Linda Newland has devoted a good part of her life to expanding the presence of women in the sailing. She is an accomplished sailor herself, having done numerous single-handed races, including multiple San Francisco to Hawaii Transpacs. She holds the record for the “Fastest Woman Single-handed Transpac” in a race from San Francisco to Japan, and she skippered an all-female Transpac team in 1997. Linda holds a 100-ton Captain’s License, she ran a yacht delivery service, she’s a maritime attorney, a nautical science instructor, a certified ASA instructor, and served as president of the National Women’s Sailing Association. Nearly thirty years ago she co-founded the Island Yacht Club’s Northern California Women’s Sailing Seminars, and in September went virtual to continue the tradition through the pandemic.

Jeff Cote is the founder and owner of Pacific Yacht Systems. He and his staff provide custom marine electrical solutions for boaters. He thinks of his work less as providing a service and more as enabling dreams. He started the company after buying his own boat and having to redo the electrical system because it was causing him such grief. He wasn’t going to let his dream die due to gear frustrations. And he’s now helping others keep their dreams alive and head off into the blue with systems that allow them to be disconnected and self-sufficient for days, weeks or months on end.

Lisa Chapin Bullett Grew up sailing sunfish off the beach in Florida. Later, while living in Texas, she jumped to sailing bigger boats thanks to a program called SailTime in which members share boat access. Today, after cruising the East Coast, the Caribbean, and the Pacific as crew aboard various boats, Lisa is the owner of Sailtime San Francisco. As a licensed captain, Lisa has a passion for introducing people and families to sailing in whatever way works best for them.

Will Curry grew up cruising with his family in desolation Sound, Sarah didn’t. But she did grow up reading about families that were out cruising and longed to do it herself. So it’s not a surprise that on their very first date they talked about sailing to the South Pacific.  Five years later, that’s just what they were doing, aboard their own boat. In addition to sailing together, Will and Sarah work together on the family business - Hydrovane steering systems. Follow Will & Sarah on their blog: svkaiquest.com

Tim Henry is a man of many talents. He’s a sailor, a surfer, a windsurfer, a journalist, and an artist. Until recently Tim was Managing Editor at Latitude 38 and he’s uncovered some great stories for the magazine covering the Sausalito general plan, anchor outs in Richardson Bay, the Berkeley marina, and more. We talk about all of these things in this wide-ranging conversation.

In 1999, at age 29, Clark Beek sailed out of Newport Harbor aboard his 40-foot Ketch on what he thought would be a year-long cruise. Ten years later he sailed into San Francisco, bringing with him stories of being torn apart by a Rottweiler, having dengue fever in Costa Rica and dysentery in India, going through a bloody insurrection in Fiji and a tsunami in Thailand, running aground on shoals and reefs, sailing through storms, and being run over by a container ship! Clark is a journalist who has written for nearly every sailing magazine out there. Check out his writing at http://condesa.org/

Philippe Jamotte took up sailing in 2013. In October 2020, he departed San Francisco trying to set a new record for the fastest westward solo, non-stop circumnavigation in a boat under 40 feet. He’s not one to do things by halves. A few of his past passions include long-distance motorbike racing, triathlons, and pottery. Since getting into sailing about seven years ago, he’s crossed the Atlantic as crew in the Clipper race, won the 2018 Transpacific Yacht Race in an Olson 30 named Double Espresso and set his sights on this solo circumnavigation. You can follow his journey at pjsails.com

Wilbur Spaul has been sailing since the 70s. For over 40 years he’s dreamed of crossing oceans in a tiny boat. On September 27, 2020 he will leave Berkeley, head out the Golden Gate and attempt a record breaking sail to Hawaii in a 9-foot sailboat called Chubby Girl. The San Francisco sailing community has rallied around Spaul to help him bring this dream to fruition. Now it’s time to start the adventure. You can follow his voyage at www.ChubbyGirlCruising.com

Ronnie Simpson was badly injured when hit by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq. After coming home he discovered sailing as an exciting new way to explore the world. Since taking to the water, he’s raced solo to Hawaii, lost a keel at sea, biked across Asia, and set up sailing and surfing clinics to help other wounded veterans. Today he lives in Fiji where he’s running a board and sail shop called Mamanuca Board Traders.

Chris Neely grew up sailing on San Francisco bay, but met Marissa in the mountains where he taught her to sail on Huntington Lake. Not long after graduating college the two bought a 1979 Cheoy Lee 41, SV Avocet, which they are taking time to extensively refit in preparation for sailing far afield. Follow them on Sailing Avocet, their popular and beautifully produced video series on YouTube documenting the work they’re doing.