Pat Rains to highlight show seminars The author of four cruising guides to the waters of Mexico and Central America, published by Point Loma Publishing, capt. Pat Rains will anchor the San Diego Sunroad Boat Show’s seminars this year. She will present a seminar entitled “Mexico Cruising 101 for Sail and Power,” complete with handouts and a question-and-answer session on Jan. 26 and 27 at noon at the Sunroad pavilion. Her presentation focuses on cruising destinations in Mexico, itineraries, security issues, necessary paperwork and cruising preparations. The new third edition of Rains’ respected “Mexico Cruising Guide” is about to be released. The fully indexed guidebook includes accurate local charts, details about anchorages, marinas, fuel docks, boatyards and repair facilities, and provisioning resources that are geared to recreational boaters’ needs. Regular updates appear online. “This guide covers all of Baja, the entire Sea of Cortez and the Pacific coast of mainland Mexico to the Guatemala border, about 3,000 miles of coastline, detailed mile by mile,” she said. Her companion volume, “Cruising Ports,” leads boaters from Guatemala through Central America and the Panama Canal and on through the western Caribbean to Florida. Information about her cruising guides is available at www.mexicoboating.com. Seminars on electric propulsion for sailors will be presented by Mike Gunning, and the use of asymmetrical spinnakers for efficient downwind sailing will be sponsored by Ullman Sail San Diego and South Coast Yachts. Both will be held Jan. 26 and 27. Check schedules at www.bigbayboatshow.com or the show program in Yachts for Sale Magazine for latest information. Aquarius to exhibit unusual vessels Since 1989, Shelter Island-based Aquarius Yacht Services, which prides itself as “San Diego’s best yacht maintenance service,” has focused on providing San Diego boat owners with diverse marine services, including diving and hull maintenance, along with mechanical services. Yet Aquarius’ distinctive exhibit at this year’s boat show will offer visitors the chance to check out a set of unique functional vessels belonging to a Las Vegas-based client. The Argonaut Jr. 2010 is a modern replica of Simon Lake’s 1894 wooden submarine, inspired by 19th century French author Jules Verne and Civil War-era designs. Hobbyist Henry Agard’s one-man submarine was built in his Sunnyvale backyard over 10 years and was tested in a relation’s swimming pool. It, too, will be on display. Completing the exhibit are two mini-hovercraft and two Sea-Spi vessels, personal electric-powered glass-bottom watercraft for undersea viewing. For more information about Aquarius’ services, visit www.aquariusyacht.com or call (619) 222-4147.
