By Gill VanceSundowners on the aft deck, not a worry in the world, one day blends into the next, and there are no more worries for the rest of your days. Sometimes cruising was just like that, and at other times there were storms, loneliness, boredom, and the horrors of the deep to contend with. Travel with me now as I reminisce, and you decideWhen we first began cruising
The 200809 Volvo Ocean Race is still more than 11 months out, but teams are gearing up for the worlds most brutal fully crewed ocean showdown. Ericsson Racing Team recently announced that Brazilian sailing legend Torben Grael will be skippering one of their two boats. Grael is replacing American John Kostecki in this role, as Kostecki had to step down because of to family obligations. Grael,
Click here for full size image.FARTHER AFIELD:Ballards Beach, Block Island (24 miles)This is where to go to see and be seen. Ballards Inn serves sushi, barbecue, and drinks on the waterfront and the beach party atmosphere attracts a young, hip crowd. Anchor out and swim in to enjoy the scene, youre guaranteed a great
We cruised by the Strawberry Island Lighthouse in Canada’s North Channel at 7 knots in a brisk 25-knot wind. I was aboard Henk Vanderhulst’s Precision 23, Go Gently, and he, despite his 80 years, was unwilling to risk his reputation for leaving the fleet in his wake.
Once youre out of sight of land for a while, you understand why they speak of offshore sailing in the Great Lakes.Once youve been through a few sail changes, you might think of the prevailing wind as variable.And once youve gone the length of Lake Michigan, you will be, in a small way, a veteran of sailing in the heart of America. I say in a small way because there is a lot of
Beware of the Buoys (August 2006) Just head for the buoy up ahead, and make sure you leave it to starboard. An instruction like this is asking for trouble, especially if a novice is steering. All it takes is a bit of cross current and the boat will be gradually set off course, all the while pointing faithfully at the buoy; it may even be set onto the very hazard the buoy is marking.
A Burned Impeller (August 2006) Impellers for the engines raw-water pump dont last forever. Even if they arent destroyed by having been run dry following a blockage in the raw-water line, they still deteriorate over the years. If youve never had to change one, try installing a new one when the boat is safe on its mooring, and then go out and buy a new spare. You might be
This month: Figure 8 coils, Sailing in Light Air, Reading the Small Print, Bleeding the Engine and Shirttail Nonsense SeamanshipFigure 8 Coils The traditional way to coil a line is to make coils of equal length and drop them into the palm of your hand. Hold the end of the line in one hand and use the other hand to lay the coils, one on top of the other, into
This month: Rust stains, oversteering, and how to take care of your sailsSailsGrenada Lime Last fall, when our boat was on the hard in Grenada during the hurricane season, torrential rains found a way into the cockpit locker where we had stored our sails. Normally that wouldnt have hurt anything, but this time a guest had left behind a duffel that had
This month: Steering toward a buoy, trip lines, a Cutter that cuts it, and how to change an impellerMaintenance A Burned ImpellerImpellers for the engines raw-water pump dont last forever. Even if they arent destroyed by having been run dry following a blockage in the raw-water line, they still deteriorate over the years. If youve never had to change one,
Going North—and West Crack! Crunch! I woke with a start to the sound of ice scraping the hull of our 60ft sailboat, Dogbark. In a
Q: I have a 1974 Aquarius 23 that I am fixing up. I am wondering if I should replace the standing rigging no matter what,
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com During last week’s 39th Heineken Regatta, all eyes were on The Polish National Fund’s Volvo 70 I Love Poland (formerly Puma). The team is
The multihull world is a funny one in that it pays lip service to speed under sail to the point where any other kind of
A number of sailors have cruised Labrador, Greenland, Patagonia, South Georgia, Antarctica, Alaska and the Northwest Passage. Some have wintered-over in high latitudes. But fewer
When we acquired our new project boat, a 1987 Pearson 39-2, it was evident that she was in need of much TLC. Not only had
With today’s ever-increasing reliance on chartplotters with AIS overlay for collision avoidance, what role should radar play as a safety device? Duncan Kent investigates While
When I asked Fountaine Pajot’s Laurent Fabre if the new Astrea 42 was replacing Fountaine Pajot’s earlier Helia 44, his response was a firm “Non!”
Just because some crew are crazy doesn’t mean they all are It is a big leap of faith, heading offshore on a sailboat. Even if
“Jib alone is never a good idea,” our sailing guru Jerry told me. (Everyone should have a sailing guru). “Why’s that?” I asked. “It’s so
