finn Flyer 31 Sabre 38 Mk 1 Moore 24 Ericson 30+ Pretorian 35 Catalina 36 Passport 40

Harry M. Roper Jr Delayne Brink Greg Morris Mike Dranginis Bob Gay Jay Capell David Smith

14-17:27:10 14-00:15:53 14-04:42:39 15-23:54:28 16-03:44:31 DNF DNF

10-00:23.10 10-09:06:33 10-10:36:39 11-03:53:48 12-06:06:31

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GUY^OTTEN August, 1998 • UVUJitf • Page 149

TAHITI '98 11 didn't start out well. Just a month before 32 readers were due to depart for Latitude's 1998 flotilla charter in Tahiti, a late-season hurricane raged through those fabled isles. Everyone wondered what, if anything, was left of our tropical

locomotive. During the deluge, a cruising boat dragged down onto one of our fleet. The flotilla crew dashed topsides to find^ naked man aboard their boat trying to release the windlass with a hammer while his hysterical girlfriend screamed useless directions and the two boats banged together. As soon as he was disengaged and re¬ anchored astern of the fleet, one of our flotilla boats dragged off the shallow shelf into deep water, across tine channel and onto the reef. Christophe, our able, French guide came to the rescue and brought them back to safe anchorage, fortunately without any t^amage to the boat. And so started our flotilla charter with Sun Yacht Charters in Tahiti!

Memo to Patagonia: Mark Leon spent time in In¬ dia and found the same type of clothing kept him comfortable on a charter boat in Tahiti.

destination. A few phone calls put our worries to rest. Yes, there had been some damage to the islands. And we'd have to transfer to another hotel in downtown Papeete, as the one we had reserved was now full of guests from some of the more heavily damaged islands. But, we were told, this late El Nino-caused instability in the normal weather patterns was fading in the South Pacific as quickly and surely as it was in California. Sun Yacht Charters assured us that our boats were undam¬ aged, the tradewinds were still blowing and the skies were blue.

T JL hose famous skies hung low and gray as we filed off the plane on May 25 after a reasonably quick 8-hour flight from Los Angeles. After the chill of an extended winter, the tropical heat created an allout assault on our senses. Following a slow and disorganized outfitting at the charter base and a short stop at Uturoa for extra provisions, we took off. The first day's sail was a long, lumpy, upwind beat to Huahine. Well, at least we didn't need foulies. We anchored off the town of Fare and prepared for our first night aboard. I can't speak for everyone, but for the jet-lagged folks on Watteau, our boat, a good night's sleep was at the top of most people's list. It was not to be. That night, another 'Nino-enhanced rainstorm hit like a liquid Page 150 •

• August. 1998

ortunately, fun was rarely again such hard work for the remainder of our week and a half cruising the islands. As the week eased on, the weather settled into almost typical tropical patterns with periodic heavy rains at night and, for the most part, clear skies during the day.

Wind varied from lots on our first day, to calm, motorsailing conditions on other days, with a little of everything in between. Needless to say, it wasn't long before our initial trepidation was dissolved by serene tropical sunsets, gentle breezes and comfortable evenings around the cockpit table with cold Hinanos, the local brew.

T -L he seeds of this tropical vacation were planted many months ago when we told Sun Yacht Charters that we wanted to sail the Leeward Islands of Tahiti with a group of Latitude readers, most of whom were pretty experienced sailors. SYC planned out an itinerary that included the four main islands — Huahine, Tahaa, Raiatea and Bora Bora — plus the bonus' island of Maupiti. All have their individual attractions, Maupiti's being the complete lack of any tourist facilities. The island is inhabited solely by the native population. This year's flotilla, only the second we've organized, consisted of five boats. Each sported private cabins and multiple heads for the'six to eight people aboard. The fleet consisted of two Beneteau Oceanis 440s. Valesquez and Watteau, a

FLOTILLA CHARTER IN PARADISE KMBSS ■ "

> '

Above, Maupiti as viewed from its highest peak. The climb was hell, but the view was great. Left, shore patrol in paradise.

water, Florida, and three New Yorkers: George Czumaj, Lech Soleck and Hal Morse.

Gib Sea 474 named Caillebot, our lead' boat, a Privilege 45 catamaran called Nunki Star, and the big boat of the fleet, the Jeanneau 52 Spica. The charterers themselves ranged in age from the low 40s to 70 or so, and ran the. gamut of interests, marital status and sailing experience. Many, such as John Etherington, Pete Boyce and Mark Leon, had already done tropical charters. But only a couple of people in the group had ever sailed the islands of Tahiti before. ForTom Roper, it was the first time sailing — peri¬ od, anywhere, ever! Most of our adventurers hailed from the Bay Area, with a few from Southern California. Long distance travelers included Roper, who hails from Tulsa, Miles Clayton from Bossir, Louisiana, Pat and Laura Moriarty out of Austin, Norman Steuer of Clear-

aving spent much of my sailing life on either racing or older cruising boats, I tend to think of myself as a hearty sailor who can tough it out on any leaky old cruising boat. But sailing on a boat with four double cabins, three heads with showers, tons of refrigerated space and lots of fresh water caused a severe attitude adjustment. Big cockpit tables, walk¬ through tran¬ soms, electric anchor wind¬ lasses and all the other am¬ enities on these boats completed the effect. By the time we left, I could barely imagine functioning on a boat without hot and cold sunblock applicators. The rigs on all the boats were charter simple — roller-furling jibs and mastfurling mains. While it took awhile for the

Nightlife in Tahiti is not what it used to be in Fletcher Christian's time.

more race-oriented sailors to stop looking for flatteners, Cunninghams and other gofast goodies that weren't there, the ease of these lowest common denominator rigs soon had me and the other 'tweekers' relaxing in the cockpits contemplating more important things: SPF 15... or 30? Which is not to say these boats don’t sail well. They do. None of our fleet were more than a few years old and all the sails and gear were in excellent shape. While the racing contingent may have had to cool their jets a bit, everyone else in the flotilla marvelled at the quick pace and easy motion of these modern designs. In fact, one of the major beefs to come out of the trip was "I didn't get to steer often enough."

The dilemma of any foreign vacation, sailing or otherwise, is budgeting time correctly. If you go too fast, you end up wishing you'd relaxed more. Go too slow and you wish you'd seen more. Fortun ately, the SYC folks have done enough of these charters to know the ideal pace and variety of stops and scenery that keep charterers happy and interested. Our 10-day, five-island trip included one night sail (from Raiatea to Maupiti) and five sails of 20 miles or more. We couldn't really dawdle too long in any one spot, but at the same time, we didn't need to push too hard, either. On Watteau and most of the other boats, this worked out perfectly. Sun Yacht Charters even included a couple of 'slow days' in the middle, when we appreciated them most. Of course, the schedules are not carved in stone. One of the boats in our fleet decided to skip the trip to Maupiti in favor of more hang time in Bora Bora. No

"Follow the leader, single file" — negotiating the tricky entrance through the reef at Maupiti.

problem — except that they missed one of the nicest stops in the South Pacific. The sail to Maupiti. began with a midnight departure from Raiatea. Under the gaze of the Southern Cross, we enjoyed a leisurely downwind sail, interAugust, 1998 • UFUMli • Page 151

TAHITI '98

Left to right: $2,660, $3,260 and $5,630. But it is duty free.

John Etherington at the wheel of Watteau.' rupted near dawn with a brief rainshower. Then, as we approached the narrow entrance to the lagoon, the sun broke through. As if on cue, dolphins sur¬ rounded all the boats for a playful perfor¬ mance. We were reluctant to leave them to head into the lagoon, but once inside things only improved. Memories of Maupiti are a blur of bril¬ liant blue water, palm-covered motus, long walks across shimmering water just a foot or two deep, diving with sharks, manta rays and turtles, an island feast, a Sunday church service highlighted by world class singing — all topped off by a glowing sunset. If we hadn't met them and taken pictures, it would be hard to believe real people live there and call it home! The locals — about 600 people live on the small island — were the highlight for many of our group. "They were genuinely interested in meeting us and knowing who we were," said John Etherington. "The sing-along where they included us as fellow party-goers was really terrific." In fact, the entire Tahitian population with whom we came in contact were extremely friendly. They cheerfully endure any attempted assaults on their 'native' French, and will eventually bail you out with whatever English they know. We had a need to hitchhike at one point (to save cab fare), and we were picked up quickly, once by a couple with a baby and later by an elderly couple. Trust and friendliness are abundant natural resources in these islands. So is tourism. Everyone knew going in that Tahiti was expensive. But it was still a bit of a shock to pay $25 to $35 each for eating out at tourist restaurants. The upside is that it made it all the more attractive to be aboard a sailboat with our own provisions. Page 152 •

• August, 1998

The food on our boat turned out to be just right. The burgers weren’t as tender and juicy as those grilled on the backyard barbecue back home. But compared to any fast food joint back home, they were, well, cheeseburgers in paradise. Of course, the fresh produce, especially fruits and juices, made most of the California stuff look pretty bland. Another popular and worthwhile dining option are Tahiti's famous 'trucks' that gather at many of the main town piers. In Papeete, on the main island of

Tahiti, for just $7, you could get more delicious grilled fish with rice than you could eat. If you had any room left after that you could go to another truck and order a delicious Citrus Grand Marnier crepe for $2.50. On other islands, bro¬ chettes of fresh fish were $1 or $2 each with servings of rice for $1.50. Adult beverages ran from $2.50 a bottle for Hinano beer at a bar in Maupiti, to $5 for the exact same size bottle in Bora Bora. (Oddly, Corona was available everywhere, too. But no one ordered one so we don't know what it cost.) Pina Coladas at the Hotel Sofitel on Moorea were $8 each. That seemed a tad pricey, even if the coconuts were probably picked fresh that morning. Here’s a partial list of other prices found shopping: toothbrush, $2.50; shampoo, $4; five bananas at the market, $2: cup of coffee or tea and a croissant, $4; post cards, $.50 each; French wines at the market, $6-12. A round trip, halfhour ride on the high speed hovercraft Caillebot'on the passage from Tahaa to Raiatea. With the exception of a few light-air days, most of the sailing was like this.

FLOTILLA CHARTER IN PARADISE

ALL PHOTOS JOHN ARNDT from Papeete to Moorea and back was a reasonable $16 per person, while duty free Rolex watches ranged from $2,600 to $8,000 each. We have no idea if that's a good /leal or not.

Of course, most people don't come to Tahiti to shop and eat. They come to sail, swim, relax and enjoy the real pleasures of these island jewels. And for those with the spirit, a sailboat is still the best way to see Tahiti. The weather and sailing conditions were kind enough to allow us all some great passages, and challenging enough to remind us we weren’t staying in beachfront hotels. Among Tahiti's Leeward Islands, the sailing itself is more upwind/downwind than the Caribbean, and can be bois¬ terous. Once you arrive at an island, however, the area inside the barrier reefs is flat water with many nice anchorages close to one another. The anchorages vary from 60 to 90 feet deep in the more protected coves, to 12 to 30 feet in the

Watching the sun set over Bora Bora from ‘Nunki Star.'

midst of large expanses of aqua blue waters. The windward side of Bora Bora, for example, had us sailing over three

mechanical glitches — such as the time we inadvertently filled the outboard with diesel fuel — he was always there. He guided us to the freshest baguettes, arranged dinners and answered the

THE REST OF THE STORY ' /

While most participants considered the Latitude Tahiti Charter to be a success, the whole truth is that some went home happier than others. Part of the problem is inherent in any flotilla charter: throw a bunch of disparate personalities into intimate contact for 10 days and there are bound to be a few awkward moments. Part was due to a lack of clarification of people's various roles and interests. One example was boat captains. The charter company assigned one person on each boat to 'be in charge.' This meant he had the final word on where to anchor, how much scope to put out, how often to run the refrigeration and how much sail to set. Not surprisingly, all the different people on each boat had differing opinions on these issues, some of which were taken into account, some of which weren't. The most popular boat captain was one of the less experienced sailors of our group. He was always open-minded and amenable to the desires and opinons of the crew.

Another bit of friction arose as a result of differing financial situations. Simply put, some people on a strict budget wound up on the same boat with money-is-noobject folks. Fortunately, these and other potential problems were handled by most of our charterers as they would be amongst friends. But not always. While perfection is unattainable — even in paradise — we certainly want to get' as close to it as possible. We're still novices in the flotilla charter game, but we've learned some things in the past two flotilla charters that we'll certainly apply to improving future ones. Next time, for example, we'll try to screen applicants more closely for compatibility, and likely arrange a revolving 'watch', in which everyone gets to be captain for a day. We’ll also start the trip with a general meeting to make everything clear. We'll open lines of communication early — and keep them open.

miles of 12-foot-deep water to finally anchor in 10 feet. While the sun is high, eyeball navigation is easy. Once it gets low, you have to be careful. Another advantage of a flotilla charter is that the company provides a guide. Christophe, who bunked on the catama¬ ran but was 'on call' for all of us at virtually any hour, was indispensible. From the first night when he pulled that boat off the reef to fixing the more usual

numerous questions that came up along the way. He was also our 'ticket' to the seldomvisited Maupiti, as the narrow, somewhat difficult passage through the barrier reef renders the island generally off-limits to bareboat charters without a guide.

Nex,

to sailing, our favorite activity in the islands was snorkeling. In fact, the August, 1998 • UtCUJiH • Page 153

TAHITI FLOTILLA '98 clear, warm water, easy access to coral heads, and colorful and abundant sea life made us reluctant to climb back aboard. As the week wore on, Jt occurred to me that most of the activities we enjoyed centered around the boats. While there were villages to visit, ancient ruins to ponder, and souvenier shopping to do, our fleet by and large preferred anchoring out, swimming, relaxing, snorkeling and exploring the miles of beaches. And reading — Sterling Hayden's Wanderer is a great read in Tahiti. The most challenging aspect of the trip occurred ashore on Maupiti when some fool (well, maybe it was us) suggested a morning hike up the island's central peak. Six suckers. . . uh, adventurers. . . accepted and at 7:30 a.m., we assembled at base camp ashore. When our island guide failed to show up, Christophe rose to the challenge. "I will lead you," he declared, and off we went. The first thing we realized was that there was no trail. We just muscled through underbrush that in places was almost shoulder high. The second thing we realized was that we should have

started at 6:30. Wow, was it hot! Imagine doing a workout in a sauna while sharp bushes tear at your clothing and you have some idea of how the morning progressed. By the time we came down at 9:30 a.rrv. I think we were all five pounds lighter. Nightlife in Tahiti is not what it used to be in Fletcher Christian's time. As some of the single charterers discovered to their dismay, naked young women no longer swim out to greet boats. In fact, these days, Tahiti is better known as a honey¬ moon destination. If the truth be told, most of our nightlife consisted of hitting the bunks early. With the sun setting in the Southern hemis¬ phere by 6:30, we were usually all in bed by 8:30 or 9 and rising at 6:30 a.m. — about an hour earlier than at home! Most of the charter group did manage one night out together at the Hotel Hibis¬ cus on the Eastern side ofTahaa. For $50 apiece, they put on an incredible local feast and show of native Tahitian dancing. The young Tahitian, women in this show were so beautiful that the Bounty mutiny

suddenly made perfect sense to us. (Well, at least to the male contingent.) The feast itself left us thankful that the French ended up with these islands. An incredible variety of local foods are available in the islands, but the French have definitely added a flair to the cuisine that’s appro¬ priate for paradise.

.s there a sailor alive who doesn't dream of one day sailing the South Sea islands? If so, we've never met him or her. The reality is that most will never do it — at least on their own boats with unlimited time schedules. Fortunately, a slice of the dream is only as far away as a flotilla charter. With sleek, modern vessels, all the amenities, the safety of built-in 'buddy boats' and the company of like-minded adventurers from all walks of life, it's the next best thing to being there on your own boat — without the long sail from the West Coast. We don’t yet know when or where, but we’re looking forward to a new Latitude 38 sailing adventure in the near future. — John aradt

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August, 1998 • UMJU12 • Page 155

RECREATIONAL BOATER'S GUIDE Picking up where we left off last month, we give you Part II of the Recreational Boater's Guide to Coast Guard Law En¬ forcement, written by retired Coast Guard Commander Hugh Sage.' Civil Penalty Proceedings To add injury to the insult and incon¬ venience of being boarded and searched, you may find yourself the subject of civil penalty proceedings. While some viola¬ tions may be prosecuted as criminal

the federal government from punishing a person for the same act. Additionally, given some recent Supreme Court decK. sions which show a vivid imagination when it comes to the nature of punish¬ ment, it is likely that a person might be prosecuted criminally by the federal gov¬ ernment for an act that also results in a civil penalty by the Coast Guard, if the

■

If you are unlucky enough to get boarded for i safety inspection', try to keep your cool and re member that the same guys that are squander ing your precious recreation time might save your life someday.

My experience is that all Hearing Officers are competent, they do what they sincerely believe to be the 'right1 thing. i

' V : /

charges, or by a civil suit in federal court, it is extremely rare that the Coast Guard uses those procedures for violations of boating safety or pollution laws and regu¬ lations. Rather, a procedure common to fed¬ eral agencies is used which allows the agency itself to review the evidence and assess penalties. You will know that you are headed down this path if you get no¬ tice from a Hearing Officer that civil pen¬ alty proceedings have been initiated. Not all violations end up in civil penalty pro¬ ceedings. The following discussion is lim¬ ited to those cases which go the civil pen¬ alty route. Carefully read all correspondence from the Coast Guard to determine what is being done, what you must do in re¬ sponse, and any deadlines foV your re¬ sponse. The most frequent cause for dis¬ satisfaction with the civil penalty process is disregarding letters from the Coast Guard. Civil penalty proceedings are not trials. They are actions conducted accord¬ ing to rules of administrative procedures, not criminal matters. The Hearing Officer cannot send you to jail, and there is no jury available to hear your case. The ap¬ plicable rules of evidence can be summed up in one word: none. The Hearing Of¬ ficer cam consider virtually anything, but may stop you from presenting evidence which is irrelevant, redundant, or other¬ wise unhelpful. The burden of proof which applies is the preponderance of the evi¬ dence. Many people, especially in cases of boating while intoxicated, learn an un¬ happy lesson about double jeopardy when they are prosecuted in state court and also penalized by the Coast Guard. Simply put, the Constitution’s prohibition of double jeopardy does not prevent both a state and Page 156 • UkuJi.12 • August. 1998

particular statute permits both criminal and civil penalties. Hearing Officers are experienced Coast Guard officers, usually in the rank of cap¬ tain or commander. These officers come from varied backgrounds and typically serve three to four years in the assign¬ ment. The Hearing Officer may have risen through the ranks as a ship driver or avia¬ tor, in the marine safety program, or other specialty. Only rarely is the Hearing Of¬ ficer a lawyer. While it is not fair to gen¬ eralize, duty as a Hearing Officer is gen¬ erally not highly sought and rarely con¬ sidered career enhancing, although some senior officers request the assignment for geographic stability, family consider¬ ations, or other personal reasons, or be¬ cause they desire the opportunity for oneon-one interactions with the boating pub¬ lic. The Coast Guard has three hearing of¬ fices, each headed by a senior Hearing Officer who supervises and evaluates the others in his office. This senior Hearing Officer reports to and is evaluated by a Vice Admiral who is the Area Commander. All cases arising west of the Rocky Moun¬ tains are handled by the office located in Alameda, California. The Hearing Officer is to be 'impartial' in the handling of your case. It can be difficult to accept the premise that Hear¬ ing Officers will not favor the agency which provides their paychecks, evaluates their performance, considers whether to promote them, and otherwise controls their destinies. Things are not necessar¬ ily as bad as they might appear to a boater who comes to the attention of a Hearing Officer. Those who would prefer that the case against them be dealt with by some¬ one in a black judge’s robe rather than a Coast Guard blue uniform forget that even

most judges tend to have some predispo¬ sition to favor the government. My expe¬ rience is that all Hearing Officers are com¬ petent, they do what they sincerely be¬ lieve to be the ’right' thing, and they all take seriously the charge that they be fair and impartial. But in dealing with them, remember that they have been condi¬ tioned through 15 to 25 years in the mili¬ tary to follow orders, respect rules, and respect authority. They consider them¬ selves to be a form of authority, and rightly so, and will not respond favorably to actions that show contempt for them or the rules which they enforce. Preliminary Issues and Responses Reports alleging violations, such as the boarding report completed by the Board¬ ing Officer, are reviewed by shore staff and . forwarded to Hearing Officers if evidence is found to support a violation and the case otherwise fits the current criteria for civil penalty processing. There is no pre¬ text that this staff review is impartial, but it does weed out some where a mistake was made, and this reviewer may collect additional evidence to support the alle¬ gation. The staff will also determine who is the proper party against whom to pro¬ ceed if more than one might be deemed

TO COAST GUARD LAW ENFORCEMENT, PART II > I

t£

responsible, such as when the boat op¬ erator is not the owner. The Hearing Officer reviews the pack¬ age sent by the staff. If the materials sub¬ mitted do not constitute substantial evi¬ dence' of a violation, the Hearing Officer will return it either for additional support or to kill the case. The level of evidence required is very low; often a copy of the report of boarding by itself will suffice. If the Hearing Officer does find substantial evidence of a violation and agrees that you are properly designated a responsible party, he or she will send you a letter of notification. This letter will say something to the effect that the Hearing Officer has found reason to believe that a violation occurred. You may note with some con¬ cern that this means the Hearing Officer forms an opinion that you committed a violation before you are even notified of the proceeding. This is a legitimate con¬ cern because from this point the Hearing Officer presumes that there was a viola¬ tion and that you should be penalized, and it is up to you to prove otherwise. The Hearing Officer's letter informs you of numerous things including: 1) the sus¬ pected violations, citing either the regu¬ lation, published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), or the law, citing the

United States Code (USC); 2) some of your rights as a party; 3) the amount of the proposed penalty (guidelines for penalties are prescribed, but Hearing Officers have great discretion in determining the amount); and 4) information how on to obtain evidence of the violation. Normally this last requirement is satisfied by in¬ cluding a copy of the complete case file that was provided to the Hearing Officer. If not provided, you should ask for all evi¬ dence if you will contest the penalty. Oc¬ casionally there may be some evidence that cannot be readily duplicated and mailed to you, such as a videotape. Spe¬ cial procedures are required to view such evidence. i Once you receive the letter of notifica¬ tion, you have several options, but you must react quickly. You may pay the pro¬ posed penalty within 30 days and be done

with the matter. You may submit a writ¬ ten response within 30 days with any evi¬ dence or argument you wish the Hearing Officer to consider (this is the most com¬ mon method used by those who wish to contest the violation or amount of pen¬ alty or otherwise present information on their own behalf). You may request a hear¬ ing; this request must be submitted in writing, also within 30 days. You may re¬ quest more time to respond if there is a good reason. Or you may ignore it in which case the Hearing Officer will make a decision based on the evidence in the case file, will find the violations were com¬ mitted, and will send a letter assessing a penalty in the amount originally proposed. If there was a delay in receiving the letter of notification, it may be advisable immediately to send the Hearing Officer a letter stating the date you received his letter and saying that you will respond within 30 days of that date. You cannot avoid a penalty by refusing delivery of the letters from the Hearing Officer; it just means that the Hearing Officer will make the decision without your input. If the let¬ ters are not delivered due to no fault on your part, however, so you did not have notice of the proceeding, you may have the case later reopened. If you elect to give a written response, you may include sworn or unsworn state¬ ments by you or other witnesses, copies of documents such as receipts showing that you purchased required equipment, photographs illustrating relevant condi¬ tions on your boat, or virtually anything else that will help your case. If you elect to appear before the Hear¬ ing Officer, a hearing will be scheduled in one of a variety of locations, but not nec¬ essarily convenient to you. Your letter electing this type of hearing must gener¬ ally describe the issues you will raise, e.g. you will offer testimony of witnesses to show the alleged violation did not occur, or you will be producing the lifejacket or Fire extinguisher that the Boarding Officer said was defective and show why the Boarding Officer was mistaken. If several violations were cited you can admit some andYequest a hearing on oth¬ ers. If you are uncertain whether you want afi in-person hearing or one based on

Please note: The information presented here is of a general nature and limited to civil penalties which may be assessed by the Coast Guard. It expressly avoids issues raised by specific statutes or regulations, including violations which might be prosecuted as criminal offenses. This information should not be construed as advice on how to deal with any particular situation; there is no assurance that a person will obtain a favorable result by following the offered suggestions. Anyone with a ques¬ tion about a specific case should consult legal counsel. This information is drawn from documents available to the public and from the author's personal observations and analyses, and does not repre¬ sent any official position of the U.S. Coast Guard. This should not be cited in any official proceeding for any purpose. All informa tion is believed correct as of the time this was written, but is subject to change. August. 1998 • UtUcJili! • Poge 157

RECREATIONAL BOATER'S GUIDE documents, and you are running out of time to respond, you should request an in-person hearing; you can change your mind later and submit a written response prior to the date scheduled for the hear¬ ing. But be sure to give the Hearing Of¬ ficer advance notice of the cancellation of an in-person hearing, especially if he or she would be travelling to hear your case. You can request a telephone hearing if some special situation indicates this is preferable, although at last report all Hearing Officers were denying these re¬ quests. If seeking an exception to that policy, you should submit a written re¬ quest for the telephone hearing and, in addition to specifying the issues you will raise, explain in general terms why a tele¬ phone hearing is necessary. When decid¬ ing whether to contest the case, keep in mind that the penalty will not be in¬ creased from that proposed in the letter of notification, so you have nothing to lose by fighting it except the time, trouble, and expense you incur in responding. V

Hearing and Response Preparation Understand the violation(s) cited. It is a good idea to check the text of the regu-

lation or law and to identify every element of the violation. Be especially alert for any limitations on the locations, types of ves¬ sels, or types of activities covered by the law or regulation to make certain that it applied to you. You can find the text ofv the laws and regulations in your local law library or on the Internet. The Code of Federal Regulations is on the Internet at http:/www.access. gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrtable-search.html. The United States Code may be found at http:// law.house'.gov/use.htm. Remember to check for definitions of words used in the laws or regulations since these may dif¬ fer from common meanings. Understand the evidence against you. Review the case file. Consider how that evidence supports the violation and think about what evidence you could offer to rebut that in the file. Decide whether you will attempt to show the violation did not occur or simply try to get a lesser penalty assessed. Choose one strategy or the other as your primary tactic, although you can say, in effect, “The Boarding Officer was wrong to think there was a violation, but if I cannot persuade you there was no vio¬ lation there are still good reasons you

should reduce the penalty.” Gather your evidence. This may in¬ clude receipts, photographs, etc., show¬ ing you corrected any discrepancies or that conditions on the boat met require¬ ments; written statements of witnesses; and evidence to show that payment of the, penalty would result in an undue finan¬ cial hardship for you or persons depen¬ dent on you. Evidence of financial hard¬ ship might include pay stubs, bills, dun¬ ning letters, unemployment records, dis¬ ability determinations, tax returns, etc. Be careful not to claim financial hardship due to bills for items that the Hearing Of¬ ficer may consider extravagant or a luxury. Consider whether live testimony of wit¬ nesses would be beneficial or just to rely on written statements. While the Hearing Officer may be more inclined to believe someone who looks him in the eye while testifying, witnesses can be unpredictable. When nervous, some will display manner¬ isms that can be confused with lying, some simply cannot communicate well. If you are having difficulty obtaining evidence, you may ask the Hearing Of¬ ficer to help you get it, especially if the

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ro COAST GUARD evidence you seek is in the possession of the Coast Guard or someone who refuses to give it to you. You may ask for an ex¬ tension of time to respond if necessary, but be reasonable in your request. Con¬ sider whether to get a statement from the Boarding Officer or a member of the boarding party, or any other Coastie with information, to clarify ambiguities or fill omissions in the case —~r~~ — file's reports. What about cases in which you are u„likely to show no vio lation occurred? Then what might elicit fa¬ vorable treatment by a Hearing Officer? They often will reduce a penalty from that pro¬ posed in the letter of notification even when it is clear that the violation did oc¬ cur. You should show that you promptly fixed any problem and bought any miss¬ ing equipment. The more it cost you to fix it, the more relief you are likely to see on the penalty, but something less than $1 reduction for each $ 1 spent. If applicable, show that your violation was due to confusion about requirements,

LAW ENFORCEMENT, PART II

especially highly technical requirements, and that you have since educated your¬ self. It can help if you had a Coast Guard Auxiliary courtesy inspection. Likewise, the Hearing Officer may be impressed if you take boating classes offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron, or a similar source. And acknowledge any violation, show that yotr sincerely regret : ' it, and be persuasive 5 that you learned your lesson and it won’t happen again.

Understand the evidence against you. Review the case file.

Live He aring Procedures Many persons go to ::J ~:' the hearing looking forward to a chance to do a Perry Masontype cross examination of the Coastie who submitted the report, only to be sorely dis¬ appointed. It is extremely rare that the government will produce any witnesses. Rather, the government’s case will nor¬ mally be limited to the documents in the case file. These hearings are informal but you should maintain a respectful de¬ meanor and decorum appropriate for an important business transaction.

Documents are often just as important in a hearing as when you merely make a written response. Even if you or the wit¬ nesses you bring will make statements during the hearing, you should give the Hearing Officer written statements by you and your witnesses containing the es¬ sence of your oral statements so your words are in front of the Hearing Officer when he or she later decides the case. While a statement will carry more weight with the Hearing Officer if it is sworn, unsworn statements are admissible. Like¬ wise, receipts, photographs, financial documents, and the like should not be overlooked. The Hearing Officer may administer an oath to you and your witnesses who tes¬ tify. All oral statements should be con¬ cise. Have notes covering the points you need to make in your statement, and have your witnesses also prepare notes of any details they might forget under the stress of testifying. Prepare notes on what you will want to elicit from each of your wit¬ nesses and use those notes to make sure nothing is missed. The Hearing Office may ask you or your witnesses questions. Don’t be caught making a statement that

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RECREATIONAL BOATER'S GUIDE is not plausible and make sure your wit¬ nesses know not to shade their state¬ ments in an attempt to help you. It is of¬ ten helpful for you to take responsibility for your actions; don’t'blame others for actions over which you had control. Do not cite this article for any purpose. Keep your discussion of law at a layman’s level. You probably will benefit more from sounding reasonable than sounding like a legal genius. Tell the Hear¬ ing Officer exactly what you want; a find¬ ing of no violation, a reduced penalty, or a warning. After you have presented your case, the Hearing Officer is likely to ask something to the effect of whether you have anything else to offer. Check your notes to be sure you covered the points you needed to make. Verify that you gave the Hearing Officer all the documents to support your case. Then thank the Hear¬ ing Officer for considering your evidence and argument. The Hearing Officer will not announce a decision at the hearing. Rather the de¬ cision will come after he or she reviews the evidence and issues raised in the hearing and the applicable law, if neces¬ sary. The Hearing Officer may give the

Coast Guard staff an opportunity to re¬ spond to facts or issues you present. (This may happen if you go the written response route, also.) You will be given a copy of any queiy by the Hearing Officer to the Coast Guard and any response. If the Coast Guard responds with additional or new information that might affect the decision, you will have another opportu¬ nity to get the last word in before the Hearing Officer makes the decision.

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Post Hearing Matters The hearing of¬ ficer’s decision will come to you by letter. It will include findings whether the viola¬ tions were committed arid, if so, the amount of penalty assessed for each vio¬ lation and the total penalty. Rather than a penalty there may be warning (but even a warning might cause you to be treated as a repeat offender if you have another violation later). The letter will include in¬ formation on procedures to pay the pen¬ alty, and information regarding interest, late charges, and administrative fees if it

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is not paid. These various charges can es¬ calate the debt quickly, especially in cases of oil spills and related violations for which the law mandates late charges of 20% per quarter. And you will be informed of your appeal rights. You can appeal the assessment of a penalty or a warning by sending a letter to the Hearing Officer within 30 days of the assessment. You may simply state that you appeal if your ob¬ jection is general in nature, but do state specific errors by the Hearing Officer if any stand out. If you do not appeal within this time, you may be later barred from fur¬ ther challenges to the penalty. You also may request that your case be reopened. Such a request must be in writing and submitted to the Hearing Of¬ ficer within 30 days of the penalty assess¬ ment. To do this you must show a good reason, generally that critical evidence did not become available to you until after the penalty was assessed. If you appeal, the Hearing Officer may

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ro COAST GUARD LAW ENFORCEMENT, PART II choose to reopen the case and reissue the decision, in which case you will still have the opportunity to appeal an adverse de¬ cision within 30 days of the date it is re¬ issued. Appeals are referred to the Commandant's staff at Coast Guard head¬ quarters in Washington, DC. The review on appeal is limited to matters in the file submitted by the Coast Guard and what you present in the hearing. You will not be allowed to appear before the person handling the appeal, nor to present addi¬ tional evidence. The penalty almost al¬ ways will be upheld so long as the Hear¬ ing Officer did not make a mistake in in¬ terpreting and applying the law and the file contains 'substantial evidence' to sup¬ port the finding. You won’t be told about it in letters from the Hearing Officer or Com¬ mandant’s staff, but you are not neces¬ sarily stuck with the Coast Guard’s rul¬ ing. If you appealed to the Commandant and received an unfavorable ruling from that level, you can file an action in fed¬ eral court. But time limits will apply and you must act quickly or you will lose your chance for judicial review. If you did not appeal to the Commandant, the judge is

likely to find that you failed to exhaust your administrative remedies and will refuse to hear what you want to say. This topic of judicial appeals is too complex to cover here.

a home, boat, or car, or otherwise borrow a large amount of money, the odds are against you. Even bankruptcy may not help as this debt is generally not dis¬ chargeable in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Payment of Assessed Penalties Do you have to pay the assessed pen¬ alty? If you do not voluntarily pay the as¬ sessed penalty, the file will be referred to the Coast Guard’s collection staff who are very effective at compelling payment. They may report the debt to credit bureaus as delinquent; obtain offset of any income tax refund you might otherwise receive for the next 10 years; revoke documents of any documented vessel you Own, and, if you operate the vessel while its docu¬ ments are revoked, seize it and initiate forfeiture proceedings; record a lien on a documented vessel if the particular law so allows; and ask the U.S. Attorney to file suit to collect debt, but generally only if the debt is many thousands of dollars. A small percentage of persons do avoid ever paying, but if you own a boat docu¬ mented with the Coast Guard, or if you will receive a tax refund any time in the next 10 years, or if you buy orTefinance

Legal Representation Do you need an attorney when facing civil penalty proceedings? Probably not. The process is designed to be informal and avoids rules of evidence. The Coast Guard will not have an attorney representing it in the hearing. You might well be able to achieve the same result as would an at¬ torney. Attorney's fees may exceed any reduction in penalty from the proposed amount and, unless the proposed pen¬ alty is several times what attorney fees would run, hiring an attorney probably would not be cost effective. The Hearing Officer may be more interested in what you have to say than what any attorney might say. But, an attorney can be helpful, even vital, in some types of cases. If the pro¬ posed penalty is very high, or other po¬ tential consequences are especially se¬ vere, balance those costs against what you would pay an attorney to assist you. If

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RECREATIONAL BOATER'S GUIDE the violation is for boating while intoxi¬ cated, consider whether a penalty assess¬ ment would raise your insurance rates, possibly even for auto insurance. If you are prosecuted in state court for boating while intoxicated, it ofterrmakes sense to have the same attorney represent you in the Coast Guard’s civil penalty proceed¬ ing for the same violation. If there is a lot of complicated evidence against you, or which should be pre¬ sented by you, or you simply don’t have time to respond, an attor¬ ney may help. The ability to distill infor¬ mation to its essential llldli elements and present it in a compelling manner may affect the outcome. If you anticipate fighting any penalty in the courts, assuming an assessment is up¬ held on appeal, you probably should have an attorney from the outset. But be fore¬ warned that costs for an attorney to fight this in federal court are going to be sub¬ stantial. If your communication skills are poor or if you have a tendency to lose your temper if a discussion is not going your way you probably should either limit your

response to writings or have an attorney. And, finally, simply having an attorney can show that you are treating the situa¬ tion as a serious matter. Conclusion The Coast Guarfl takes a heavy-x. handed approach to law enforcement on the water. It conducts highly intrusive ~ searches of boats even in the absence of any suspicion of wrongdo¬ ing. When a boarding party finds violations of boating safety or similar l^iws or regu¬ lations, the unlucky sailor may find the Coast Guard seeks punishment through civil penalty proceedings. These civil pen¬ alty proceedings are informed hearings in which it is presumed that the alleged vio¬ lation did occur and a particular punish¬ ment should be imposed. The accused person has an opportu¬ nity to present evidence and explain why a different result should be found. In most cases, the individual can handle the civil penalty case without help from an attor¬ ney. Critical to minimizing the adverse

The Coast Guard takes a heavy-handed approach toward law enforcement

effects of these proceedings are carefully reading all correspondence from the Coast Guard, observing all deadlines for re¬ sponses or other actions, and under¬ standing the evidence of the violation and any limitations in the applicable laws or regulations. While this article describes general practices, it does not prescribe official policy and there may be good reasons for something different to happen in a par¬ ticular case. The author would appreci¬ ate hearing of any instances that differ from what is described. — Hugh Sage Attorney at Law Sage retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 1997 with the rank of commander. Dur¬ ing 20 years of service, he was assigned to a variety of jobs including sea duty aboard Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy ships, and shore duty managing law en¬ forcement operations. Eventually the Coast Guard turned him into a lawyer. As such he was a military defense counsel, repre¬ senting service members in courtmartials and adverse administrative proceedings, and handled diverse legal issues for the Coast Guard.

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• UtUutUJS • Pag© 163

SAILING RECORDS

■<#**

icords are perpetually tumbling. Every time we turn around, the media is breathlessly hyping another shattered milestone — the Dow Jones average just soared to a new high! Mark McGwire just belted another one out of the ballpark! The median price of a house in Marin is up 11% from last year to $429k! The tem¬ perature in the Midwest today topped all previous highs! Titanic just broke all ex¬ isting box office records, and on and on. Why should sailing be any different?

As technology has advanced, boats have gotten increasingly powerful — with the predictable impact on the record book. Last month alone, at least three major records fell — as you probably already know, Roy E. Disney's SC 70+ PyeiSacket absolutely zorched the Pacific Cup record and Steve Fossett lowered the Singlehanded TransPac record by almost a day with his 60-foot trimaran Lakota. For an encore, Fossett flew to Chicago, joined his regular crew aboard his 'daysailer' — the

60-foot catamaran Stars & Stripes — and shredded the course record in the 289mile Chicago-Mackinac Race. S&S's 18 hour, 50 minute ride (a 15.3-knot aver¬ age) set a new multihull course record — but the debate rages on as to whether it will be allowed to count as the new over¬ all race record. It seems the politics of setting ocean racing records aren't as straightforward as you'd think. Just recently, Christophe Augin and his four-man crew aboard the

psi ■ BOC 60 Geodis — which was here re¬ cently after finishing a distant third in the Gold Race — smashed Nicorette's 1997 TransAtlantic record by more than a day. However, Geodis's screaming 9 day, 22 hour, 59 minute reach from New York to the Lizard probably won’t be recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Coun¬ cil, the organization in England that has been in charge of certifying such records since 1989. Seems that Augin didn't pay the $1,200 'entry fee' to the WSSRC, ■4.

Pacific High: 'Pyewacket', seen here at the start of the Pacific Cup, has replaced 'Merlin' as the winningest Hawaii racer of all time.

which in turn didn't send an observer to the start and finish. Despite irrefutable evidence that Geodis legimately completed the teeth-rattling run (a New Jersey bar pilot recorded the start, the British Coast Guard recorded the finish, and many po¬ sitions were faxed to the WSSRC while underway), the record won't be 'ratified'. All of the above got us to contemplat¬ a ssg® in

ing ocean racing* records, as well as the whole record keeping process. We were flailing around, trying to understand all this nonsense when local multihuller Pe¬ ter Hogg slipped us a copy of a booklet entitled The Musto List of Ocean Passage Records 1998. Published by the Interna¬ tional Sailing Federation and the World Speed Sailing Record Council, this handy resource lists ocean sailing records in several categories: the so-called 'ratified' passages (ones they oversaw): races and

SAILING RECORDS Non-Stop Circumnavigations SJtmsr .. i

Yacht Sport Bee ( Enza

Oliver Oe Kersauson

R, Knox-Johnston/P. other accepted records; 24-hour distance Wmwm records (Laurent Bourgnon rules!); and some 'fun' records that are presumably included for general interest. We've bor¬ American Promise '85-86 Dodge Morgan English Rose V '83-84 John Ridgway rowed heavily from the Musto booklet in Whirtpool-Europe 2 '96-97 Catherine Chabaud compiling the boxes you see on these Ocean Bound '81-82 David Scott-Cowper pages. Group 4 •93 Inspired by this treasure trove of nau¬ British Steel 70-71 tical trivia, we decided that someone re¬ Suhalli '68-69 ally needed to compile a list of all the West Coast records, few of which appear in the Musto collection. We couldn't sucker anyone into the task,' so in a Year Distance Yacht » Race misguided fit of blind 1992 Tom Cat 58 DDB Farallones (multihull) ambition, we took it on Rocket 88 1998 Delta Ditch Run (multihull) 65 ourselves. The idea was 1997 67 Lakota Windjammers (multihull) (and still is) to begin Rocket 88 1995 Silver Eagle 75 keeping better track of V 1997 Delta Ditch Run (monohull) 65 Octavia local, coastal, Mexican ;■ 67 Merlin 1983 Windjammers (monohull) and TransPac records, Sundowner 1993 58 SSS Farallones post them on our web¬ 1992 Mongoose DDB Farallones (monohull) 58 site (www.latitude38. Rocket 88 1995 25 Jazz Cup com) and periodically Erin 1996 Three Bridge Fiasco 21 run updates in the 1998 86 Rosebud SF-Monterey magazine. We’ve taken a 140 Eclipse 1992 Stockton South Tower running start at the project, but ran out of ' time and resources to finish it all this month. Consider this a work in progress, and please send in any and all corrections, updates and missing Yacht Race/Route Distance pieces of the puzzle.

MmsM Manm SMffiiM StmfflM FRA

Brest, France

rjRcmi7i

Bract Pf*arw>

Qm Am,-$esL Mask Crewed

Crewed 8.23

USA

Bermuda

150

7.07

Singlehanded

GBR

Scotland

193

6.48

Doublehanded

140

6.46

Singlehanded

FRA GBR

E. Coast, England

221

5.91

Singlehanded

GBR

(westabout)

161

5.61

Singlehanded

GBR

Solent

293

3.85

Singlehanded

GBR

Falmouth, England

313

3.39

Singlehanded

San Francisco Bay

Elapsed 03:30:44 03:57:46 04:41:02 05:48:32 05:34:58 05:59:00 05:32:00 05:39:47 02:31:00 02:17:00 09:41:39 21:17:29

Owner/Skipper Z. Drejes/H. Halterman Serge Pond Steve Fossett Serge Pond Shep Kett Unknown Joe Therriault P. Simonsen/S. Honey Serge Pond Jim Antrim Roger Sturgeon Ed Marez

Ava 17.0 16.1 14.3 12.9 11.8 11.1 10.9 10.2 10.0 9.2 8.9 6.5

Other Major Ocean Records

Royal SunAlliance Round Ireland Lakota 708 ,290 Stars & Stripes Isle ol Wight (easterly) Lakota , : Primagaz . -> -v 1787 Lakota 635 Boomerang wNBBm Faneourta Morning Glory IHHi Morning Glory Fastnet (monohull) 60S Nirvana New York-SF 13.945 Aquitaine Innovations Lakota 811 Annapolls-Newport, Rl 473 Starlight Express Cowes-St, Mato (Europe)

We threw the TransAtlahtic records — arguably the 'course' with the widest worldwide following — and some of the other major international records into this article for background, but frankly we're mostly interested in the West Coast stuff. In that arena, two names virtually jump off the pages — Disney and Pyewacket in the monohull category, and Fossett and Lakota/S&S in multihulls. Lifelong sailor Roy Disney, one of the good guys in our sport, currently owns all three elapsed time records to Hawaii w&fi Pyewacket— an unprecedented and, when you think about it, remarkable Triple Crown. "I’ve sailed 13 TransPacs, one Pacific Cup and one Vic-Maui — so you can see that winning the TransPac was by far the hardest of the three,” Roy said. "It's the record I wanted most, the one that took the most work, and the one I’m proudest of." The Magic Cat also has about a dozen smaller course records, including several of the Mexican races. Despite his enormous success with Page 166 • UMmUZS • August, 1998

Rass&oats

152

Distance

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

TransAtiantic, W-E, Ambrose

2925

Year

Elapsed

Owner/Sklpoer

Avg

1997

06:49:19

Tracy Edwards

22.3

1993

44:42:20

Stave Fossett

15.8

1998

18:50:32

Steve Fossett

15.4

1994

03:35:38

Steve Fossett

13.8

1997

Id 21:44

Laurent Bourgnon

13.2

Steve Fossett

12.7

George Coumantaros

11.0

1994

5d 21:05

1996

2d 9:3.1

1996

14d 14:52

Hasso Piattner

10.2

1996

2d 14:07

Hasso Piattner

10.1

1985

2d 12:41

Marvin Green

9.9

1998

57d 03:21

Yves Parlier

9.6

1995

3d 14:55

Steve Fossett

9.3

1987

2d 05:35

Bruce Eissner

8.8

Xasht

Year

Elapsed

Jet Services V Primagaz FleuryMIchonVIll Royale II Jet Services Elf Aquitaine Royal SunAlliance Paul Ricard Nicoretle (mono) Atlantic

QwmtMimr

Asa

1988