The ocean can be a very unforgiving place and while most sailors have given some consideration to emergency preparedness (i.e. stocking first-aid kit, flairs, etc.), very few (with the exception of some offshore racers) have actively trained for performing in extremely challenging conditions. As I recently discovered, there are several ways that the average sailor
How to careen a sailboat – the low cost haulout
At 24, John Pennington and his wife Kara Potter set out to circumnavigate in their Cape Dory 30. Over the following 4 years they occassionally found themselves in far-flung places where haulouts were either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. In the guest post below, John explains how they beached, cleaned, and painted their boat over two-days
5 homemade gifts for sailors
Whether you have a sailing fanatic in the family or want to thank the staff at your marina, these 5 homemade gifts for sailors are sure to please. Read-on for quick-to-make and easy-to-stow gift ideas for the sailor in your life. This post was based on an article originally published in Good Old Boat Magazine.
Clean the bottom of your boat like a pro
We’d neglected the bottom of our boat for a month and the warm Mexican waters had transformed our sleek hull into a furry ecosystem teeming with life. My partner, Robin, had begun naming the fish living underneath MonArk, our Dufour 35. Presumably, they’d mistaken us for a benevolent barnacle-encrusted whale, or worse, a coral reef!
How to anchor under sail
In four years of cruising aboard MonArk, we’ve lost our engine twice. On the second occasion, in San Francisco Bay, the alternator seized and we were faced with the prospect of anchoring under sail. At the time, dozens of questions came to mind. How quickly will the boat decelerate when turned into the wind? Should
5 steps to being good crew on a sailboat
GenZ is on the water! It’s hard enough being a teenager, but imagine spending 24/7 with your parents and brother in a 100 square foot space! It would be easy to feel resistant, but as Abby Bridges explains, shifting her mindset from passenger to crew has made all the difference. Whether you’re a teenager or
No watermaker, no problem – Low-tech solutions for making water
No watermaker? No problem… As young cruisers, we often don’t have the option of buying a water for a long trip or ocean crossing. It wasn’t that that long ago, sailors crossing the ocean had to take or capture all the water they would need on their trip. And cruisers used to find and treat
3 survival at sea stories and what you can learn from them
Harris Norman (35) is a survivalist blogger from San Jose. Today he shares 3 survival at sea stories and what you can learn from them. Getting lost at sea is a worst-case scenario, there’s no doubt about that. There are so many factors that could end your life at any time – storms, dehydration,
5 creative ways to finance a boat
When Robin first came home with the idea of owning a boat I was somewhat skeptical. We were living in a beat-up apartment above a diner in Greek Town, Toronto. I was 25 and unemployed and he was a 29 and a student. Suffice to say we didn’t have tons of cash laying around for
Sailing at night: tactics and tips
Sailing at night: tactics and tips As an early-to-bed person, I find a night passage offers special and sublime opportunities for stargazing, precious alone time, and quiet contemplation. However, I’ve also found myself wet, cold, and not-so-quietly contemplating the lights of a ship bearing down on us. Does that tanker see us? Fortunately, after 3,000
