Many cruisers have already made the jump to lithium. But what if we would like to delay the considerable expense and complications of lithium, but want to be ready at a later date?
Trucking a boat can be a viable, and in some cases less expensive option than sailing her, but what are the pitfalls?
A recommended kit that weighs less than sixty pounds and tool budgets for coastal and offshore cruising, as well as refits.
A hair-raising account of a boat-lift collapse and tips to reduce the chances of this happening to us.
In the last interior arrangement reveal article we covered the galley, head, and storage areas aft. Now let’s move forward into the salon and forward cabin.
Up to now in this series we have been looking at going up the mast in sheltered water, but when we need to go up offshore everything gets hugely more difficult and risky. As usual, preparation is the key to safety and success.
With all the claims and counterclaims for the two chemistries, how on earth do we make the right decision? Good news, it’s not hard.
A good galley, storage, and head layout are much of what makes an offshore live-aboard cruising sailboat great. The A40 design nails these requirements.
The world seems messed up, but people are back out cruising and there are other good things to focus on.
Boats are not square so it’s often necessary to mount gear at an angle and/or on a curved surface. Here’s the easy way to do that.
John highlights four more dangerous mistakes he has made and seen many others make too. With these mistakes fixed, he is now reasonable happy with his system.
Stuck for a Christmas gift?
From time to time we get a question asking us to opine on whether a modification to the boat or rig will be strong enough. Let’s look at that.
John reviews Olin Stephens’ autobiography, just in time for holiday gift giving.
After over 50 years of going up masts John shares the system he and Phyllis are now using as well as highlighting the many dangerous mistakes he has made over the years.
Thoughts on backup systems, fall arrest as against fall prevention, and gear recommendations for going up the mast.
In the last Adventure 40 article, I examined hull, cockpit and rig. Now let’s move out of the cockpit and go forward.
Ten years after starting a project to create a safe, reliable and fast offshore cruising sailboat ready to go around the world, we have a design.
Part 2 of a buyer’s guide examining the trade-offs between the three ways to set, strike and furl a mainsail on an offshore cruising boat.
Part 1 of buyer’s guide examining the trade-offs between the three ways to set, strike and furl a mainsail on an offshore cruising boat.
An in-depth, narrated demonstration of hoisting, reefing, un-reefing and striking the mainsail with a LeasureFurl® in-boom system.
Cross-bank battery charging with DC/DC chargers or alternator-to-battery chargers.
There has been a huge amount of internet coverage of the tragedy south of Nova Scotia in which Volker-Karl Frank and Annamarie Auer-Frank were fatally injured on the CNB 66 “Escape”. Here’s the story of the boat’s safe recovery by a crew from Nova Scotia.
A well set up cruising boat electrical system separates the house and engine start batteries. Here’s how to make sure both are properly charged.
We all know that any cruising boat should have the engine and house banks separated, but that’s just the start of what we need to know.