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Read more: Don’t Forget About The SailsThese days, with all the focus on the latest whiz-bang gadgets, many sailors are forgetting to think about and spend money on their boat’s primary means of locomotion. In this post we look at why spending time and money on good sails is vital. Not only is a boat that sails well more fun, it’s also a lot safer.
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Read more: Boats We Like: The Saga 43We have come across a couple of Saga 43s in the last two years. I can’t say we have made a close evaluation, but they do seem like nice boats with good and moderate lines, that avoid the problems caused by excessive beam, particularly aft. The designer, Bob Perry, has a history of wholesome offshore […]
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Read more: Obeying The RulesIt has been something of a culture shock to be back in Cornwall, where the volume of boat traffic is on a completely different level to the western isles of Scotland. Up there other yachts really are few and far between, whereas sometimes around the Falmouth area we may be altering course for another yacht […]
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Read more: Managing Ocean CurrentsI have written a lot about weather up to this point in the book, but in many cases routing for the combination of the prevailing weather and any current or tide can be the most important contributor to a comfortable and safe passage. In this chapter I look at a real Gulfstream passage and discuss what to look for.
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Read more: Our preferred watchQuestion: What do you use for time keeping at sea? If you use a wristwatch then which one?
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Read more: Shorefasts And Line Reels on “Polaris”A few months ago we published a photo essay about Polaris, the custom Hutting 54 especially designed and built for cruising remote places, owned by our friends Michael and Martina. Since then several people have asked about the line reels shown in the photographs. I passed these questions on to Michael and got the following […]
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Read more: Designers of “Morgan’s Cloud” Have A New WebsiteMcCurdy and Rhodes, designers of Morgan’s Cloud, have a new and very classy web site. The firm is now run by Ian McCurdy, whose father, Jim, was a founding partner and designed our boat.
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Read more: Q&A: Portland Pudgy Tender And Liferaft ComboQuestion: What are your views on the Portland Pudgy as a “proactive” life raft?
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Read more: Q&A: Trans-Ocean NavigationQuestion: We are crossing the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia. I found a large scale chart of the Atlantic (Imray Passage Chart 100). This single chart shows the entire Atlantic Ocean taking the earth’s curvature into account and therefore does NOT have a compass rose to help steer by. I am having […]
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Read more: Gale And Storm At Anchor Or On A Mooring Check ListJohn shares the checklist he uses to prepare for a gale or storm when at anchor or on a mooring.
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Read more: Q&A: Interior Layout And Boat SelectionQuestion: I am looking at a cross-Atlantic trip and was thinking about a 1978 A Plan Endeavour 37, mainly because of the layout. Would you advise against this boat for such a long journey even with a good survey?
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Read more: Yet More On Series Drogue Retrieval
We just received this e-mail from Evans Starzinger who, together with his partner, Beth Leonard, completed two circumnavigations. The second one was west to east and south of the great capes, on their Samoa 47 Hawk.
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Read more: Swept-Back Spreaders—We Just Don’t Get It!John doesn’t understand the move to swept back spreaders in sailboat rig design. And he’s not shy about saying so.
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Read more: Antiseasickness Product Hurl-off, Our Drug Of ChoiceWhy we choose Gravol to fight seasickness on Morgan’s Cloud.
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Read more: Spinnakers—Not Getting In A TwistColin shares the reasons they opted for an asymmetric spinnaker when choosing sails for their new OVNI, Pélerin.
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Read more: Antiseasickness Product Hurl-off, Survey WinnerThough Sturgeron gets a lot of good reviews as an antiseasickness remedy, John shares why he doesn’t like it.
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Read more: Departures And ArrivalsThere is nothing quite like the final moment of departure at the start of a long cruise or voyage. A strong mixture of anticipation and apprehension, it generally follows a stressful period, with all of the usual last minute glitches and hassles, however careful your planning and preparation. Then there are the goodbyes to friends […]
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Read more: Tips For Using Zinc-Based E-Paint AntifoulingWe have been using various formulas of zinc-based antifouling paint (copper is out for Morgan’s Cloud since she is aluminum) from E-Paint for 12 years with varying results. For the last three years we have been using their ablative ZO product with generally good results.
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Read more: Bock Marine Soothes Boatyard Hell“Boat Yard Hell” is our term of endearment for Morgan’s Cloud’s annual date with a boat lift. There just isn’t much fun to it: living at the top of a 15’ ladder, peeing in a bucket, the morning dash to the toilet building, and of course day after day of boat chores as we try […]
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Read more: A Professional Skipper’s Take On Heavy WeatherWe received an e-mail a few weeks ago from our friend Bob Tetrault who has been following our heavy weather series. Bob went to Maine Maritime, has a master’s ticket, and has fished the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank in all kinds of weather. He currently owns three boats that fish the Gulf of […]
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Read more: Real World Test of Relief Band For SeasicknessJohn, who figures he’s tried every seasickness remedy out there, gives the ReliefBand a chance.
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Read more: Mooring Gear—Staying PutWhat does the word “harbour” mean to you? A safe haven, perhaps, sheltered from all sides? Well, in some of the less frequented parts of the world it can mean something quite different. Many “harbours”, such as Hugh Town on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, are far from safe in all conditions, being […]
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Read more: A Rugged Boat For The High Latitudes
A few weeks ago we met up with our friends Michael and Martina on their beautifully designed and built custom Hutting 54 Polaris. They were kind enough to give me, camera in hand, a tour and to patiently answer my many questions.
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Read more: Q&A: Un-Stayed Masts
Question: I am curious if you are keel stepped or deck stepped. If keel stepped, could you get away without stays since the aluminum deck could be reinforced enough to hold the mast upright? You could keep running backstays in place for heavier winds.
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Read more: Q&A: Carbon Boom
Question: Did you change your boom to carbon fiber or just your mast?
