Recently Updated
Articles and chapters that we have recently made meaningful updates and improvements to, either in the light of new information, or because our thinking on the subject has changed.
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Read more: Storm Survival FAQSeveral questions have repeatedly surfaced within the hundreds of comments on our Heavy Weather Tactics Online Book. So I have pulled those together in this chapter and added my thoughts.
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Read more: Six Reasons We Don’t Recommend Sea Anchors
For many years large sea anchors were thought by many, including us, to be the ultimate storm survival option. We now believe that the disadvantages of sea anchors substantially outweigh the advantages particularly when compared to a Jordan Series Drogue.
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Read more: Rogue Waves Are Not Bad LuckThe most common reason for yacht abandonment at sea is being capsized by a rogue wave. But is rogue a good description of these boat-killing waves? And are there things we can do to reduce roll-over risk?
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Read more: Five Goals For A Heavy Weather SystemBefore discussing the actual nuts and bolts of our gale and storm survival gear and strategy, I’m going to write a bit about the goals that Phyllis and I keep in mind when we are putting together gear and thinking about strategy for dealing with heavy weather at sea on our own boat, Morgan’s Cloud—you can’t set a course until you know what the destination is.
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Read more: Series Drogues: Learning From Randall ReevesWe 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.
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Read more: Storm Strategy—Fore-ReachingComparing fore-reaching to heaving-to and streaming a Jordon Series Drogue as storm survival strategies as well as equipment and techniques required for safe fore-reaching.
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Read more: Is Induction Cooking For Boats Practical?We are increasingly hearing about induction cooking on boats being the next big thing, and green, too. But what are the real numbers? John takes real world measurements and a deep dive into the results.
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Read more: Why Are Saildrives Even A Thing?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.
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Read more: 20 Myths About Offshore SailingI’m constantly amazed by the number of accepted “facts” about offshore sailing that, when subjected to rigorous analysis, turn out to be wrong. Here are 20 such myths.
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Read more: Jordan Series Drogue Retrieval SystemThe storm struck, you deployed your Jordan Series Drogue and rode it out without problems, but now the wind is dropping and it’s time to retrieve the drogue so you can get sailing again and head for port before the next blow hits. But you are shorthanded and tired and the task seems insurmountable. In this chapter we share our tested method for drogue retrieval.
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Building A Safer Boom Preventer, Part 3—The Details
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75 CommentsReading Time: 12 minutesMembers
Read more: Building A Safer Boom Preventer, Part 3—The DetailsNow we understand the forces at work, John looks at the details of rigging a strong and easy-to-use preventer system.
