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A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Best Hull Material
43 CommentsReading Time: 9 minutesMembers
Read more: A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Best Hull MaterialColin 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.
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Read more: Anchoring—KelletsKellets 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?
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A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Rudders and Keels
55 CommentsReading Time: 7 minutesMembers
Read more: A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Rudders and KeelsMany 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.
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A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Decks, Hulls and SS Fittings
57 CommentsReading Time: 12 minutesMembers
Read more: A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Decks, Hulls and SS FittingsSo 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…
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Read more: Anchoring—SnubbersRope 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.
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A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—Introduction
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Read more: A Sail Away Offshore Cruising Boat For Less Than US$100,000—IntroductionBefore 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.
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Read more: Four Hand Tools I Should Have Bought Years AgoFour tools that every cruiser should have, but probably does not.
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The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to The Boréal 47—Part 5, Interior, Summary and Price
50 CommentsReading Time: 11 minutesMembers
Read more: The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to The Boréal 47—Part 5, Interior, Summary and PriceIt’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.
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The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to The Boréal 47—Part 4, Inside Watch Stations
40 CommentsReading Time: 11 minutesMembers
Read more: The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to The Boréal 47—Part 4, Inside Watch StationsInside 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.
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Read more: Insanely Cool Anchorage ToysHanging 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?
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The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 3, Hull and Build
89 CommentsReading Time: 13 minutesMembers
Read more: The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 3, Hull and BuildLooking 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.
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Read more: Passage AnchoragesSure, we all like a snug sheltered anchorage but when we are trying to make the miles in a hurry using a less sheltered passage anchorage can save a bunch of time and distance. Colin shares how to pick a good one and the precautions to take when we decide to anchor out there.
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The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 2, Deck and Cockpit
88 CommentsReading Time: 9 minutesMembers
Read more: The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 2, Deck and CockpitSailboats 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.
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The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 1, Introduction and Rig
92 CommentsReading Time: 10 minutesMembers
Read more: The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 1, Introduction and RigFor 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…
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Read more: Ultra Anchor ReviewJohn 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.
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Read more: Talking About Buying Fibreglass Boats With Andy SchellAndy Schell sails offshore more than most, and is my goto guy for the positive view on all things. We had a great chat about buying second hand fibreglass boats.
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Which is Best For Navigation: Plotter, Computer or Tablet?
136 CommentsReading Time: 11 minutesMembers
Read more: Which is Best For Navigation: Plotter, Computer or Tablet?How do we decide between the three options for electronic navigation? John provides a logical framework to make that easier.
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Read more: US Sailboat Show Report—BoatsJohn just returned from the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Here’s a report on the boats that caught his eye, along with some thoughts on getting out there in an affordable way.
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Read more: Buying a Boat—Never Say NeverHang 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.
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Read more: Jackline and Tether Availability – Good NewsA new-old source for pre-made Dacron jacklines as well as the webbing to make them DIY.
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Read more: New Satellite Communications SystemsFor 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.
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What We Need to Know About Moisture Meters and Wet Fibreglass Laminate
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Read more: What We Need to Know About Moisture Meters and Wet Fibreglass LaminateThere 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.
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Buying a Fibreglass Boat—Hiring a Surveyor and Managing the Survey
39 CommentsReading Time: 10 minutesMembers
Read more: Buying a Fibreglass Boat—Hiring a Surveyor and Managing the SurveyWhenever 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.
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A Useful, But Potentially Deadly, Feature of Navigation Apps and Plotters
56 CommentsReading Time: 4 minutesMembers
Read more: A Useful, But Potentially Deadly, Feature of Navigation Apps and PlottersSure, electronic navigation is great, but blindly relying on it, and on those who develop plotter software, could put us on the rocks.
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Buying a Cruising Boat—Five Tips for The Half-Assed Option
43 CommentsReading Time: 7 minutesMembers
Read more: Buying a Cruising Boat—Five Tips for The Half-Assed OptionWhen 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…
