A weblog for San Francisco Bay sailors

Originally published on the official America’s Cup Blog.

If the test sessions in Auckland were the proving ground, the America’s Cup World Series is set to become the stage for nothing less than a transformation of sailing.

The new AC45 wing-sailed catamaran is now designated as THE boat of the America’s Cup World Series. Alarmingly quick and responsive, challenging and physical, the AC45 will push the best sailors in the world to their limits, and beyond.

The opening AC World Series event begins in just two months time in Cascais, Portugal. Plymouth, England and San Diego, California are also ports of call in 2011, where the best sailors on the planet will be competing in the opening stages of the 34th Americas Cup.

And you’ll be closer to the action than ever before. If you’re fortunate enough to be there in person, the racing will take place just metres from the shoreline.

But if you’re not, don’t worry. Major advances in the television and web coverage of the sport, tested during the trials in Auckland, mean watching the America’s Cup has never been more compelling.

You will see and hear all of the action, as it’s unfolding, from multiple angles on board the boats. Revolutionary graphics technology will make the fast-paced action easy to understand. This is sailing from the inside out.

The best sailors on the fastest boats. That’s the promise. Now see it delivered.

Article was originally posted on “Lectronic Latitude”

As recently as a few months ago, it was looking like the Bay Area would miss the the spectacle of the AC 45s altogether. Given a schedule that saw no official activity on the Bay until August of next year — coinciding with the arrival of the AC 72s — it seemed as if the closest the AC 45s would get to sailing here was the proposed Youth America’s Cup. But according to a source with the Cup, Oracle Racing will have two AC 45s sailing here starting the first full week of June. After some practice time, they’ll be used to test the regatta operations and media side of the event for the ensuing three weeks. The source told us that they expect to have 10 of these ridiculously cool wing-sailed cats ready to go for the first America’s Cup World Series event in Cascais, Portugal, in early August. Still unresolved is the actual number of challengers, with the official tally at nine, along with four “undisclosed” teams. Although it hasn’t yet been confirmed, the source tells us that the final list will be announced in a press conference in San Francisco in the middle of June.

Just a little while after they left for their circumnavigation we interviewed OCSC Alumni Gar and Nicole. If you missed the 3 part interview click here to get to Part I

Now Dreamkeeper finished the lap! Read below the original article our friends at Latitude 38 published a few days ago…

May 18, 2011 – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Did Gar take sun sights all the way around the world? Ahh, probably not. But on light-air days during the Pacific crossing it was sure fun to practice. Photo Courtesy DreamKeeper © 2011 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

Sausalito sailors Gar Duke and Nicole Friend of the Pacific Seacraft 40 DreamKeeper had cause for celebration last week, as they crossed their outbound track in Banderas Bay, thus completing a four-year circumnavigation. “We don’t have that hanging over our heads anymore!” says Gar. They will soon start the long trek north to their old home at Sausalito’s Pelican Harbor, but don’t expect them before mid-summer. [Read more →]

June 25 – 27, 2011

Join Anthony Sandberg for three days of rafting on Oregon’s Wild & Scenic Rogue River. This 3-day whitewater rafting journey winds its way through one of the most beautiful pine-forested canyons in North America.

Camp riverside and spot abundant wildlife including deer, bear, otter, osprey and bald eagles from the bow of your comfortable raft. Paddle fun yet exhilarating rapids and test your skills in an inflatable kayak. This O.A.R.S. rafting adventure shows off the river’s best features as it flows from its headwaters near Crater Lake National Park towards the incomparable Oregon coast.

For more information on this trip visit OARS.com or contact our Private Trips Manager, Carrie Aronson at 1-800-346-6277 Ext: 4786 or by email: carriea@oars.com

Carolina Surfers help Indian orphans ride waves
By Surfer / Posted on May 10, 2011
Author- Miles Christian Daniels.

We here at OCSC felt very touched by this story and thought it is well worth sharing…

Eager to learn, these Indian orphans were thrilled to spend time in the surf at Varkala. Photo: Matt Born/StarNews Media

One girl was found in a garbage can. Another’s eye plunged by a needle so that she would be a “better” beggar. One girl watched her mother get run over by a train as they tried to run from police.

These girls now live together at an orphanage in Kochi, India. Jack Viorel first heard about them three years ago, at a book drive at St. Mary School in Wilmington, NC, where he teaches. The drive was to raise money for Homes of Hope, a Wilmington-based non-profit that helps support this, and other orphanages in India. [Read more →]

This is a really beautiful compilation of underwater life. Click on the link or image below and enjoy the power point presentation consisting of 79 images! You can use the right arrow on your computer to skip forward faster…

662CoralReefJerryHuffman13Feb11

One of the many images you'll get to enjoy watching this slideshow...

We received a ton of great feedback from our post on useful iphone apps for sailors, so we were excited to review the iPad apps and see what changed, what worked better, and if the iPad was a useful sailing tool. There are countless apps for the iPad. Some are free, others cost some money. Here’s a select view we’ve tried and found useful or at least entertaining…

iDrifter ($9.99)
The program “iDrifter” monitors the position for anchoring yachts. The program displays the current drift of the yacht relating to the anchor- selectable either as a radar graph or as a map graph in Google Maps.

MotionX GPS ($0.99)
Gets all its maps directly from NOAA and therefore not ideal in Europe. Can also be used to display position, compass, course, speed etc…

Weathertrack ($19.99)
Viewer for wind data. Searches for the wind in your current position automatically. NOAA data is included but you can subscribe to different services which this app can display graphically for you.

All Level System ($1.99)
A simple level. Can be used as a guide for heeling.

Windtunnel ($1.99)
Now, here’s an innovative app with AHA- effect. This is a wind-tunnel simulator. You can draw forms (like sail-combinations) with your finger and the software will simulate the currents with smoke or particles.

WildAid is OCSC‘s major partner in taking action to save the wild life on the planet. So much of the joy of sailing comes from being in touch with nature, with the magic of wind and water. Out on the open water, the earth looks a little different than it does on land, and at OCSC, that perspective has made us passionate ocean advocates. In the words of Jean-Michel Cousteau, “Protect the ocean and protect yourself.”

So, please take a look at the upcoming WildAid Auction! Great adventures, experiences, delights, indulgences  art from around the world are waiting just for you.

100% of auction proceeds will go directly to our  wildlife conservation programs.

www.charitybuzz.com/wildaid

April 25th, 2011
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is interviewing San Francisco member Anthony Sandberg, owner of OCSC Sailing. Click on the image below to watch the video and take a look inside your sailing school!

Click on the image and watch the video on the EO website!

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – for entrepreneurs only is a dynamic, global network of more than 7,500 business owners in 38 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn and grow from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. Membership in one of EO’s 118 chapters is by invitation only; the average member is 40 years old with annual revenues of US$18.4 million.