NovCoverTemplate 10/16/09 3:04 PM Page 1 Latitude 38 VOLUME 389 November 2009 WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS NOVEMBER 2009 VOLUME 389 We know boaters have many choices when shopping for berthing, and all of us here at Grand Marina want to Thank you for Giving us the opportunity to provide you with the best service available in the Bay Area year after year. • Prime deep water concrete slips in a variety of sizes DIRECTORY of • Great Estuary location at the heart GRAND MARINA of the beautiful Alameda Island TENANTS • Complete bathroom and shower Bay Island Yachts ........................... 8 facility, heated and tiled Blue Pelican Marine ................... 160 The Boat Yard at Grand Marina ... 13 • FREE pump out station open 24/7 Lee Sails ..................................... 156 • Full Service Marine Center and Marine Lube ............................... 163 haul out facility Pacific Crest Canvas ..................... 51 • Free parking Pacific Yacht Imports ..................... 9 510-865-1200 Rooster Sails ................................ 61 Leasing Office Open Daily • Free WiFi on site! UK-Halsey Sailmakers ............... 124 2099 Grand Street, Alameda, CA 94501 And much more… www.grandmarina.com Page 2 • Latitude 38 • November, 2009 ★ Happy Holidays from all of us at Pineapple Sails. We’ll be closed from Carbon Copy Sat., Dec. 19, through Sun., Jan. 3. There are words to describe the design of a good one-design sailboat and one of the best words is “durable.” The Express 37 is just such a boat. Designed by Carl Schumacher in 1984, the class still does a full season of races each year, culminating in St. Francis Yacht Club’s Rolex Big Boat Series. This year’s season champion and PHOTO: MARIAH’S EYES PHOTOGRAPHY (510) 864-1144 winner of the class in Big Boat Series is Bill Bridge and Kame Richards’ Golden Moon. Golden Moon placed first in class in the 2002 Big Boat Series and the 2004 Big Boat Series as well. This year’s races were won with the same Pineapple car- bon genoa built in 2007 and a carbon Pineapple Sails mainsail built for Big Boat Series in 2005 (making 2009 its fifth year). Durable fleet, durable sails. Pineapple Sails! Golden Moon* YOUR DEALER FOR: Musto foul weather gear, Dubarry footwear and Headfoil 2 Sails in need of repair may be dropped off at: West Marine in Oakland, Alameda, or Richmond; *Powered by Pineapples or Svendsen’s in Alameda. Phone (510) 522-2200 Fax (510) 522-7700 www.pineapplesails.com 2526 Blanding Ave., Alameda, California 94501 November, 2009 • Latitude 38 • Page 3 CONTENTS subscriptions 6 calendar 8 letters 16 loose lips 70 sightings 72 samoan tsunami 84 ticket to ride 90 season champs pt. I 98 ha-ha profiles, pt. III 104 hurricanes 108 max ebb: floating some ideas 114 the racing sheet 118 world of chartering 128 changes in latitudes 136 classy classifieds 154 advertisers' index 164 brokerage 166 Cover: Dan Courter's dream came true when his Antioch-based Catalina 30 Ross's Dream placed first in the cruising division in the South Beach YC-hosted 2009 Catalina 30 Nationals. Photo: Peter Lyons/www.lyonsimaging.com Copyright 2009 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc. Latitude 38 welcomes editorial contributions in the form of stories, anecdotes, photographs – anything but poems, please; we gotta draw the line somewhere. Articles with the best chance at publication must 1) pertain to a West Coast or universal sailing audience, 2) be accompanied by a variety of pertinent, in-focus digital images (preferable) or color or black and white prints with identification of all boats, situations and people therein; and 3) be legible. These days, we prefer to receive both text and photos electronically, but if you send by mail, anything you want back must be accompanied by a self- addressed, stamped envelope. Submissions not accompanied by an SASE will not be returned. We also advise that you not send original photographs or negatives unless we specifically request them; copies will work just fine. Notification time varies with our workload, but generally runs four to six weeks. Please don't contact us before then by phone or mail. Send all submissions to [email protected], or mail to Latitude 38 editorial department, 15 Lo- cust Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941. For more specific information, request writers' guidelines from the above address or see www.latitude38.com/writers.html. Page 4 • Latitude 38 • November, 2009 BENETEAU 58 NEW! CLUB BENETEAU NEW! Fractional Sailing Club and Yacht Management The Jewel of Join us in launching our exclusive and affordable the Beneteau yachting program and take advantage of the HUGE Cruising Fleet All the stops were pulled tax savings still available for 2009! out in the design of the This new program is unique in the charter new 58. Real mega-yacht design and comfort fea- yacht ownership business and charter club NEW 40 AT OUR DOCKS tures. Unbelievable value. membership sailing. Introductory price $730,000. YOUR YACHT AS A BUSINESS Own a beauti- ful new BENETEAU and benefit from the liberal and accessible tax advantages of charter yacht placement. Exclusive use by a limited number of qualified club members and skippered-only One of four interior layouts available. charters guarantees that your boat is kept in Paris Boat Show? We're traveling to see pristine condition. Tax benefits are numerous and generous. the new 58 and other beautiful yachts at FRACTIONAL SAILING CLUB Join an exclusive-use sailing club and 'own' a sailing the Paris Boat Show, December 4-13. Come interest in a new fleet of Beneteau yachts. Book when you want to sail. Have all along! Trip reimbursed if you purchase a new Beneteau from us before year end. the benefits of owning a luxury yacht at fitness club fees. Program Presentation and Q&A: SELECT LISTINGS Saturday, November 14, 2009, 1 p.m. Passage Yachts, Brickyard Cove Marina, Pt. Richmond SAIL Have all your program and tax questions answered Beneteau 473, '04 .......... 259,900 RSVP to (510) 236-2633 Hunter Legend 450, '98 .. 159,000 Tartan 4100, 2004 Beneteau First 45F5, '91 160,000 $330,000 Catalina 42 MkII, '97 ....... 160,000 ISLAND PACKET SMART BUYING PROGRAM Tartan 4100, '04 .............. 330,000 Cascade 41, '71 ................ 59,500 Earn monthly income while Beneteau First 40.7, '00 . 124,900 Beneteau 473, 2004 Island Packet 40, '98 ...... 259,000 owning one of the best-built $259,000 boats in America. Beneteau 393, '03 .......... 139,500 C&C 37+/40, '89 ............. 104,000 Receive monthly income equal to your monthly Beneteau 373, '06 .......... 153,500 loan payment for the first year of ownership Island Packet 370, '04 .... 299,000 with our Smart Buying Leaseback Program. Catalina 42, 1997 Pearson 36, '85 ................ 69,000 $160,000 It's simple: Fantasia 35, '79 ................ 74,900 • Keep the boat at our dock for one year J/109, '03 ........................ 185,000 for us to show perspective clients and get Beneteau 323, '05 ............ 94,500 paid for doing it. Purchase a 2010 Island Beneteau 373, 2006 POWER Packet, or one of our demo models and $153,500 be part of this Smart Buying Program. Californian 42, '87 ........... 119,500 • In our popular Leaseback Program you're Sea Ray 340, '06 ............ 169,500 enrolled in our monthly concierge service Carver 32, '90 ................... 39,000 Tiara 29, '98 ...................... 69,900 so your basic maintenance is handled. Pearson 36, 1985 If you have ever dreamed of owning an Island Packet, this program makes it a real- $69,000 ity. Call for details. This program can be combined with a long term business plan Check out our blog: www.passageyachts.blogspot.com that allows you to take advantage of substantial tax savings. See our full product listings at: www.passageyachts.com Estero ~ 370 ~ SP Cruiser ~ 460 ~ 465 ~ 485 Pt. Richmond Two Alameda Office Office Locations! Marina Village 1220 Brickyard Cove Rd 1070 Marina Village Pkwy p: 510-236-2633 Suite 101 f: 510-234-0118 p: 510-864-3000 f: 510-337-0565 FOR THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE www.passageyachts.blogspot.com • www.passageyachts.com BENETEAU ISLAND PACKET ALERION EXPRESS WAUQUIEZ Please read form carefully before submitting. SUBSCRIPTIONS We regret that we cannot accept foreign subscriptions. Check, money order, or ❏ eBooks email list. Free! credit card information must accompany request. See www.latitude38.com to download the Free Please allow 4-6 wks to BOAT entire magazine for free! Our eBooks are in process changes/additions, eBooks! PDF format, easy to use with Adobe Reader. plus delivery time. Email: ____________________________________________ ❏ Enclosed is $36 for one year Third Class Postage (Delivery time 2-3 weeks; Postal Service will not forward third class, so you must make address change with us in writing.) ❏ Enclosed is $55 for one year First Class Postage (Delivery time LOANS 2-3 days; FPO/APO (military), Canada & Mexico subscriptions are first class only) ❏ Third Class Renewal ❏ First Class Renewal (current subs. only!) ❏ Gift Subscription Card to from read from: Trident Funding Name Address City State Zip Phone: ( ) Email: CREDIT CARD ❏ MASTERCARD ❏ VISA ❏ AMERICAN EXPRESS "a fresh INFORMATION approach Min. Charge $12 Number: _________________________________Exp.: _________ csv: ______ INDIVIDUAL ISSUE ORDERS from people Current issue = $6.00 • With classy ad placed = $5.00 you can trust" Back Issues = $7.00 (must indicate exact issue by month or vol. #) DISTRIBUTION ❏ We have a marine-oriented business/yacht club in California which will distribute copies of Latitude 38. (Please fill out your name and address and mail it to the address below. Distribution will be supplied upon approval.) In Northern California call ❏ Please send me further information for distribution outside California JOAN BURLEIGH Business Name Type of Business (800) 690-7770 Address City State Zip County Phone Number In Southern California call JEFF LONG Latitude 38 MARGE BROOKSHIRE "we go where the wind blows" Publisher/Exec.