It’s been a long time coming but we now see tangible progress emerging to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. If the U.S. Navy can prove that it works, isn’t it about time the concept of the modern cruising boat includes hybrid forms of propulsion?
The end of the year is time to renew subscriptions and replace older apps with new ones. New technology and improved functionality promise a safer, faster, and easier user experience. In this case it is from Navionics, a Garmin Company. And General Motors.
The fear and mystery about sea monsters and rogue waves goes back to the early seafarers. With much improved technology, computers, and satellites, we know much more about this phenomemun today…and they are much more common than previously believed.
Susie Goodall had a really close call, but she is safe after losing her Rustler 36 in the Southern Ocean. The 29-year-old was knocked unconscious when her boat pitchpoled end over end in rough seas and high winds.
She was eventually picked up by a cargo ship on its way to Argentina.
If you are an “experienced” cruiser (aka old person) you probably remember the days of Selective Availability (SA) and intentionally reduced GPS accuracy. The military only let us know our location within 100 meters. This continued for years, despite ongoing pleas from the FAA and USCG to provide everyone with the accuracy available from the GPS satellite system.
It took a jetliner being shot down to turn off this reduced-accuracy SA.
Today we could not live without accurate GPS information. At home, on the road, and on the water.
With the storms and heavy rains, we have a lot of debris fields in our waterways. The thumbnail image from WBAL-TV show one of the classic sandbaggers at the National Sailing Hall of Fame, surrounded by wood and floating junk that drifted into Annapolis after they opened the flood gates of the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River.
If you have the proper boat insurance, are you covered if you damage your boat? I went to a reliable source to get the answer.
It’s an exciting time of year, to begin planning for the fall trip south. So many choices, so many new things to see, it is a wonderful experience.
But let’s get squared away with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence first, which disrupted a lot of territory in both North and Sount Carolina. Thankfully, we don’t need to rely on social media, as the team at Cruisers’ Net has stepped up to the task.
Inspired from comments made from last week’s post, let’s discuss helm seat options. There is no one solution for comfortable and safe seating at the helm on all boats. It is something designers and builders used to ignore. Today it gets the attention it deserves.
Notice the helm seating when you go to the upcoming boat shows. And can you get around it once it is in position?
It takes discipline to keep everything shipshape. That is true on cruising boats, and it is true in life. Always looking just to get it done asap is not usually the best plan. Good enough rarely is.
Doing it right, then updating the documentation, including wiring diagrams, takes discipline but pays off in the end.
A disciplined life is a successful life.
As part of my midseason checkup, I reviewed the electronic devices and apps I use. Seems a bunch has happened that I had not really taken into account. Some navigation apps work better than others, and some no longer work at all. Companies consolidate and merge products and technologies in this shifting landscape, much like it did when paper charts were replaced with various formats and digital standards.
Everyone has a tolerance for a certain amount of clutter. On the sometimes limited space of cruising boats, having spares for every contingency must be balanced with knowing where everything is while not sinking the boat with tons of spares, consumables, and items that somehow find their way aboard. I’m as guilty as the next person, but I’m working on finding the balance.
The end of the year is time to renew subscriptions and replace older apps with new ones. New technology and improved functionality promise a safer, faster, and easier user experience. In this case it is from Navionics, a Garmin Company. And General Motors.
The fear and mystery about sea monsters and rogue waves goes back to the early seafarers. With much improved technology, computers, and satellites, we know much more about this phenomemun today…and they are much more common than previously believed.
Susie Goodall had a really close call, but she is safe after losing her Rustler 36 in the Southern Ocean. The 29-year-old was knocked unconscious when her boat pitchpoled end over end in rough seas and high winds.
She was eventually picked up by a cargo ship on its way to Argentina.
If you are an “experienced” cruiser (aka old person) you probably remember the days of Selective Availability (SA) and intentionally reduced GPS accuracy. The military only let us know our location within 100 meters. This continued for years, despite ongoing pleas from the FAA and USCG to provide everyone with the accuracy available from the GPS satellite system.
It took a jetliner being shot down to turn off this reduced-accuracy SA.
Today we could not live without accurate GPS information. At home, on the road, and on the water.
Let’s take a look at some ways to cut expenses, and conversely, how to make money while cruising. They both contribute to allow you to keep enjoying the lifestyle.
Not many couples can get by making video vlogs on YouTube of their adventures, and expect others to pay for their experience through donations and Patreon.
It’s been a long time coming but we now see tangible progress emerging to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. If the U.S. Navy can prove that it works, isn’t it about time the concept of the modern cruising boat includes hybrid forms of propulsion?