H2uh0 - Bonehead Moves on the Water from SF Bay and Beyond!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Monday, November 04, 2013
John Lennon Sails to Bermuda 1980
Sailboats have a protective covering called a dodger to shield the helmsman from the elements when at sea. Typically, a dodger has stainless steel support arms and zip out windows. “During the storm the stainless steel dodger surrounding the hatch was flattened by a wave,” he says. “It was the only time I had ever seen it happen.”
Exhaustion finally got the better of him. With no one left to pilot the sailboat, Halsted was forced to recruit the inexperienced Lennon. Why, in so severe a storm, would he put the lives of everyone at risk by leaving the responsibility to such a novice sailor?
“I never intended for John to sail the boat alone,” Halsted says. “He would only sail with one of the experienced crew beside him, never alone. His duties were in the galley, where he was responsible for preparing all of the food. He came aboard knowing he would only be learning, an observer. He never wrote anything down, just saying that he would remember the experience.”
“But I had been up for nearly three days. I had a situation where I felt it was necessary that someone else take the helm. The others couldn’t do it; they were too ill. The Megan Jaye didn’t have an autopilot on board at that time. The captain’s station and bunk below are only a few feet away. I could have been at his side in seconds had anything gone wrong. Being on the boat, you sleep lightly.”
Halsted spent an hour keeping a watchful eye over his frightened protege, then went below to sleep, leaving Lennon alone at the helm.
As Lennon told Playboy a few months later: “So, I was there driving the boat for six hours, keeping it on course. I was buried under water. I was smashed in the face by waves for six solid hours. It won’t go away. You can’t change your mind. It’s like being on stage; once you’re on there’s no gettin’ off. A couple of the waves had me on my knees. I was just hanging on with my hands on the wheel — it’s very powerful weather — and I was having the time of my life. I was screaming sea chanteys and shoutin’ at the gods! I felt like the Viking, you know, Jason and the Golden Fleece. I arrived in Bermuda. Once I got there, I was so centered after the experience at sea that I was tuned in, or whatever, to the cosmos. And all these songs came! The time there was amazing. Fred [Seaman] and Sean and I were there on the beach taping songs with this big machine and me just playing guitar and singing. We were just in the sun and these songs were coming out.”
Read the article here.
Exhaustion finally got the better of him. With no one left to pilot the sailboat, Halsted was forced to recruit the inexperienced Lennon. Why, in so severe a storm, would he put the lives of everyone at risk by leaving the responsibility to such a novice sailor?
“I never intended for John to sail the boat alone,” Halsted says. “He would only sail with one of the experienced crew beside him, never alone. His duties were in the galley, where he was responsible for preparing all of the food. He came aboard knowing he would only be learning, an observer. He never wrote anything down, just saying that he would remember the experience.”
“But I had been up for nearly three days. I had a situation where I felt it was necessary that someone else take the helm. The others couldn’t do it; they were too ill. The Megan Jaye didn’t have an autopilot on board at that time. The captain’s station and bunk below are only a few feet away. I could have been at his side in seconds had anything gone wrong. Being on the boat, you sleep lightly.”
Halsted spent an hour keeping a watchful eye over his frightened protege, then went below to sleep, leaving Lennon alone at the helm.
As Lennon told Playboy a few months later: “So, I was there driving the boat for six hours, keeping it on course. I was buried under water. I was smashed in the face by waves for six solid hours. It won’t go away. You can’t change your mind. It’s like being on stage; once you’re on there’s no gettin’ off. A couple of the waves had me on my knees. I was just hanging on with my hands on the wheel — it’s very powerful weather — and I was having the time of my life. I was screaming sea chanteys and shoutin’ at the gods! I felt like the Viking, you know, Jason and the Golden Fleece. I arrived in Bermuda. Once I got there, I was so centered after the experience at sea that I was tuned in, or whatever, to the cosmos. And all these songs came! The time there was amazing. Fred [Seaman] and Sean and I were there on the beach taping songs with this big machine and me just playing guitar and singing. We were just in the sun and these songs were coming out.”
Read the article here.
Great Sailing Book: The Billionaire and the Mechanic
I am reading a great book about the last 15 years of Larry Ellison's campaign towards winning the Americas Cup in SF. It a fascinating look at how the marriage of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and Team Oracle came to be. One of the things that strikes me about sail racing is the amount of jerks that are top dogs in the racing circuit. Over inflated egos, a-holes and dicks abound. It makes for a very good read, however. This is an awesome book and one that any sailor interested in the A-Cup should read. Download it to your phone, tablet or Kindle and enjoy!
Friday, November 01, 2013
JP Aloha Classic from Maui (vid)
The final was run as a four-man battle over the duration of 22 minutes to give Kauli Seadi, Morgan Noireaux, Bernd Roediger and Levi Siver the maximum chance to really exercise their prowess.
The American delivered one of his stunning trademark aerials and a couple of turns, which sent the spray flying by the bucket load.
Roediger and Noireaux were also going for broke, as they attempted air takas and frontside wave 360s respectively, but ultimately it was Siver who stepped up to the plate.
On his final wave of the heat, Siver lined up the critical section to launch into a frontside 360, which he claimed, before delivering another gouging turn.
With no time remaining Seadi tacked onto the final wave of the heat and rotated through a perfectly executed goiter, but it wasn't a counting wave for him, which left for a nail biting finale.
The result proved to be almost inseparable with just 0.02 of a point in it, much to the delight of Siver it was soon revealed that he had clinched the single elimination victory.
"I just told myself that I want to enjoy it. At the end of the day we’re all friends who love this sport and I think we should keep that spirit of Aloha, and just keep encouraging each other", said Siver.
Baja Ha Ha Fleet in Trouble as Depression Approaches
I attended the last 3 Haha's and we could not have had nicer weather for the 750 mile rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. Today the fleet (130 boats and 500 friendly folks) has it's beach party in Turtle Bay and on Saturday they would normally be departing for their next destination, Santa Maria, about 150 miles north of Cabo. However, there is a storm brewing south of Cabo that will hit the southern tip of Baja on Monday or Tuesday. The fleet arrives in Santa Maria on those same days.
As you can see below, winds are currently at 30 and gusting to 40 knots. Sounds like a typical summer day on the SF Bay! However, the ocean will develop much larger waves and lousy conditions. In addition, there could be a headwind which will make for slow going. Latitude 38 will be releasing a statement later today on their plans and I will update this post. If memory serves, this is the first depression to hit the fleet in it's entire 20 year history. And hurricane season officially ends today in this region of the planet. Best of luck to the fleet and Cabo.
Update: the weather gurus say the storm will Peter out so the fleet will depart as usual on Saturday for Santa Maria. Bon voyage!
As you can see below, winds are currently at 30 and gusting to 40 knots. Sounds like a typical summer day on the SF Bay! However, the ocean will develop much larger waves and lousy conditions. In addition, there could be a headwind which will make for slow going. Latitude 38 will be releasing a statement later today on their plans and I will update this post. If memory serves, this is the first depression to hit the fleet in it's entire 20 year history. And hurricane season officially ends today in this region of the planet. Best of luck to the fleet and Cabo.
Update: the weather gurus say the storm will Peter out so the fleet will depart as usual on Saturday for Santa Maria. Bon voyage!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
World Record 100 Foot Wave
Nazaré Blow Up from SURFPortugal Mag on Vimeo.
Definitely a full screen vid.
Less than a year after Hawaii native Garrett McNamara set what many believed to be an impossibly high bar in big wave surfing, Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle may have topped it.
On Monday, Burle took off on a mountain of a wave off the now-famous big wave spot of Nazare on Portugal's central coast. Initial estimates of the wave's height put it taller than the record set by McNamara in January, which was estimated to be around 100 feet tall.
McNamara holds the certified record for tow-in surfing a wave, also set at Nazare, for riding a 78-foot behemoth in 2011.
Whatever the final, official height of Burle's wave, it was a monster. Burle's ride also happened shortly after he rescued his friend and fellow big wave surfer Maya Gabriel, who nearly drowned trying to catch a wave.
Burle told Surfer Today: "It was luck. We never know when we will be catching the wave. I still hadn't surfed any wave and everyone had already had their rides. Maya almost died. For me, it was a big adrenaline moment to get back there after what happened."
Cowabunga, Dude!
Definitely a full screen vid.
Less than a year after Hawaii native Garrett McNamara set what many believed to be an impossibly high bar in big wave surfing, Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle may have topped it.
On Monday, Burle took off on a mountain of a wave off the now-famous big wave spot of Nazare on Portugal's central coast. Initial estimates of the wave's height put it taller than the record set by McNamara in January, which was estimated to be around 100 feet tall.
McNamara holds the certified record for tow-in surfing a wave, also set at Nazare, for riding a 78-foot behemoth in 2011.
Whatever the final, official height of Burle's wave, it was a monster. Burle's ride also happened shortly after he rescued his friend and fellow big wave surfer Maya Gabriel, who nearly drowned trying to catch a wave.
Burle told Surfer Today: "It was luck. We never know when we will be catching the wave. I still hadn't surfed any wave and everyone had already had their rides. Maya almost died. For me, it was a big adrenaline moment to get back there after what happened."
Cowabunga, Dude!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Loving Life in Another Country
Have you ever dreamed of moving to a remote place and taking up residence in another country? I found a You Tube channel where dozens of folks have done it and it has transformed their lives. Here is a unique story of man and his family who built a cat and sailed off the the US Virgin Islands. He charters his yacht on a daily basis, has an all female crew and even though he works very hard, his life is deeply satisfying. Check it out!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Kona is 5 years young!
If ever a sailor was to own a dog to go sailing with, it would be Kona. He had his first adventure on the boat at 12 weeks. From there he has gone on countless day sails, many 5 day trips all over the bay, and is the coolest dog I have ever had the privilege of owning. Sierra was amazing and I loved him with all my heart. Along comes Kona from a top breeder up north and I am blown away. He has been out sailing 50 times already this year and loves it. Here is a pic from a recent voyage on the bay. He usually picks one crewman each trip and follows and lounges all over that crewman. I could not have asked for a better First Mate than Kona! And did I mention he is an amazing swimmer? Some of our best times have been swimming over to the beaches on the bay. Love you Boy!
Click the pic to make it bigger.
Click the pic to make it bigger.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Nice Surf Film
This film created quite a stir and won some awards when it was released a few years ago. Beautiful photography and timeless images will have you longing for the perfect tube. Enjoy!
Foiling Fanatics
I was out at Crissy Field yesterday and saw some light wind kite foiling. A few weeks ago they had the Foilboard Championships here and here is some footage from it. Now that foiling is all the rage with boats, surfboards and now kites, what could possibly be next??
Friday, October 18, 2013
Love Trouble in Paradise
Twentysomething Liz Clark has been cruising the South Pacific for the last 5 or so years and she has seen her share of trouble. A broken neck, boat problems, T-Boned by a cat while she was anchored and now love trouble. So much so that she was fearing for her life. Her Tahitian boyfriend treated her very badly and she was no longer enjoying her relationship when she had to slip the lines and escape from his jealous rage.
Read her story of terror and abuse here.
Read her story of terror and abuse here.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Jamming on the SF Bay
Headed up to the boat on a beautiful fall day on the bay. Wind was light and out of the north when I hit the end of the channel in Emeryville. All the sails went up and with the wind direction, heading north and towards Berkeley. Made it to Richmond with the wind at 8kts. Tack and the wind changes direction and now a bit westerly so I am heading towards Angel. The conditions are perfect, its warm and the sailing is sublime. Looked like a chance for a green flash so I kept sailing till sunset. No flash but a very memorable single hand, barefoot cruise. Thanks boat!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Where to Sail in NZ
With nearly 10,000 miles of coastline to explore, it's almost
impossible not to experience a day at sea while you're New Zealand. So,
where is the best place to sail when you're in New Zealand? Who better
to ask than the members of this award-winning sailing team.
Here's what crew members of Emirates Team NZ had to say when asked, What's your favorite place to go sailing in New Zealand?
Adam Beashel, Strategist: "My favorite place is the Whangaruru Harbour, on Northland's east coast. I love the isolation of it, the greenery and the white sand beaches. It's a great place to go kite surfing, starting off the back of a boat. It's hard to believe that you can anchor there and be all on your own.
Ray Davies, Tactician: "It has to be the Hauraki Gulf - including Kawau Island, Great Barrier Island and even around Waiheke Island. It's so accessible to Auckland city, that you can really make the most of a weekend break. We've got a launch and we get out a couple of times a month in summer.
Dean Barker, Skipper/helm: "It would have to be the Bay of Islands; it's just stunning. I've sailed in a couple of Bay of Islands Regattas, where you race through all of the islands, and it is amazing - beautiful water, nice breezes, gorgeous white sand beaches. I've tried fishing there, but without much success. I'd like to blame the equipment, but it's more about the fisherman I think... It's definitely a place I would love to spend more time with my family. "
Richard Meacham, Utility: "There are two places in New Zealand that are on a par for me. The first is the Akaroa Harbour, on the coast out of Christchurch. It's a stunning place; when you drive there by land and drop down into the harbour, its beauty is so unexpected, it takes your breath away. My other favourite is the Karikari Peninsula in the Far North, especially Matai Bay. You can just slip into the water and pick out a crayfish, or pull paua from the rocks. It's magical."
Let's go to all these spots on our 2018 expedition to NZ! Our plan is to buy a 42' yacht and sail her to Sydney via NZ. 1.5 years and way too much fun!!
Here's what crew members of Emirates Team NZ had to say when asked, What's your favorite place to go sailing in New Zealand?
Adam Beashel, Strategist: "My favorite place is the Whangaruru Harbour, on Northland's east coast. I love the isolation of it, the greenery and the white sand beaches. It's a great place to go kite surfing, starting off the back of a boat. It's hard to believe that you can anchor there and be all on your own.
Ray Davies, Tactician: "It has to be the Hauraki Gulf - including Kawau Island, Great Barrier Island and even around Waiheke Island. It's so accessible to Auckland city, that you can really make the most of a weekend break. We've got a launch and we get out a couple of times a month in summer.
Dean Barker, Skipper/helm: "It would have to be the Bay of Islands; it's just stunning. I've sailed in a couple of Bay of Islands Regattas, where you race through all of the islands, and it is amazing - beautiful water, nice breezes, gorgeous white sand beaches. I've tried fishing there, but without much success. I'd like to blame the equipment, but it's more about the fisherman I think... It's definitely a place I would love to spend more time with my family. "
Richard Meacham, Utility: "There are two places in New Zealand that are on a par for me. The first is the Akaroa Harbour, on the coast out of Christchurch. It's a stunning place; when you drive there by land and drop down into the harbour, its beauty is so unexpected, it takes your breath away. My other favourite is the Karikari Peninsula in the Far North, especially Matai Bay. You can just slip into the water and pick out a crayfish, or pull paua from the rocks. It's magical."
Let's go to all these spots on our 2018 expedition to NZ! Our plan is to buy a 42' yacht and sail her to Sydney via NZ. 1.5 years and way too much fun!!
Monday, October 07, 2013
It Does Not Get Any Better Than This
We have had some wonderful sails aboard our boat "Addiction" over the last 13 years on the San Francisco Bay. At the end of these awesome sails, we usually exclaim, "It does not get any better than this". Yesterdays sail was one of those days. John, Marc, Larry, Mike and Kona joined me at 11 for what was forecasted as a 5 knot breeze. We hit the end of the channel and we had a good 10 knots from the north. This allowed us to make one tack and then hit the central bay. The temps were reasonable and we were loving the scenery and fresh air. A couple tacks later, we grabbed a mooring
ball at Ayala Cove at Angel Island. A nice lunch followed along with some Sonoma Champagne. Kona and I went for a quick swim but it was a bit too cold to enjoy. Back towards the barn, we decide to hoist the spinnaker. The wind is 10-12 and building a little. We have an extraordinary run down the bay. We approach the bay bridge and drop the spin with our very nice sock and what a perfect run. Back at the dock we have lots of empty bottles of this and that for the recycle. What a day on our fab bay! Will post a spin vid a little later today.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Dock Talk - A Cup
The word from the docks of SF is that the Oracle Team used an automatic stabilizer on their foil that pushed the limits of the rules. This may have proved to be the difference in the outcome. NZ knew that if the wind was up on the last day, they had no chance of taking the race without Oracle making a huge mistake. NZ did not have the technology to stabilize in auto and had to do it manually which led to their tearful post sail back to the base. That was a very sad moment for some awesome Kiwi sailors. For a nation that lives and breaths sailing, (at 6 years of age, most children in NZ get a boat instead of a bike) this was a heart breaking moment. I sure did enjoy the race for the Cup. I was lucky enough to head out for 6 of the races with friends and family. There is already talk of the next Cup and SF has 30 days to throw their hat in the ring (they surely will!). I am not sure we will ever see a finals like we saw for the 34th Cup, but I have high hopes for the 35th!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Something Beautiful
Remember that amazing meteor that cruised thru Russia back in Feb? Here is an amazing vid of this once in a lifetime sight. Watch it here.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Swollowing the Anchor
I have a good sailing buddy that has been looking at buying a nice boat as a part time live aboard and charter boat. He put an offer down and is on his way to buying an Islander Freeport 41 built in 77. The boat happens to be docked a few down from my boat. I was able to get onboard the other day and she is a beaut. I can't wait to get her out in some wind as she is stoutly built and ready to go. Check out her details here.
Monday, September 23, 2013
pics of the day
Friday, September 20, 2013
Birthday Weekend
Had a nice full moon sail with Tex and a swim too. Beach party on Saturday with a few friends at Montara. And Sunday another sail with Geoff and company. Hoping for a dry Saturday as there are sprinkles in the forecast. Aloha!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
tonight on HBO
Bernard Goldberg meets Alex Thomson, a brash 39-year-old Brit who is one of the best solo sailors in the world to find out what drives someone to risk it all on the open waters. Real Sports debuts Tues, Sept. 17 at 10pm ET/PT on HBO. If you like, watch it anytime on HBOGO.com.
Monday, September 16, 2013
this is so cool (sonic boom vs. sun dog)
Sonic Boom Meets Sun Dog from barbara tomlinson on Vimeo.
Video from Kennedy Space Center Apollo Center February 11, 2010. Launch of Solar Dynamics Observatory on an Atlas V rocket. About 1 minute 14 seconds after liftoff the vehicle went supersonic. Keep watching to the 2 minute mark. The shock wave obliterated a sun dog. It was really beautiful, and poetic for this mission. A sun dog or parhelion is a bright rainbow effect in the sky caused by refraction of sunlight through ice crystals.
Video from Kennedy Space Center Apollo Center February 11, 2010. Launch of Solar Dynamics Observatory on an Atlas V rocket. About 1 minute 14 seconds after liftoff the vehicle went supersonic. Keep watching to the 2 minute mark. The shock wave obliterated a sun dog. It was really beautiful, and poetic for this mission. A sun dog or parhelion is a bright rainbow effect in the sky caused by refraction of sunlight through ice crystals.
Bridge to Bridge Drag Race (vid)
The running of the 15th annual Bridge to Bridge happened last week and it was won by a foiling kite board. All types of craft are permitted so it's kind of crazy out there. Kites, windsurfers, cats, tris, 49ers, and more. It's about a 5 mile run to the Bay Bridge. Check the vid and be prepared for shock and ahhh!
A Day at the Races!
Off to the boat about 0630 to meet the crew and head to the races. My best bud Dave showed up at 9 and off we went to SF to pick up our all star crew. We made it there by 1130 and everyone showed up in a timely manner. Dave, Dan and Arnie rounded out the guest list. All these guys I have known for 30 years or more! We headed off towards Angel to get set up for the race. The winds were in the low 20's and a small amount of jib worked perfect. We laughed, and told stories of the last year or so. We were near the starting line as the gun sounded. Great to see these boats so close. Everyone was on their feet for the start and as they shot down the course away from us. They passed by on the next leg with Oracle out to a commanding lead and the victory! Watching it on TV, the start by Oracle was masterful and proved to be the difference. We head down to the leeward mark for the second race. I was at the wheel and it was busy with boats. The crew said I did a masterful job of not hitting any other boats. It was nuts. We made it and as the last leg was coming up, I placed the boat right next to the last gate as the boats roared by. The crew loved it. We had a lovely day on the water with some old friends and made the most of it. Kona had some fun too!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
sobering look at the race for the cup
Great article on the Artimus America's Cup Team and the passing of Andy Simpson. Did the need for speed and attracting a bigger audience come before safety of the crew? Changes have been made but as we saw during the race on Saturday, the boats are riding a fine line between crashing and safety. Read the article here.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Heading to the America's Cup on Sunday
We have an all star crew for the race on Sunday (possibly 7). We will hit the boat early, head over to SF to pick up crew and then onto the races. Lots of chatter about the calling of the 2nd race on Saturday. Have not watched it yet but...really? Half way thru and they stop the race??? Sailing is such a controversial sport. Or should I say, this America's Cup! Should be a great day on the water and I am looking forward to seeing some very old friends (not that they are old, just our frienship). Look for the blow by blow on Monday. Go wind!
Friday, September 13, 2013
Breaking the 100 Knot Barrier
For the last 10 years, the holy grail of speed sailing has been to break the 50 knot barrier on a sailing vessel. First broken by a windsurfer and then later by l'Hydroptere, we have now seen the Vestas Sail Rocket break 55 knots and almost hit 60! On the horizon is another campaign from Alain Thebault and l'Hydroptere team to build a boat that is capable of breaking the 100 knot threshold. Over the next 3 years, they will build and fly their machine into the record books. Can they do it? Not sure but it will be interesting to watch. Check out their website here.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Monday, September 09, 2013
A Cup Race 3 & 4
We made it to the race and found a spot near the Marina Green aboard our sailboat. We had full view of the race course and man was it great! Many of my family members were aboard and it was a nice celebration! We finished the day with a nice dinner at the Waterfront Restaurant. Here is a pic my bro in law took as the teams raced by.
Sunday, September 08, 2013
Sailing Sojourn to Napa
Just returned from a wonderful trip to Napa with my friends John and Tex. Sailing up the Napa River has got to be one of the great trips from the bay. We started with a loading of the boat on Sunday evening. I had arrived early to fix a connection on the radio/mp3 player. I traced the lines and found a corroded piece that needed replacement. Success! I was up at 5am to take Kona for a walk. By 6, we were on our way. We motored for several hours towards Vallejo. By noon we were passing under the Mare Island Bridge. Shortly after the bridge tender raised the bridge, we were sailing the river. The wind was a mellow 12 knots and pushing us nicely towards our destination. We meandered past vineyards and beautiful landscapes under full sail. Soon, we could see parts of Napa that we recognized. We rounded the last marker and completed the 12 mile sail up river and tied up at the Napa Valley Yacht Club. The club sits at the edge of downtown Napa and features a full size bocce court which we played 2-3 times each day. Plus, we have the place all to ourselves. $30 per night and it nice and peaceful as well. After a nice salmon dinner, Tex told us about his recent experiences at Burning Man. He had a great burn. In the morning, we had some great omelets and then up to the bocce court. I surprised the gang with a limo pick up and off we went to hit some wineries in Calistoga. My niece Julie rounded out the crew and we had a great time. Our first visit was with Travis, a friend from the Baja Haha, and his winery, Bennett Lane. He gave us a nice tour and we used a fractometer to determine if the grapes were ready to harvest. Not yet ready was the result. Next we were off to Chateau Montelena. We had a nice taste and some laughs. After a quick lunch in Calistoga, we hit Clos Pegase. This is the winery my wife Bridget and I got married at 20 years ago November. Tex was the best man. We enjoyed the wines and then took off for home base. At the boat, Kona was waiting for us and ready to run around the club meeting other dogs and some fishermen. We played some more bocce and then my nephew and his partner joined us for dinner. We had a nice pasta dinner and great conversation in the cockpit. And then some midnight bocce! I was rolling well and we had some fun. On Wednesday, we jumped on our bikes and headed out to the Coombsville Region. This is a little known area east of Napa and it dotted with tiny wineries producing some very nice wines. We met with Curtis who was very informative at Ancien winery.
Some great wines too. Then off to Black Cat . We met Tracy at the designated time and sat on her lovely patio surrounded by grape vines. She is a one person show and produces some lovely reds. We were all charmed by her and had a lovely time visiting and talking wine and sailing in New Zealand. Then it was off to Tolucay. Bill greeted us at his front door and invited us in to his dinning room for tasting. That is the cool thing about these wineries, they are unpretentious and you are welcomed into homes with the wine maker. How fun! Back to the boat with a great bike ride thru town and the river. Travis and his girlfriend would be joining us for dinner and....bocce. I think by now you have gathered our theme for the week, bocce, wine, food! We had a great time with Agusta and Travis in the saloon. Travis brought plenty of wine and we started the night with some soup and wine on the patio of the club. Next was dinner with some Thai chicken from the BBQ. Then back to the bocce court for another showdown. We are having some fun. On Thursday, we had plans to head down river on the boat to the Carneros region. The tide was not in our favor and we were stuck at the dock in the mud. We decided to play some bocce and then head to town for some fun. We ended up at the Oxbow Market for some crepes. Back to the boat and she was floating. We motored to the Napa Valley Marina and headed off to Bouchaine Winery for a tasting. Rosie remembered us and we were having a great time. We purchased a bottle of white and headed to the patio for some conversation. The weather all week had been perfect and today was no different.
Back to the boat for our last visitor, Ralph. He brought a vertical tasting of some Shiraz that was out of this world. On Friday morning we headed back down the river towards home. It was all motoring until we hit San Pablo Bay. Winds were light but enough to have a terrific sail down to Pt Pinole. From there we motored some more and once under the Richmond bridge we were able to sail home in some nice winds coming thru the Gate. All in all another great trip up the Napa and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Some great wines too. Then off to Black Cat . We met Tracy at the designated time and sat on her lovely patio surrounded by grape vines. She is a one person show and produces some lovely reds. We were all charmed by her and had a lovely time visiting and talking wine and sailing in New Zealand. Then it was off to Tolucay. Bill greeted us at his front door and invited us in to his dinning room for tasting. That is the cool thing about these wineries, they are unpretentious and you are welcomed into homes with the wine maker. How fun! Back to the boat with a great bike ride thru town and the river. Travis and his girlfriend would be joining us for dinner and....bocce. I think by now you have gathered our theme for the week, bocce, wine, food! We had a great time with Agusta and Travis in the saloon. Travis brought plenty of wine and we started the night with some soup and wine on the patio of the club. Next was dinner with some Thai chicken from the BBQ. Then back to the bocce court for another showdown. We are having some fun. On Thursday, we had plans to head down river on the boat to the Carneros region. The tide was not in our favor and we were stuck at the dock in the mud. We decided to play some bocce and then head to town for some fun. We ended up at the Oxbow Market for some crepes. Back to the boat and she was floating. We motored to the Napa Valley Marina and headed off to Bouchaine Winery for a tasting. Rosie remembered us and we were having a great time. We purchased a bottle of white and headed to the patio for some conversation. The weather all week had been perfect and today was no different.
Back to the boat for our last visitor, Ralph. He brought a vertical tasting of some Shiraz that was out of this world. On Friday morning we headed back down the river towards home. It was all motoring until we hit San Pablo Bay. Winds were light but enough to have a terrific sail down to Pt Pinole. From there we motored some more and once under the Richmond bridge we were able to sail home in some nice winds coming thru the Gate. All in all another great trip up the Napa and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Heading to Napa
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Not Good!
Had an amazing late afternoon solo sail yesterday! Out about 3pm and the wind was in the 20's. Hit the end of the Berkeley Pier and it was a solid 25 so just had a bit of jib out to keep it safe. Heading into the slot the waves were big and I was questioning my decision to sail to Angel Island. Kept going and as soon as I hit the shadow of Angel it mellowed out. The sun was out and 80 degrees. Hove to and got out on deck with Kona for some sun. Thought about a swim but decided to set sail towards home for a great run to the barn. Wow what a nice afternoon. Thanks Addiction for keeping it safe!
Friday, August 23, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Cruising the California Coast
I have considered several times a cruise up the coast to Tomales Bay. Without radar and with a boat not really up to par for ocean sailing, I have used my better judgement and not made the leap. You can make a lot of mistakes and be fine on the bay. On the ocean, it's a whole different ballgame and a boat failure could be the end. But that does not mean you can't get out there if you have the time and the boat to do it. One skipper did it recently and took his family on big portions of the trip up and down the coast for a 1400 mile adventure. He basically bought a boat, took some lessons, fixed her up and went sailing. And loved it! The website he put together is impressive. If you ever needed a push out the door on your way to the cruising lifestyle, this is it. Please head over to the site, be warned, you may end up way past your bedtime reading this wonderful account of making your sailing dreams come true. Go here.
America's Cup...Bust?
I have been following the America's Cup thru the local media here in SF as well as on the water. I have seen several races and had the 72' monsters scream by my boat within 75 feet. I also watched the race on TV the other night. So far, the results are mixed as there have not been any races that were really competitive. The city has spent millions, donors have spent millions and the competitors have spent over $100M just to be in this race of 2 boats at a time. And with a total of four boats in the entire competition, it seems all is lost and that this Cup will go down in flames. However, I am an optimist and when you see these amazing boats come at you at 30 knots, it is an incredible site and one that can make your heart stop! Watching them duel it out on TV was impressive as well. The one thing that most non sailing folks don't realize is that the quantum shift in speed is incredible. My 30 year old sloop was built as a racer/cruiser back in the early 80's. It's average speed is under 6 knots with a high speed of 8.5 when she is really cooking along. On the race course, the AC boats are hitting speeds in the high 30's and higher In the old America's Cup, 14 to 15 knots was impressive. So times have changed. In hindsight, the 45' cats should have been the boat to bring to the dance. Much more affordable means more teams and more excitement from other countries. However, watching them on tv the other night i was giddy with pride. The shots of the boat against the cityscape was impressive. The bottom line is yes this America's is a bust so far. Not one race has been closer than a difference of 2-5 minutes. My hope is that we see an amazing finish with nz and oracle fighting it out in the finals. Take a look at a local sailor and his awesome camera handywork.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Awesome Sail Out the Gate
Over the weekend, I went for a sail on my friend John's Ranger 33 out of Sausalito. And what a sail it was. We took off around 11am. As soon as we hit the end of the channel, there was Team NZ out on the bay in practice mode. There she goes foiling across the bay. Soon another AC boat comes into view. No graphics on this one but I soon realize it is the brand new Artimus boat from the Swedish team. We are out in the middle of the bay near the Gate and the 72' foot NZ monster is heading near us just off our port bow. Wow! She flies by us foiling and less than 50' away. So cool.
A couple more runs and we check the tides and it is a perfect time to head out towards the Pacific. We pass under the Gate and the wind is in the high teens with very little swell. There are only 2 other boats out here and we are excited. A few more tacks and we pass Point Bonita and the end of the strait and out on the Pacific. Because of the distance to this location, tides and many other factors, I only sail out here once or twice a year, so this is a big deal. The conditions are perfect and we let the boat steer herself for a bit while we grab a bite. Soon we are a mile offshore and enjoying the north south looks up and down the coast. Time to head in. We take a few tacks in and soon we find ourselves back in the marina and celebrate our safe return. What a great day. Thank-You John!
A couple more runs and we check the tides and it is a perfect time to head out towards the Pacific. We pass under the Gate and the wind is in the high teens with very little swell. There are only 2 other boats out here and we are excited. A few more tacks and we pass Point Bonita and the end of the strait and out on the Pacific. Because of the distance to this location, tides and many other factors, I only sail out here once or twice a year, so this is a big deal. The conditions are perfect and we let the boat steer herself for a bit while we grab a bite. Soon we are a mile offshore and enjoying the north south looks up and down the coast. Time to head in. We take a few tacks in and soon we find ourselves back in the marina and celebrate our safe return. What a great day. Thank-You John!
Mutiny on the Transpac
Trapped on a boat with a skipper that is in need of some anger management during a race across the Pacific. Here is a small excerpt:
Day 0, Monday, July 8: Race Day.
An unexpected and totally unnecessary event. Harry blew up over the coffee filter left on the coffee maker by Jake. It was a half hour rage and total shut down all operation. My goodness, the man needs an anger management course badly. He threw things all over and around him. He was insulting Jake and everyone else claiming this is his house,….. blah, bah.
I don’t think it was a big deal. The filter was still warm and he should have given Jake a chance to clean up. After all, we were being pulled all different directions for the last two days by two bosses. Well…. I didn’t care, I just want to sail the Pacific and nothing can stop me know.
{Edited: Never knew this was just the beginning of an ordeal that I have never expected}.
When my daughter was in her second grade, I think she had a better organization skills than that of Harry and Jane. We rushed and rushed in a totally disorganized way, I didn’t really have time to think. Somehow, I thought we would have plenty of time to work out the details once the rush is over when on route to Hawaii. Jake reminded Harry to top off the water tanks but he left the dock anyway to head to the starting point. Both Harry and Jane were equally controlling.
We were 20 min late to the start of the race, but I was happy to see that we were underway; at least I was thinking we will have time to learn or adapt Harry’s style. As I often said to other on the net. It is his boat, his house/castle, his rules unless my life is endangered.
You can read the rest here.
Be sure to hit the "continue" on the bottom of that page to read the second part. Some are calling the story bs but I am not so sure.
Day 0, Monday, July 8: Race Day.
An unexpected and totally unnecessary event. Harry blew up over the coffee filter left on the coffee maker by Jake. It was a half hour rage and total shut down all operation. My goodness, the man needs an anger management course badly. He threw things all over and around him. He was insulting Jake and everyone else claiming this is his house,….. blah, bah.
I don’t think it was a big deal. The filter was still warm and he should have given Jake a chance to clean up. After all, we were being pulled all different directions for the last two days by two bosses. Well…. I didn’t care, I just want to sail the Pacific and nothing can stop me know.
{Edited: Never knew this was just the beginning of an ordeal that I have never expected}.
When my daughter was in her second grade, I think she had a better organization skills than that of Harry and Jane. We rushed and rushed in a totally disorganized way, I didn’t really have time to think. Somehow, I thought we would have plenty of time to work out the details once the rush is over when on route to Hawaii. Jake reminded Harry to top off the water tanks but he left the dock anyway to head to the starting point. Both Harry and Jane were equally controlling.
We were 20 min late to the start of the race, but I was happy to see that we were underway; at least I was thinking we will have time to learn or adapt Harry’s style. As I often said to other on the net. It is his boat, his house/castle, his rules unless my life is endangered.
You can read the rest here.
Be sure to hit the "continue" on the bottom of that page to read the second part. Some are calling the story bs but I am not so sure.
Friday, August 02, 2013
Download the West Coast's Top Sail Rag for Free
Latitude 38 has printed their latest issue. My favorites are the Letters section and Changes in Latitude. Download the mag to any device and enjoy.
Click here to go to the download page.
Click here to go to the download page.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
The Sailing Life is for Me!
Took out some old and new friends on Sunday for a very special day on the SF bay. We departed about 10:30 and from a distance we could see the Berkeley Kite Festival in the fog. Tacked out towards the City and the Louis Vuittan Cup Races. New Zealand was dominating Italy once more. Winds were in the 20's so we had a bit of jib out for a nice easy sail. As we reached the finish line, NZ comes roaring through. Nice view of these spectacular vessels. Then we head to McCovey Cove for lunch. We anchor and are eating lunch when one of the large brunch cruisers comes through the anchorage. He turns and promptly hits our bow and bends up our bow roller very nicely. I am a bit stunned and contact him on the VHF. The captain says to call him on Monday and he will take care of it. This will be a big hassle I am sure. We did not let this ruin our day and it could have been much worse. Had a great sail home in high winds and I look forward to the next adventure.
Bonehead move of the weekend goes to the brunch cruise captain!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Consider This...
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost a son while living in the White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both were shot behind the head.
Here is an interesting one...
Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.
Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners.
Both successors were named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy was born in 1939.
Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are made of fifteen letters.
Mr. Booth shot Lincoln in a Theatre called "Ford".
Lee Harvey Oswald, shot Kennedy in a car called "Ford" Lincoln.
Booth ran from a theater and was caught in a warehouse.
Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.
Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.
And last but not least,
A month before Lincoln was shot he was in Monroe, Maryland.
A month before Kennedy was shot he was in Marilyn Monroe.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Sex, Drugs and a little Roll!
What an amazing highlight of the summer! My son and I got an invite to a private concert on Alcatraz! We partied with the band and had an awesome evening on The Rock! We left our slip in the late afternoon for a 2 hour sail to the city. We arrived at our guest berth and departed for the ferry to the island. The band was on board and we were greeted in style. The wind was in the mid 20's as we approached the island. A national company was treating their top sales folks to a grand event on the island. We were shuttled to the prison commissary for the show. The first act was a rapper with some great tunes. Then came the headliner, Neon Trees. They put on a great show with lots of energy and fun. The crowd was going nuts. We enjoyed the show and then just like that, we were on our way back to the city on the ferry. My son and I felt like rockstars as there was a group of folks waiting for the band to return to shore. We slept soundly in the guest berth and then sailed home in a nice breeze in the morning. What a party!!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Dorade Wins Transpac
Dorade was a yacht designed in 1929 by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens and built 1929–1930 by the Minneford Yacht Yard in City Island, New York.
Olin Stephens, the designer, was skipper through 1932 when he handed the boat to his brother, Rod Stephens.[1] Led by Rod, Dorade sailed to victory in the 1932 Bermuda Race.[2] From Bermuda, Dorade sailed back to Norway, down to Cowes, England, and finally back to America after winning the Fastnet Race. The victory of the 1932 Fastnet Race was of substantial significance given the unusually severe weather, several ships feared missing as well as one recorded drowning among the events that unfolded.
She is now on a quest to race in all the races she did in the 30's and 40's. How cool is that?
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Phaedo Drops Mast
Phaedo dismasting from Richard Langdon on Vimeo.
Heading to Hawaii on the Transpac, one of the coolest boats in the fleet (they have a pizza oven aboard), has lost her mast and is heading back to LA for repairs. Bummer! They had just set the distance record for a 24 hour period of over 400 miles. It's going to be a long motor back to port.
Heading to Hawaii on the Transpac, one of the coolest boats in the fleet (they have a pizza oven aboard), has lost her mast and is heading back to LA for repairs. Bummer! They had just set the distance record for a 24 hour period of over 400 miles. It's going to be a long motor back to port.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)