Open Sailing is the “Featured Facility” in the the Winter 2011 edition of ASAs quarterly publication the American Sailing Journal.

“Sailors in Marina del Rey are spoiled by the Southern California weather allowing them to sail year round. There is easy access to the Pacific Ocean and predictable onshore breezes that build like clockwork every afternoon. As well as the beaches and the infamous skyline featuring the Hollywood sign, boater are often accompanied by dolphins and even blue whales. With Catalina and the Channel Islands less than a day’s sail away, it is easy to escape the notorious L.A. traffic and seek adventure by dropping anchor in a remote bay. The ticket to these getaways is knowing how to sail…”

The ABYC Turkey Day Regatta is always quite a spectacle with 247 boats and 317 sailors from Seattle to San Diego in the 18 classes. One of the largest, and youngest, classes was the 29ers. Open Sailing was there running Kattack for the class and Howard Hamlin was enjoying the racing from a helicopter… hence the video above.

A new Pogo 2 is joining the Southern California racing and sailing scene. Yves, his wife and their 2 kids are excited about their new Pogo 2 and just signed up for one! One of the condition imposed to Open Sailing is the design of a little toilet seat down below for the ladies (daughter and wife). Other than that, Yves is excited about racing his boat single handed, double handed or with friends. We are looking forward to having Yves and his Pogo 2 in Marina Del Rey. This will allow great practice and a fantastic learning curve as Team Open Sailing gets geared up for Pacific Cup in July 2012. Who knows, Yves might race aboard his Pogo 2 as well!

It is to say that Yves didn’t just buy the Pogo 2 because it is the most beautiful boat out there. Yves was highly impressed by Open Sailing. Yves realized that when purchasing a boat from Open Sailing, he was going to benefit from Open Sailing’s builder support but also Open Sailing’s experience in sailing, boat preparation and racing. Having met some of the Open 5.70 owners and the success of the fleet in California, Yves realized that Open Sailing was following the same route , this time offshore, with the Pogo 2.

We are thrilled to have Yves in the fleet. His boat should be ready early 2012!

Pogo 2: do you have what it takes to sail one?

If you haven’t followed the 2011 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Mini Transat 6.50, we have posted many news about the race and the racers. Simply follow this link to live the race again!

If the main story is the journey of these amazing sailors facing the elements single handed across the oceans, we have found some inside stories, some naratted by the skippers with always a touch of humour. Just follow the links below to read them! (more…)

None of them have shaved in 3 weeks. They are all exhausted and their faces, as they meet the world again, show all signs of relief after a long tiring and stressful journey across the Atlantic. One man, one boat and 45oonm, that is the Mini Transat! Enjoy the photos of the racers as they finish.

The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 (aka “the Mini Transat) started on September 25th from La Rochelle. The first leg of the race represents about 30% of the race and ends in Madera, off the coast of Portugal. (more…)

Full list of results including combined North & South table – where did you end up?

I’ll start this recap as I did last year’s:

Linus said: “There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.”

So here I go, AGAIN, discussing the Great Pumpkin, the regatta hosted last weekend by the Richmond Yacht Club. This event is really two separate regattas in one – a day of buoy racing on Saturday and an “around the islands” race for Sunday (that’s around Angel Island and Alcatraz – in the direction of your choice).

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