We’re all taught from an early age that the only thing in life that is certain is death and taxes.  What we’re not told is that death has only one unit of measure and everybody gets one, while taxes come in all shapes and sizes and some are even “art”.

I know, I know.  What the heck this has to do with sailing? Well if you’re a boat owner, taxes are a fact of life and the amount of taxes (property taxes in particular) has a bearing on how much you’ll enjoy sailing. If you understand a little about how property taxes are assessed you’ll know whether or not you’re being taken to the cleaners. In Taxifornia, where I live, every boat owner should be equipped to defend his boat, his bank account and his sacred honor against out-of-control taxation.  If you don’t take the time to understand your taxes and stand against unfair and sometimes corrupt taxation, you may just find your opportunity to indulge your passion for sailing taken away from you by Big Brother.

What follows is a story by and about a very dear friend of mine named Sandy Golden. Sandy is a USCG licensed Captain and retired investigative reporter, who owns Sweet Angel, a Catalina 42 MKII which he and his lovely wife Marianne bought brand spankin new in 2007.  Sandy and Marianne berth their boat in sunny (although not so much this summer!) San Diego, California.  Before coming to San Diego,  Sweet Angel was berthed at Marina Del Rey, California which is in Los Angeles County.  Los Angeles is where this story unfolds and is the battleground for Sandy’s war with the LA County Tax Assessor.  The story is told by Sandy.

By Capt. Sandy Golden, U.S. Coast Guard Licensed 100 Ton Master

This photo was taken AFTER Sandy won the battle with the LA County Tax Assessor. Look close, he's smiling!

You may have been overcharged hundreds or thousands of dollars by your county’s property tax assessor office for the value of your boat and are due money back.  Our assessment was way too high, based in part, we discovered, upon false or wrong information, and we are getting money back.  And what happened to us in LA County could happen to anyone whose boat is subject to personal property tax anywhere in California or the nation where personal property tax is charged for a boat. In our case the amount we are getting back is almost

Read the rest of this entry »

Striking the colors aboard the USS Forest Sherman - May 2009

While no law governs the flying of flags on unnumbered, undocumented or unlicensed vessels, USCG documented vessels are expected to fly the U.S national ensign or the U.S. yacht ensign. Rules for when and where different types of flags are flown follows custom established over hundreds of years.

The U.S. national ensign means the U.S. flag with 50 stars and 13 stripes.  The U.S. yacht ensign has 13 stars instead of 50, arranged on a blue field with a fouled anchor in the center.  Thirteen stripes complete the ensign.

On a mastless mototboat, the U.S. ensign is flown from the stern staff.  A radio antenna can be used to carry the state flag or auxilliary ensigns or USPS officers flag.

Sportfishing boats mayfly the U.S. engsign abaft the tuna tower to keep the stern clear for lines.

Other flags include the bright yellow Q flag flown from the masts’s port spreader when entering a foreign port.  It is retired after customs and immigration formalities are complete.

Foreign yachts in U.S. waters will display their own national ensign at the stern of the vessel and as a courtesy to the host country, the U.S. ensign on the starboard spreader of the main or signal mast.

The U.S. National Ensign

The U.S. National Yacht Ensign

If you’re a devoted SailTalk reader, you know that my Beneteau 411 sloop Corvette is berthed at Marina Del Rey in Southern California.  When we moved into our current slip at Mariners Bay Marina, we were met by a most friendly and knowledgeable sailor, Dan Morrison, aboard his 36 foot Union Polaris cutter, Dazzler. Dan, a retired California Highway Patrol officer,  has lived aboard Dazzler for the past seven years and been our next slip neighbor for the past 2 years.  Dan has been working diligently to bring Dazzler to bristol condition and prepare for a circumnavigation. Whenever we’re on Corvette, I always look forward to spending time with Dan to talk all things sailing and cruising.

Dan Morrison aboard S/V Dazzer, his beloved Union Polaris 36 Cutter, at Marina Del Rey

Dan and Dazzler shoved off this week for points south and then west.  He’s finally “out there” and I’m sure couldn’t be happier.  Before he left, Dan agreed to keep SailTalk posted on his progress.  I hope to have regular postings and perhaps some podcast interviews of Dan on his adventures.

So Dan,  have a great voyage, and a hearty three SailTalk cheers to you and Dazzler.

Laura Dekker, 14, ready to sail solo (sort of)

Here’s the latest scoop in Laura Dekker’s saga to become the youngest to circumnavigate solo (sort of)  Now,  she won’t technically sail alone as plans are in the works for her voyage to become a Reality TV series. The Dutch high court is considering the new angle.

I suppose if a TV crew is accompanying her she won’t have to suffer the deleterious effects of solitude,  now will she?

Click HERE to read all about it.

Cruising rallies are an excellent way to start cruising and to jump-start a cruising social network.  Cruising rallies are part race part mobile party.  Although some boats push hard to win their class, most are just looking for a comfortable ride and good company.   You can usually use your engine if and when you want and, as long as you inform the rally committee, you can engage in any number of variations, such as starting a little early or a little late.

Underway with the Baja Haha from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas

You might even choose to take a temporary excursion off the beaten path.  Variations are usually permitted, as long as you let the rally committee know where you are.  Most organizers don’t see their role as making a lot of rules, but as facilitating everyone’s pleasure and safety.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ella's Pink Lady departs Sydney Harbor

In a bid to become the youngest person to circumnavigate solo and unassisted, Jessica Watson has set sail (See She Sails 9-16-09) . Ella’s Pink Lady gracefully departed Sydney (Aus.) harbor this past Sunday with 16-year-old Jessica at the helm.

Here is an article from the UK Guardian

She Sails will follow Jessica’s journey and provide weekly updates. Stay tuned…

Until next time…She Sails.

Linda

This is a really cool sailing video taken by a skipper using a kite cam. If you look closely, you’ll see the stern magically sprout a self steering windvane about half way through the video. I hope he had a waterproof housing on that camera! Enjoy.

I’m sorry to see you here, Jack, but if you’d have fought like a man you needn’t hang like a dog.

A fearsome twosome -- Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Not the typical words you’d expect to hear from your lover and partner in crime shortly before your execution, but then again Anne Bonny was not a typical 19th century lassie. No, she  was a pirate and, though she  too was sentenced to hang,  she obviously held no remorse nor sympathy for Calico Jack.

This past Sunday (September 19) was International Talk like a Pirate Day, so  I got  to thinking about pirates and wondered if there were any women who chased booty in the Caribbean alongside old Jack Sparrow? (In case you missed it, Jack Sparrow is the wildly popular hero of Disney’s Pirates of the Carribean) A quick Internet search did indeed turn up two swashbucklin’ wenches who terrorized the seas along with none other than John “Calico Jack” Rackham. Jack was  a Caribbean pirate who is credited with being the first to fly the infamous Jolly Roger. The swashbucklin’ wenches were Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

Read the rest of this entry »

Avast, me hearties!  Today be the 19th day in the month of September and tis the day for all you scurvy bilge rats to be talkin’ like a pirate! Any grog sloshin scrogs caught violatin this rule shall be declared the son of a biscuit eater and will be sent to Fiddler’s Green.  Now hoist your colors matey and Talk Like a Pirate!

How To Be Speakin’ Pirate-Like

Startin’ Rules

Double up on all your adjectives and you’ll be bountifully bombastic with your phrasing. Pirates never speak of “a big ship”, they call it a “great, grand ship!” They never say never, they say “No nay ne’er!”

Drop all your “g”‘s when you speak and you’ll get words like “rowin’”, “sailin’” and “fightin’”. Dropping all of your “v”‘s will get you words like “ne’er”, “e’er” and “o’er”.

Instead of saying “I am”, sailors say, “I be”. Instead of saying “You are”, sailors say, “You be”. Instead of saying, “They are”, sailors say, “They be”. Ne’er speak in anythin’ but the present tense!

Read the rest of this entry »

Zac Sunderland youngest American solo circumnavigator, Marina del Rey, California

On July 16, 2009, California teenager Zac Sunderland sailed his 36′ sloop Intrepid into Marina del Rey, California,  and was hailed a hero. Greeted by a festooned harbor escort  and water cannons, he was cheered by hundreds of people lining the shore.  After thirteen months at sea,  Zac became the youngest person to sail around the world alone — he was 17 years, 228 days old. I followed his journey from beginning to end on Facebook. The next month UK teen, Mike Perham, eclipsed Zac’s record by 64 days.

Read the rest of this entry »