—— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— MeetMeet thethe FleetFleet BAJABAJA HA-HAHA-HA 20092009 SanSan DiegoDiego toto CaboCabo SanSan LucasLucas RallyRally OctoberOctober 2525 —— NovemberNovember 7,7, 20092009 —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— •• —— RIGGING FOR PACIFIC VOYAGERS Specialists in cruising sailboat brokerage for 27 years. Since 1984 Problem solving and discount mail order Go to are our specialities. www.yachtfinders.biz for all our 80+ listings! Perfect, Made-to-Spec Rigging: Standing and running rigging, life lines, furling gear, winches, line, windlasses, travelers, wire and terminals, blocks, vangs, and much more. (866) 341-6189 toll-free (619) 224-2349 email: [email protected] Fax (619) 224-4692 (508) 992-0434 [email protected] www.riggingonly.com Congratulations on signing up for the Baja Ha-Ha Come to West Marine for your outfitting Needs. Sausalito – 295 Harbor Dr (415) 332-0202 Michael Price Michael has been boating for almost 50 years and has owned a total of 23 vessels (both sail and power), 11 of which he built from the keel up. Before his current 20 year stint with West Marine, Michael was a partner in Anchorage Marine in Sausalito for 10 years. When it comes to maintenance, electrical, plumbing and power, Michael is the “go-to” source for his large following of loyal customers. Jeff Zarwell Jeff has been racing on San Francisco Bay for over 25 years and now manages over 90 days of racing each year around the country as a “Certified National Race Officer.” Jeff’s Sausalito certification by the United States Sailing Association qualifies him to be the Principal Race Officer of virtually any regatta in the world. In addition to racing, Jeff has also cruised the West Coast and the Caribbean. Jeff has expert knowledge of running rigging for racing and Alameda cruising, anchoring, navigation, foul weather gear and electronics. Alameda – Dan Niessen 730 Buena Vista Av. (510) 521-4865 Dan Niessen comes to West Marine with over 25 years of sailing experience. After competing in the Pac-10 college sailing circuit, he moved up to racing J-Boats, 505s and FDs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dan currently owns 2 boats and is an avid long distance cruiser and a certified sailing instructor. Long Beach – Holly Scott 251 Marina Dr. (562) 598-9400 Holly’s love of boats and sailing began at the age of nine, when she found a fully rigged Sabot in the living room. By the age of 15 she was skippering her parent’s Cal 36 to Catalina and up and down the California coast and bought her very own cruising sailboat at the age of 24. Today Captain Holly has a 100-ton Masters License Long Beach and charters all over the world. Holly loves to share her knowledge, experience and boating humor. Newport Newport Beach – Louis Holmes Beach San 900 West Coast Highway (949) 645-1711 Diego Louis has been an avid sailor for 22 years. Starting in sabots, he has sailed in regattas ranging from Dinghy and Olympic One Design, to Grand Prix and Offshore events. He has over 6000 miles of delivery experience, including two Mexico returns and a return from Hawaii, and over 10,000 miles of racing experience. Louis is most at home charging down waves or slogging around the next point. Now in his tenth year at West Marine, Louis is eager to tackle your rigging, electronics, and navigational needs to make your boat faster, safer, and easier to sail. Stop into our Newport Beach location to talk to Louis or the many other knowledgeable associates about outfitting your boat for the Baja Ha Ha. San Diego – Mick Fritzching 1250 Rosecrans (619) 225-8844 Mick has been sailing since he was a small boy. He started out sailing Thistles, Comets, and Lightenings on the finger lakes in upstate New York and built his first sabot out of plywood with his dad when he was 11 years old. Their family yacht was a 60' Alden that his father salvaged off the Jersey shore and completely rebuilt. Mick, along with his wife and son, have cruised on and off for many years, and he is currently restoring a 1967 Columbia Constellation. Over 340 Stores Nationwide 1-800-BOATING westmarine.com Baja Ha-Ha XV — 1 2 — Baja Ha-Ha XVI BAJA HA-HA, INC. — CRUISIN’ TO THE CAPE — Congratulations! If you're reading this, you are probably participating in the 16th annual Baja Ha-Ha cruisers rally — and by doing so, you've es- caped from the rat race, at least temporarily. The Rally Committee produced this "Meet the Fleet" program as a me - mento of a bold adventure. If you are like most participants from years past, however, it will serve as both a souvenir and a resource for getting acquainted with other fleet members. We suggest that you keep it handy so you can read about the boats and crews you'll see out on the ocean during your voyage to the Cape, and later, in anchorages and marinas. The mini-bios included here were first published in Latitude 38 maga- zine, the Baja Ha-Ha's founding sponsor, and are used here with permis- sion. The Latitude staff joins the Rally Committee in wishing every participant a safe and fun-filled voyage through the sunny latitudes of Mexico. And the editors encourage you to keep in touch as you wend your way far- ther down the Central American coast or around the world, so that future cruisers can learn from your experiences. (Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or write to: Latitude editorial, 15 Locust Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941.) Wishing you fair winds, sunny skies and excellent health! — Baja Ha-Ha Rally Committee Baja Ha-Ha, Inc. • 15 Locust Avenue • Mill Valley, CA 94941 Baja Ha-Ha XVI — 3 BAJA HA-HA XVI — cruisin' to the cape One of the differences between veter- manager; Lisa, mom Alobar — Island Packet 350 an cruisers and first-timers is that new- Add'l Crew: sons Teagan, 9, and Mick, Joel Ungar, Santa Barbara comers actually think they'll complete all 7 Occupation: lawyer the tasks on their 'to do' lists before the Quote: "We recently ordered a Chinese Add'l Crew: John Harold date they've set for leaving town. Veteran dish called Four Happiness and my old- Quote: "Viva la Baja Ha-Ha, viva cruisers know better. est son said, 'That's us, Dad, as soon as Mexico, y vamanos amigos." That's why we're often told that the you quit work and go sailing!'" Cruise Plans: Mexico, south to Ec- best thing about the annual Baja Ha- uador, French Polynesia, and possibly Ha rally is its concrete starting date, farther. when — ready or not — even inveterate Noteworthy: Joel joined the rally to procrastinators are inspired to stow meet others going to the South Pacific. their fix-it lists, set their sails, and head south. Andalucia — Irwin 37 As you've undoubtedly heard, there Steve & Edie Hollen, Alamitos Bay are also other good things about the Occupations: retired Ha-Ha, such as making friends with Add'l Crew: TBA like-minded adventurers, communing Quote: "Life's too short and all our with Mother Nature, and having a rare friends are dying." opportunity to reinvent yourself, if only Cruise Plans: Mexico and beyond. during a brief getaway from the worka- Noteworthy: During last year's event, day world. the Hollens suffered the Ha-Ha's first This year's fleet has grown to record dismasting, but got home safely and proportions, and, as you'll read here, its put Andalucia back together again. 600+ participants have a wide variety of motivations for sailing south of the The Foley kids will be home-schooled as they Ansa — Cooper 416 border this season. cruise to Texas. David Bereznai & Terry Downs Here then (drum roll please) are mem- Cruise Plans: Sail home to Texas, "but San Francisco bers of the Baja Ha-Ha Class of 2009. if the cruising bug infects our sons and Occupation: David, electronics engi- Captain Kevin can handle homeschool- neer (ret.) Adios — Columbia 43 ing, who knows?" Quote: "No comment." Craig Shaw & Tiffany Lidy Noteworthy: Both Kevin and Lisa have Cruise Plans: Winter in the Sea. Portland, OR been sailing since they were pre-teens. Noteworthy: The Vancouver, BC-built Occupation: Craig, yacht rigger Cooper 416 was designed by Stan Hunt- Quote: Craig: "I'm really looking for- Alika — Challenger 32 ingford and had a limited production ward to skippering Adios down the Baja Rory & Cheryl Kremer run. with the kite up under the full moon! And Monterey with the best first mate on the planet, I'll Occupations: Rory, delivery skipper & Aquadesiac — Tayana V-42 have the biggest smile in the fleet!" archaeologist; Cheryl, realtor Doug Simms, Alameda Cruise Plans: Cruise the mainland Quote: "We need to shake off some Occupation: engineer (ret.) and Sea until Sailing Week, then sail shore dirt and get some miles in." Add'l Crew: Dave Calhoun and Mike back to Portland. Cruise Plans: The Baja Bash, made Dobson Noteworthy: Adios was owned by easier with a new engine. Quote: "As a young boy I always Craig's parents before he bought her, so Noteworthy: Although Cheryl started looked west when I was daydreaming. he's been sailing the boat for 25 years. sailing only a year ago, Rory is an old pro. This journey is the culmination of those From '99 to '04 he did a solo circumnavi- dreams." Albatross — Seamaster 46 gation on a steel Spray replica. Plus, he's Cruise Plans: South to the Canal. Douglas Schneeman done nearly 50 solo and crewed deliver- Noteworthy: Doug had planned to do & JoDean Bifoss ies from Hawaii to the U.S.