matt

All the big boats stayed in at Saint Tropez yesterday, but that didn’t stop this dude. We bet he didn’t try to go upwind! Photo from friend Juerg Kaufmann. Follow him on Instagram....

A man has died after a yacht capsized off Sydney’s south this morning. Emergency services were called after reports a woman swam to shore from the stricken vessel at Boat Harbour, near Kurnell at about 5am. NSW Water Police and a rescue helicopter conducted a search of the area and located the body of a man near Wanda Beach just before 6am. Thanks to 9News. Forum thread here…...

Say hello to Theresa Brandner, Commodore of St. Francis YC, and this week’s Sailor Chick Of The Week. Here she is driving her J-105 in Frisco. It is our understanding that she is only 1 of 3 Commodores to helm their own boat in the BBS since 1993. In addition, she’s been actively racing (24 race days so far this year) and has sailed on the Sonar, J/80, J/22, and J/105, and supporting 12 women’s sailing events and clinics during her year as Commodore of StFYC. So we absolutely think Theresa Brandner is an amazing woman. We’ve had a few phone conversations, and have gotten to know her through some of the most bizarre circumstances imaginable… Last week, we received a Contact SA e-mail from [email protected], nominating Theresa for SCOTW. The email included a photo that, while we liked it, we later learned was never meant for publication. We don’t know about the picture, but upon checking the STFYC website, we confirmed that the photo was indeed of her. Cool, we thought, the rear commodore, from a yacht club of which many members loathe us, is reaching out. Great, we thought, let’s run it. All good, right? Wrong. It seems the photo was not actually sent by the Rear Commodore at STFYC; rather, someone sent us this email on our contact form, [email protected], and sent said picture that is, again, one that she never wanted published. Why would someone do that? Was it sent with the intention of trying to fuck with this woman?  It sure seems like bullshit to us. And yes, we got yoked, but we didn’t think this level of assholery was coming from someone at STFYC, and we don’t yet have any proof that it did. But from what we know, it is possible that someone (perhaps more) from the Good...

So today my precious older son turns 20 years old. How in the hell is that even possible? Just a few years ago he was this kid, now he is a wonderful young man, thriving in the collegiate atmosphere of USC. I simply could not be more proud, and just wanted to share this. I know those of you with kids can surely relate…...

The idea came to me in the summer of 2001, while taking a shower.  I was thinking about the different places I had sailed, and started counting the States. There were about a dozen; enough to think it would be fun to try and sail in all 50. Maybe I was all wet, but many people try and visit all 50 states, and other’s try to visit all of the pro baseball or football stadiums, but to my knowledge, none have sailed in all of the States.  My rules were simple: sail on any ocean, navigable lake, river, bay; on any sailing craft > dinghy, yacht, one design, windsurfer, etc. I thought that it may take 20 years > and I wasn’t far off. Experience told me many sailboat racer’s would welcome experienced crew on race day, as there is usually a racer that is short crew for whatever reason.  So I surfed the web for active racing in the areas where I planned to vacation or for business travel . Most of my research for rental boats, local races, sailing clubs & yacht club race officers was done online, and I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of friendly sailors by hitching a ride on race day. Almost half of the states were visited for races.  Eventually, I leveraged my quest as a way to get onboard non racing boats too. When I mention my “bucket list” quest to people, the first thing they ask is “have you done Hawaii and Alaska?” I had sailed in Hawaii in 1982 and a 2013 family vacation on a cruise ship from Vancouver, Canada to Anchorage, Alaska.  I had met (online) a member (coincidently from Michigan) of the Alaska Sailing Club and he was game to go out on “Big Lake”...

So today was the Sharp Hospice Charity Bay Race, sponsored by the Cortez Racing Association and Coronado Yacht Club. An interesting pursuit bay race with 50 entries, the mighty A4 with my amazing crew of Danny North, The Ed, Sean Kelley, Andrew LaPlant,Paige Johnston and Justin Edelman absolutely crushed it, getting first in class and first overall. Look at me – you’d think I just won the AC, but you know the races where it just all comes together? This was that. We won the start (four other FT 10’s), held of some serious charges from the FT 10 Elusive, sailed by Rick Harris, and the FT 10 Justice, and just stretched at almost every opportunity. The fellas were superb, I was on my game, and I am just so grateful to have this incredible boat, these fabulous North 3di Raw sails, and my amazing, amazing crew. Thank you!!! And lastly, shout out to Dry UV for making cool new shirts and hats! Awesome picture thanks to Cynthia Sinclair, with tons more here. Title appropriation thanks to Wiz…. – the ed....

This is the answer to that....

We are never not amazed at the design direction the top Mini’s… Jörg Riechers winner has crossed the finish line of the second stage of the 7th edition of Les Sables – The Azores – Les Sables. The skipper of Lilienthal, who swallowed the 1,270 mile course between Horta and Port Olona in 5 days 6:51 p.m. minutes and 23 seconds at an average speed of 9.15 knots, printed a furious pace from beginning to end and finally made the difference. Photo Christophe Breschi....

Next year will see the 50th edition of one of the greatest ocean races of them all… save the date! In 1886 Hawaii’s King Kalākaua invited the yachtsmen of the US mainland to race across the Pacific to his island paradise. Forty-nine times now the race has been run, and approaching Transpac 50, in 2019, it’s international. Among the world’s great ocean races there are not many that start and end among palm trees. There are also not many long enough to inspire the spirit of adventure of an ocean crossing in newcomers and veterans alike. Even fewer races have the cultural heritage of an event started by royalty over a century ago, enriched by the participation of thousands of sailors since. Across the generations of California’s sailors Transpac is a tradition and a bond. For the internationals who drop in it’s a test as meaningful as any, but with sweeter rewards as the race goes on, and the sea grows bluer and the skies grow warmer. The Transpacific Yacht Club was created in 1928 to manage the Transpac, and there is only one way to join the club. Race, and you will be invited. Since the first race in 1906, when the start had to be relocated from an earthquake-damaged San Francisco to Los Angeles, the Transpacific Yacht Club’s 2,225-mile race to Honolulu has been an inspiration for generations of offshore sailors from all sides of the Pacific and beyond. Now run every two years, the list of entries and sailors from around the globe increases as they learn how this race is more than just a bucket-list event: it is a unique inspiration to connect with the ocean and our shipmates on what is always a memorable voyage at sea. Read on....