JanCoverTemplate 12/21/09 10:21 AM Page 1 Latitude 38 VOLUME 391 January 2010 WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS JANUARY 2010 VOLUME 391 WARM DECEMBER SUN When Arjan Bok of the San Fran- cisco-based Lidgard 30 Rotkat got back to the The City after doing the Ha-Ha, the plumbing contractor figured it would be awhile before he would return to his cat in Mexico. "But it took just two days in chilly San Francisco to know that I had to get back to the warmth of Banderas Bay. So I grabbed my business partner Craig Libertore, and longtime crew Tom Friel, and hopped on a plane to Puerto Vallarta. There, we rounded out the crew with Sally Mar- tin of Albany, who is spending a year in Sayulita with her son." The perfect oppor- tunity for Bok — and other boat owners who love 'nothing serious racing' — to Tom Miller of San enjoy the warmth Francisco finds out was doing the Ban- there are few things deras Bay Blast, as refreshing as a December 2-4. The water balloon to the annual event was noggin late on a De- sponsored by the cember afternoon at Punta Mita Yacht & La Cruz. Surf Club, the Val- larta YC, and a host of others. Thanks to the ultra-casual Baja Ha-Ha-style ambience of the event that is proving so popular, Bok's cat was joined by 31 other boats. Since everybody is a winner in the Blast, we might as well acknowledge the victors first: Southwind, Islander 36, Jean Grego- ry, Oceanside. Eupsychia, Cal 36, David Addleman, Monterey. Laniack, Yorktown 35, John White, Puerto Vallarta. Isis, Al- lied Princess 36, Burke & Kacey Stan’ell. Island Mistress, Wellington 47, Jeff and Judy Wahl, Puerto Vallarta. Charissa, Liberty 461, Tom Jones, San Francisco. Belfana, Catalina 30, Randy Hough, Val- larta YC. Escape Velocity, S2 7.9, Rush Faville, Vallarta YC. Interlude, Morgan Free berthing! No wonder the beautiful Marina Riviera Nayarit was packed for the Blast. 38, Don and Peggy Cox, Puerto Vallarta. neau 40, Dorr Anderson, Vallarta YC. Imagine, Catalina 42, Tom and Diane Coastal Passage, Hunter 460, Terry and Miller, San Francisco. Destiny, Catalina Michelle Willis, San Diego. Synchrony, 42, John and Gilly Foy, Punta Mita Y&S. Tartan 41, Juliet Di Giovanni, San Fran- Tomatillo, Jeanneau 43DS, Jim Casey, cisco. Adios, Columbia 43, Craig Shaw, Punta Mita Y&S. Raptor Dance, Valiant Portland. Tabu, Farr 44, Rich and Sheri 50, Bill Finkelstein and Mary Mack, Crowe, Newport Beach. Blue, J/160, Ken Vallarta YC. Maya, LaFitte 44, Rick and Cheryl Sears, Vallarta YC. Sceptre, Meyerhoff, Sausalito. Bright Star, Jean- J/130, Bob Musor, San Francisco. Cap- THE BANDERAS BAY BLAST Left to right, top to bottom: John and Gilly Foy's well-sailed Catalina 42 'Destiny' with the 'hearty' spinnaker. Sunset at Mita. The Blast crew at the Marina Riviera Nayarit's Sky Bar. Arjan Bok and his jolly 'Rotkat' crew. A crewman from the Vallarta-based 'Alarife' walks the hot line. Chuck, Mark and Shannon of 'Younger Girl'. Sheri Crowe did the driving on 'Tabu'. Ashley of 'Eleganz' pouring on the 'tard at the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club. David Addleman on one of his last sails aboard 'Eupsychia'. Symmetry in motion, with Capricorn Cat' and 'Sea Level' in a luffing bout. Stephanie driving 'Profligate'. Scott Case powers the F-P 40 'Twins' away from two Lagoons. Commodore Tammy initiates boyfriend Mike into the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club. ricorn Cat, Hughes 45 cat, Wayne Hen- Twitchell, Punta Mita Y&S. Younger Girl, Milski, Colorado. Eleganz, Lagoon 380, dryx, Punta Mita Y&S. Profligate, Surfin' Lagoon 380, Mark Sciarretta, San Diego. Medina Family, Colorado. RotKat, Lid- 63 cat, Dona de Mallorca, Punta Mita Twins, FP 44 cat, Scott Case, Ecuador. gard 43 cat, Arjan Bok, San Francisco. Y&S. Beach Access, Lagoon 380, Glenn Sea Level, Schionning 49, Jim and Kent Nina May, Catana 431, Jeff Parish. And January, 2010 • Latitude 38 • Page 87 WARM DECEMBER SUN there were, no doubt, a few more that we missed. The Blast's courses are short and sweet. The first race was about seven miles from either Nuevo Vallarta or Punta Mita to still-charming La Cruz. It was so uncharacteristically light that a lot of boats coming down from Punta Mita took DNFs. But who could complain with the Marina Riviera Nayarit providing free berths, the entertainment of the three- story water balloon drop from the Sky Bar, the yummy street tacos in town, music and dancing at Philo's Bar, and the warm weather? Fluke Fest best describes the first half of the second race, which was back to Punta Mita. But the second half was a nice close reach to a beat up the jungle- covered, surf-streaked north shore of Banderas Bay. The wind topped out in the middle of the race at about 17 knots, but thanks to it being on the windward side of the bay, there was only the slight- est chop. If you've not sailed upwind at hull speed in 15 knots of wind, and been plenty warm wearing only a pair of shorts, you don't know what living is. It was still early enough in the year that there were only a few whales on the course, so a minimum of dodging was required, and there were no collisions. That night was the annual reopen- ing of the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club at its luxurious two-story El Dorado fa- cility at the water's edge. While the food was delicious, the drinks strong, and the bills small, the highlight of the evening was when Commodore Tammy Davis, dresssed to slay the heart of every pirate, used the big carbon stand-up surfboard paddle to whack new members into the Cheryl Sears is all club. "This hurts smiles, driving 'Blue' me more than through the light air. i t d o e s y o u , " she lied. As you might expect, membership in the exclusive club soared. New inductees had to to sail there, pay a lifetime mem- Spinnaker Run for Charity to Nuevo Val- bay, yet again, the good wind fizzled to bership of $1, get larta. After two days of slightly subpar nothing. Several boats, following the lead a whack on the Banderas Bay sailing conditions, the of local knowledge guru Mike Danielson ass, and drink start of the P for P couldn't have looked on the J/160 Blue, rode the edge of the mango Kool-Aid. more promising. Indeed, the boats rock- wind line all the way across the bay at a The last day eted away from the Punta Mita starting 90-degree angle to the finish line. It was of the Blast was line at hull speed in 15 knots of wind on lovely sailing in a good breeze and bright the historic Pi- the beam with brilliant blue skies over- sunshine, but the VMG was less than 0, rates for Pupils head. Unfortunately, halfway across the and those who followed the course were THE BANDERAS BAY BLAST Left to right, top to bottom: The entry 'Gaia' shows that green hulled boats were allowed this year. 'Cap Cat's Carol had more than a ball. Ubiquitous Commodore Tammy looked great in search of thrills. Pirate Randy Hough made his classic Catalina 30 — seen in the next photo — really move. 'Tabu' has the inside track on 'Bright Star' and 'Blue'. 'Rotkat' battles light air and a big class at the start of the second race. During gaps in the breeze, Mike of 'Profligate' entertained everyone by levitating. Sheri Crowe, center, with the crew she and Rich picked up at Tenacatia Bay. Some of the crew at the beach of the spacious Yacht & Surf Club clubhouse. Jinger Yachechak takes a wet one for the fleet. Tammy points the way to the finish line. no closer than those who had steadfastly on Simple Pleasures, Jim Casey on To- sailed one third of the distance on the The crews who stuck it out the matillo, Rich and Sheri Crowe on Tabu, rhumbline. longest were John and Gilly Foy on and perhaps one or two others. To our Destiny, singlehander Bernard Slabeck knowledge, nobody quite finished, even January, 2010 • Latitude 38 • Page 89 WARM DECEMBER SUN with the extended time. will grow in the future, as But that didn't diminish the super-casual format anyone's fun. has been embraced by Paradise Village Marina just about everyone. Fun Harbormaster Dick Markie with friends, not beating was the hero of the evening, someone, is the goal. coming through with free berths for all participants. "We're here to help people If you've got friends have a great time," he said. who will be doing the And the on-site Vallarta Blast with their boat next YC opened its doors — and year, we suggest you try pool — to the Blasters. Looking sleek and sexy, Jim and Kent Milski's to hook up with them for the entire self-built Schionning 49 'Sea Level' was one of Banderas Bay Blast week. That way you the fleet's speedier cats. can spend the first three days enjoying Fun is fun, but one of the main other boats, with the loser paying the all the charms of the area. Street tacos reasons for the Blast is money to charity. Other sources of rev- at night in Sayulita, surfing at Punta to raise money for the enue were Club memberships, the new Mita, spending a night at Yelapa, diving educational and envi- Y&S Club shirts, and several hundred at the Tres Marietas Islands, watching ronmental needs of the dollars from the owner of a wonderful the whales, and then doing the Blast.