Another race, another whale collision, yet again ending in the loss of a boat and injury to a whale. Thankfully no loss of life, although one day that may not be the case. What is happening out on the oceans? Pirates everywhere, climate change driven hurricanes, and now homicidal whales?
Boréal Sailboats–An Introduction
An introduction to French lifting keel boats and how Boréal have refined that proven concept.
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France: The Source For Aluminum Sailboats
The summer of 2009 was a good one in Scotland, at least compared with the rest of the UK and Ireland. But as is generally the case, once the weather breaks, that’s it, the summer is over, and it’s time to make tracks.
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Obeying The Rules
It has been something of a culture shock to be back in Cornwall, where the volume of boat traffic is on a completely different level to the western isles of Scotland. Up there other yachts really are few and far between, whereas sometimes around the Falmouth area we may be altering course for another yacht every ten minutes!
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Keeping The Boom Under Control—Boom Brakes
In the last two chapters we covered preventers. But what about controlling the boom once the wind comes forward and also slowing things down when gybing? Colin has the answer.
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Spinnakers—Not Getting In A Twist
Colin shares the reasons they opted for an asymmetric spinnaker when choosing sails for their new OVNI, Pélerin.
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Departures And Arrivals
There is nothing quite like the final moment of departure at the start of a long cruise or voyage. A strong mixture of anticipation and apprehension, it generally follows a stressful period, with all of the usual last minute glitches and hassles, however careful your planning and preparation. Then there are the goodbyes to friends and loved ones which can tend to cast a sombre mood over the proceedings, with thoughts of the many months it may be before we see them again.
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Mooring Gear—Staying Put
What does the word “harbour” mean to you? A safe haven, perhaps, sheltered from all sides? Well, in some of the less frequented parts of the world it can mean something quite different. Many “harbours”, such as Hugh Town on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, are far from safe in all conditions, being open to winds from the west and to the Atlantic swell.
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AIS—See And Be Seen
One thing that most sailors dread is poor visibility. Throw in high levels of shipping traffic and you have a perfect recipe for sleepless nights.
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Mainsail Reefing Blues
Colin takes a balanced look at mainsail handling systems including single line reefing from the cockpit and permanently mounted integrated sail covers. These systems would seem to save trouble, but how well do they really work in practice? Read on to find out.
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Shoal Draft Voyaging
One of the main attractions of the OVNI range is their shoal draft and beachability. We’ve all seen the photos: parked on some deserted islet with an impossibly azure sea far in the background. The theory looks enticing, but how far does it reflect reality? Colin discusses their experiences on Pèlerin.
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Keeping The Water Out—Details
Colin shares some tips on how to avoid water ingress…anywhere.
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What Has Worked So Far—On The Water
After sailing their new home a little, Colin gives their first impressions on the OVNI as a yacht in her own right, as well as on some of the equipment they added.
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What Has Worked So Far—Domestically
Colin evaluates some of the equipment they chose for domestic life aboard, as well as the general layout on their new OVNI.
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Electrical Systems And Aluminum Boats
Though there are risks inherent in mixing electricity with aluminum sailboat construction, there are ways to manage those risks.
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