Tacoma, oh Tacoma, a city of joy, Where happiness reigns, and sorrows deploy. A place where the people are filled with glee, And the beauty of life is easy to see. Lydia K. Valentine, the poet laureate, Says Tacoma is her town, and it’s great. The readers of the Tribune agree, Tacoma is the happiest city, you see.
This photo essay discusses Anthem, a 70-foot ketch built in 1998 by Roger MacGregor. Anthem combines luxury and performance with hand-laid fiberglass construction, a 70-foot mainmast, and speeds of up to 25 knots. It was named one of the seven most beautiful boats ever built alongside vessels like J-Class yachts. A sister ship to Anthem was built in the last decade, continuing its legacy as a masterpiece of yacht design. Photos of the sister ship are provided.
Als explored is the development of Ultra Light Displacement Boats (ULDBs) and their competition with MacGregor Yachts, highlighting key differences in design, construction, and performance. ULDBs, pioneered by designers like Bill Lee, George Olson, and Ron Moore in Santa Cruz, focused on lightweight construction (vacuum-bagged fiberglass with balsa cores) and exceptional downwind speed. Iconic ULDBs like Merlin and the Olson 30 dominated offshore racing with innovative designs.
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) race courses have transitioned from traditional Olympic triangular patterns to windward-leeward designs, emphasizing tactical skills, boat speed, and positioning. Random Leg courses, which offer varied angles and conditions, provide more balanced competition for different boat types.
Naval architecture has evolved to optimize boats for specific conditions, creating designs specialized for particular race formats, often favoring performance over versatility. Cruiser-racers and traditional cruising designs may struggle to compete on modern windward-leeward courses, prompting new classifications.
From Panama’s tropics to Seattle’s bay, Two locks stand proud, in their own unique way. One spans oceans, a global trade key, The other links lakes to the Pacific’s spree.
Panama’s grandeur, a feat of its time, Gatun and Miraflores, engineering sublime. A pathway for giants, through jungle and heat, Connecting two worlds where oceans meet.
Ballard’s charm lies in a smaller scale, Freshwater to salt, boats set their sail. Fish ladders climb as salmon persist, Nature and man in a delicate tryst.
Both locks rely on gravity’s might, Raising and lowering vessels in flight. Water flows forth from reservoirs vast, A testament to progress that continues to last.
In French Polynesia, where the waters are pure, There are many places that are sure to allure. From Tahiti to Bora Bora, and Moorea too, There are sights and sounds that will leave you anew. UC Santa Barbara and Berkeley study the coral, While the University of Washington studies it moral. The marine life is abundant and unique, And the waters are pure, making it a haven for the meek.
Finally, Puerto Vallarta, A cultural and artistic town, With galleries and museums, And a nightlife that won’t let you down. But the real treasure of Banderas Bay, Is the beaches for snorkeling and play, With crystal clear waters and marine life, It’s a paradise that will take your breath away.
Jimmy Buffett is a well-known musician and avid boater. He is the owner of the sailing yacht “Drifter,” a custom 15.24-meter Pacific Seacraft built in North Carolina1. “Margaritaville” is a famous song by Jimmy Buffett, and it has also become a brand associated with his laid-back lifestyle and business ventures, including restaurants, hotels, and merchandise4.…
John Orin Edson was a visionary entrepreneur who founded Bayliner Marine, a company that revolutionized the boating industry. Born in Bellingham, Washington, in 1932, Edson grew up boating with his family on Lake Washington in Seattle12. He started selling used boats and soon realized he had a business going. To feed his growing retail business and what he foresaw as the demands of first-time boat buyers, Edson began building his own line of boats. He needed a snazzy name and purchased the brand name “Bayliner” for $100 from a local boat builder in Tacoma, Washington. Bayliner became a huge success, and the company was incorporated officially in 1972.
A Macgregor 26X sailboat, launched in late October, Cruising the lake, a journey to remember. Freedom not available to the mansion bound. A chance to escape, to be unbound. The Macgregor 26X sailboat, a beauty to behold, A trailerable sailer, a story to be told. Introduced in 1995, a design so fine, Lets toast her builder With Washington beer and wine.
At the taproom in town, they sampled the brews, Craft beers on tap, a variety to choose. But little did they know, as the night grew late, They would encounter creatures, a mysterious fate. Two Bigfoot appeared, a male and his mate, In the misty woods of Saint Helens town, A Macgregor 26x set sail, up and down. Late September, the air crisp and cool, The crew embarked on a journey, a boating duel.