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Read more: The Case For Roller-Furling HeadsailsRoller furling headsails are ubiquitous, but they are not without their drawbacks. John looks at ways to deal with that and make roller furling work well at sea.
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Read more: Three Easy Steps to Better Travel PhotographsThe best camera in the world will not make great photographs if you don’t use the right technique. In this article we start the process of teaching you to take better photographs with three simple tips that anyone can master in a few minutes.
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Read more: Are Refits Worth It?It seems like a logical way to own a good offshore sailboat. Buy an older and a bit rundown but fundamentally decent boat and refit it. But does it really work? To explore that important question, I have a true story to tell you.
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Read more: Waterboot Mast/Deck SealNo leaks down the exterior of the mast below the partners. Period. That’s what Waterboot promises and what it delivers.
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Read more: The Case For Hank On HeadsailsIt’s rare these days to see a cruising boat with hank-on headsails. But are such sails only for the traditionalists stuck in the stone age of offshore sailing? Maybe not. Here is a convincing case for hank-on sails, at least on smaller boats.
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Read more: Jonbuoy—Stuff That Works (We Hope)The winter we spent in London England living on Morgan’s Cloud at St Katharine Haven next to Tower Bridge, was wonderful. We walked all over the city and soaked up the history and culture. And the pubs…wow!
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Read more: Q&A: Foul Weather Gear
Question [edited for brevity]: I did a quick search on your site, but didn’t find anything discussing foul weather gear. I’ve researched all lines and all levels of gear—West Marine, Gill, Henri Lloyd. I’d like to think this stuff may last me 10 to 15 years with proper care and avoiding snags anywhere on the […]
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Read more: Q&A: What About Ferro-Cement Boats?Question [edited for brevity]: I was perusing the boats for sale on the web and came across a number of ferro-cement hulled boats and I was wondering what you thought of that material in general for use in a cruising boat. Is it ever a good idea or is it a matter of manufacturer and […]
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Read more: Arctic Gear Test—Electronic NavigationThis was our first Arctic voyage since installing electronic navigation on “Morgan’s Cloud”. In this chapter we report on how it went.
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Read more: Thinking About a Steel Boat?Considering buying a steel boat? If so, you owe it to yourself to read Colin’s chapters that examines a beautifully built steel boat and shares what it really takes to do steel right.
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Read more: Maui Jim…Aloha*John and I have been ardent fans of Maui Jim sunglasses for many years and many pairs. Their glasses get ever lighter in weight and more comfortable and their lenses get ever better at cutting glare on the water (we prefer their super-thin polarized glass lenses in gray).
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Read more: Wildlife Photography—TechniqueOnce again, if you want to photograph wildlife, Colin is your man. In this article he gives you some solid tips that will improve your chances of making a real keeper photograph.
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Read more: A Reluctant Voyager?Phyllis examines the challenges a woman faces when she goes cruising with a more experienced partner.
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Read more: A Model T Offshore Voyaging BoatThis is the article that started it all. Much has changed since I wrote it, but the core concept remains the same: a strong seaworthy offshore voyaging boat at a reasonable price.
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Read more: Wildlife Photography—The GearJohn has written about cameras for general travel photography, but what if your interest is wildlife? Well, then, Colin is your man and in this article he zeroes in on the gear you need to make great images of wildlife from a boat.
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Read more: Tips For Receiving Weather ForecastsIn this chapter I’m going to write about how we receive voice (well, not really voice, per se) and text forecasts while at sea and in remote places.
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Read more: Margin Accounts Dangerous For VoyagersIn reading the headline of this post, you could be forgiven for thinking that I have completely lost my mind and decided to leave the nautical arena to become an investment blogger. Not so. Almost everyone out there voyaging is relying on their savings, to at least some extent, and most of you who are […]
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Read more: Treasures From The SeaEver since John took up photography, our hikes have turned into strolls interspersed with numerous long hiatuses while he records our surroundings for posterity. This initially caused a certain amount of friction, until I developed my own obsession—sea glass.
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Read more: New Engine, The Proof is in The VoyageSo how did the new engine work out over time? What worked well and what did not? It’s all here, together with solid recommendations for transmissions, exhaust systems, and drive line.
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Read more: The Adaptable Polar BearJohn and I just returned from a challenging Arctic cruise, one of many we’ve undertaken over the last 20 years. On all our previous voyages, we’ve only ever seen the back end of one bear running away from us…we were on the boat, steaming out of an anchorage in Northern Spitsbergen.
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Read more: The Ideal Cruiser Camera, What Really MattersIf you want to take a step up from premium point and shoots, what features really matter? John cuts through the fog of specifications and conflicting claims to answer that.
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Read more: It Feels So Good When You (Finally) Stop!A thank you to all those who helped make our 10,000-mile voyage (Charleston to Charleston) a success.
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Read more: Windvane Or Autopilot?
These days every cruiser seems to fit an autopilot, but what’s the case for a vane gear? Or maybe both.
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Read more: Provisioning For Remote Voyaging, Part IIProvisioning tips for long voyages on an offshore cruising boat
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Read more: Provisioning For Remote Voyaging, Part IA big part of preparing for an extensive northern trip such as the one we undertook this summer is provisioning. In this case, I had to provision for six months. Yikes! A number of people have asked me how I go about doing this, so here goes.
