Crew

Good communication is a skill that, like every other skill on a cruising boat, needs to be developed and practiced. Molly shares tips for good communication on board, garnered during the last three years while living aboard and sailing 36,000 miles with her family on Sila, a Boréal 47, including an expedition to South Georgia.

Family happiness and crew morale are vital for a successful voyage. During the last three years, while living aboard and sailing 36,000 miles on "Sila", a Boréal 47, Molly Barnes and her family have come up with "The Three Keys To Cruising Happiness".

Jack, 12 years old, shares ten tips for kids and parents to help make life on a boat easier and filled with great experiences. This is stuff he learned over three years while living aboard and sailing 36,000 miles with his family on "Sila", a Boréal 47, including an expedition to South Georgia. Complimentary Post

So much of writing on getting out cruising focuses on boats and gear. But, in fact, there is something even more important to think about...you.

The skills required to become a competent skipper of an ocean crossing yacht are not that difficult to learn, but there are a couple of things we must do to attain that goal.

Thinking of voyaging with children? Aspiring to voyage offshore? Reading this account by experienced wilderness educators about their ten years tackling the same challenges will smooth your way.

Even the best of seamen get rusty after a period ashore. Colin shares the process of getting into the voyaging groove.

It doesn't matter how much you read and who you talk to, your first multi-day (and night) passage at sea will be nothing like what you imagine. And your first experience of a gale at sea will be ten times as intense as you think it will be. I’m not saying this to put you [...]

Sure, diesel electric drives, lithium ion batteries, unstayed carbon masts, and composting toilets are fun technology and interesting too. But if your goal is to actually get out there cruising as soon as you can for a relatively reasonable amount of money, we recommend that you only use gear that has been in wide general use for at least 20 years. Here’s why:

Are you struggling to get out there cruising? Do there seem to be a million obstacles between you and your dream? We have 10 sure-fire tips that will help you get out there sooner, and have more fun and be safer when you do.

Colin continues the tale that he started in the last chapter of his and Louise's intentional relationship test by fire.

It's a lovely story, with a great conclusion, that should not be missed.

Going cruising with your partner may sound romantic, and it is. But there are also few activities that are more stressful on a relationship. Colin tells the story of his first tough passage with Lou. One that they took on intentionally to see how they would manage as a team at sea. It's an example that all couples considering the voyaging life should emulate—Crash Test the Relationship before committing everything to a new life on the ocean.

Once your crew are safely aboard it’s time to brief them on the boat and life on board. We always believe that this is best carried out once they have had some rest and settled in, as this allows us to go through things methodically—even a simple boat with basic safety equipment can be a [...]

As promised, here is an example of our briefing document. As I outlined in Part II of this series of posts, it comes in two sections, the first two sides being for our guest, the third side to be copied and distributed to family and friends as necessary. Obviously this is only a rough example, [...]