Colin Speedie

Though there are risks inherent in mixing electricity with aluminum sailboat construction, there are ways to manage those risks.

Colin debunks some myths about corrosion on aluminum boats.

When building their OVNI, Colin and Louise remained true to their commitment to renewable power after so many years of both working in the environmental field by designing a power generation system that balances wind and solar.

Colin checks stability numbers for his OVNI 435 and is reassured. But there is more to sailboat capsize safety than the numbers.

A sloop rig might be fine in sunny sheltered waters with an army of gorillas as crew, but it is less than ideal for shorthanded crews sailing in windy and exposed seas. This is when the ability to reef swiftly and safely is far more important, and the true cutter rig comes in to its own.

Stand alone electronics seem to be a thing of the past. Colin writes about the dangers of integrated systems.

Colin discusses the very different priorities involved when designing a boat for extended offshore cruising versus one designed for the occasional weekend aboard or a two week annual holiday.

Colin discusses what you will need if you are thinking of cruising in places without floating dock marinas.

Aluminum has many obvious attributes as a construction material—high strength to weight, durability, lack of maintenance—but there are other, subtler benefits that aluminum can offer, especially if building a boat from scratch.

Colin and Louise need a sailboat that can go virtually anywhere, for extended periods, and be as self-sufficient as possible—something like an ocean-going 4×4. They chose an OVNI 435.

Colin writes about the process he and Louise went through when choosing between buying a used boat or building new.