Down East Maine Sailing Escape from Pandemics and Hurricanes
Maine has always been an escape from the summer swelter of Boston, New York and Philadelphia. This year it’s also a Down East sailing escape for Stan and Sally Honey, who revised their Bermuda Race plans to cruise the coast of Maine, and for the Milum family of Mill Valley who, as the islands closed down, cut short their Caribbean cruising to head north. You can read about the Milums in Latitude 38’s August issue. Other Californians recently arriving on the Maine Coast include Greg and Debbie Dorland aboard their Catana 52 Escapade and Paolo Sheaffer aboard his Catana 471 Carlota’s Promise.
We learned to sail on the coast of Maine and have managed to make it an annual summer escape ever since. Typically our Maine journey is filled with large family reunions and afternoon daysails. This year it’s just sailing. It reminds us why sailing anywhere is always a great escape, and of the unique character of sailing in Maine.
Given Maine’s recognition as a home to so many classic boats. it could be easy to forget that it is also a hub of high-tech boatbuilding. Hodgdon Yachts built Comanche in East Boothbay, ME, and Brooklin Boatyard built Harvey Jones’ Botin-designed Outlier, written up in our June issue in Brooklin, ME.
High-tech or low-tech, East Coast or West, hoisting sails on a bay anywhere is always a welcome relief.
Winner, Winner, She’s a Grinner
Every month, as the new Latitude 38 magazine is printed and bundled up for distribution, we insert some Golden Tickets between the sheets before sending them out for delivery. The readers who find a ticket can choose between receiving a free Latitude 38 T-shirt or cap. Oh, and we always ask for a photo — not because we don’t trust people, but because we want to share the news with the rest of our readers.
Last month Rita Gardner pulled out a winning ticket when she stopped by Swedish Marine in Brickyard Cove Marina to pick up her July edition of the magazine.
So who is Rita? We asked that too, and fortunately Rita replied with some insight into her sailing life.
“I’m definitely a fair-weather sailor,” Rita said, “on OPBs (other people’s boats). I have been a member of Richmond Yacht Club since the 1980s, and worked for a time at both the DeWitt and Sobstad sail lofts.”
“I love that I live in the sailing capital of the world (Point Richmond, of course!) and am happy to have a whole community of sailing friends in the neighborhood. A very long time ago, I wrote some articles for Latitude 38 (in the 1980s and 90s), and have had a photo of mine on the cover. Again, a very long time ago. My favorite sailing place is the Caribbean. Like I said, I’m definitely a fair-weather person.”
Did you find a Golden Ticket in your August Latitude 38? If you don’t have your copy yet, head over to your nearest distributor and get your issue now.
Berkeley Marina: Gateway to the Golden Gate
Dock with Berkeley Marina and join a community that shares your love of the water.
Doo Dah Sailors Invited to Delta Bay this Sunday
Since the Spring Crew List Party on March 5, Latitude 38 has not participated in any in-person events on our home waterfront — totally understandable! First the Pacific Boat Show, then all the Delta Doo Dah events were canceled — all but one, that is.
This Sunday, August 9, Delta Bay Marina in Isleton invites Delta Doo Dah fleet members to their Sunday Market and BBQ, from noon to 4 p.m. The event will comply with Sacramento County health regulations, as it will be held outdoors at the marina and in the park over the levee. Please wear your mask and allow lots of personal space between your crew and others. There will be arts and crafts booths, fresh local produce for sale, live music, a BBQ lunch and wine tasting. Donations for food and wine benefit the Peninsula Yacht Club and the Delta Bay Foundation.
If you haven’t already signed up for the Delta Doo Dah, please do so before 9 a.m. this Friday, August 7, to receive an invitation as a fleet member. Register for free at www.deltadoodah.com/register.html. Delta Bay offers free berthing for the week of August 8-15 for up to 20 of our official fleet members, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Delta Bay Marina is located at Sevenmile Slough and the San Joaquin River. Tule islands protect it from the prevailing river breezes. By land, it’s on Isleton’s Delta Loop. You can contact the marina at (916) 777-4153.
Hope to see you there!
Jonny Moseley to Host Olympic Sailing Event for Belvedere Cove Foundation
You can join an Olympic moment by tuning into the Belvedere Cove Foundation’s youth sailing fundraiser free of charge. This is a live virtual event hosted by Olympic gold-medal skier Jonny Moseley and San Francisco Yacht Club’s junior commodore Morgan Moseley.
Guests include:
Members of the Tokyo 2021 US Sailing Olympic Team — Charlie Buckingham, Riley Gibbs and Anna Weis — plus a few other Bay Area Olympic sailors:
- Pam Healy, bronze medalist, 1992 Barcelona Olympics
- Jeff Madrigali, bronze medalist, 1996 Atlanta Olympics
- Will Baylis, silver medalist, 1988 Seoul Olympics
- Caleb Paine, bronze medalist, 2016 Rio Olympics and Rolex Yachtsman of the Year
While this is a fundraiser, they are offering the program free of charge to any sailors who’d like to tune in tomorrow, Thursday, August 6, at 6 p.m. Learn more here or register for the Zoom call here.