Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2024 i SAIL

Editor’s Note: Cruising sailors well know the joys of pulling into a marina or gathering space that dedicates a shelf or three to the nautical version of the lending library—even if that’s just a pile of books next to the laundry machines. It’s like beachcombing or treasure hunting, rooting through the titles. You just never know what you’ll find. But in these days of e-readers, one wonders how long the pulpy pleasure of the boatyard book swap will last? Which begs the question: books on board, or e-readers? Two sailors engage the debate. The E-Reader Argument—A Pirate’s Guide BY ANNIE DIKE Swap my paperbacks for an e-reader? Not this sailor. That’s how I initially felt. Why choose a delicate digital device when I could casually toss my paperback onto any…

The Coho Ho Ho is a relatively new and small cruising rally that departs from Puget Sound usually on the last Sunday in August and ends a few weeks later for some in San Francisco and for others in San Diego. Over the last 10 years, the fleet has averaged 12 boats per year, and the rally has been the opening act for the more popular and older Baja Ha-Ha rally in the fall from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. From there, some finish their cruising lives and eventually sell their boats; others cross the Pacific or head for the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. Rarely did anyone sail back north to Seattle. Lately, however, Bob Vizenor, one of the rally’s organizers, has noticed more of their…

“One of my biggest takeaways was just how unprepared I felt to rescue another boat.” Editor’s Note: During the Newport Bermuda Race this year, the J/122 Alliance struck a submerged object in the Gulf Stream in the middle of the night, suffering damage that caused her to sink (see “A Eulogy for Alliance,” October 2024). Fellow racers aboard Ceilidh, a J/121, and Banter, an Archambault 40, responded to Alliance’s mayday, and while Ceilidh took on the entire nine-person crew from their liferaft, Banter stayed close by until everyone was safely in Bermuda. In September, US Sailing awarded the responding crews its Arthur B. Hansen Rescue Medal. SAIL Managing Editor Lydia Mullan was a member of Alliance’s regular crew and spoke with others about key takeaways from the sinking. From its…

ARE YOU OUT THERE SAILING, CRUISING AND LIVING THE SAILING LIFE? Share your experiences with other readers. Send your photos to sailmail@sailmagazine.com And don’t forget to sign up for our free eNewsletter, Under Sail, at sailmagazine.com/newsletter Photos Dennis Bartley’s J/30 Planxty after completing the MORF Commodore’s Cup. —Conor O’Neil, via sailmail@sailmagazine.com Tranquility en route from Mobjack Bay to Fishing Bay on a hot summer Chesapeake day with little wind. Sometimes low-tech shade methods work best. —Photo by Dan Flagler on Flagfest.…

On a cold February day, muffled chatter and the sounds of swinging hammers fill the St. Osyth Boatyard in Clacton-on-Sea, UK. Midway down the dock, a 132-year-old piece of history sits bobbing beneath the sheen of a clear plastic tarp. Inside its hold, women are hard at work. Wielding crowbars and drills, they pry free worn planks, strip back greasy screws, and expose the bones of this hulking ship—all in preparation for the vessel’s new life as The Bread and Roses Barge, an onboard community space built for women, by women. The Bread and Roses Barge, a female-led English Community Interest Company (CIC), is dedicated to restoring S.B. May, the oldest surviving Essex Thames sailing barge. Its goal is not only to breathe new life into May but to transform…

The Vendée Globe is arguably the pinnacle of solo ocean racing. On November 10, 40 skippers will set out from Les Sables d’Olonne, France, with the aim of sailing nonstop, unassisted around the world. Many will not make it. In recent years, the race has had an attrition rate between 20 and 30%, with everything from sinking to electrical failures ending campaigns. While the podium always reflects the best of the best, in a race this tough, for most skippers just getting to the finish line is the ultimate goal, and no matter where you look in the fleet, inspirational stories of grit and passion abound. Winning the race is one thing, winning the hearts of spectators is another. The fleet of IMOCA 60s is dominated by the French, but…

We are sailing along in 12-15 knots of easterly wind on a sparkling afternoon on Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay, and I should be ecstatic, because I’m finally sailing in a place that has loomed large as legend in my mind for many years. But I’m not quite feeling it, and it’s not because Bumble Bee, our Catalina 25, is a bit pressed, since we didn’t expect quite this much breeze and we have the big genoa up rather than the jib. And it’s not because there are some waves—in fact, for once the unease in my stomach has nothing to do with this place’s graphic nickname, “Chunder Bay.” No, it has to do with the fact that I’m from Maryland, where the Chesapeake Bay’s summer water temperature approximates beer backwash…

Maintaining canvas can be a daunting task. First there is the challenge of removing the canvas, then knowing exactly how to clean and inspect it, and finally properly reinstalling it. I’ve seen circumnavigators brought to their knees by a snap that wouldn’t snap, and cruisers who must apologize to their crew for things they said while trying to spray off mildew. I’ve listened to profanity, seen tears, and heard the sound of ripping fabric as boatowners do their best to care for their expensive new pet, only to walk away thinking, “This one bites.” There is another way, though. A happier path that promises sundowners and smiles at the end of caring for your canvas rather than matches or blow torches. As many sailors will be removing canvas for the…

There is a certain allure to sailing a boat designed for the solitary purpose of sailing well; the way the quarter wake licks along the toerail towards the transom, or the lightness of the helm as balance in motion, like a vintage sports car perfectly tuned. The Luders 27 (L-27) is one such boat, and for Nakomis Nelson and his wife, Haley, of Islesboro, Maine, becoming the owners of the L-27 Myth has brought a seafaring life and love of boats full circle, as Myth is more a member of the family than a mere boat. “We love racing, cruising, and just looking at her from shore. My wife and I both feel a deep connection to the boat and to the story of the boat,” says Nelson, who also…

It’s been blowing 30 knots for the last four hours, and I’m glued to the helm. I have a touch too much canvas up, it’s dark, but I’m ripping down waves and closing in on the finish line. Alaska is about 100 nautical miles away, and I’ve put about 650 miles behind me since I left Port Townsend. I’m in the Race to Alaska, alone, on an 18-foot boat, and burning 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day. My energy levels are starting to drop, and I’ve eaten all the snacks I stowed away in my pockets. Do you think I’m about to pull over and drop anchor so that I can cook a meal? Not a chance; I have a secret up my sleeve. I have RecPak on board. These…

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey line is in its eighth generation, which is to say that the new Sun Odyssey 350 represents the eighth time this 34-footer has been reimagined. And this time around, the collaborative talent from Lombard Yacht Design, Piaton Yacht Design, and Jeanneau has produced a sharp-looking hull that moves well, with cockpit and interior layouts that make it feel like much more boat than a 34-footer. In short, they pack a lot into what could be considered, by today’s standards, a relatively small package, with thoughtful ergonomics and goodies you’d typically expect on a much bigger model. The 350 replaces the Sun Odyssey 349, which since its launch in 2013 has sold nearly 1,000 boats. The redesigned hull incorporates a full-length chine and inverted bow for a…

Editor’s Note: Lin Pardey and her late husband, Larry, are legends in the sailing community both for their epic voyages in their two purpose-built cutters, Taleisin and Seraffyn, as well as the numerous books they’ve written that have inspired countless sailors to follow their cruising dreams. In 2020, Larry died after enduring several years of Parkinson’s Disease. Now 80, Lin has never stopped sailing nor writing, and her latest book, Passages: Cape Horn and Beyond, reflects on all that has changed, and all that hasn’t, in her life as a sailor and a woman. In this second preview excerpt in SAIL, Lin recounts the challenges they faced after rounding Cape Horn in their 29-foot Taleisin, sailing east to west against the prevailing winds. “We did it. We are out of…

As soon as anyone learns that I’m a charter captain, invariably the question comes: “Where’s the best place to charter?” If you’ve ever read TripAdvisor or Expedia reviews, you’ll note that “best” means a lot of things to a lot of people. I know that whatever answer I give, it rarely satisfies. I’ve learned to take a breath and try to size up the asking party about what they would consider “the best” because they’re not really asking me about my favorite, they’re asking me about theirs. I try to explain that those interested in history and culture will enjoy Greece, Italy, and Croatia in the Med, while those looking for more remote and exotic locales should investigate Tahiti or Tonga. And if bars, beaches, and shopping feature prominently on…