Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i Cruising World

I floated above a rainbow-colored coral bommie in our Bahamian anchorage, watching as my husband, Rob, stalked the reef 10 feet below. Thunk. The muffled impact of metal sinking into flesh reverberated through the sea, sending alarmed fish scattering in a dozen directions. My husband kicked to the surface, a zebra-striped lionfish impaled on his spear tip. “Fish tacos for lunch, anyone?” Our son cheered from the dinghy, then handed his dad a pair of scissors. While lionfish are delicious, you have to cut the toxic spines off their pectoral fins before you can toss it on the grill. Like many cruisers, we believe that eating fresh seafood goes hand in hand with sailing. We pride ourselves on harvesting dinner while trolling between islands or when snorkeling at anchor. When…

Mariners asked pointed questions when the state of Georgia announced in 2019 that it had passed a law comprising some of the most restrictive anchoring and liveaboard regulations in the US: Why were the regulations needed? Who initiated them? What was the state attempting? At a 2019 public hearing designed to help the Department of Natural Resources define details of the new regulations, the state’s objectives were presented as noble and needed—alleviate abandoned and derelict vessels by clamping down on owners who don’t take care of their property after anchoring in public waters, and keep the coastal waters of the state clean for aquaculture and recreational interests. The stringent rules included 1,000-foot anchoring setbacks, fee-based permits, and pump-out regulations that were mostly unwarranted and almost impossible to enforce, all in…

CORONAVIRUS. Coronavirus. Coronavirus! Can anyone think of anything else? One night I awoke in the V-berth after midnight, convinced I had the virus. My head hurt, my stomach felt queasy, and I sensed a fever coming on. Little sleep followed. In the morning, my saner self prevailed. It was a little absurd for me to be so worried, because, at the time, there were no confirmed cases of the virus on the island of Roatan, where we were docked. I wrote off my symptoms to consuming an unhealthy dose of world news. When my husband, Ken, and I sailed from Belize to Roatan, one of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras, the novel coronavirus was barely on our radar. Approaching at sunrise on February 28, 2020, the long,…

PROJECTS Down East 45 sailboats, built in California in the 1970s, are beamy, heavy-displacement ocean-cruising boats. Yet they were fitted with navigation lights so puny, I wouldn’t even have them on a dinghy. The port and starboard lights on Britannia, my own Down East schooner, were the tiny teardrop style—also called sharks’ or birds’ eyes—mounted on the hull below the toe rail, only 4 feet above the waterline. They could easily be temporarily obscured in even a moderate sea. The stern light was no better, mounted centrally on the transom. Add to this the tiny 10-watt festoon bulbs, and a boat of this size had very ineffective navigation lights. The possible disastrous consequences of not being seen on a black, moonless night doesn’t bear thinking about. Yet one sees boats…

As a lifelong racing sailor, I’m well familiar with the go-fast, lightweight sailhandling hardware and line favored by serious buoy chasers. These come in myriad sizes and setups, but they often involve low-friction rings rather than blocks, clever use of Spectra (or other exotic and semiexotic materials) for strops (spliced loops), and freely articulating soft shackles to connect gear to the boat. While this evolution is partially bolstered by the advent of new rope-making fibers (see below), it’s also being driven by boatbuilders’ and consumers’ demands for lighter-weight and lower-cost equipment that looks cool and can handle big loads. Here’s a look at some of the benefits that they offer. THE FUNDAMENTALS Let’s begin with sails and cordage. The past few decades have seen substantial evolution in the materials that…

My good friend and previous employer, Jon Staudacher, always surprises me with how he designs and builds his projects. Jon creates everything from hydroplanes to airplanes using materials and methods that are logical and practical. He would say he treats most of the things he builds like a science project, experimenting with new concepts in design and materials, and continually learning new things. I will explain some of Jon’s unique approaches to a few of his recent projects. The Animal - Wooden Hydroplane The first project is a wooden hydroplane boat that is powered with a Big Block Chevy 480 cubic inch motor. The boat was built using Hydrotek® marine plywood and clear spruce bonded with WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy. It’s a two-seat hydroplane so that non-racers can experience what it’s…

G/flex® Epoxy is the adhesive I use almost exclusively for making knives. Years ago, I found out about G/flex from other knife makers. After reading about its properties compared to standard epoxies, I realized it suited my needs just about perfectly. A marine epoxy like the WEST SYSTEM® 105 Resin system is incredibly durable and would likely outlast my lifetime on most knives. However, the "flex" is the main reason I use G/flex instead. When in use, knives can be subjected to brief but intense stress. Beyond the typical waterproof seal between the steel and handle material, the ability to flex-rather than crack or break-when blades and handles are stressed means the knife won’t come apart at a critical time, or in the useful life of the blade. G/flex does…

My grandfather was a notable oil painter. What I remember the most about him is how he painted. He used standard oil paints but did not use a brush. Instead, he painted with cake decorating cones and his fingers. One day, when I was working on applying some thickened WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy, I had an epiphany: my grandfather used cake-decorating cones to “draw” with oil paints and he was very accurate with them… maybe that would work with thickened epoxy. It has about the same consistency (viscosity) as oil paints. I had never really decorated a cake before, but I remembered how he made his cones. I’ve borrowed his approach as an economical and neat way to apply thickened epoxy. First, you find some paper that the epoxy won’t bleed…

The currents were running fast. The bow was pointing 45 degrees northwest of my actual course, which was through a narrow pass between the shore and a nav buoy marking an underwater ridge, the moraine of Baird Glacier. The glacier had retreated a long way since forming that moraine, several miles up the bay to where it ends a few yards from the tide line. Yet it still makes itself felt. As soon as our cutter, Celeste, raced past the buoy, the color of the water changed. The division was as stark as the Gulf Stream and the Gulf of Maine: a sharp line between the dark blue of the outside channel and the milky green of the bay’s glacial meltwater. We’d just entered Thomas Bay in Southeast Alaska, a…

1. PROUD GRILL CONNECT-IT BBQ TOOL SET • $40 • PROUDGRILL.COM As we know, space is at a premium on most cruising boats, so it’s a bonus if items can pull double-duty. This set comes with a stainlesssteel spatula and fork that can be used individually, or put them together with the strong magnetic handles to create tongs or a serving tool. The smooth surfaces clean easily, and the tools are easy to store. 2. TOADFISH NONTIPPING CAN COOLER • $24 • TOADFISHOUTFITTERS.COM No one likes a spilled drink. As long as you put your drink down on a smooth surface, this clever koozie will keep it upright using the company’s SmartGrip technology. To take a sip, simply lift the koozie straight up to break the suction. The double-wall stainless…

Aboard Four Sum, our 28-foot Winslow sloop, I learned to appreciate so-called peasant dishes, such as coq au vin, French onion soup, bouillabaisse and so on. They’re simple and economical—a good way to use up whatever’s on hand. This Tuscan bean soup is no exception. Known as ribollita (which means “reboiled”), it’s an Italian comfort-food classic. § One of the great things about this hearty, nutritious meal is that you can make it almost entirely from canned, salted or dried ingredients. You can make it vegetarian, or with bacon or pancetta. You can use up stale bread and make croutons or toasted slices for topping. It can also be served cold: In Craig Claiborne’s New York Times Food Encyclopedia (1994 edition), he mentions enjoying chilled ribollita in a Milan eatery…

Nine days out from the Azores, I steeled myself as we approached the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, Ireland. Quetzal, my Kaufman 47, and her skipper have a fondness for the Irish, and my arrivals—and departures—have been known to get a bit out of hand. Once the lines were secured and customs and immigration officials satisfied, the dangerous part of the passage commenced: the celebration. My Irish friend Pat was on hand to welcome us, and before we knew it, a party broke out in his garden on a bluff overlooking the harbor. I blame Phil, Pat’s lovely wife, because she kept the wine flowing as our discussions ricocheted from Brexit to presidential politics to church scandals. Eventually we left the political and religious minefields astern and broke into…

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE In 2017, a story about the sinking of a 56-foot center-cockpit sloop made the rounds in the sailing community. On a race from Antigua to Bermuda, the crew of the “diligently maintained” Monterey abandoned the boat, and were soon rescued from a life raft, after hearing a “sharp cracking or bang” just four hours earlier. I read it with great interest, and like every tale of a foundering, I reflected on the lessons that could be learned. High-Water Alarm: Several details struck me, the most important being the high-water alarm, if present, didn’t sound (the first inkling of trouble was a flooded forward head). High-water alarms, a requirement for ABYC compliance, are one of the first lines of defense in such a scenario. Many of the alarm switches…

SAILING SOLUTION: FLOTILLAS Amid pandemic concerns, flotillas are a good option, simultaneously offering privacy and socializing with other boats from a safe distance. Companies offering trips through 2021 include Colgate Sailing Adventures Flotilla Cruises and Med Sailing Adventures. Enjoy locations such as Tahiti, Greece and Sardinia with experienced guides on a lead boat. For rates and other details, contact the companies (offshoresailing.com/adventure-vacations; medsailingadventures.com). MORE FLORIDA SAILING OPTIONS Dream Yacht Charter opened its new base in Coconut Grove, which is located in central Miami, in August 2020. This base is convenient to all that Southeast Florida has to offer, from Biscayne Bay through the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Enjoy excellent diving, fishing and sailing, not to mention some of the best sunsets anywhere. The Miami fleet includes an Astrea 42,…

On June 20, 1979, while sailing in a qualifying race for the OSTAR (Original Single-Handed Transatlantic Race), Jan Gougeon’s self-designed and built 31' trimaran FLICKA was capsized by heavy seas in the North Atlantic. Jan survived on the overturned plywood/epoxy multihull for four days before he was rescued by a passing freighter. The following is the second half of a transcript of a phone call between Jan, his brothers Meade and Joel, as well as fellow multihull designer/sailor Mike Zuteck. Their discussion takes place on June 26, 1979, just hours after the freighter that rescued Jan delivered him to dry land. FLICKA was never recovered. We’ve divided their lengthy discussion into two parts. At the end of Part 1, Jan described the feeling of leaving FLICKA behind after his rescue.…

Larry Pardey had a lifelong motto, which he intoned time and time again, and just for extra measure, demonstrated on a regular basis: “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.” Nope, Pardey never took the straightforward, uncomplicated path. He had his reasons, and they were basic. The harder it was to, for instance, build something, or sail somewhere, the more delicious, delightful and enjoyable the reward. The cruising world lost yet another major presence and contributor this past summer when Pardey, a two-time circumnavigator, master boatbuilder, prolific author and all-around good guy passed away in New Zealand after a long series of illnesses. He was 81. With his wife, sailing partner and longtime co-author, Lin (the couple penned nearly a dozen books, along with countless magazine articles and…

SYSTEMS During my 75 years of sailing, I’ve become aware of the chasm between cruisers and racers. But I’ve never understood it because I have always been both. Even when I cruise, I’m racing—against changing weather, the need to get home in time for dinner, whatever. What that really means is that I’m determined to get the most speed out of my boat at all times. And to do so means having excellent running-rigging systems. There are three issues in play when deciding on whether to install or upgrade your running rigging. First, do you want to increase your ease and convenience when adjusting sail trim? Second, are you willing to add lengths of line (as well as lengths of time) to make sail-trim adjustments? And last, how much investment…

Looking ahead to 2021, there are lots of reasons for new-sailboat buyers to be excited about the 40-and-counting new models that will likely make their way to North America. European builders remain some of the most prolific. Among those introducing multiple new designs are Beneteau, Excess Catamarans, Bali Catamarans, Dufour Yachts, Fountain Pajot, Bavaria, Hallberg-Rassy and Grand Soleil. But builders elsewhere have two or more new entries as well, including Balance Catamarans, and Seawind and Corsair. Noticeable design trends include the abundance of self-tacking jibs, smaller headsails in general, outdoor galleys built into the transom, cockpit sun beds, and increased amounts of interior volume that now allows for five- and even six-cabin layouts, even in some midsize models. Interiors, meanwhile, continue the march toward homelike accommodations, right down to the…

It all started when I got a new 360-degree camera for my racecar. Mounted on the dash, it captures a really cool perspective that allows viewers to see forward, watch cars as I pass them, and to see what I’m doing (check it out at youtube.com/user/jeffmcaffer). Unfortunately, the dash produced considerable glare on the windshield. As you can see in the photo, it also had various holes and divots that were not useful in a racecar such as a coin tray, air conditioning vents, and extra switch panels. I wanted to fill those in. But how? After considering options like vinyl wrap, flocking, or paint, I decided carbon fiber “skinning” was the best approach for keeping within the racecar theme. The internet offers many videos on how to do it,…

A very high percentage of boats in the U.S. are at least 30 years old. It doesn’t surprise me when a boat’s plywood components fail due to water intrusion. In my experience, the transom is the first area to rot out in most trailerable boats. That’s not to say the first thing to rot couldn’t be the cockpit floor, stringers or motor mounts. I’ve seen well-maintained, 20-some-year-old boats that look almost new, but have a rotted transom. I’ve heard this statement from customers so many times over the years that I lost count: I waxed, tuned-up, and changed the fluids every year. I can't believe they use plywood in a boat! I’m going to put in something that lasts forever. After yearly maintenance on everything else, the transom somehow has…

In preparation for a thorough Coast Guard inspection, we’d stripped the masts, booms, and gaffs on the schooners Appledore IV and V of paint and varnish. This revealed several small rot areas, wear, and damage. Two of the gaff jaws (also called gaff saddles) had significant damage, including cracks in the jaws themselves, probably due to hard jibes and insufficient repairs. Gaffs are the angled spars from which the sails are hung. The Coast Guard inspector was satisfied with our plan to remove the rotted area from the gaffs, scarf in a “Dutchman” (beveled woodblock), and repair the minor damaged areas. The Coast Guard requested we document all repairs and use WEST SYSTEM® G/flex® Epoxy. They prefer rubbertoughened G/flex on wooden spars because of its flexibility relative to traditional marine…