Sail

Monday Minute - Cleaners That Really Work

Monday Minute - Cleaners That Really Work

Doing the Loop? Been on the Tenn-Tom or Carolina ICW recently? Then you know about the dreaded mustache that forms on your boat's bow.

Now that the trip is done, or that section is behind you, how best to get your hull clean again?

Handholds Highlight Difficult Access

Handholds Highlight Difficult Access

As we get Blue Angel into the painting process, we find ways to make her better by greatly improving access to many of her systems and hardware. Improvements that will make the boat better.

Monday Minute - Time to Repaint!

Monday Minute - Time to Repaint!

When elbow-tiring, hand-rubbed compounding and waxing no longer does the job, it may be time to paint your boat. Gelcoat is not intended as a forever finish, and 11 years was perhaps waiting too long. No worries, striking beauty is only a paint job and $$$$ away. And it is the start of the effort to take this great Hunt design and make it into the great boat it should be. 

Enlightenment by a Dishwasher Repairman

Enlightenment by a Dishwasher Repairman

Sometime it takes a different perspective to connect what has been there all along. In this case, the routines of keeping ship appliances working applies just as well on shore.   

A Photo Essay - Newfoundland’s Fjord Coast and St Pierre

A Photo Essay - Newfoundland’s Fjord Coast and St Pierre

Scott and Mary Flanders share their photos and thoughts of traveling the less-popular cruising grounds of Newfoundland and beyond. The imagery is fabulous and the trip quite a unique experience to complement any cruising agenda.

Monday Minute - Exhaust Systems, The Achilles Heel of Boating

Monday Minute - Exhaust Systems, The Achilles Heel of Boating

Marine exhaust systems are not perfect, and each system variation has its good and bad points. Awareness is key, and knowing you must address this on a regular basis, regardless of engine hours.

Beyond Hollywood - Setting the Stage for Dunkirk

Beyond Hollywood - Setting the Stage for Dunkirk

The new movie, Dunkirk, tells the story of the evacuation of 335,000 troops off the beaches of Dunkirk at the beginning of WWII. It is a victory within a terrible defeat, and brought together a British nation for the difficult task that lay ahead. 

But the movie focuses on a few, leaving out the larger picture of the enormity of such an undertaking. I try to fill in some details of this staggering event in history that set the stage for the ultimate victory.

Monday Minute - Keeping Your Batteries Clean.

Monday Minute - Keeping Your Batteries Clean.

Our first Monday Minute, sharing a piece of useful information from traveling around the world, visiting boat builders and suppliers to our industry. Due to the enormous diversity of the global marine world, spanning commercial, recreational, and military segments, many of these professionals know much more than we will ever experience during our boating years.

I find their tips and comments worth considering.

How Big is Big Enough?

How Big is Big Enough?

The common question of how big is big enough can lead one astray. Let's revisit this question and see how others have done it successfully. Bigger is not always better.

Keep Your Outboard Running And Add to Your Skillset

Keep Your Outboard Running And Add to Your Skillset

Outboard engines can be prone to unreliable operation if their carburetors are not kept clean, or they are not used enough. There is no reason to rely on service technicians to keep you going when it is an easy thing to learn how to keep your motor running. 

Making a Good Boat Better - Part 3 - Both Power & Sail

Making a Good Boat Better - Part 3 - Both Power & Sail

Finding ways to make your trawler or sailboat better capable of traveling offshore. All of these efforts result in a better seaboat, even if you are not planning to cross oceans. And these upgrades will better familiarize you with the many systems on a cruising boat. And that brings confidence.

Making a Good Boat Better - Part 1 - Mostly Sail

Making a Good Boat Better - Part 1 - Mostly Sail

Notes to prepare you boat for an offshore race translate to a guide to improve your cruising boat if you intend to venture offshore.

The Mindset of Non Delivery

The Mindset of Non Delivery

The joys of cruising diminish when the trip becomes a monotonous routine, every day like the one before, always moving, pushing ahead to the final destination. It is a good thing to remember why you are out there, and find a way to slow down the daily grind, and enjoy the wonders that surround you each day.

Designing a Modern Fuel Delivery System

Designing a Modern Fuel Delivery System

Putting together a fuel delivery system is best done by taking a high level view and making it as simple, as accessible, and as futureproof as possible. Eliminate unnecessary fittings, use fire rated, CG-approved fuel hoses and high pressure fittings, and your system should be reliable and trouble free for the life of the boat.

The Boat Should Fit Your Plan

The Boat Should Fit Your Plan

It is much more fun to live with a boat that fits your actual cruising plans, not some fantasy dream machine that is way more than you need or can afford. Finding a good fit makes for a memorable adventure rather than a trip down bummer lane. The number of big trawlers for sale for "health reasons" is proof that one should focus on the smallest boat that is big enough.

The End of Paper Charts...and More

The End of Paper Charts...and More

So much has happened in our lifetime, so why should anyone be surprised that paper charts are going away? Modern electronic charting and navigation systems at so much better in all ways, whether you are a commercial, government, or recreational mariner. Change is coming...

The Nature of Boat... Owners

Not every boat owner has the same approach to cruising. Some cruisers pass through an island chain, while others have a favorite harbor where they remain to engage the community. Each are valid reasons to be on the water. What kind of type of boat owner are you?

Keeping Diesel Fuel Clean

Keeping Diesel Fuel Clean

Recurring questions and inaccurate answers rule the day on the Internet when it comes to diesel fuel and delivery systems. I'm going through my notes to collect credible information gathered over many years. Ultimately I plan to assemble this into a resource of some value.

New York Canal System Set to Open For Free

New York Canal System Set to Open For Free

Details of the 2017 NY Canal System, which opens this month. It is the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, ans will include lots of special events during the season.

Best Watch System Ever

Best Watch System Ever

I'd like to introduce you to a great watch schedule designed for a four-person crew. Each person gets most of a day off every four days, with a full night off to catch up on sleep. This is my favorite watch system from the many passages I've made.