H2uh0 - Bonehead Moves on the Water

If only I could be 22 once more!

2012-01-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

I never get tired of these Yacht Week vids!

Go for a Sail Aboard the "Addiction"

2012-01-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

You heard right folks, a free ride on our lovely sloop sometime this spring. If you have been a faithful reader or just have an interest in a sport that I am crazy about, then plan to join me for a sail! We will head out of Emeryville and hit all the hot spots on the bay, Alcatraz, Angel Island and Tiburon. Kona (my golden retriever) will be there too. We will set a date for the spring and head out in to the wild blue. It will be a safe and sane run that will be comfortable for all. If you have any interest, send me a note and we will take five-six folks out on the SF Bay. Send a note to me fungod at gmail.com

I have taken hundreds of folks out on the bay and this will be a fantastic way to get a sense of this amazing bay we live next to. Join us!

Saturday Morn Vids

2012-01-28T04:42:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this beautiful day!

Mast Work

2012-01-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

Last fall, I was preparing for a trip up to Tomales Bay. It's about 40 miles north of the Golden Gate and requires some ocean sailing to get there. Our boat has been sailing the bay for the last 11 years with zero ocean miles. This was going to be a big deal so in preparation for the the trip, I did two things. First, I had our fuel tank polished as over many years, crude builds up in the fuel tank. When you hit the swell of an open ocean, the crude gets into the fuel lines and can create a blockage and this in turn cause the engine to stop working. The other thing I did was hire a rigger to come out and look at the mast and rigging. After his inspection, he called me and said donot go to Tomales. He found some serious corrosion at the base of the mast. We have an inspection port near the base (a hole in the mast) and over the last 30 years water and spray have created corrosion and weakened the base. It was so bad that I took a screwdriver to a small hole and easily made it bigger. Not good. We took our boat over the the yard and they performed a butt cut. The cut off the base and then use a very rigged material to bring the mast back to its original height. The work has been completed and the mast looks great. If you have an older boat with an inspection port, I would take a look at your mast base.

Top 5 Cruising Tips from a Cruiser

2012-01-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have been following a fellow cruiser on the net for the last 10 years as he sailed around the world on his 32' steel sloop. The entries he posts from the trip are shoot from the hip, no punches pulled accounts of his feelings about his lot in life and some the hassles he experiences while visiting countries far from home. His name is Lauri and you can read about his travels here.

With all his experience, I felt he would be a good candidate for some advice on cruising. Here are his top 5 suggestions:

Hmm… five most important aspects of my trip…. That’s a tough one! Volumes has been written, most authors coming up with a few hundred important aspects. I have a love-hate relationship with advice. I have asked for and listened to the advice of thousands of captains over the years. Some of it has been good, a lot of it has been either bad or unsuitable for my circumstances or otherwise not to my liking. It’s difficult to separate the “absolute truths” from the personal preferences. It’s safe to say: “your yacht must be water tight” but it would be stupid to say: “you must go to Vanuatu”.

Here’s my five things. It’s a pick of the day. My pick.

1. A vessel that is heavy displacement, solid built, capable of making trouble free contact with the bottom. (It doesn’t have to be steel, an older, heavier built GRP will do). I like a long keel for directional stability, because it makes a yacht more sea kindly in heavy weather and helps her run downwind without putting too much strain on the helm. My preference is always for aft cabin / centre cockpit. I like simplicity rather than complexity. With modern electronics, many stand-alone systems are better than one integrated system. An increasing amount of cruising problems arise form sophisticated, integrated systems.

2. Self-steering. I shall never again underestimate the importance of self-steering in long-term, long-distance cruising. I would like to have three: A light weight electric for low power consumption in mild conditions, a heavy duty electric for difficult conditions and a wind vane as a power-free power-ful passage maker. I only had one when I left Australia. In Finland Annina insisted on the most expensive, fixed autopilot. That was the best item I had ever bought. On a passage, one needs to sleep, cook, eat, wash, keep a watch, possibly make minor running repairs, read charts, talk on the radio, perhaps retrieve weather info and so on and so on. 100% reliable self-steering of some sort, any sort, is a must. (Aliisa’s wind vane never worked properly, which is a pity, as we often had to run the engine to keep the batteries topped up during cloudy passages with the big autopilot.

3. One odd thing that comes to mind relates to freedom to come and go. Many yachts made arrangements for family / friends to join them on a leg or a cruising holiday on a group of islands etc. Nine times out of ten this caused problems; yachts were “forced” to head out in bad weather simply to make a flight on an island 100 miles away. People missed destinations they genuinely wanted to see because they had committed themselves to be in a particular port at a particular time. I never did that and I was much happier for it. The back bone of comfortable cruising for me is the freedom to come and go and stay according to the whims of the crew, the captain or the weather. Here, appointment often means dis-appointment.

4. Electricity. I personally would not like to go cruising without a fridge. In our next boat I’d like to have a small freezer too. A PC is a must and in today’s world to be online is to exist. This all takes electricity. During my cruising I noticed that diesel generators were one of the main causes of headaches for many people. Aliisa did very well with 4 large solar panels over the years but as the use of laptops and internet became more common, the need for more power became a problem. We added a wind generator and I was very pleased with it. (5 or 6 blade wind gens make a lot less noise than the 3-bladers). In the next boat I will have two D400 wind generators and 1KW of solar. I will not have a diesel generator, but I may carry a small 4-stroke (Honda?) petrol genset for emergencies. Whatever the configuration in a given boat, my opinion is that only wind and solar will make you truly self-sufficient. And that means freedom to seek any out-of way bay for an anchorage for any length of time.

5. Advice. I’ve listened to a lot of advice in my years. I have a love-hate relationship with advice. It’s tempting to tell others what they “should do”. Yet, the best advice I can think of is: “don’t listen to other people’s advice”. We not only live in a rapidly changing world, but also one man’s paradise is another one’s shit hole. Guides (and other cruisers) are full of personal opinions and experiences, often very different from yours. It’s good to be safety conscious, but beware that people who tell you NOT to go somewhere have almost never gone there themselves! I feel that ignoring advice and not reading cruising guides helped me maintain my freedom to choose what I felt I wanted to explore. Sometimes the place was great, sometimes not, but either case was often contrary to other people’s opinions or even experiences. Whenever anyone tells you that “you must” do something, be it about a particular installation or equipment on board or a particular cruising area or destination, always ask them “WHY?”

I have been totally shocked about the amount of false / irrelevant / misleading / out dated / biased / incorrect information in printed cruising guides. I doubt I will ever buy one again. The only exception is what I call “hard-core” information on rocks, bays and anchorages. Mostly this is visible on your charts anyway, but some guides are good at pointing out safe anchorages. The best and almost the only useful guides I’ve seen are “100 Magic Miles” covering the Whitsunday islands in Australia and Eric Bauhaus’ Panama Cruising Guide, with charts and satellite images of all important areas.

One of the best items on board – one I loved to use and would not go without – was the old SSB/Ham radio. While the cruiser’s chit-chat is often full of the same bullshit you hear in yacht clubs world over, the information you get from another cruiser on location is at least up-to-date, even if it is coloured by his/her own personal experience.

I hope that was enough. There are a million things to consider, but you are already an accomplished cruiser. Cruising the world is not necessarily that much different from cruising your home coast. People are generally friendly, services and stuff is generally available and the boat will be an ongoing project throughout the cruising life anyway. I would always avoid waiting until “everything is ready for departure”. Everything will NEVER be ready for departure. Only the captain needs to be ready.

Click on the pic to see a lager view of the map.

Thanks Lauri, that is some great stuff. Hope to see you in the high seas!

Windsurf Awesomeness

2012-01-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

For Your Saturday

2012-01-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

Top Sailing Quotes

2012-01-18T04:46:00.000-08:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
“There's no thrill in easy sailing when the skies are clear and blue, there's no joy in merely doing things which any one can do. But there is some satisfaction that is mighty sweet to take, when you reach a destination that you never thought you'd make” - unknown
I don't know who named them swells. There's nothing swell about them. They should have named them awfuls.   -Hugo Vihlen

Red sky by morning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night, sailor's delight.   - Anonymous

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.
- Oliver Wendel Holmes

Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.   Robert N. Rose

There is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.    Kenneth Grahame

Boats, like whiskey, are all good.   Culler

A lot of people ask me if I were shipwrecked, and could only have one book, what would it be? I always say 'How to Build a Boat    Stephen Wright

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.   William A. Ward

At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.    Robin Lee Graham

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.   John Masefield

"The ocean has always been a salve to my soul...the best thing for a cut or abrasion was to go swimming in salt water. Later down the road of life, I made the discovery that salt water was also good for the mental abrasions one inevitably acquires on land."   Jimmy Buffett

"The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats."
- Ernest Hemingway

The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.
- Dom Degnon

There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.
- Joseph Conrad

"Cruising has two pleasures. One is to go out in wider waters from a sheltered place. The other is to go into a sheltered place from wider waters."   Howard Bloomfield

Mackerel skies and mares tails, soon will be time to shorten sails.   Old sailors proverb.

There is nothing like lying flat on your back on the deck, alone except for the helmsman aft at the wheel, silence except for the lapping of the sea against the side of the ship. At that time you can be equal to Ulysses and brother to him.    Errol Flynn

"One of the best temporary cures for pride and affection is seasickness."
- Henry Wheeler Show

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Give him a fishing lesson and he'll sit in a boat drinking beer every weekend.   Alex Blackwell

A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.   Bernard Moitessier

The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.   Joshua Slocum

"The sea finds out everything you did wrong."   Francis Stokes

“I start from the premise that no object created by man is as satisfying to his body and soul as a proper sailing yacht.” Arthur Beiser (The Proper Yacht)

"The sail, the play of its pulse so like our own lives: so thin and yet so full of life, so noiseless when it labors hardest, so noisy and impatient when least effective."
- Henry David Thoreau

"Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit."    Brooks Atkinson

"Not all who wander are lost."     JRR Tolkien

There are three sorts of people; those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea. - Old Capstan Chantey attributed to Anacharsis, 6th Century BC

The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea.   Isak Dinesen

The sea hates a coward.   Eugene O’Neill

To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go.    Joshua Slocum

A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit; but a sailor is part of the local scene from the moment he arrives. - Anne Davison

"Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore are usually looking down."
- John Masefield

"A small craft in an ocean is, or should be, a benevolent dictatorship." Tristan Jones

Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time. Joseph Conrad
"It isn't that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better." Sir Francis Drake

What Would You Do?

2012-01-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

Amazing!

More Pics

2012-01-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

Double Code Red

2012-01-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

More Surfing Videos

One of the biggest days ever at Teahupoo. Would you ride this wave? Go full screen no matter what.

Pic of the Day

2012-01-14T07:30:00.000-08:00

Click the pic for a bigger view.

Happy Saturday

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Your Turn

2012-01-12T04:47:00.000-08:00

How to Drop the Spinnaker

2012-01-07T06:19:00.001-08:00

Not!

Tip of the Day - Airfoil (stream everything everywhere)

2012-01-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

So you have that shinny new Macbook Air and you are sending your music library to the Apple TV via Airplay. That's pretty cool. Then your friends come over and you splash a few vids up on the flat panel with your iPhone. Not bad. Then your friend comes over and says you have to hear this album he found on Rdio. You pull it up on your computer but there is no way to get it on your stereo (Apple TV)...until now! With a cool utility called Airfoil, you can stream anywhere in your house. I am currently streaming my music station: H2uh0 Radio from my laptop to my iPhone which is in a Bose sound dock. It sounds awesome and you control it from your laptop. Any computer, iPhone, or iPad can become an Airport Express and receive the signal through your Wifi. Hook your device up to some speakers and suddenly your whole house is filled with music!!! It is amazingly cool. I have been using this for years and have turned major web radio companies on to the fact if they are streaming music to home computers, they need to let their customers know about this software. Head to this website for the download. It will be worth it!

Pics of the Week

2012-01-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

Click the pic for a bigger view.

Check Out Uwall.tv

2012-01-05T01:12:00.000-08:00

If you have ever checked out the plethora of music videos on Youtube, you will agree that almost every music video known to man is on there. Let's say you want to watch some old footage of Jackson Browne singing, "In the shape of a heart" along with many of the other videos of him and his music. If you go to Uwall.tv you can watch all his videos in a playlist created instantly by the program. It's a cool way to see some of the videos you missed while you were out living life during the MTV era.

Dear Diary

2012-01-05T00:57:00.000-08:00

Her Diary,

Tonight I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my girlfriends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I showed up late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested we go somewhere quiet where we could talk. He agreed but he didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Nothing". I then asked him if it was my fault he was upset. He said he was not upset, that it had nothing to do with me and to stop worrying about it. On the way home I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly and continued driving. I can't explain his behavior and I'm not sure why he didn't say, "I love you", to me. When we got home, I thought I'd lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there and watched TV. He continued to be distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt he was distracted and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep and I cried. I don't know what to do. I almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster!

His Diary,

Went out to the boat today and the engine would not start....can't figure out why.

Bonehead Move of the Year! - 2011

2012-01-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

After much thought and deliberation we have determined the winner of last years contest. Ladies and gentleman, I give you our distinguished winner!

Here are the top captions sent in:

Top Captions Contest:

"So what part of 'starboard' don't you understand, you big red behemoth?" — Walter Conner.
"Tanker Foils Yachts Attempt to Steal Ships Anchor." — Jak Ayres
"And now our top nominee for the Sailor's Darwin Award is. . ." or "Sailor's cure for constipation" — Dan Begonia
"Diagnosis: Crew suffers from acute case of SFB (shit for brains)." — Patrick Okey
"In the immortal words of Jim Kilroy, 'Mass times velocity equals right-of-way.'" — Chris Ericksen
"Vessel limited in her ability to maneuver runs down vessel limited in her ability to think." — Tim Schaaf
"Captain to crew, “hold my beer, watch this!" — Jim Van Cleve
"Does insurance cover new underwear?" — Bob C.
"Sometimes it sucks to be the frontrunner! — Ken Fouts
And our favorite: "Artist Cristo attempts to wrap a supertanker in pink," submitted by Paul Clausen.

Bonehead Move

2012-01-03T07:08:00.001-08:00

Get Ready for a Great Year of Sailing

2012-01-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

I know most of you sailors are done for the winter but on the west coast we look forward to winter as the winds are lighter 5-15k instead of the normal 25-35k here in the Bay Area summer. It's a nice change and much warmer on the water in the winter than in the summer. Next weekend I am taking out 6 ladies for a cruise. They won a sailboat trip on my boat at an auction a year ago. Should be fun to play charter captain for a day. I will let you know how it goes.

Here is a vid to get you thinking about your next sailing adventure and get you excited about being out there again. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Sailing Race - A look Back at 40 Years of Extreme

2011-12-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

I present you with an awesome sailing video of the history of the Whitbread/Volvo Ocean race. It's a 50 minute video, however you would be hard pressed to find another that would present more dramatic story lines or footage. "If you want to be in the sailing game, this is the ultimate race". Enjoy and go full screen!

Merry Christmas from Lake Sunapee

2011-12-24T05:02:00.000-08:00

We are in New Hampshire for the holidays with my family. My sister has a beautiful home on Lake Sunapee and we had a lovely sunrise over the lake this morning. I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2012. Here's to many sailing adventures in the New Year!

Some of my sailing goals for this year:
Fix the base of our corroded mast
Take more friends out on the bay for a day sail
Sail to Tomales Bay
Enjoy the next round of promo races on the bay in preparation for the Americas Cup
Partner Sail
More spinnaker runs
Sail on other friends boats
Baja Haha 19
Delta Trip
Looking forward to another fantastic year on the water!

What Can Siri Do For You?

2011-12-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

Siri plays a Yamaha Disklavier wirelessly via Wi-Fi and Airplay, complete with moving keys in full expression and moving pedals. Maybe with the next iPhone, Siri will sail your boat!!

2011 - A Look Back (according to Google)

2011-12-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

Looking back on my 2011, I have been extremely blessed in so many ways. My family is healthy, our event planning company is doing very well and heading into it's 20th year and I have some great friends to enjoy life with. There are so many highlights and here are a few: Lots of skiing this year including a week in Mammoth and Lake Tahoe with one of the biggest snow years ever (800"), one week charter out of La Paz to the islands with the boat partners, boys trip to Puerto Vallarta with Frank and company, a visit from Steve and family from Delaware, floating down the rivers of France for a week with my extended family, amazing day sails with lots of spinnaker action on the bay, several sails on friends boats (Olivier, Pete and John), Sailing with Ryan and his famous kegs on the boat, a darts party at the house, a week long trip up the Napa river with Tex and Julie, Baja Haha 18 to Cabo, Cancun and the Mayan Riviera with the family and Mo and Dan, awesome December events at the deYoung and Bimbo's, and a trip back east to spend the holidays with my family. What an awesome year of my life! I am really looking forward to 2012 and getting closer to the America's Cup!

One of the most exciting sails was a night sail coming back to Sausalito after a ballgame. We were not expecting much wind, however when we got to the other side of the bay bridge, it was blowing 30 and very thick fog. John was at the wheel and I had the chart plotter and AIS going to make sure we were clear of the islands and no boats were headed our way. We made it and the adrenaline was a rush! Hope you all had a great year as well, cheers.

What I Love About Sailing

2011-12-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

I started sailing a windsurfer in 1984 when I was living on a lagoon in Foster City, CA. I thought it was so cool that I could move across the water with this amazing invisible force (wind!). When I started to sail on the bay, I felt the freedom of skipping across the water at 20-25 knots that I had always yearned for. Now that I have been taken by the sport of sailing a 30 foot boat across the bay, I realize the true meaning of what sailing brings into my life. Yes it's still that invisible force, but in many ways, it's about bringing me back to our natural surroundings. The sun heats the earths surface which creates the high and low pressure areas and gets the air molecules moving in the form of wind. The blue sky with its ball of fire burning brightly. The waves that help move the boat if you are sailing in the right direction. The thousands of dolphins and porpoises that I have seen on the ocean and in the bay. I really enjoy watching the sunsets and sunrises from the boat and the different light that it brings into the cockpit of the boat. I have seen the Green Flash several times from the deck of the boat and those were all highlights. Out at the Farallons, we had a humpback whale cross our bow and we have had a gray whale cuddle up to the boat inside the bay way back when. One of the other reasons I enjoy sailing so much is that it also has brought many of my friends out on to the bay to share an afternoon sailing in these beautiful waters. With some music, food, and a little wine, we have shared some magical moments on the San Francisco Bay. Our Newport 30 has done a wonderful job of keeping us safe as well as being very forgiving when we make mistakes. As we enter our 11th year of ownership, we could not have picked a better boat for our purposes of day sailing and the 5-6 day sojourns on the bay and beyond. Even though I sail once a week, as soon as I get off the boat to start heading home, I am already thinking about the next time I will feel that invisible force pushing us across our beautiful waters. If you have any interest in exploring the world of sailing, I encourage you to start talking to people in the sport and getting involved in this amazing endeavour. It may change your life and bring you the joy that I have found in getting out on the water.

Cool Vids

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Pics Of the Week

2011-12-13T06:56:00.000-08:00

Click the pic to see a larger view.

Check out this great tune by JD McPherson

2011-12-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

Sailors Are The Lucky Few

2011-12-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

Found this cool article over at Sailing Anarchy:

Childhood experiences almost always have Americans avoiding the water for most, if not all of our lives. We worry about undertows, or sudden storms, or bacteria, or sharks, or the sure disaster caused by swimming too soon after eating. So the idea of sailing seems so risky and foreign that most, indeed 99% of Americans, will never seriously try.
But a few of us, about 1%, do end up going out in sailboats, as often as we can. Given a myriad of seemingly safer, more productive and comfortable options, 2.6 million of us band together knowing that every hour sailing is another hour of full and privileged living. Some sailors are wealthy, some just getting along. Some are old, some are young. No matter our wealth or age, sailors are alike in the feeling of richness that comes from a large commitment of time to sailing and to the tiny sailing social circle that does what we do and knows what we know.
The numbers suggest distinct haves and have-nots. But the chasm in sailing isn’t between the material or the financial haves and have-nots, it’s between the experiential haves and have-nots. When you ask the 1% who sail, you find out that the experiential haves have enough to share and generally want to do it. And among the 99%, it’s easy to find as many who are willing to see through the thick fog of school field trip perceptions as there are sailing in the first place. So the chasm need not be there at all. It just takes a commitment of time and experience to bridge it.
If you’re on Facebook, search for and befriend one Werner Meybaum of Sailing Lake Calhoun, and you’ll see what I mean. I doubt that Werner is a billionaire, at least in the monetary sense. Yet Werner is among the most generous sailors I’ve ever found. Inspired by childhood memories of sailing on small lakes in Germany, Werner docks an old boat to a city pier in the Twin Cities, and offers free rides to anyone passing by. First come first serve. Only payment: tell your friends. The scale of Werner’s generosity is matched only by a continuous flow of willing and eager newcomers.
Behind nearly every new sailor there is always a bold contrarian like Werner; a teacher, parent, mentor or a leader who provides the time, the access and the assurances; a trustworthy and caring soul who shows, unequivocally, that to be wet, cold and scared is also to be invigorated, refreshed and inspired.
And around every one of these contrarians is a network of friends eager to share their new contagious, authentic enthusiasm for sailing.
Now let’s be clear. All of these contrarians come from the 1% -- they have to, because they have a monopoly on experience -- but their reach is into the 99% and their impact is to the 100% and beyond. It’s a kind of grassroots movement with its tap roots in a tiny minority, precisely where you would think such a thing couldn’t exist.
Every week or so Werner posts another dozen images to Facebook of big-grinning newbies, dragging bare feet from transoms or toasting a golden sundown, and every week Werner's list of friends multiplies. Moms and daughters, old and young, college couples, teenagers, retirees, African-Americans, Indians, Asians, sometimes even infants and pets. Every week I count at least another 50 or 100 people no longer in the 99% and I press “Like”.
This has me wondering what it would take to send the Milwaukee second graders to Werner’s dock for the 2012 spring field-trip.
Happy Holidays, Werner. Thank you for reminding us how lucky we are to be in the 1% and for brightly lighting the path to becoming the 2%.
-- Award-winning author, Nicholas Hayes, has teamed up with renowned illustrator, Renee Graef, to create children's books using intergenerational sailing as an inspirational backdrop.

Top Ten Art Installations at Burning Man

2011-12-09T07:38:00.001-08:00

Attended by 20 people on a San Francisco beach in 1986, the “Burning Man” festival has mushroomed into a desert pilgrimage for 40,000 people annually. For one week, Burning Man qualifies as Nevada's fifth-largest city, and climaxes on Labor Day weekend with the burning of four-story tall wooden “man.” Click here.

Here is a gallery of photos from the last 10 years of BM. Click here.

More Awesomeness

2011-12-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

People Are Awesome 2011 - Koreus

Sailor Forced off Boat by Coast Guard

2011-12-07T04:11:00.001-08:00

A legally blind sailor who was preparing to sail around the world on his 20' boat, was forced off his boat in a terrible storm, is now suing the Coast Guard. His boat was in trouble after he had broken his boom, lost his engine and a big storm was approaching. Read the full article here.and leave a comment below.

Beautiful, Amazing Planet

2011-12-07T03:09:00.001-08:00

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

This super fast motion fly by of the Space Station is amazing! Auroras, lightning, storms and more. We live on a very special planet that needs our help. When we were visiting Cancun a few weeks ago, my nephew Dan and I would go for a long jogs along the beach. Dan is picking up trash as we jog and depositing it in trash cans along the beach and I join him in this endeavor. Only one person acknowledged our work after passing 50-75 beach goers. One morning we came upon a shelf of sand above the waves. It was littered with tons of seaweed. The seaweed had trapped a bunch of plastic and trash and our job was to pick it all up and clean this area of the beach. It took us over 30 minutes to accomplish the task. But we attacked it with gusto. Dan found a huge half jug that we could pile alot of trash into and use it to carry the items to the trash cans. It was mind blowing how much trash there was. We made at least 6 trips to the closest hotel trash cans. No one on the beach said a word or attempted to help us. We finished that and continued picking up trash as we headed back to the hotel. My nephew Dan (26?) is an inspiration as far as trying to make where ever he is a little more beautiful. I hope to continue along this path and hope that if you see trash on the street or on a beautiful beach, you will make the effort to take care of it. It's never too late to start!

This next clip might inspire you...or at least make you smile. Click here.

Land Ho!

2011-12-07T02:43:00.001-08:00

Have a great Wednesday!

Land Yacht

2011-12-01T07:49:00.001-08:00

AC on the Bay

2011-11-30T07:44:00.001-08:00

Boat For Sale

2011-11-29T12:13:00.001-08:00

Boat for sale. Great condition and built like a brick shithouse. Did I mention she floats? This boat will take you anywhere in style. She has been maintained the the highest standards and lots of spare bricks come with it. You will receive lots of compliments on her design and attract alot of attention where ever you go. Don't wait, give me a call and let's make a deal. Wife told me I have to put an ad up. If I can't sell the boat, I will put her up for sale. Contact me at: dealofthedecade@gmail.com

Epic Sunday Sail on SF Bay

2011-11-28T06:46:00.001-08:00

Aloha from San Francisco! Sunday wind forecast was for 5 knots of wind. Not much and a bunch of friends cancelled on Saturday. Those poor chaps, indeed. It was the best sail of the fall. Plenty of wind in the 12-15 knot range and not many boats out and perfect conditions. The wind was blowing from the north east and it allowed me to sail straight out towards Treasure Island. A couple tacks and I was clear to head towards Angel Island. The boat was very balanced and it allowed me and Kona to head out on the cabin top with the bean bag chair. If you don't have one on board, get one. They can add a lot of comfort both in the cockpit and around the deck. We hit Angel and the wind began to get cut off. I tacked and was soon racing towards Richmond. A couple more tacks and I was heading up Racoon Strait. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the bay. Angel on one side and Tiburon on the other. They call this area, the California Riviera. Time to head back so I rig the spinnaker for a run to the barn. I have to give myself enough room to miss the tip of Angel. I set myself up and barely make it as the wind is pushing me towards the island. Once free of the island, I adjust the pole and take off for our home port. It's a lovey run and I am passing a few boats without the luxury of this beautiful sail. I give myself plenty of room on the approch, head downwind and douse the spinnaker with our year old sock. It works perfectly and I cleanup the spin gear and then deploy the jib once more and sail all the way into the marina. What a nice day on the bay. After some clean up and a little nap, I head home for a great nights sleep. Another bon voyage indeed!

Extreme Fun

2011-11-28T05:43:00.000-08:00

Just back from vacation in Cancun, MX. My wife and son along with Dan and Mo. We explored some ancient under ground rivers and caves filled with clear water. Called cenotes, they are filled with stalactites. Some are huge, others very small and all works of art. We also visited an ancient Mayan city called Chichen Itza. Amazing temples and ball court. If you ever visit this area of the world, be sure to explore these beautiful treasures. Adios.

Some Cool Vids for your Friday!

2011-11-18T07:52:00.001-08:00

Amazing Sunday Sail on SF Bay

2011-11-14T07:07:00.001-08:00

The weekend started rainy and cold, but by Sunday morn, it was sunny and mild. Wind forecasts were predicting 10-15 knot winds for a perfect late fall sail. The crew showed up at 11am with Dave, Paul and Ginny and Ryan and Caroline. Kona and I had had a nice sleep on board the night before and after a few chores, we were ready to shove off. The wind was very light as we made our way towards Treasure Island. We cleared the pier and the wind came up a bit. Heading towards the city, we dodged two tankers heading our way. With a tack towards Angel the wind hit 12 knots and we were moving along at 6-7 knots. Soon we were under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was getting close to sunset so we were heading back and getting ready to raise the chute. We lined ourselves up so we could have a straight shot to the barn. As we headed home, the sun was about to set right under the bridge. As it did, the high clouds came alive and it was a spectacular sunset from the water. We got in about 6pm and thanked our lucky stars for such an amazing sail with good friends on a beautiful day on our lovely bay!

Pics of the Week

2011-11-14T06:09:00.001-08:00

Click the pic for a larger view.

AC Hits SD this Weekend - Watch it Live Online

2011-11-11T15:27:00.001-08:00

Click here to watch.

Click here for the schedule.

Enjoy!

Bonehead Move of the Week

2011-11-11T07:39:00.001-08:00

New World Record for Largest Wave Surfed

2011-11-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

Pretty amazing! Somewhere off Portugal. Garrett McNamara surfs a 90 foot wave. Come April, that wave could be worth $90k in the XXL Challenge. $1000 for each foot!

Baja Haha 18 - An Adventure!

2011-11-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

This story begins with a phone call that would drastically change the direction of the 18th annual Baja Haha. The skipper and his wife had been delayed in their departure from Sausalito. Their Islander 36 had required more time and money to bring her up to snuff for the journey to Cabo San Lucas and beyond. They would have to sail nonstop to San Diego to make the start of the race. The phone call came just 12 hours before my departure by plane to meet them in SD. Lanea was on the line saying they were stuck in Monterey with big waves preventing them from safely heading south. They were bummed because they would miss the Haha. They would still head south but would be 5 days or so behind. I told her that I would head to SD to try and find a boat regardless. I wished them good luck and set my sights on a new boat. After all the boat shuffling I had seen in last years haha, I was confident I could find a spot without much trouble.

I arrived in SD mid afternoon and headed for the docks of Shelter Island. I would hit as many boats as I could before sunset. The police docks were the first place to look. I hit a few boats there and if after a knock on the hull and no one was onboard, I would leave a note with my name and number. On the fifth boat, I was introduced to captain Pat. He had built this 67' schooner with his bare hands, from trees in his back yard. She was solid as a rock and had a crew of 9. He told me if I could not find another boat, he would be happy to have me on board. That was a great option if I could not find another spot. From there I headed over to the San Diego Yacht Club to continue my search. I was able to talk my way past the guard at the gate and hit the docks. I ran into some additional boats but everyone was fine on crew. There was a buzz at the club and I spoke to someone who mentioned it was the first induction ceremony into the Sailing Hall of Fame. Schlocum, North, Connor, Cayard, Turner and 11 more were being honored. How cool is that? I struck out at the club so headed to dinner at a local eatery. After dinner, I had a hot tub at the Kona Kai where I was staying and then hit the hay.

Next morning I started with a swim and complementary breakfast. I rent a much too small for me bike and head out in search of more marinas. I heard a bunch of boats were at Cabrillo Marina so I headed that way. All Haha boats carry a green Haha burgee near the spreader. As I head into the marina I begin to see 20-30 of these burgees. I make the rounds and speak to the skipper or leave a note. By mid afternoon I have a few possibilities but nothing firm. There is a gathering at 1630 of the Haha folks. I decide to go have lunch and then return. Upon my return, I meet most of the skippers and no one has an opening. By now I have knocked on about 50 hulls with no luck. This is turning out to be much harder than I expected. I needed to get the bike back before 6 so off I went back to the hotel. The baseball playoffs were on and so I headed to the bar. There was a birthday celebration going and I became part of the 90th birthday celebration. After cake and talking to a few of the guests, I headed down to the hot tub. A few boaters showed up and we had a great time with boat stories. Keen was 20 and heading to Australia with his dad. Chris was getting away from the Alaska cold.

Next mooring I swam and jogged and then enjoyed another nice breakfast in the restaurant. My plan was to head to the skippers meeting with a sign the front desk gal made for me, do you need crew? I was standing right at the entrance of the meeting and no luck. The meeting was about to begin, when I got called over by the assistant Poobah and the phone was thrust into my hand. Brian was on the line and they had just splashed a project boat back in the water and were looking for two crew. What kind of boat, I asked. A 55' steel cutter called Go for Broke, was the reply. They are heading to the party and will find me there. At 2:30 they show up and we get acquainted. Steve is the owner and Brian is the first mate. The boat is not in perfect shape but she is ready for the trip. I introduce them to Adam who is also looking for a spot. They agree on both of us and off we go to do some last minute provisioning. Our driver is a saint of a guy who is Adam's cousin. He has a big truck and room for all our gear. We head to the boat to load it and settle in for the night. It takes a good three hours to get organized and clear room for my stuff. I will have the v berth which is not in the best shape but it will work. The saloon area is unfinished and is filled with boxes and books. The galley is working and cramped as they just installed the stove. We hit the bunk at 11 and settle in. Next morning is the start of the Haha at 11am. We are up early as we have to get to the starting line from the Coronado area. We make it back to the police dock and meet Adam for pick up. Off to the starting line we go. There is little wind, so the race begins as a rolling start, meaning everyone can motor. There are 170 entries and 150 boats at the starting line. I am very happy to be on one of those boats! We head south in the fog and light winds. The boat is huge and very heavy. Did I mention it was 44 tons? Most boats of this size would be half that. I have never heard of a boat for recreational sailing that weighs this much or even close. The boat was built by a survivor of the WW2. His regiment was known as "Go for Broke" and they went on some very dangerous missions with a GFB attitude. After the war, one of them suggested a round the world voyage on a sailboat. The survivors agreed and he went to work on building a strong safe boat for his friends. However, by time he finished 8 years later, all has friends had passed on or were too fragile to take the voyage. So he set off by himself to sail the planet on GFB. Here is some history and a video on the boat. Click here.

With the start at 11 we are on the line and moving south. We are motor sailing with just the main and moving at 5 knots. We set 4 hour watches and I have the 4- 7 slot in the morning and evening. My first watch is uneventful as the autopilot is doing the driving. In the evening the wind comes up and we unfurl the genneker for a little more speed. The wind is currently at 12 knots. I hit the sack after a nice thai chicken meal prepared expertly by Adam. My watch came up and the stars were amazing. Jupiter was off to starboard. Had a nice sunrise and then after my watch we lazed in hammocks as the wind was light. Later in the day a skipjack was on the line. Brian prepared an excellent meal that evening.

I come out for my morning watch at 0400 and it is blowing in the low 20's. Adam is ecstatic as the speeds have been in the 8+ range. I take over the helm and the boat is still driving us forward on our heading. The wind is fluctuating a bit but for the most part strong. About an hour into the watch, the boat speed is down in the 2's and she has rounded up. I turn off the auto pilot and get control. Back on course, we continue to hit the mid 7's and an occasional 8. The wind settles down about mid morning and we are back to motor sailing. My issue is that I don't feel like I am sailing until the motor is turned off and the boat slids effortlessly thru the water. I will have to make some adjustments for this trip!

My Wednesday morning watch begins beautiful with lots of stars but soon turns cloudy. By day break, we have rain in the cockpit. What is going on? After sunrise, it begins to clear and some squalls begin to roll thru. The wind is in the high teens. We are finally sailing. The boat speed is 5-6 and we are seeing some nice swells. During the day the wind stayed in the low 20's and we were moving right along. Little did we know that closer to shore, the fleet was taking a pounding. Some boats reported waves of water in the cockpit. Terrible conditions and survival sailing. Weird how we can be near the same area and have nothing close to those conditions.

My morning watch on Thursday begins at 0400 and we are getting close to our destination and the close of the first of three legs. Adam has been plotting our position on the chart every 30 mins. And we are looking like a sunrise arrival. Adam is a master with the chart and getting bearings off other boats and such. It's great to have him at the chart table taking care of the nav work. Several boats in the area, but the wind is light and we are moving at about 4 knots. We finally bring the boat up to 1800 rpms at daybreak. By 0730 we have the hook set and the hammock up. We have mimosas in the cockpit to celebrate our arrival along with banana pancakes. We head to town on the dingy to get a shower and food. We have lunch and beers then head over to the baseball game. See some folks we know and then after take in Vera Cruz for dinner. Take a panga home and it is very difficult to find the boat but after 15mins, there she is.

Today is the beach party and we are ready. At noon, Adam and I take a panga to the beach. We are some of the first to arrive. We help set up the volleyball net and have a nice afternoon on the court and meeting more folks. They also host a potluck and we have a feast with lots of fresh fish from the fleet. We finish out the afternoon with a walk to pick up trash and then head to the boat for dinner and a glass of wine before sleep. My wife is texting the world series update every inning and I am passing the news to the fleet via VHF. Cardinals win the World Series!

We are up early for departure. The winds are light again and so we are motor sailing. I usually take a nice nap before my watch. Upon waking up we are more than 20 miles from the coast. Adam is refreshing me on chart plotting and it really helps to have a big table in the cockpit to work off of. My watch is uneventful and dinner is excellent with a fresh tuna pasta dish. We are eating well. I go to bed around 2000.

My morning watch is starry and beautiful. I put on the Neville brothers and rock out with the sunrise. I am enjoying having music on this trip. We had none last year.

After breakfast I rig up my hammock in the bow. My butt is in the dinghy which stops me from swinging with the boat motion. I think I have the most comfortable seat in the fleet. During my afternoon watch. I decide to cook the meal as well. We start with some sausages and finish with a salad and chicken. I hit the hay early to be ready for my morning watch and the entrance to Bahia Santa Maria.

At 0400 we are very close to the entrance. In a few hours we will have the anchor down. After breakfast I go for a swim in this lovey bay. I talk to another boat called Distant Drum and they jump in too. The water is delightful. Upon my return, I speak with the skipper and we decide to throw a party in honor of Halloween. We put the word out and folks are excited. We spend a good portion of the day getting the boat in ship shape. At 7:15 we have our first of fifty guests arriving. Folks are very interested in the boat and we are doing tours and retelling the history. We have a great group of folks aboard and we have a blast. One gal couldn't get a ride over so she swam to the party. Marlee is her name and she is a hoot. I make it to 0100 and the party goes to 0300.

We are all a bit hung over in the morning and I spend a few hours in the hammock. That did the trick. We head to the beach party and more good times ensue. Lots of friendly folks and the food and band are awesome. No volleyball at this spot as the tide is too high. Bummer. The weather is perfect.

Back at the boat, Marlee joins us for dinner and a movie. Life Aquatic with Bill Murray. I am beat and go to sleep around 2200. Next morning we are up at 0530 readying the boat for departure. Winds are very light and we motor sail slowly towards Cabo which is about 150 miles to the south.
The wind stayed light all day. It was warm and sunny as we headed towards our destination. Brian catches a 40" dorado and dinner is prepared on the grill. After we watch a documentary called Endgame. I hit the hay about 2100 to get some rest for my last watch of the trip.

Up on watch at 0400. Stars were out and Jupiter was looming large. I went up to the bow and sure enough we had 6-8 dolphins playing in the bow wake. With the bioluminescence trailing them it looked like something out of Tron (1st one). As I was enjoying the daybreak, a flying fish flew right into my crotch. I picked him up quickly and threw him in the water no worse for the wear. We had a beautiful sunrise and then my last watch was done. I really enjoyed the 4-7 watch as I got both sunrise and sunset. Now we are less than 20 miles from Cabo and the finish line.
We made it to Cabo at 1730 and dropped the hook. We made it. It was a great trip. Loads of friendly folks, great weather and good times. For our heavy boat, there was not much wind as we needed 20 knots to get her going. The wind was 8-12 most of the time. I really enjoyed our crew and that's what made this trip so memorable. Here's a toast to Steve, Brian and Adam!

Adam as Popeye

Santa Maria Party

Pic of the Day - Burning Man 2011

2011-10-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Click the pic for a larger view.

Baja Ha Ha 18

2011-10-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

I am departing this week for San Diego and the start of the Haha rally. The boat I am joining is an Islander 36 with a crew of 4. The rally begins on Monday and will take us 750 miles down the baja coast to Cabo San Lucas. You may remember that I did this trip last year and had a blast. Some of the folks I met are going again and it will be great to see them again. I had two amazing highlights last year that I will always cherish. Waking up to 1000 dolphins around our boat and swimming in the bioluminesent waters of Santa Maria Bay. Plus the volleyball and the beach parties. I hope we can top it this year! I will return on Nov. 7th and start posting the logs of the trip. Wish me a Bon Voyage!

Kayaking with Blue Whales in LA

2011-10-18T14:24:00.001-07:00

Bonehead Move of the Weekend

2011-10-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Click the pic for a larger view.

Pics of the Week

2011-10-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

HIgh Tech Shark Repellent

2011-10-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

MUNDAKA 24H from aritzaranburu.com on Vimeo.

At the Pool - Great vid!

2011-10-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

Kite Park from EASY RIDE on Vimeo.
Be sure to go full screen. via Sailing Anarchy

Classic Palastic - Downeaster 38

2011-10-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Any Downeaster owner who has spent any amount of time berthed in a public marina has answered two questions many times:“How big is that?” and “Is that a wood boat”? A generous bowspirit,hefty beam,wineglass transom and the hull’s simulated planking lines are responsible for the general impression that these beauties are bigger and older than they are. The gold-washed navy blue or forest green clipper laminate on the bow is a further contribution to the salty image of this classic ‘70s sailboat.
Created in California with a Maine sailor’s sensibilities in mind,the Santa Ana-built Downeasters evoked nostalgia and tradition when introduced in the 1970s. That’s even more the case these days.
There are three sizes in the DownEast Yacht line, 32-foot, 38 and 45. The vessel was conceived by Bob Poole, a California transplant from the East Coast. The boat’s designer is Henry Morschladt of Newport Beach, California. A well-known naval architect,he incorporated military marine and Loyd’s of London specifications into his exacting craft. A sturdy, seaworthy cruising vessel in which no bond or seacock was compromised is the result. The DownEaster Yachts Inc. company operated from 1975-81, officially ceasing to exist in 1983. Available statistics indicate 412 models were produced, with 125 still currently registered by hull number. One hundred and thirty-four were DE 32s,and 27 were DE 45s. DE 38s led the pack,with 251,11 of which are erroneously listed as “41s,” again attesting to the “big” image this classic sailboat engenders.
Downeaster Yacht models featuring cutter,ketch and schooner rigs were offered, along with an amazing array of options above and belowdecks that contributed to the uniquely individual personality of each boat,including a few pilothouse models. A tiller was standard on the 32-foot in 1977 and an emergency tiller system was available on all models.
A Farymann 24hp diesel was standard issue by the late 1970s. Underpowered? It’s considered a legitimate question and many a Downeaster owner has upgraded,most commonly to a Yanmar 27hp. But no one argues with the original engine’s chief advantages,a thrifty appetite for fuel and an ability to be hand-cranked. With an approximately 900-mile cruising range and a viable way to get the engine going if the starter poops out,it’s no wonder the Downeaster is known as a “go anywhere” boat. The engine room, however, is far from ideal. As with the rest of the vessel, it appears to be bigger than it is but requires a variety of contortions to gain access. Another drawback is the bilge. Unlike Lin and Larry Pardey, we won’t be storing wine down there. The access is comprised of two tiny hatches forward and a little Lucite window in the drip pan under the engine.
Novices on the water find the Downeaster forgiving and even willing to take punishment, while veteran sailors have learned to make the most of her sail plan. The California-built sailboat has migrated all over the world, including at least three global circumnavigations. Boasts of 9-12 knot top speeds aside, a 6-7 knot cruising speed provides a pleasant ride without undue heel. These boats weren’t built to race and are impervious to light wind,which can provide many opportunities to experiment with the furling headsail or throw a spinnaker up,an enjoyable anomaly in this class of vessel. In 15-25 knot winds the modified full keel, with keel-hung rudder,provides superb balance,even in rough seas, under sail or motor-sailing. Heeling a Downeaster under the rail takes extra effort by an advancing storm front or the adventurous sailor looking for a thrill. The same care given to the boat’s core infrastructure is apparent in the strong rigging and good-quality winches.

In last year's Baja Haha, we had a sailor fall asleep and the auto pilot took this Downeaster up on the beach at Santa Maria. She was lost a few days later.

The Downeaster cockpit is decidedly unique,with no coamings from hatchway to rail. It drains well, but can be hard on the back. Ergonomic and aesthetic modifications abound. The wide-open cockpit also provides for easy sheet handling. A full dodger was an available option on the original models and many Downeast sailboats sport an “Arabian Sultan” awning and big cockpit cushions first mentioned when the boat was reviewed by Motor Boat & Sailing in May 1977.
Bigger is also definitely better when it comes to the Downeaster’s cabin plan,which encompasses lavish use of teak, 70s-style spindles and cabinetry,a faux leather cabin ceiling and a clever fold-up table that accommodates two dining couples comfortably. Funky 1970’s touches notwithstanding,the 6’9” headroom defines the feel of the Downeast interior,adding light and spaciousness.
The 32-foot Downeast theoretically sleeps six,with up to three salon bunks and a quarterberth aft starboard. Because the vessel allows for singlehanding,many owners feel confident and cozier with appropriate modifications for couples or solo sailing. The original models have two doors closing off the V-Berth and adjacent head from traffic in the main salon. The U-shaped galley with beveled stove,refrigerator/freezer and icebox,and double sink is practical and efficient. Storage includes two well-ventilated hanging lockers and numerous cubbies.
Early reviews of the Downeaster line said the boats were probably “overbuilt.” In this day and age,that’s a compliment. The Downeast is a boat for sailors who appreciate quality workmanship with attention to detail.
No review of this impeccably crafted line would be complete without comments from “The Group,” my nickname for the Downeast sailors who enthusiastically and coherently share information on a regular basis on the “unofficial” Downeast website. The site was established five years ago and has weathered the perils of the latest developments in electronic technology. The site, at www.downeaster.net is a common-sense resource that is as user-friendly as the boat it celebrates. There are 28 registered members on the site,with many more participating,including Todd Iorio,who provides hosting services for the site,Gerry O’Donoghue,website administrator,U.S. Rep Jim Saxton,of New Jersey,and Tony Strong,all DE38 owners. Strong actually “built” his 38 after securing a bare hull in 1988. In 1997 her sailed her to Hawaii and also cruising to Samoa and Tonga. At least three Downeasts have completed circumnavigations in recent years,again attesting to the “go anywhere” legend.

From Cruising World.

Ghost Wave: The Book

2011-10-10T04:48:00.001-07:00

Bonehead Move of the Week

2011-10-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sailing the Napa River

2011-10-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Tex, my golden Kona and I have just returned from a glorious trip up the Napa River to downtown Napa. We started the trip with a spinnaker run up San Pablo Bay to Vallejo. We hit the Napa River and the wind was perfect for sailing up the river. The wind direction and river orientation allow us to sail the river without tacking. It's amazing to be sailing so fast on such a narrow river. We reached our destination of the Napa Valley Yacht Club at 5:30. We headed up to the bocce court for a spirited best out of three. Then it was on to dinner on the boat along with some nice wine. Monday we were up early for some wine country appointments. William Hill, Luna, and Reynolds. It was about a 30 minute bike ride to the wineries. We had a great time riding in a mist like rain. Monday night it rained so we hung out at the boat with a nice dinner and some Saturday Night Live. Tuesday we had to fix some flats but not too worry we made it out about 11am for our next round of wineries. My niece Julie showed up at one of the wineries and joined us for a few days. She is on a road trip from the east coast. That evening we had a nice time hanging on the boat with some more great food and fun. On Wednesday we moved the boat to the Carneros region for more wine tasting. Julie met us and we headed off to Mueller winery and had a great time chatting with Julius as he poured us some tasty tidbits. He mentioned that we could ride our bikes thru the winery for a nice short cute to Etude. That was cool. We had a very nice taste at Etude and then got hit by a huge rain storm. We retreated to the boat for lunch and then headed out by car to Artesa Winery. One of the most beautiful wineries in the area, and the wine was good too. The next morning we headed back to the bay with a nice motor down river. We hit San Pablo Bay and there was a big storm off the starboard beam. We heard thunder at one point. It was heading south and soon it found us and hit us with a 30 minute downpour. We had the proper clothing and no problems. Once we got to the Richmond Bridge, the wind piped up and we sailed out to Angel Island. The Blue Angles were practicing and we saw some nice flyovers. We headed to Sausalito after a beautiful sunset and tied up at Schoonmaker Marina. Spent the night there and it was a quiet one. Up early as they were working on the dock. We headed out for breakfast floating off the GG Bridge. Beautiful. The breeze came up from the east and we headed to a beach on Angel so Kona could get a run. He loved it and so did I. Around noon the wind came up for real and we headed out to the Pacific for some wave riding fun. On our way back, a fishing boat passed and slowed. We caught up with them and they asked if we would like a salmon. We said sure. Tex went on deck and made a great catch of o big fish! That was classic! Then it was back on the bay for the Blue Angels show. We sailed and watched their intricate display of acrobatics. Back to our slip in Emeryville after the show, we took a quick nap and then cleaned up the boat. It was another great trip up the Napa River!!

Tomales on Hold Till Next Year

2011-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

In preparation for our trip to Tomales, I had a rigger come out for an inspection of our 30 year old rig. We have some issues with the goose neck, corrosion in the bottom front of the mast and a spreader that is loose. It will take some time to get all these things fixed and he recommends not going out on the ocean until we get the repairs made. I called my first mate Tex and we decided to go to a favorite spot, Napa! We will depart on Sunday for the trip and it will be awesome! And alot easier on our rig. I wish I had called him a month earlier!

Miss Swiss

2011-09-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

A guy can dream can't he?

Heavy

2011-09-26T07:10:00.001-07:00

Sunday Sail in San Francisco

2011-09-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Took the skipper of our Baja Haha cruise out for sail on Sunday. It was raining on the way to the boat but I had studied the forecasts and knew it was going to clear. We headed out about noon with a slight drizzle in the air. We hit a light wind line just outside the channel and started to sail. After the first tack it picked up to 12 knots. As we continued towards the end of the pier, it was in the high teens and looking good. We made it past the end of the pier and we set a course for Angel Island. It was slowly starting to clear. Near Alcatraz we hove to for a quick lunch. Then it was a nice run to Sausalito. The sky was blue and the sun was out. We threw on the kite for the run home and it was a beautiful downwind race to the barn. The wind gusted a few times and we rounded up a few times but quickly got her under control and heading in the right direction. Conor and I both really enjoyed the sail and we are so glad the rain did not deter us from this awesome day on the bay!

The City from WTK Photography on Vimeo.

Wind Power

2011-09-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

Back in the mid 80's I was living in Delaware for a year and working with my dad. I had fallen head over heals with windsurfing and decided to start a sailing club. I put out an ad in the local sports mag and had a bunch of interested folks. Our plan was to schedule group day trips and over nighters to different locations on the Delmarva Peninsula. Soon we were well over 20 members and having a ball. The Chesapeake, Dewey Beach, several lakes in the area and more. I sent out a monthly schedule and it was a hit! My fondest memory was a trip to Dewey Beach in DE in the early fall. We had rented a house for the weekend and had a dozen sailors. It was after dinner and the wind really came up when the idea struck me that we should go for a night sail on the bay. We each had a small glow stick on our mast and hit the beach. The wind was in the 20's and we were flying across the bay. It was my very first night sail! We all had a blast and then we headed home. The wind continued thru the weekend and we sailed the heck out of that bay. The name of the club was Wind Power (after the Thomas Dolby song that I love).

Sojourn to Tomales Bay

2011-09-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

Tex and I are preparing to depart for Tomales Bay next weekend. This is our first ocean voyage together and we are excited. We are taking all the precautions as in life raft, GPIRB, etc so we can have a safe trip. We depart with the ebb on Sunday 10-2, and head to Drake's Bay. The next morning we will head up to the entrance of Tomales Bay. This entrance has claimed many lives over the years due to sneaker waves. I have studied the charts and tides and the best time to enter is towards the end of a flood, which we will have in the afternoon that day. The sneakers come up during the ebb. We plan to spend two days in the bay and then head back. Tomales is loaded with wild life and flat sailing. It should be a great adventure and one you will be hearing about after our trip. If you would like to read about another sailors journey to Tomales, go here.

Click the chart for a larger view.

On a Roll This AM...Pics of the Weekend

2011-09-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Water Polo in the Cove

2011-09-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Cal is renovating their stadium so the football games are being played at the Giant's stadium. Yeaterday before the Cal game, they had a water polo exhibition in McCovey Cove before the game. What a cool idea!

Intense

2011-09-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

Get Ready to Rock!

2011-09-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

Bigger is Better

2011-09-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

WHY - Wally Hermès Yacht - Full Movie - The best free videos are right here

Overnight Sail

2011-09-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

My best bud Tex bought a sail boat a few years ago and I never get to sail with him anymore. That all changed Wednesday as I hooked up with Tex and my other best bud Dave. We headed out about 10:30 for the ball park to take in an afternoon game against the Padres. There were no guest berths available, so I decided to anchor in McCovey cove and kayak to the game. I had dropped the crew off nearby. I set the anchor well and backed down on it to make sure she would hold steady. Arrived at the game and saw my friends and we sat down to enjoy a win by the Giants. We could easily see the boat in the cove so no worries. We then took off for Angel Island for the night. The day had been foggy but when we arrived at Ayela Cove, the sun was bright for our game of bocce in the picnic area. Tex won one and so we headed to the somewhat new mooring field. We set the bow towards the strait so we would not bounce around. Had a lovely dinner from the BBQ and enjoyed lots of stories and laughter. Next morning we were up for pancakes and tea. We made it home at noon and what a great trip with my best friends!!

Sunday Sail

2011-09-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Took Murray, Ryan, Oona and Kona out for a memorable sail on Sunday. Ryan provided some great homebrew and the winds were perfect. We headed for Tiburon for lunch and anchored at Paradise Cove. Ryan and Kona went for a swim to the beach. Then we headed up Raccoon Strait toward the Gate. It was a perfect day to stick our nose out the Gate and we did. For the run home, we hoisted our beautiful spinnaker. We got to the dock very tired so Kona and I took a nap for a few hours. It was a glorious day and we all had a ball.

Volvo Ocean Race Promo

2011-09-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Baja Haha Here I Come!!

2011-09-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

I attended the crew party last night for the Haha and it could be compared to
feeding frenzy. There were only about 8 or so skippers looking for
crew and about 50 sailors looking for a ride. I lucked out and met a
couple at the reg desk who arrived late. I introduced myself and we
hit it off. They have invited me to join them in San Diego for the
trip to Cabo!! I have been bummed out this week and I could not
figure out why. When I received their email today at 6pm, all the
weight was lifted and I realized it was because I had not found a boat
yet!

What is really cool is they are sailing a ....wait for it... an
Islander 36!! This is the boat that I am considering purchasing for
my trip to NZ in a few years. How cool is that? I am very excited
and can't wait to get underway. Be on the look out for blog entries from the voyage.
We depart on October 24!! Wish me a bon voyage!

Close Call

2011-09-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Went out for a day sail on Friday with a few friends. We had a windy run to the lee of Angel and then the wind dropped and the temps were fine. We had some lunch and then headed back. The wind was just starting to pick up when we heard a bang. I turned the wheel and it kept right on spinning. We lost a steering cable. I went below and grabbed the emergency tiller and attached it. The attachment is aft of the wheel so there is very little room to maneuver it and very little torque to turn the rudder. We reduced sail and stated heading the four miles to the slip. It was gusting over 30 and we had to release the main from time to time to reduce pressure. I was very glad I was not out there on a solo sail. We got to the channel and headed into the marina safely. What a huge relief to be dockside again.

On Saturday I headed up to the boat to attempt to fix the broken cable. I pulled out the remains of the old one and headed to the hardware store looking to replace it. I found the 3/16" wire I needed and Tony helped me put in the loop I needed for the chain connection. Over at the boat, I slipped the wire on the chain and went down under to connect the wire to the quadrant. Having never done this, it turned out to be a great learning experience. I finally got her connected and took her for a 30 minute sail outside the channel in 25+ winds. All is good. In reading about the the steering system, I learned that you should inspect the cables twice a year and replace them every 5 years. In looking at the old cable, this may have been original cable from 30 years ago. Hard to say. Just glad I was able to get her in and fix her quickly. My partners are heading out today!

Too Much Fun!

2011-09-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

Holiday Weekend Sailing

2011-09-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

(click any pic for a larger view)

The weekend is shaping up nicely for some sailing on our 30' sloop Addiction. One of the guys going out is Dave. Dave went with me on our first big trip on the bay way back in 2001. It was just a two day bay trip, but because it was the first one, memories still linger. I hope to take them out the Gate today. Then on Saturday, I have a full boat going out toward Tiburon. Warm temps and maybe some swimming are in order. Hope to see you out there!

Baja Haha 18

2011-08-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Baja Haha is about 7 weeks away and I am stilling trying to get on a boat. After all the fun I had last year, how could I miss it? The Crew List Party is coming up and that may be my best bet. If you have a crew position open or know of someone, please send me a note at fungod at gmail.com.
Last year I cooked and provisioned the boat Rainbow. We had a blast! Hope to see you in San Diego for the rally start!!

Groupama @ 37 Knots

2011-08-29T08:32:00.001-07:00

Franck Cammas Groupama 3 2010 Jules Verne Trophy Attempt Fast Sailing at 37 Knots! - Amazing videos are here

Sojourn to Sausalito

2011-08-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

Just back from a two day trip to Sausalito and we had some great sailing and adventures to boot. I departed mid day on Monday from Emeryville and the wind was blowing 26 knots. Had a nice run to Angel Island and then it calmed down to 12 knots from the south west so that I could run right up Raccoon strait without tacking. It was a beautiful moment. Made it over to Schoonmaker Marina and took Kona for a swim at the beach. Next it was off to dinner and a walk thru town. Next morning, I cooked up some blueberry pancakes and then met up with John for a sail. We had some time so we headed for Clipper Cove for lunch and a swim to the beach with Kona. It was a perfect day and beautiful in the cove. Next it was over to Pier 1.5 in SF. Took a little walk and then back to the boat. Then it was off to the Giants game. We had reserved a berth at South Beach and headed in. Great seats and tons of fun. I was in short sleeves for most of the game as the temps were mild which is rare. Based on that, we did not think there would be much wind. Boy were we wrong. It was blowing 30 in the slot and socked in with fog. We could not see a thing as we blasted thru at 7 knots. After 30 minutes of fog, we could start to see the lights of Sausalito and our destination. What an amazing day! On Wednesday, I headed back home with a great run to the barn. Can't wait to do it all again!

Pics of the Day

2011-08-22T07:05:00.001-07:00

Tillerman Would Be Proud

2011-08-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Monster Multis

2011-08-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

Rambler on a Good Day

2011-08-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Rambler lost her keel during the Fastnet Race and was lost. All crew were rescued. Here is a vid of better days on this rocket ship doing 25 knots in St. Barts. Enjoy this sweet clip.

Embracing the Extreme

2011-08-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

Go full screen and turn it up!

25 Years to Build a Classic

2011-08-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

AC Maddness

2011-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bonehead Move of the Month

2011-08-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Top Captions Contest:

"So what part of 'starboard' don't you understand, you big red behemoth?" — Walter Conner.

"Tanker Foils Yachts Attempt to Steal Ships Anchor." — Jak Ayres

"And now our top nominee for the Sailor's Darwin Award is. . ." or "Sailor's cure for constipation" — Dan Begonia

"Diagnosis: Crew suffers from acute case of SFB (shit for brains)." — Patrick Okey

"In the immortal words of Jim Kilroy, 'Mass times velocity equals right-of-way.'" — Chris Ericksen

"Vessel limited in her ability to maneuver runs down vessel limited in her ability to think." — Tim Schaaf

"Captain to crew, “hold my beer, watch this!" — Jim Van Cleve

"Does insurance cover new underwear?" — Bob C.

"Sometimes it sucks to be the frontrunner! — Ken Fouts

And our favorite: "Artist Cristo attempts to wrap a supertanker in pink," submitted by Paul Clausen.

Pics of the Day

2011-08-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

My boy Kona who just turned three!

Soul of the Sea

2011-07-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Mav's on a Great Day

2011-07-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Get Some Air

2011-07-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Awesome Weekend Sails

2011-07-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Had some very nice sails last weekend. Started with a sunset sail with Dave and a few of his friends. Started out preety foggy as we left the dock. After an hour or so it cleared and we had a very nice sail out to Raccoon. Sunday I took the Conmys out and the winds were moderate and we had a very fun sail. Made it to Scott's cove for lunch and then a perfect sail home. Monday I had Travis and Steven out and it was blowing much harder. We only had the jib up and that was plenty. Lots of good times and plenty of wind. Might go for a solo sail this weekend. Cheers.

Big Ship Launches

2011-07-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

Top Jumps of All Time

2011-07-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Some Adrenline to Get Your Weekend Started

2011-07-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

Spotify is Live in the US

2011-07-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

For those living under a rock, the greatest music service this planet has ever seen, has finally jumped thru all the legal hoops and is online now. Spotify has been availble overseas and folks have been enjoying this free/paid service like no other. 15 million songs are just waiting to be played on your desktop as well as many mobile devices (paid). For $9.99/month you can have it all. I just joined, picked the Premium package, downloaded the app and I am off and running! I am also hooked in with my iphone and can take it anywhere. You have got to check it out! Click here for more info. Start rocking out now!

360 view of the Discovery Cockpit

2011-07-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

And we thought boating was complicated! See this great view of the cockpit.

Full Screen Only!

2011-07-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

Watch this amazing view of our watery world. Full screen only!!!

Everything is a Remix

2011-07-13T05:53:00.000-07:00

A very clever look at movies and music from an unusual perspective. Starting with Led Zepplin and how they took elements of songs from famous artists and made the songs their own, to George Lucas using scenes from other famous films and incorporating them into Star Wars. This is a very cool look at remixing our favorite works of art. Hell, this blog is a remix! Here is Part 1 and I highly recommend Part 2 and Part 3. Check it here.

Everything is a Remix Part 1 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.