Colin writes about a cruise that didn't turn out as planned—something all cruisers will face at some point. All you can do then is pick yourself up and keep going. We saved this one from last season to motivate all us northern hemisphere cruisers to get stuff fixed and get out there.
Colin carries on with his analysis of boat heating systems covering propane heaters and diesel furnaces, both forced air, and water circulation as well as radiators that harvest waste heat from the engine.
You don't need to be heading for the high latitudes to appreciate the benefits of a boat heater. Just drying the boat out can be reason enough to make installing a heater worthwhile. But which type is best? Colin shines a light on the options.
Lovers of Colin's lyrical and entertaining articles have a treat coming: he has written a whole book about his decades of professional sailing and work in basking shark conservation.
Colin and John have teamed up to share the fruits of some 70 years of combined radar use experience much of it in the foggiest (Atlantic Canada) and highest traffic (English Channel) areas of the world.
Colin has covered gear and preparation for navigating in fog. Now we get to the meat of it: what to do when underway and the visibility shuts down. Includes a vital section on the rules of the road in fog.
Never was the old axiom "proper preparation prevents poor performance" more relevant than when cruising foggy places. Colin gives us an in-depth check list to run through before we leave port.
Some of the best cruising grounds in the world are plagued with fog, so it pays to have the necessary gear as well as navigation and collision-avoidance skills—will make you safer at night too.
Colin starts off a three part series with an in-depth analysis of the tools to have when the visibility shuts down.
An historical and friendly town, a pristine beach, and an UNESCO World Heritage site: Nova Scotia has it all and Colin is back with his unique travel writer's voice to tell us about cruising there.
Cape Sable is beset by ferocious tides and uneven shoals. Throw in regular doses of dense fog and you’ll need no convincing to avoid this place in bad weather. With the right weather and timing, however, you can have a pleasant rounding, opening up the whole Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia for you to explore.
There's more to Yarmouth than meets the eye—don't just sail on by.
Crossing from Maine to Nova Scotia can be daunting, due to the big tides in the Bay of Fundy. But the rewards of entering a new cruising ground make it worthwhile. Here are a few tips on how to make the passage.
Some of the world's most interesting cruising destinations are subject to theft and violence. Colin provides tips to stay safe. Fixation on risk plays no part in adventure...but planning does. Complimentary Post.
Colin's report on testing some of the latest and coolest gear on a brand new Boreal 55: autopilot, plotter, radar, stove, hydrogenerator, it's all here. A real gear-heads article.
Colin continues his tale of a fall voyage to Scotland, complete with snug loch anchorages, a gale in confined tidal waters, and a fast canal transit, wrapping up with a summary of the Boréal 55 based on a good real-world test—lots more to learn and enjoy.
Solar, wind and hydro generation, it’s all here—real practical advice from an experienced voyager who has walked the walk, not just talked the talk.
Information you need to put together a bullet-poof anchoring system—solid gear recommendations that have been tested in the real world.
There are few activities in the voyaging life that cause more anxiety and stress than anchoring, so here are the techniques you need to get anchored and stay anchored every time.
A complete, but simple, protocol to get the very best life out of batteries—real information that works based on 25 years of live-aboard experience.
Most sailors have thought about transitioning to a power boat, even if only as a way to stay on the water as we age. Here are the issues and options for a sailor’s power boat.
A sailor with decades of experience as a research boat skipper in demanding conditions builds his dream voyaging boat—we can all learn a lot.
Considering buying a boat with a carbon fibre mast or replacing your existing aluminum mast with carbon? The benefits and drawbacks of carbon fibre for voyaging boat masts.
Online Book on docking (coming alongside) that will truly take the drama out of this every day activity for cruisers both power and sail.
There are literally thousands of snug harbours on the east coast of Canada—these cruising notes, collected over twenty-five years sailing this coast, will make planning your voyage easier.
Seasickness is the great spoiler of offshore voyaging—tips and wisdom for fighting off the dreaded mal-de-mer and what to do once it strikes.
An analysis of what makes an ideal cruising boat engine, together with a step-by-step account of a highly successful repower.
If you can’t get along with your crew, your cruise will not be a success. Chock full of practical tips on crew management.
John, Phyllis, Christopher and Colin write about what you need to do to get out cruising and have fun when you do.
The options for storm survival from heaving-to to drogue deployment with a step-by-step guide to putting together an easy to deploy and retrieve system.
The critical issues that you need to understand before you buy a cruising boat. Time-tested tips to help you determine what really matters.
A look at the loss of several yachts and what we can learn from each—reading this book could save your boat…and maybe your life.
Do you dream of sailing in turquoise waters? Join “Pélerin” on a voyage in the Caribbean. Colin weaves a travel tale like only he can.
Often what will really govern how much fun and how safe your cruise will be is how good you are at maintaining your boat.
How to prepare for every voyaging sailor’s worst nightmare—a medical emergency at sea. Medical kits, emergency medical training, it’s all here.
The fruits of a combined century of navigation, much of it before electronic gadgets, and then we relate that experience to modern electronic navigation.
Knowing the difference between a boat that will work inshore and one that can go to sea could save you from making a terrible and expensive boat-buying mistake.
If you fall overboard from a short-handed boat, you are probably not going to be rescued. Tips and procedures that will help keep you and your loved ones on the boat.
Telling the story of your voyage in photographs. Techniques and gear tips that will make you a better photographer.
Setting, reefing and striking sails and doing it in challenging conditions—tips, techniques, gear, sail selection.
A different and much more interesting transatlantic than the classic milk run, with valuable voyage planning and execution information.
In the market for a boat to take you to out-of-the-way places in safety? Even if you don’t buy a Boréal, you will learn a huge amount about what makes a good expedition boat.
There is nothing more important to an offshore boat than keeping the water out. Here are real practical tips.
Step-by-step methods to receive weather information while offshore and in remote places.
A real voyaging sailboat that will be ready to take you around the world in safety and comfort for US$200,000.
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