The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site
There are few subjects around anchoring that get more discussion than stopping yawing at anchor. However, once we understand why it happens, the best solution becomes obvious.
Before we start to build a refit budgeting and planning framework, we need to define the boat we will start off with as well as explore how we can correct numbers for other boats: smaller, bigger, and/or more complex.
Last summer we discovered that series drogues to Don Jordan’s design that are made from single-plat Dyneema or Spectra were extremely difficult to retrieve. We now have a solution.
How to decide if a refit is right for you, including how to avoid the oh-so-common human failings that can turn a refit into a budget-busting rebuild.
If ever there was a subject where the details matter, it’s anchoring, so John takes a deep dive into some details that will make anchoring with an all-chain rode easier and safer.
Colin completes his four-part series on going offshore cruising in a boat for less than US$100,000, with a look at materials other than fibreglass, and then winds up on a positive note.
Kellets are often touted in books and articles on anchoring as a way to increase anchor holding and setting reliability. But do they really work, and should you buy one?
Many secondhand boats out there are being sold as ready to go offshore. But what about the vital underwater appendages the loss of which often results in abandonment or worse? Colin shines the bright light of reality on this vital subject that no one else likes to talk about.
So now that we have decided to focus on boats that have been well taken care of and not butchered by inept amateurs, we still need to be realistic about potential flaws in materials and construction and what it would really take in time and money to fix each. We can have no better guide than Colin as we figure that out. To that end, Colin turns his attention to seven basic construction areas where problems can turn a refit into a horror show we definitely don’t want to star…
Rope snubbers are vital for those of us who anchor on all-chain rodes, but the good news is that a good snubber is a simple thing to make and rig right.
Before we even start a refit we must think about our own skills and a place to work. Then it’s time to move on to buying the boat.
Four tools that every cruiser should have, but probably does not.
It’s no secret that John puts interior arrangement behind most other selection criteria when evaluating boats, but it’s also true that he and Phyllis lived aboard for some 20 years, so he applies that experience to comparing the two boats, and in the process shares a bunch of tips that will help in any boat selection. He then winds up with a comparison of price, size, and value for money between the two boats.
Inside steering stations are wonderful, but the details matter, to the point that getting them wrong can result in disaster. John compares the two very different approaches of the Garcia and the Boréal and shares tips that will be useful even if you are not considering buying either of these boats, or even if you are contemplating a motorboat.
Hanging out in a lovely anchorage is a wonderful part of cruising, but what if we could also stay fit and/or play with a really cool fast sailing dinghy at the same time?
Looking at hull form and build quality is less fun than delving into cockpits and interior spaces. But the former are a lot more important, since these are boats, not condos, and a good hull form and build are vital when we actually go voyaging.
Sailboats are about…well sailing, so a good deck and cockpit layout is vital, and often neglected. How do these two boats stack up? John takes a look, and also shares what to look for on any offshore boat.
For over 10 years the Boréal 44/47 has been in a class of her own when we think about buying a new aluminum centreboard expedition boat, or any offshore cruising boat, for that matter. But now there is a new challenger in the neighbourhood: the Garcia Exploration 45. In this, the first of four articles, John compares the rigs of these two boats. And even if you are not interested in either boat, you will get some good ideas of what to look for in a boat to go to…
John spent some time at the Ultra Anchor booth at the boat show. There were things he liked about the anchor, and one that he didn’t, and it’s a doozy.
Hang around with cruisers, and sooner or later someone will say, “Never buy a boat with…” Should we listen? John shares how to decide, and examines the choice between encapsulated and bolt on keels.
For nearly 20 years billionaires have been promising that worldwide, fast, always on, and reasonably priced internet, that we could use anywhere on our boats, was just around the corner, but now Matt makes a convincing case that we really will see this soon, and why things are different and better this time. Most important of all, he explains what we need to do to get ready.
There is endless debate about the effectiveness of moisture meters. Here are the facts from Steve D’ Antonio, who has used one for decades, together with some thoughts from John.
Whenever the subject of buying a boat comes up, the horror stories about surveys that failed to find serious, or even catastrophic, structural problems are sure to follow. John interviews industry expert Steve D’Antonio to learn how to avoid having our very own survey horror story.
When researching buying a cruising boat, we are deluged with information on all the gear she must have and how perfect she must be before we can go cruising. But is that really true? How about buying an old and tired boat and just getting out there? John tells his story of going cruising in a half-assed boat…and having one of the best times in his life. Will this work for you? He shares tips on how to decide.
So what boat size is optimal for offshore voyaging? There is no one number. Rather, we must understand our own expectations before we can zero in on that. John tells the story of a smart guy that saved him from getting this wrong.
Surveys are expensive so here are five things we should check ourselves first.
We strongly believe that the series drogue designed by Don Jordan is the best storm survival option. A belief based on good science and interviewing some of the best offshore sailors of our time about their experiences. John continues that learning and data gathering process in this article.
Saildrives are becoming ever more common on cruising boats. But are they a good idea, or just yet another way to make the builder’s life easier while making the owner’s harder? John has some thoughts.
There are always lessons to be learned from a disaster, and this one can teach us many things, as well as remind us all of some fundamentals of good seamanship.
There are a huge number of second-hand fibreglass cruising boats for sale, but very few good ones. Here is how to weed out some of the junk.
When an anchor that thousands of sailors rely on has a dangerous flaw, we need to write about that. Also, some thoughts on the the Vulcan and the Mantus anchors.
One of the saddest things that can happen to a cruiser is buying a fundamentally bad boat, and there are plenty of those out there to tempt the uninformed. Here’s how to make sure that the boat you buy is well designed.
When the subject comes up of buying an old and tired boat and refitting it as a way to get out there ocean voyaging inexpensively, John tends to start throwing around a lot of cold reality, and generally being a spoil sport. But sometimes this approach can work.
How to select the size and material (galvanized steel, stainless steel or aluminium), for the primary anchor on a cruising boat.
In the last two chapters we have reviewed the SPADE and SARCA Excel anchors. So which of the two is best, and are there other anchors as good or better?
A headsail that is not protected from sun damage when furled, will only last a season or so. So what’s the best way to protect the sail? John has some suggestions.
In Part 1 we concluded that Integrel was too expensive and complicated to be of use to cruisers who have reasonably modest daily power needs. But what about those of us who want all the comforts of home and therefore use a lot of power in the run of a day, or even those with one foot in each camp?
Nigel Calder’s newest machine, that claims to revolutionize electrical systems on boats, has generated a huge amount of excitement. So is this thing a good product that we should buy? Let’s dig in and find out.
Colin’s in-depth, real-world test and review of the SARCA Excel anchor, based on a season of use in a cruising ground that is notoriously difficult to anchor in.
In the last two chapters we took a deep and considered dive into analyzing the electrical loads on our boats and thinking about ways to reduce said loads through smart systems thinking. Now we get to the payoff: How to calculate optimal battery bank size or, alternatively, how to live with the battery bank size we already have. I have built a spreadsheet to make the whole process easier.
In the last chapter we looked at some big loads that take electricity from our battery. In this chapter John covers watermakers and diesel furnaces and shows how system thinking can save us from having to install a silly-sized battery bank.
A chat with Steve Moore, Product Manager at Ocean Signal about potential problems with the MOB1 Beacon and how to make sure these beacons work. Also a couple of other thoughts on water activation for AIS beacons and AIS/PLB combo beacons.
Two core decisions we must make when designing a cruising boat electrical system for living aboard full time and making offshore voyages, are the size of the battery bank and which charging sources we will need: generator, solar, main engine, wind, etc. But the first thing we need to do, before getting into all that fun stuff, is think about electrical consumption and how to keep it reasonable.
John analyzes two alternatives to chainplates for attaching a series drogue to our boats.
Good anchor rollers are hard to do, but really important. John uses that as a springboard to write about prioritization, the most important skill a cruiser needs to actually get out there.
Turning back is hard, but sometimes it’s the only right thing to do. John tells some true stories about turning back.