WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS - VOLUME 442 April 2014 - Latitude 38
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VOLUME 442 April 2014 W E G O W HERE T HE W IND B LOWS
CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE —
S ir Robin Knox-Johnston could
have been in a particularly devilish
mood when he envisioned the Clipper first Clipper Race in 1995. To the un-
Round the World Yacht Race back in informed, sending a 70-ft clipper yacht
1990. But truth be told, he was actu- through some of the world's roughest
ally in search of sailing's equivalent to seas, with a crew of seemingly inexpe-
climbing Mt. Everest — having been in- rienced sailors who've never met one
spired by his friend, Chris Bonington, another, could be a recipe for disaster.
while they were climbing in Greenland. But to the contrary, Clipper organizers
Such a challenge is indeed monu- take each individual — sailor or not —
mental in nature. For those who don't
know of him, Sir Robin was the first
person to complete a solo, nonstop cir- "The crux of the race was
cumnavigation of the planet in 1967's that ocean yacht racing need
Sunday Times Golden Globe Race.
Forty years later, at the age of 67, he not be exclusively for
competed in the singlehanded Velux 5 professional yachtsmen
Oceans Race, finishing fourth and be-
coming the oldest person to circumnav-
or an elite minority."
igate the earth alone.
"I wanted to create something that through extensive training and screen-
almost anyone could compete in, and ing and turn them into world-class sail-
be able to experience the thrill of rac- ors.
ing across the world’s oceans in a com-
petitive team environment while chal-
lenging themselves to limits they didn’t
know they had," he says of the Clipper
W e've met local participants with
varying backgrounds in previous Lati-
Race. tude 38 articles. Last month we intro-
"The crux of the race was that ocean duced you to Stephanie Evans and Sar-
yacht racing need not be exclusively for ah Lloyd. In February Tony Pohl and
professional yachtsmen or an elite mi- Elaina Breen shared their stories as
nority," says Sir Robin. "I want people to well. Stephanie and Sarah now are rac-
say when they finish the race: 'That is ing across the Pacific Ocean from Qin-
the best thing I have achieved in my life gdao, China to San Francisco in Race
so far,' so they carry on pushing them- 10 (Leg Six). Elaina, as you may recall,
selves and doing new adventures once took her first sailing lesson three days "Our crews are our best asset and
they complete the Clipper Race." after signing up for four legs of the Clip- when they come into port after an in-
The idea that anyone can sail around per. Her performance and drive are tes- credible adventure, they share their
Planet Earth's oceans is a concept that taments to Clipper's vision. She departs stories with friends and family who in
has gained lots of popularity since the from San Francisco on her second stint turn spread the word," relates Sir Rob-
to Panama en route to New York in Rac- in. "Now, with so much social media,
The Clipper Race consists of a series of legs
that make up each race, crossing the world's
es 11-14 (Legs Seven and Eight) this ‘armchair race fans’ are able to follow
most formidable oceans. month. the race so closely with the Race View-
er and stay updated with all the latest
tactics and news, pictures and videos,
which has helped with publicity and
made it more accessible too."
Although it is not inexpensive to par-
ticipate, the race is set up so that more
people can do it, rather than fewer. The
Round the World Race is actually a se-
ATLANTIC
ries of "legs," broken down into "rac-
OCEAN es." Individuals can sign up for single
PACIFIC or multiple races within a leg (which
OCEAN can be non-consecutive), multiple rac-
es in different legs, or a complete cir-
cumnavigation — like Sarah Lloyd. The
structure can be a bit confusing, even
PACIFIC
OCEAN
if you look at Clipper's world map —
INDIAN
OCEAN
www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race-
route/13-14/race-1.
Each race is scored in a manner
where teams accumulate points for
winning; thus the boat that has the
SOUTHERN most points in the end wins the overall
OCEAN
COMING TO SAN FRANCISCO
er sailed, 35% women and 65% men,
and 40% non-UK crew," says David.
"There are over 40 nationalities in the
race, aged between 18-70."
It's interesting to know how David
approaches potential recruits. Jump-
ing to the conclusion that his top objec-
tive is to find physically strong people
turns out to be completely wrong. It's
actually a lot more nuanced than that.
"What is key for me is people skills. Like
most jobs the world over, you can teach
technical skills far easier than chang-
ing behaviors. And so with us, we know
we can teach people to sail. What we’re
looking for is raw energy, enthusiasm
and excitement. And it doesn’t matter
what age or size/shape body that en-
thusiasm is wrapped in."
David believes that if you are a team
player who thrives on working with and
for others, are enthusiastic and sup-
portive of the team, and don't think
twice about buoying them up or even
ALL PHOTOS CLIPPER VENTURES PLC
showing personal weakness, "chances
are, you’ll make a great crewmate."
"Because this is a competitive race,
we get very few crew disagreements.
There is nothing like healthy competi-
tion to focus the mind outside of your
boat. So when you’re battling the ele-
ments and other competitors, you pull
together as a team." David is continual-
ly amazed at how physical hardship, liv-
ing day-to-day aboard a sailboat in ba-
The fast Clipper 70s surf down monster waves cants who will pay for the privilege of sic conditions, and the pressure to win
like this quickly, giving all on board an adrena- participating is no small task. Depend- a race can create bonds among crew so
line rush they won't soon forget. ing on the number of boats racing in a quickly. From what we've heard, this
race. given year, the overall number of crew actually happens during the first week
After each start, racers can opt to can vary widely for each boat and thus of training in the English Channel.
sail through what's called a scoring for the entire race. David Lusworth, Last month Sarah Lloyd, who arrives
gate, a virtual line across the route that Clipper's crew recruitment and devel- in San Francisco this month aboard
is located approximately one-third the opment director, searches worldwide to A brave crewmember climbs Derry~London-
distance to the finish line. By pass- find individuals suited for the rigors of derry~Doire's mast in what look to be rather
ing through this gate, boats gain extra team ocean racing. "We have 14 yachts windy conditions!
points. The first to cross it gets three in the next race
points, the second gets two and the (2015-2016)," says
third boat gets one. David. "Because
Then, about two-thirds through the we own the yachts
race, there is another area where the that race, it's com-
Ocean Sprint occurs. Think of this as a plete match rac-
race within a race. The team that sails ing, and we know
across this portion of ocean the fast- absolutely how
est is awarded one extra point. Then, many spaces we
points are given for the order in which need to fill. We
the boats finish at their destinations — then recruit world-
12 points for first, one point for last. Fi- wide for those
nally, there are penalty points. These spaces."
points are taken away from a team's to- Clipper has the
tal for various reasons, such as break- math pretty well
ing equiptment by mistake, rather than calculated. "His-
by proper use in bad weather. torically we have
around 40% of
S electing from a group of appli-
people who before
training have nev-
CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE — Henri Lloyd, said, "most people come off the very first training level feeling that training. Training takes place over four boat with your team. During the fourth they have bonded with the people they weeks. The first of these is primarily a and final week, sailors race directly trained with, and would be very happy part of the selection process, making against the other competing boats. This to cross oceans with them." sure everyone is right for the adventure. gives everyone a chance to fine-tune Now, David is "looking for 750 (in- "So in effect you’re assessed for six days their own skills, "and assess how good, dividuals) for the next race." And, the living on a boat. Again, we’re looking at or not, the other boats are." As David registry is already over 40% full. "I’ll be your people skills." After that you spend says, this is, "a great time to get into recruiting in London this week, Swit- two weeks training rigorously aboard a the heads of your rivals. Beat them all zerland next week, and San Francisco Clockwise from upper left: A mid-ocean rescue in Race 4; OneDLL arriving in Qingdao, China, in in April." Once someone has passed the first place overall; Sir Robin (left) assists with a headstay issue; Sarah Lloyd drives in heavy seas; initial selection process, then they start time for push-ups; rough seas on the pointy end; happy times trimming; a mountain of ocean astern. Page 88 • Latitude 38 • April, 2014
COMING TO SAN FRANCISCO
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY CLIPPER VENTURES PLC
tion, the new 70s have modern design
during that week, and you’ve got a great year and will be in service until 2020. elements such as twin helms and rud-
edge going into the race." They are the third generation of Clip- ders, six-foot bowsprits (fit for three
per Round the World race boats and are asymmetric spinnakers and a quiver
T raining on these boats is impor-
tant. Not only do racers need to get
quite different from their predecessors.
Tony Castro, the naval architect
who penned the Clipper 70, has been
of Yankee headsails), updated fast hull
designs and, of course, a fixed camera
system to capture all the action. Ulti-
used to skippering, trimming, changing designing world-class race boats since mately, these changes have made these
sails and so on, they also need to ac- the early 80s. The Clipper 70s are a sig- the safest and fastest clipper boats to
climate to the Spartan living conditions nificant departure from previous clip- date. Two more will be added to the fleet
below decks. The newest clipper boats, per race boats — the Clipper 60s and in the 2015-2016 race, bringing David's
the Clipper 70s, were just launched last the Clipper 68s. Breaking from tradi- recruiting target up to 780 people.
April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 89
CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE
T here have been some minor hic-
cups along the way, though. The Clip-
the greatest factor keeping race offi-
cials up late at night. Just recently, at
ALL PHOTOS CLIPPER VENTURES PLC
per 70s are subject to incredible forces the start of 5,800-mile Race Ten (Leg
of nature and each will have raced over 6), Qingdao's intense fog halted racing
40,000 miles around the planet by the soon after it started. The extra rest may
conclusion of the 2013-2014 event. well be a blessing for the crews, who
In late February, as if on cue, the are certain to endure challenging con-
forestay bottlescrews began to fail on ditions in the weeks to come. Just after
three of the Clipper 70s, literally within the start, weather reports called for 40-
hours of each other during Race 9 (Leg 60 knots of breeze. It was during a simi-
5) on the way from Singapore to Qing- lar crossing two years ago when Clip-
dao, China. This prompted race orga- per crews were badly injured crossing
nizers to stop the race and bring the the world's largest ocean on their way to
boats into Hong Kong for what turned Sir Robin Knox-Johnston presiding over San Francisco Bay. Hopefully everyone
out to be a quick repair — sparing dam- 'GREAT Britain's christening ceremony at Lon- will arrive at South Beach YC in good
don's Trafalger Square in July 2013.
age or injury to boats and crew. health sometime after April 11.
It wouldn't be racing if the crew were crew had to be taken off their boats for The overall standings in the Clip-
not subject to incredibly trying condi- medical attention. In one case in Race per Round the World Race show
tions. And inevitably, people are go- 4, Leg 3, from Rio to Albany, Australia, team OneDLL leading (with 83
ing to get hurt. You may remember in the fleet encountered some of the most points) by one point over Hen-
a previous story we wrote that Tony brutal conditions seen to date. Just be- ri Lloyd, which is only four points
Pohl broke four ribs before his two-race fore this issue went to print, two more ahead of Derry~Londonderry~Doire.
segment had even begun. In what will crew were offloaded, one with pneumo- Derry~London-derry~Doire is in the lead
certainly be remembered as some of nia and another due to injury. coming to San Francisco, with GREAT
the most intense racing seen last year, Beyond the irregular hiccups due to Britain and Henri Lloyd trailing. Stay
crossing the Southern Ocean proved bodily injuries or rare equipment fail- tuned!
more dangerous than anticipated. Two ure, it seems that the weather is often — latitude/ross
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April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 91
PACIFIC PUDDLE JUMP PROFILES, PT I —
I f you've ever doubted that cruising
sailors are a fascinating group of people,
you should tag along with us on one of canoes. gation. "I didn't actually go to Australia
our annual trips to Mexico and Panama. As with all to buy a boat, but I decided I wanted
Each year in early March, just as a new Wharram to try the lifestyle, and I've loved it ever
herd of Pacific Puddle Jumpers are about designs, since. I'd already had my fill of shovel-
to set sail for French Polynesia, we corral the liv- ing snow out of driveways."
them for interviews by offering free beer, ing space
hors d'oeuvres and official PPJ burgees. is mini- Moshulu — Spencer 42
Invariably, they come from a wide mal and Gerry Parkhurst &
variety of backgrounds, and sail on the sailing Alf and Kathleen of 'Kattu' Gail Jasmer-Wilson
a wildly diverse fleet of boats — from systems are simple, and high tech gear Gig Harbor, WA
is almost nonexistent. But keeping Gerry tells us Moshulu is a Seneca
things simple is good, right? Alf and Indian name meaning fearless. But his
Kathleen won't waste a lot of time isn't the first
awaiting the arrival of parts via DHL. vessel to adopt
The build took them 10 years it. The the four-
and was inspired by neighbors on masted barque
Saltspring Island who built a tri and Moshulu was
circumnavigated during the 1960s. the winner of
The boat's name, by the way, is taken the last great
from the Tamil word meaning lash- Australia-to-
ings — you guessed it, the boat's Europe grain
structural members are held together race (1939), and
by lashings. is said to have
The 'Moshulu' crew
been the last
Nakiska — Freya 42 commercial sailing ship to round Cape
Our official Pacific Puddle Jump burgees make Trevor Anderson Horn. (She's now a classy restaurant in
great souvenirs. But you can only get one if you Georgetown, CYM Philadelphia.)
attend one of our Send-Off fiestas.
Trevor's story is unique within the While the background of this Moshu-
Spartan fixer-uppers to gleaming yachts fleet. Although he's lu is not quite that impressive, she does
equipped with all the latest bells and from Calgary, Alberta have a colorful history. She has already
whistles. The common thread, of course, (don't let that Cay- done two circumnavigations, and will
is that they are all poised to head west man Islands homeport turn 50 next year.
in pursuit of one of the sailing world's fool you), he bought Gerry and Gail spent five years re-
greatest adventures: crossing from the his boat in Austra- furbishing her before heading south
West Coast of the Americas to French lia 16 years ago, and with the 2010 Baja Ha-Ha rally. Their
Polynesia. At roughly 3,000 miles, it's has spent much of plan now is to do a short South Pacific
the largest uninterupted stretch of ocean that time cruising it circuit.
a would-be circumnavigator would face around the world. At Trevor of 'Nakiska' Sure they're a little rowdy. You'd be in a festive
when traveling around the world via the this point, he's about to complete the mood too if you were about to set sail for the
tropics. final quarter of a very slow circumnavi- fabled isles of the South Pacific.
Yeah, it's a pretty big deal. And
that's why, ever since coining the
phrase Pacific Puddle Jump nearly
20 years ago, we've expended lots of
ink honoring the sailors who make
this ambitious passage.
The voyagers you'll meet here
gathered March 7 at the Vallarta
YC in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico for our
annual PPJ Send-Off Party. (We'll
follow up next month by introduc-
ing you to the adventure-hungry
explorers we met at Panama's Bal-
boa YC.)
ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY
Kattu — Wharram Tiki 38
Alf Bangert & Kathleen O'Brien
Hornby Island, BC
Kattu is definitely one of the
most unusual boats in this year's
fleet. She's homebuilt to a James
Wharram design that borrows
concepts from ancient voyaging
Page 92 • Latitude 38 • April, 2014
MEET ME IN PAPEETE
30° N
Hawaiian
Islands
The Beguine — Valiant 40 you keep your mistress on the 15° N
Paul & Celeste Carpenter sea" and this 38-ft cat definitely
Marysville, KS qualifies as her husband's mis- Routes of the
Despite being officially based in Kan- tress. Pacific Puddle Jumpers
sas, Paul and Celeste already have a After nearly two years spent
lot of sea miles under their belts. Now cruising in Mexican waters, the
in her fifth year of cruising, Celeste ex- couple figures the time is right for
a South Pacific cruise — "while
we still have our health and wits
"Thirty-four years, three about us!" 0°
(grown) kids later, They met their crew, Dani
Peters and Jack Whittmore, in
and we finally get to Mexico. The foursome may sail
pursue our dream!" together all the way to Australia. Marquesas
Panama >
Wind Cutter — Island Packet 485
plains that the last time they decided to Craig & Carol Fleetwood
head offshore from Mexico they ended Portland, OR 15° S
up in Alaska. so now it's time to "do a Based on the following, we'd
180 and head for the South Pacific." bet that few PPJ crews are more excited The folks you'll meet here set sail from Ban-
Plans are open-ended. about chasing the deras Bay. But many others jump off from
sun over the hori- Panama, Galapagos and elsewhere.
And yes, the name is taken from that
famous Cole Porter song. zon than Craig and a 20-ft Flicka — that process took 13
Carol: "From the years, but he got 20 years of sailing out
Pied-a-Mer III — Seawind 1160 moment we said, 'I of her before deciding to upgrade. By
Pam & Eric Sellix, Clatskanie, OR do,' we have talked contrast, Gail is a relatively new con-
about this day. Thir- vert. She learned to sail only five years
ty-four years, three ago.
(grown) kids later,
'Windcutter' Craig
and we finally get to Rhapsody — Herreshoff Nereia 36
pursue our dream!" Alan & Laura Dwan, Los Angeles
Wow. That's a long time to defer ad- It's not often that we see the name
venturing, but there's every indication Herreshoff in a Puddle Jump fleet list-
that they'll make the most of it now. ing, and this one is a rare beauty. De-
They left us with this pithy comment: signed by L. Fran-
"When people share concern over our cis Herreshoff, but
safety while sailing an open sea, we like launched in 1981,
The happy crew of 'Pied-a-Mer'
to say, "'We'd rather die living, than live this 'modern clas-
Pam explains that the colloquial dying.'" sic' sports a ketch
translation of her boat name is "where rig, and measures
Starshine — 42 feet overall.
Shannon 38 Why the South
Dave & Gail Kenyon Pacific? Alan can
Deale, MD trace his inspira-
"We came down tion to sail there
on the Ha-Ha this to his reading of 'Rhapsody' traditionalists
year and decided to Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around
keep going," explains the World when he was about 12 years
Dave. He and Gail old. Their game plan is to spend two
plan to island-hop all seasons exploring the South Pacific be-
the way to Australia, fore circling home via Hawaii.
then figure out what
comes next. Oogachaka — Kadey-Krogen 42
Like many, many Ken & Patty Sebby
Puddle Jumpers Umatilla, OR
over the years, Dave Easily one of the most unusual boat
credits his reading of names ever to grace a Puddle Jump fleet
David Lee Graham's roster, we have to wonder if Oogachaka
Dove (40 years ago) was chosen because it would be fun to
with sparking his lust say on the radio: "Harbormaster, this is
for bluewater sailing. Oogachaka, Oogachaka, Oogachaka."
The first step in that Trivia champions will know it's taken
process was building from a 70's pop hit Hooked on a Feeling.
April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 93
PACIFIC PUDDLE JUMP PROFILES, PT I —
In any case, this
boat is also dis-
tinctive, as she's Chara — Amel Maramu 48 night races. Before she knew it, she and
one of only two Robert & Joyce Sarff Robie were in love, and were beginning
motoryachts in Seattle, WA their cruising adventures together with
the 2014 fleet. When we asked Bob how long he'd the 2011 Baja Ha-Ha. They've become
Much to his credit, been wanting to head out into blue wa- so enamored with the cruising life that
Ken stepped up to ter, he paused to think. But his grown they're already thinking about doing
act as net control- a second Mexico-New Zealand-Hawaii-
Repeat x3: 'Oogachaka'
ler for boats jump- Mexico loop after they complete the first.
ing from Mexico. He and Patty plan to
reach New Zealand by the end of this Cygnus — Cabo Rico 38
season. Joe Lavash, Newport, OR
Technically, Joe has already 'cruised'
Bangorang — Fountaine-Pajot 42 the South Pacific, but in his mind that
Colin & Wendy Gegg, Ventura, CA first crossing didn't really count. He
Speaking of unusual boat names, was, after all, aboard a US Navy vessel
how about Bangorang — the battle cry that made a beeline past all those gor-
of the Lost Boys from Neverland (in a geous islands without
Peter Pan movie). Roughly translated it stopping. From that
means: awesome! point on, he vowed
The kids and parents of 'Chara'
Although Colin claims he's been to return on his own
dreaming about making a South Pacific daughter Anna had an immediate an- boat someday so he
passage since his teen years, it took swer. She remembers a day when she could stop and smell
until 2012 to set the plan in motion. He was a little kid where her dad bought a the roses — or more
and Wendy entered the cruising lifestyle lottery ticket and she asked, "If you win, appropriately, the ti-
with the 2012 BHH, and are now follow- what are you going to do with all the are flowers.
Joe of 'Cygnus'
ing that frequently heard cruiser game money?" "Buy a sailboat," he said, "and Blair Faulwet-
plan: "Keep sailing until it ain't fun any- sail off to the South Pacific." ter and Sally Jones will fill out Cyg-
more." Their "adult(ish)" son Gavin will Well now he and his wife Joyce are nus' crew roster during the crossing to
be along for the ride to French Polynesia, finally doing it, and Anna and her hus- French Polynesia, and possibly beyond.
and possibly all the way to New Zealand. band Brian Radford get to come along Joe's plans are loose, but most likely
too. If all goes well, the game plan is to he will spend the next South Pacific cy-
Hotspur — Tartan 41 cruise all the way to Australia, where clone season in New Zealand.
Jim & Meri Faulkner, Olathe, CO the Sarffs have family. Talk about a unique reference for a boat name,
Nautical literature quiz: Who was Colin and Wendy named their F-P cat after an
the captain of the British naval ship Red Witch II — Rhodes Bounty II exclamation from Neverland: 'Bangorang'!
Robie & Stephi Kirkcaldie
Nelson, NZL
We have a special place in our
hearts for Bounty IIs, because the
first editions of Latitude 38 were
laid out on the salon table of one.
Like the Latitude Bounty, this one
was built in Sausalito in 1958, and
she's still going strong. Designers
underestimated the strength of
fiberglass back then, so they were
built like battleships.
Meet Jim, Carolyne & Meri of 'Hotspur'
"She has a fiery red tempera-
Hotspur Horatio Hornblower, of course.
Hotspur? ment as well as an around-the-
She was his first command. world histo-
Jim and Meri started cruising six ry," explains
years ago on a perfectly good Cal 35 Robie, a New
sloop. But when their kids outgrew it Zealander and
they were inspired to upgrade to this longtime rac-
ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY
roomy 41-footer. Daughter Carolyne, er. Like many
14, is still with them. In fact, she's been Kiwis, he's
pushing to head to the South Pacific been sailing
for a while. "When Captain Jim said he all his life, but
didn't feel like going south anymore," Stephi, who's
explains Meri, "we changed direction, an American,
so now Carolyne gets her wish." Plans 'Red Witch II' crew got started
are open. only three years ago when she
started showing up for Wednesday
Page 94 • Latitude 38 • April, 2014MEET ME IN PAPEETE
fluent French is a bonus. She and Mike
have cruised Mexico for the past two
Code Blue — Caliber 40 LRC That's ex-
Steve & Judy Dauzenroth actly what he
Seattle, WA did, and now
For Steve and Judy, one of the stron- Pamela is as
gest draws of the cruising life is access excited about
to great scuba diving. In fact, sailing crossing the
and diving with blue skies above and Pacific as he
'Pamela's namesake & capt
blue water below was the inspiration is. This is their
for the boat's first boat, which they bought two years
name. When ago, but Dennis says doing a cruise like
someone re- this has been a lifelong dream. Dennis,
minded him who plays guitar, met another guitarist
it's also med- at a cruiser jam this year, and now that
These sailors love 'Music'
ical-speak for guy — Larry Byers — has signed on as
cardiac ar- crew to French Polynesia. Should be a years on their own sailboat, which has
rest, he said, tuneful crossing. an electric auxiliary.
"Perfect. That
will go with Sea Monkey — Jeanneau 39 Romany Star — Ohlson 38
the boat pay- Greg Mullen & Diane Hanny Paul Moore & Bonnie Wagner
ments." Brisbane, AUS San Francisco, CA
The 'Code Blue' divers
Judy's done Like many Aussies we meet on the "We met while living in the same ma-
two previous stints of South Pacific voy- West Coast these days, Greg and Diane rina in San Diego," explains Paul. She
aging and Steve has seen parts of it on capitalized on the current strength of may now be in love with Paul, but she
dive and charter trips. So they've un- the Australian admits that one of the first things that
doubtedly got a list of favorite spots to dollar to buy a attracted her to Romany Star was her
return to. We expect you'll find them nice production aluminum toe rails. "I really fell in love
along the cruiser milk run to New Zea- boat here and with them," she says. (They never need
land, wherever the water is clear and sail it home to varnishing.)
the reefs are abundant with sealife. the land down Paul has done two previous Puddle
u n d e r. T h e y Jumps, both times via the Galapagos.
Roundabout II — Moody 40 found Sea Mon- But this time the game plan is to head
Ted & Pam Simper key in San Di- from PV straight to the less-traveled
Edmonton, AB ego last winter, Gambier archipelago of French Polyne-
Don't let the fact that Ted and Pam and have spent sia. He and Bon-
live near Calgary fool you. They've been 'Sea Monkey' sailors the intervening nie both jumped
sailing since the mid-1970s, when they months enjoying Mexico. through hoops
first sampled the sport in East Africa. "This is my first cruising experience to get their "long
The name Roundabout isn't original and ocean crossing in 30 years," explains stay" six-month
with them, but it perfectly suits their Diane with just a wee bit of apprehen- visas, rather than
intentions: "It has been our dream sion, although she admits that she's the customary
for 30 years to always dreamed of crossing the Pacific. three months, so
sail around the Greg nudged her into committing, after they'll have plenty
world," explains doing the Puddle Jump in 2007 aboard of time to take it
Pam. This sea- his previous boat. "He loved the South slowly and explore
son they may Pacific islands and wanted me to experi- all five FP archi-
island-hop all ence them as well," says Diane. After a pelagos. "We'll fin- The stars of 'Romany Star'
the way to New stint in Brisbane, they intend to cruise ish with the Marquesas," explains Paul,
Zealand, with north to Papua New Guinea. "then sail north to Hawaii for hurricane
stops along the season. We hope to see the Cooks, Ton-
way at French Music — Island Packet 40 ga, and other island nations next year
Polynesia, the Wayne Fofonoff, Vancouver, BC before landing in New Zealand for a
Cook Islands, We're not sure if Wayne gave his boat while."
Tonga and Fiji. 'Roundabout' we go this name, but he's got a good reason for
But for them, that's only the beginning. keeping it: "I really like music, and feel it Anthem — Hylas 46
to be one of the great joys of life — just Jack Warren & Jan Holmes
Pamela — Pacific Seacraft 37 like my sailboat." Weeki Wachee, FL
Dennis Maggard & Pamela York Wayne's chance meeting of Mike Jack explains that the name Anthem
San Francisco, CA Knapp and Marie Cantin has proven to is taken from a book by Ayn Rand, and
Dennis is no dummy. He knows the be a coup for all, as Wayne will have lots represents a song of praise for individu-
answer to that often-pondered ques- of help (and will get some sleep) during alism. That's certainly fitting for craft
tion: How does a sailor get his wife to the crossing, and Mike and Marie get owned by self-sufficient sailors who are
approve of buying a cruising sailboat? to test South Pacific waters on a very about to cross thousands of miles of
Simple, name it after her! capable boat. The fact that Marie speaks open ocean.
April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 95PACIFIC PUDDLE JUMP PROFILES, PT I —
Jack's been
cruising full-time
since January, As we said they're really into fishing. In
2009. He and fact, they even design and sell their own
Jan have one of unique lures (skabengalures.com).
skabengalures.com
skabengalures.com).
the most unusual Veteran Puddle Jumper Jennifer Mar-
answers we've tindale signed on for the passage, and
Jack & Jan of 'Anthem'.
ever heard to the even though she's done lots of offshore
question: "So, where did you meet?" An- sailing it took a little practice to become
swer: "Big Mamas in Tongatapu." Yeah, an "excellent" helmsperson while the
it's in Tonga — in what most people boys were fighting marlin. "It takes a lot
would say is a long way from anywhere. of skill to keep that fish behind the boat,"
"We plan to spend cyclone season says Bruce.
in New Zealand, where we have many
'Fluenta' is home to the littlest PPJer
friends, then head up to New Caledo- Mintaka — Ingrid 38
nia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand Mark Bennett & Robyn Rogin Fluenta — Stevens 47
in 2015. After that our plans are a little Salt Lake City, UT Max Shaw & Elizabeth Brown-Shaw
fuzzy — written in sand at low tide." Remarkably, this will be Mark and Halifax, NS
Robyn's third We haven't had time to confirm
Grasshopper — Waterline 46 Pacific cross- this assertion, but we're pretty sure
Jeff & Cheri Slotta, Polaris, MT ing on the that three-month-old Benjamin is the
Cheri couldn't make it to our fies- same classic, youngest 'cruiser' ever to do the Pacif-
ta, and we didn't get to 1979 William ic Puddle Jump — at least since we've
spend much time with Atkins-de- been keeping records. As you may have
Jeff either, which is a signed ketch. read in February's Sightings section,
shame because we don't She's not only little Ben was born in Mexico, which
often meet sailors from salty looking, turned out to be a great experience.
Mark & Robyn of 'Mintaka' When he gets a little older his mom
Montana. but has also
Jeff says he's been proven her seaworthiness again and and dad (Elizabeth and Max) will have
subscribing to sailing again. "This time we're hoping to visit plenty of help with babysitting: daugh-
magazines for years, and some of the more obscure islands," says ter Victoria is now 10, and son Johna-
'Grasshopper' Jeff
the cruising bug finally Mark. There are plenty to choose from. than is 8. The family began cruising
bit so hard that he and Cheri had to In fact, in French Polynesia alone there from Nova Scotia almost two years ago,
give it a try. are 118 islands, and that doesn't count after Elizabeth and Max made their exit
all the islets and motus. from the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Skabenga — St. Francis 44 Mk II At the end of the season Mintaka will The game plan now is to hop west
Bruce & Fynn Harbour, Big Sky, MT likely be back at her "base" in New Zea- for the season, then head south to New
We're not quite sure how Bruce and land. Zealand or Australia.
his 19-year-old son Fynn got from their
South African homeland to Big Sky, True Blue V — Island Packet 45 Exodus — Lagoon 400
Montana, but they are now definitely Leanne & Craig Chalker Tim & Deanne Gresham
Brisbane, AUS San Diego, CA
We first met Leanne and Craig in The Gresham family left San Diego a
September 2012. They'd just flown year ago on a grand adventure that none
out to California from Australia to buy of them are likely to forget. We think sons
this boat, and Alex, 12, and Brenden 11, are at an ideal
were eager to age to participate in the sailing chores
start their new and become fully engaged in the cultures
cruising life-
style with the
start of the
Baja Ha-Ha a
few weeks lat-
er.
Bucking the
norm, in this Aussies of 'True Blue V'
The 'Skabenga' crew sails for Marlin
couple Leanne is the captain, and right-
getting back to their nautical roots. Both ly so. After all, she makes her living as
are avid fishermen, and their motto for a ferry master.
the cruise is: "Catching marlin under Their original plan was to sail back
sail." Bruce explains, "Skabenga
Skabenga has home to Oz last year, but they got se-
been customized into a sportfishing duced by the Sea of Cortez. Time will
sailing vessel, complete with a fighting The Greshams are making an 'Exodus'
tell if distractions along the way west
chair, outriggers, teaser reels and a will sidetrack them again this year. they visit. Apparently that was the idea:
special fighting station on the transom." "We wanted a freer, slower lifestyle while
Page 96 • Latitude 38 • April, 2014MEET ME IN PAPEETE
watches, general
maintenance and
the boys are still young enough to enjoy tralia. overall seaman-
it," explains Deanne. Steve speaks ship as we con-
Captain Tim has a specific plan for eloquently tinue on. That,
crossing into the Southern Hemisphere: about their ex- and they have a
"Head to 7°N, 127°W, and when we get periences thus lot of fun doing a
close to the ITCZ, close our eyes and turn far: "The people variety of activi-
south." Sounds about right. that we are to- ties with a variety
day are nothing of people. Not bad
Lady Carolina — Island Packet 44.5 like the people for 13 and 9."
Steve & Carolina Danielewicz that we were His advice:
Victoria, BC two years ago. "Stop dreaming
There's apparently a couple of varia- This is, and and go cruising.
tions on why this boat is named Lady continues to You and your
Carolina. "The good story?" asks Steve. be, an excellent kids will love it —
Cruising has been life-changing for this crew.
"I found the boat and fell in love with trip filled with although it takes
it, then I had to find a wife named Car- highs and lows that are atypical of any 6 to 12 months to adjust."
olina. In the end, it all worked out." 'normal' life. It gives a new perspective
Sounds a little fishy, but a good story
nonetheless.
This is yet another 'kid boat', with
on what is important and what is mate-
rialistic and 'Jonses'-driven.
"Our kids are doing very well and I
W ith those insightful observa-
tions we'll take a break here, and pick it
sons Kyle, 13, and Joel, 9, along as would suspect they are better here than up again next month with mini-profiles
able-bodied crewmen. Now in their sec- back on land. They have more respon- of the internationally diverse fleet of Pa-
ond year of cruising, the entire family sibility, more jobs and are exposed to cific Puddle Jumpers that we recently
seems very well adjusted to the cruising many cultures and several excellent met in Panama. We think you'll be as
life, as they push on toward the South role models through fellow cruisers. fascinated to meet them, as we were.
Pacific islands, and eventually to Aus- We have come to depend on them for — latitude/andy
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April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 97THE SCIENCE IS IN —
S ailing is good for you. It’s not just
me saying that. It’s science.
There is a growing body of research ing offers a refreshing tonic that can help the stresses of life. Making time
linking happiness and overall health. reduce the stress associated with daily for sailing can be hard. But we
And while it is true that engaging in life. Indeed, one of the features of sail- could argue that not making time
activities you enjoy — such as sailing — ing that can make it so hard to engage for sailing is bad for your heart.
can make you happy, the relationship in frequently — time — turns out to be
is not a simple one. You might derive one of the reasons sailing is so effective Feel the Freedom
great happiness from eating pizza, but as a stress reducer. More so than many of the
dedicating yourself to that activity as a Who among us has not struggled just activities we engage in, sailing
way to achieve happiness is probably not to get down to the boat to go sailing? offers a sense of freedom and
so good for you. So it matters what you But once on the boat, it is too late to self-reliance. Sailing gives us the
do to make yourself happy, and also how worry about all the things left undone. chance to explore the world at a
you do it. leisurely pace, and once on the
It might be a bit of a stretch to claim
that sailing will make you happy and that
The self-contained boat, we can take a thousand
different paths to the same des-
your happiness will make you healthier. nature of a sailboat tination. We are never really far
from help while sailing the Bay,
Happiness is a state of mind, or perhaps
a state of being, but it is subjective and pushes us to be but the self-contained nature of
difficult to measure directly. However,
it would not be too much to claim that
self-reliant a sailboat pushes us to be self-
reliant and to try to take care of
many aspects of sailing are directly the problems that arise without
related to reduced mortality and bet- The laundry will still be there, and the outside assistance. As it turns
ter health. And good physical health is shopping, and the taxes, and the myriad out, a sense of self-reliance is
highly predictive of happiness. Here, other things that compete for our atten- good for one’s self-esteem, and
then, are some of the ways in which tion. But happily, none of them can be the freedom to seek our own
sailing is good for you. done while we are out on the boat. So, path on our own schedule is a
for the time being, we might as well let good way to take a step back
Get Out of Your Own Head go and live in the moment — sailing is from the pressures of daily life.
In this pressure-packed world of work an ideal way to do just that.
and family and activities and obligations There is always plenty to do or noth- Put Your Body In Motion
and traffic and chores, stress can often ing to do, depending on one’s proclivi- The health benefits of mod-
build up and cause all sorts of negative ties, and the physical separation from erate physical activity are well
health effects, including hypertension, our land-bound lives means that we known. Physical activity is good for your
heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Sail- cannot easily return our attention to circulation, muscle tone and develop-
Sailing is good for the gray cells, as it requires those things that need to be done. As ment, your respiratory system and your
you to strategize, navigate, adjust to changing with meditation and other relaxation heart, and it is a really good way to re-
conditions and remember which line does what. techniques in which the goal is to focus lieve stress. Sailing offers an ideal way
on something other than the pres- to remain physically active, even when
sures of life, sailing offers us the other activities such as running or tennis
opportunity to lose ourselves in become too hard on the aging body.
the activity and to forget about the Grinding the primary winches on
stress. Even racing, which can be even a small boat while short-tacking
quite stressful at times, requires up a narrow channel will get your heart
an external focus that provides a rate up, as will trimming a spinnaker,
reprieve from mundane daily bur- hauling on the mainsheet, or jumping a
dens. halyard. There is no upper limit to how
hard you can work at making your boat
Time Is On Our Side sail faster or better. Think about the size
One of the great challenges in of the grinders on the AC-72s during last
sailing is time. Even a short sail summer's America's Cup and you'll get a
or a beer can race on a Wednes- sense of just how strong and physically
day night requires three or four fit one needs to be to compete at the
hours, start to finish, more if one highest levels of the sport.
ventures up to the bar afterward to But the benefits of physical activity
share stories. But the time require- are not limited to those who race. A ca-
ments of sailing turn out to be one sual daysail can provide an opportunity
of the reasons that it can also be to put your body in motion and to engage
such a great stress reducer. The in moderate physical activity, especially
meditative state, or ability to live when the wind comes up. Just sitting
in the moment, does not happen on a boat that is heeled over can require
instantaneously. We need time to physical effort, and moving about on a
JOHN TUMA
calm the inner voice, to focus on boat that is heeling or moving about in a
the tasks at hand, and to reach the seaway requires balance and concentra-
quiet space necessary to set aside tion.SAILING IS GOOD FOR YOU
the sailing that much more emotionally
invigorating and satisfying. The sailing
community is small, but we speak a com-
mon language, and find support within
the community for the activity that we
love. And social support, it turns out, is
an essential ingredient of happiness.
Meaning is also derived from getting
involved and giving back. I was fortunate
enough to develop friendships early in
my sailing days with sailors much more
accomplished than myself, and I still
recall their patience — "Shut up and
drive!” — with great fondness. Giving
back can be as simple as teaching a new
sailor how to trim the sails, but it can
also include getting involved in a yacht
club or sailing club, working on a race
committee, or organizing an impromptu
Saturday night potluck on the dock. Any
of these activities can help to create the
kind of social relationships that have
been linked to happiness and improved
health.
Take It Outside
Sailing is an outside sport. This is a
good thing. There are, of course, many
LATITUDE / ANDY
health benefits associated with being
outside. Sunlight activates the creation
of vitamin D, which has been linked to
lower blood pressure and a reduced risk
of type 1 diabetes, muscle and bone pain,
All together now: "Sailing is good for you!" Get- to get out sailing, and that has allowed and certain types of cancers. Natural
ting kids — and young adults — off the couch me to spend more time doing what I light may promote healing, and it tends
and out in nature can be a challenge, but few love. That said, I prefer to sail with crew. to elevate people’s moods. There is also
will refuse an offer to go sailing. For all the benefits of being able to sail some evidence that being outside helps
The benefits are also cumulative. It whenever I want, sailing with friends is to improve concentration and focus.
is easier to stay fit than to get fit. Get better still. Spend a day sailing, feel the wind on
up and do it today, and there’s a good One of the keys to happiness is being your face, the warmth of the sun on your
chance you’ll be able to get up and do socially active and emotionally engaged, back, and the smell of salt in the air,
it tomorrow. So put down the beer, pick and sailing is an inherently social sport. and you'll return home feeling physically
up a winch handle, and help grind that Singlehanded racers may seem to be tired but satisfied.
sheet. You’ll feel better for it at the end solitary souls, but you need only at-
Whether you sail solo or with a boatload of
of the day. tend a meeting of the Singlehanded friends, you're apt to go home feeling relaxed,
Sailing Society to discover this is not refreshed and energized.
Go It Alone, Or Don’t so. These folks may
One of the trends in contemporary race alone, but they
sailing is the growth of short-handed are part of a larger
racing and recreational sailing. There are community that is
many reasons for this. If you're racing, a committed to that
small crew is much less burdensome to activity.
feed than a large one, and just finding The social rela-
enough sailors to make up a large crew tionships that are
is often impossible. Even when daysail- forged through sail-
ing, reliable crew can be hard to come ing bring meaning
by. I can't count the number of times to the activity. Re-
my friends have said they would love to laxing in the cockpit
go sailing, and that any day would work or standing around
— except, of course, the one on which at the bar after a
I planned to go. So rather than remain race or a day of
land-bound, I have rigged my boat so sailing, comparing
JOHN TUMA
that I can sail it by myself. notes about wind
Being able to sail alone gives me a speed and sail trim
freedom I didn’t have when I needed crew and weather, makesTHE SCIENCE IS IN
Lifelong and beverage re-
Learning quirements for a
Just as being crew of eight on
physically active is an all-day cruise
essential for good around the Bay.
physical health, Sailing offers the
being mentally ac- opportunity for
tive is essential for constant mental
keeping the mind stimulation, no
sharp. Sailing is a matter how long
JOHN TUMA
complicated busi- you've been do-
ness, and there ing it.
is always more to
learn. Sailboats Sailing is Good
operate in a com- Will sailing keep you going? Seems to have worked for these guys, all of whom have been sailing and For You
plex environment. racing with each other for decades. Left to right: Jim Jessie, 81, Fred Joyce, 78, Emile Carles, 87, Martin The science
Jemo, 87, George Gurrola, 82, Mel Silverman, 85, Tom Sator, 91, and Jim Labbe, soon to be 70.
The hull has to is in. Sailing is
float and drive through water, propelled puzzle. good for you. It will give you a chance
by the force of the wind. There are doz- But making the boat sail, and sail to focus on something you enjoy and to
ens of variables in play at any one time, well, is just the beginning. Then there live in the moment, outside, where you
and making the boat sail well requires is navigation and currents and under- can be mentally and physically active,
constant attention to the changing standing the rules of the road and the and part of a community of like-minded
conditions and frequent adjustments to meaning of buoys and how to read a souls. So put down the remote, haul on
the controls. Figuring out which lines chart. There are diesel engines and single the halyard, and get out on the water.
to adjust, which course to steer, which sideband radios and image-stabilizing You’ll be happier and healthier because
sails to set and how much of each sail binoculars, and if you really want to work of it.
to use at any given time is a complicated hard mentally, try calculating the food — john tuma
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April, 2014 • Latitude 38 • Page 101LIVIN' THE DREAM WHILE WORKING —
W e dropped the hook for the first
time in 19 days in Taioha’e Bay, Nuku
Hiva, on April 16, 2013. We’d anticipated what is laid out below, there are many closest to the pier were sometimes able to
being blown away by the incredibly rug- restaurants, cafés, yacht clubs, etc., that connect with the help of a Wi-Fi booster.
ged Marquesan landscape, the visual also provide wireless connections. Please (Ed. note: Booster antennas are often
delight of colors other than blue, the bear in mind that prices and coverage a hot topic on cruiser forums. One recent
smell of the jungle, and the taste of beer. may have changed. (This is 2013 info.) post praised an antenna from www.ra-
But we didn’t expect to be able to pick diolabs.com that can pull in a signal from
up three pay-per-hour wireless Internet Mexico shoreside Wi-Fi routers a mile away (if not
connections, on the boat at anchor! A jumping-off point for many cruis- running network security) — and even
ers heading to the South Pacific, farther if the antenna is mast-mounted.)
Mexico offers easy cruising and • Website: internetniue.nu
easy communications. The tele- • Cost: $25 NZD fee, purchased from
communications giant Telcel sells RockET Internet Café in Alofi (approx.
a 3G USB dongle (yes, we know $21 USD)
what ‘dongle’ means to the Brits!),
known to cruisers as the Banda Kingdom of Tonga
Ancha. The SIM card is inside it. It Quite a few Wi-Fi signals pop up in
is essentially a USB modem that is Neiafu Harbour, Vava’u group. Depend-
plugged into your laptop and allows ing on the time of day and how many
you to go online anywhere within the other cruisers are online, they can be
mobile data range. We found that the very slow. We tested every Internet café
coastal coverage was very good, with in Neiafu, but couldn’t find a consistently
the exception of the Sea of Cortez. reliable and fast option. We also bought a
• Website: www.telcel.com In Fiji's remote Yasawa island group, Will down-
• Cost: $500 pesos for 3 GB of data loads emails on his smartphone from the top
Sarah and Will called home as they crossed the or 30 days of service, whichever is used of a hill. Simple tricks kept them connected.
equator. Satphone calls can be pricey, but these first (approx. $38 USD)
devices greatly enhance safety and security.
Being offline is part of many cruisers’ French Polynesia
vision of the lifestyle. My husband Will Wi-Fi hotspots are the answer in
and I ‘work and cruise’, so trying to stay French Polynesia. Three main providers
connected isn’t a choice, it's a necessity. operate hotspots in many locations, in-
Remarkably, between mobile data net- cluding some quite remote anchorages.
works (purchasing SIM cards from local One of the best connections we had was
providers) and Wi-Fi hotspots, we were on the boat while anchored off the vil-
able to access the Internet frequently lage of Rotoava at the northern end of
enough to work our way across the South Fakarava atoll in the Tuamotus. The
Pacific all the way to Australia. hotspots are accessed by creating an
The following is a rundown of the online account or purchasing a prepaid
Internet options and providers in all of card from local shops or the post office.
the countries we visited. In addition to • Hotspot website: www.hotspot-wdg.
It would be a stretch to say that Fakarava, in com
the Tuamotus, is sophisticated, but it does have • Cost: Various plans, i.e.: 10 hours +
up-to-date communications infrastructure. 1 free hour for 4,000 XPF (approx. $46
USD)
• Manaspot website: www.
manaspot.pf
• Cost: Various plans, i.e: 10
hours for 3,300 XPF (approx. $38
USD)
• Iaoranet. Buy pre-paid cards
in shops.
Niue, 'The Rock'
We read that the tiny Pacific
island of Niue is the world’s first
and only ‘Wi-Fi Nation’ so natu-
rally we expected free wireless
internet across the island. This
turned out to be a myth. The
SARAH CURRY
HYDROQUEST
connection was the worst we had
in the South Pacific: inaccessible
except for a few locations. Boats
on the Niue Yacht Club mooringsYou can also read
