Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2021 i Cruising World

“I’d never leave the Sunshine Coast. All there is up there are bears and bad weather.” Having sailed Keala, our Jeanneau 44i, from her birthplace, La Rochelle, France, across the Atlantic, we found ourselves talking to a gregarious fellow sailor at a yacht club in the warm, protected confines of Sidney, British Columbia, in the lee of Vancouver Island. I told him of our intended voyage, up the inside of Vancouver Island with my sister and her family to Port McNeill, where we’d meet my father, now 94 years old, and his lady friend, Christine, for a cruise north to the next island chain, Haida Gwaii. I’d make the return trip doublehanded along the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island with a surfing friend from Hawaii. “Lots of fog up…

COVID-19 sneaked up on us like something out of a science-fiction novel. In January 2020 my partner, Christian Feldbauer, and I were in the Tuamotus in French Polynesia, far away from civilization. In such locations we often don’t read the (usually bad) international news and focus instead on our little world aboard Pitufa, our Sparkman & Stephens 41. Occasionally we download newsfeeds via the SSB radio—just headlines though. That’s how we first learned about some strange disease in China. We asked via email for explanations and started downloading headlines daily. The speed of the escalation around the world was worrying. It felt surreal, almost like when the radio show War of the Worlds was broadcast in 1938 and people thought Earth was indeed under attack by aliens. In February we…

RIGGING Clive Strickett is a rugged guy, so it takes strong arms to winch him aloft to the masthead. But that’s exactly where you want him: eyeball to halyard sheave, looking for problems. He’s a veteran rigger with a keen eye and a background in ocean racing on the competitive Maxi circuit. On the island of Lanzarote, where I first encountered Strickett, he has a reputation for detail. We were on the dock at Marina Lanzarote in a fresh breeze of about 20 knots. It was sunny and warm, the sort of weather you’d expect when you’re about 400 nautical miles off the coast of Morocco. These Canary Islands, of which Lanzarote is the farthest north, are a staging area for boats embarking on a trans-Atlantic crossing. Strickett had just…

Contemporary electronics can add a lot to a cruising sailboat. For starters, the gains often include easier-to-understand information, and therefore better situational awareness and increased safety. The catch, however, is that new plotters, radars and other instruments can be expensive, both to purchase and have installed. And then there’s the issue of getting new equipment to interface with older-but-still-functional gear. Because of this, plenty of cruisers manage just fine with older electronics that—while dated—still work and help get them from here to there. But, as with all things marine, even once-high-end equipment eventually reaches its endgame. Trouble is, determining when checkmate is inevitable isn’t always obvious, so I reached out to two experts—Nigel Barron, sales and marketing manager at Seattle’s CSR Marine (csrmarine.com), and Rufus Van Gruisen, owner of Cay…

If you want to practice some social distancing, or just want some time to get away from it all, Saucy Fox is the perfect way to get back to having some fun while being safe. Saucy fox is a great combination of luxury, quality, and performance. Passports are certainly well known for their unparalleled quality and performance. Saucy fox is an exquisite example of that passport quality as well as having a striking and well executed, elegant and a thoughtfully designed interior. Legendary passport performance has been built upon with a performance mast adding quite a bit more sail area as well as a recent upgrade to a new fusion carbon mainsail and an additional larger working jib complimenting the standard self-tacking working jib and code 0. Saucy Fox’s knowledgeable…

Pre-finishing parts with WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy before installation is a technique that was popularized by guess who? The Gougeon brothers. It can save time and increase the quality of the finish. Coating small parts can also be a challenge, but it’s much easier if the parts are held in a way that provides good access for roller and brush coating. Our Port Townsend Watercraft dinghy kits have a lot of small parts; foot braces, oarlock riser blocks, alignment clips, daggerboard trunk cap, etc. Some of these parts must be pre-finished before installation, but I find that even parts that could be done later are often easier to finish before installing. When fixturing (holding) the parts for coating, allow good access to the surfaces that need coating and provide a base…

Denman Marine in Kettering, Tasmania built and recently launched Stormy Weather, an East Coast 32. Renowned naval architect Andy Dovell designed the boat primarily as a day boat but included accommodations for overnights at harbor or short coastal cruising in good weather. She features traditional styling including a plumb stem and curved, raked transom. The Western Red Cedar strip hull is constructed with modern materials including multiaxial E-glass and WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy, resulting in a strong, lightweight, and easily handled boat. The cabin has an open flow and uncluttered interior, especially between the cockpit and forward cabin area. The low-maintenance exterior finish incorporates Awlcraft® 2000, a two-part premium acrylic urethane finish, and Awlwood Primer/Clear Finish for beautiful, highgloss brightwork. A 150 hp six-cylinder Steyr turbo diesel coupled with a 5-blade…

You’ve just finished your epoxy project and it looks great! But you don’t want the sun’s UV rays to start degrading the epoxy. So, like the smart individual you are, you look into applying a UV stable topcoat over the epoxy so your project will last for years to come. You look at your options, go down a few rabbit holes, and come out much later asking why is it so difficult to select a UV stable topcoat for my epoxy project? The answer: because so many options are compatible with WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy. We’ve had success in applying everything from latex paint and oil-based varnish to two-part polyurethanes and polyester gelcoats. But some key points need to be addressed before you start applying a UV stable topcoat over WEST…

The nifty keelboat Saltash—an eight-time winner of Australia’s Brisbane to Gladstone Race—is getting a new lease on life from the craftspeople at Norman R. Wright & Sons using WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy and carbon fiber. Currently upturned in the yard at Norman R. Wright & Sons (and dwarfed by the carbon fiber bulk of the supermaxi Comanche) at the Rivergate complex, the hull and skeletal superstructure of Saltash belie her glorious past and pedigree. Built in 1966, Saltash is a 30' Yachting World Diamond keelboat by designer Jack Holt. The editors of Yachting World commissioned Holt to create a one-design, affordable open keelboat to dispel the perceived elitism around the sport in those optimistic post-war years. He conceived the Diamond as a simple, stitch-and-glue “build-her-yourself”sailboat. The Wright family bought Saltash in…

I had yet to drop the hook, but I knew the place was good. Gloucester, Massachusetts, is one of the busiest commercial-fishing harbors in the country, and I’d expected a degree of stress because of that, but as I chugged into the inner harbor, it felt right. Some places are like that. When I got the anchor set, I heard a shout from a neighboring boat. On deck was a young bearded guy, and his boat—a 30-foot Allied Seawind—was decked out in solar panels, surf boards, windvane and homemade wheelhouse; it was the kind of boat you’d see south of the Chesapeake, not in New England. “Welcome to Gloucester!” he hollered, his arms spread wide. The wind swung our boats so his was stern to Jade, my Tartan 34c. He…

Irv and Bonni Alperts’ sail from Maine to George Town, Bahamas, on Bonni Jean II, a Lagoon 440 cruising catamaran, included a special family member: their dog, Stewie, a 10-year-old corgi that has sailed with the Alperts since he was four. “We wouldn’t consider going without Stewie. It wouldn’t be as much fun,” Irv says. “Seeing your pet react to the sights we take for granted on the water and on land has given us an even bigger appreciation of the beauty and scenery we see on our trips, and of the people we meet along the way.” Bruce and Peggy Gladner bring their corgis, Bailey and Taz, on their Jeanneau 40 Ruach for cruises around Puget Sound and up into Canada. “The dogs go crazy when we bring our…

I grew up watching my dad and grandpa use these tools,” Casey said, as he unpacked. “It was always my favorite place to be: in the shop, at their side. Even when I could hardly see over the workbench.” I was 19, working as a liveaboard deckhand on a schooner, and Casey had just arrived as the new captain. He had recently inherited those tools and had them shipped to him, cross-country, in a series of flat-rate boxes. Even though it was more than he would likely need in his new position, having them close by made him feel prepared for anything. I still remember looking over that collection of wrenches, sockets, pliers and hammers. Tools that generations had lovingly oiled, their carved initials darkened into the worn handles. Tools…

PROJECTS Most boat owners would surely agree that an anchor/deck-wash system would be a useful addition to their boat’s equipment. If they anchored frequently anywhere in the murky waters of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, they would consider it absolutely essential. The ICW runs up the Eastern Seaboard as far as Chesapeake Bay, and is a playground for boats of every shape and size. It is well-protected from the Atlantic Ocean by a string of sometimes quite large barrier islands, many hosting waterfront towns yet with outlets every so often to the ocean. The ICW is therefore mainly nontidal (except near the ocean outlets), and the bottom is mostly sedentary thick black mud that an anchor must penetrate to find better holding beneath. Once an anchor digs in, it usually holds well;…

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE It’s a scenario I encounter with alarming regularity: electrical cabling routed in ways it was never meant to be. I’ve seen examples through sharp cutouts in bulkheads, over engine bell housings, around motor-mount brackets, through bilge water…the examples are nearly endless. Achieving reliability in a marine electrical system is no small feat. The environment is obviously harsh, wet, salty, vibration-prone and, at times, bone-jarring. Add to that temperature extremes caused by the seasons and engine heat, and you have the makings of a perfect storm of electrical unreliability. However, following just a few good wiring practices can eliminate the vast majority of electrical failures and calamities. Start by getting into the casual habit of paying attention to wiring every time you encounter it: in cabinets, the engine compartment,…

In lieu of the winter boat shows, where new electronics usually make their debut, here’s a roundup of new gear that’s worth a look: While no one wants to use emergency flares in anger, everyone damn well wants their flares to work when needed. Trouble is, pyrotechnic flares expire 42 months after their manufacture date and can cause injuries if misused. Enter ACR Electronic’s ResQFlare (acrartex.com). This all-LED distress strobe, which sells for around $70, delivers 360-degree visibility that can be seen for 6-plus nautical miles. ResQFlares are buoyant, waterproof, self-righting in water and USCG-certified; their user-replaceable batteries sustain output levels that are equivalent to 75 candelas for 20-plus hours. Once activated, the electronic flares emit international Morse code SOS flashes, and they ship with a daytime distress flag. B&G’s…

I was anxious the first time I took my handcrafted McKenzie-style drift boat to The Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington. Realizing that boat builders and woodworkers with discerning eyes would be inspecting the construction details of my boat over the course of four days was almost reason enough for me to create a “change of plans” and not go. Almost. After completing the construction of my mahogany drift boat with WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy several years ago, I placed a call to the director of the Port Townsend Festival, Kaci Cronkite, to see if there was a spot to display a 16' riverboat at the festival. The Wooden Boat Festival is one of the biggest festivals of this type in the United States. I hoped there would be a…

Knowing how or why your boat’s gelcoat cracks occurred in the first place is the key to a successful repair. For example, if hitting a seawall or dropping a champagne bottle on deck is what caused the cracks, after fixing them you will know how to prevent them in the future: Don’t drink the champagne causing you to hit the seawall and drop the bottle. Then there are those cracks that seem to appear in the gelcoat from nowhere: in cabin and cockpit corners, around screw holes, or in the middle of the deck. It can be difficult to figure out what caused them. So, what is gelcoat? Gelcoat is a pigmented, high-quality polyester resin used as the finish on fiberglass boats. Like any other polyester resin, it has good…

Most of the projects featured in Epoxyworks are neat and have a high level of finish. For a creation that will be put in the ocean and beat on with sticks, that seemed too high of a standard. When building the Unlimited Canoe, we instead opted for durability and fast construction, not to mention cheap. The bulk of the canoe is made from cedar strips, resawn from siding boards taken from my house during a remodeling project about 20 years ago. The plywood for the stations was from a crate that had contained two surf skis from Italy (almost a full ¾" thick and very flat). We built it on a strongback that was also used in the construction of four previous canoes, although none was a full 45' like…

1. COSTA FREEDOM SERIES BROADBILL • $269 • COSTADELMAR.COM The Broadbill’s polarized-glass lenses off er excellent clarity, glare reduction and scratch resistance, and the large frames provide good coverage. Even better—as part of the Freedom Series, a portion of the proceeds goes to support Freedom Fighters Outdoors, which is dedicated to providing veterans with experiences on the water. 2. HOBIE ITREK 9 ULTRALIGHT • $2,199 • HOBIE.COM For a fun way to get off the boat, check out the versatile iTrek 9 Ultralight. At only 20 pounds, this inflatable kayak/stand-up paddleboard can pack away in its own duffel and is easily launched by one person. Use the included seat, MirageDrive pedals, and rudder for a kayak experience, or grab the paddle and use the board as an SUP. 3. THE…

CRUISING WORLD People FOOD & FOOD You’d be hard-pressed to find a dish more versatile than a frittata, which is probably why so many cultures and cuisines have something comparable. In Spain, tortilla Española is a regular part of a classic tapas spread; China has its egg foo yung; and France, of course, is famous for omelets and quiches. § A frittata is a simple Italian dish that can be served at any time of day. It’s a favorite aboard our wooden cutter, Opus, for either brunch or an equally tasty lunch or dinner, with a green salad and a loaf of good bread. It can be made quickly if surprise guests come aboard; it keeps well and makes a great snack while underway, during any watch. It can be…

cruising-guide author and voyager Diana Doyle first approached me about contributing to her citizen-science project, Birding Aboard, I hesitated. I didn’t think I was qualified, having only just gotten into birding in a very amateur, casual way. I’m a sailor, not a birder. True, I’m a sailor who likes birds, especially the pretty ones and the comic ones, but I didn’t consider myself a birder, and certainly not any kind of scientist. I’m not always correct with my identifications and have been downright embarrassingly wrong more than a few times. With few exceptions, I don’t have the single-minded passion to do the research necessary for definitive identifi-cations of birds of which I’m unsure. If I see a loon in winter plumage and I’m not certain whether it’s an Arctic, a…

MAINTENANCE Almost finished,” Jamie calls up from the water, short of breath and waving a scraper. I try not to giggle at the Papa Smurf look he’s sporting. Totem’s blue ablative bottom paint is smeared on his rash guard and tinting his face and hair. It’s amusing, and it’s not. Toxic blue clouds surround him as the fouled rudder becomes slippery once again. Fish dart past, scooping up tinted and tainted detritus for an easy meal. We live the sailor’s conundrum: wanting to respect the health of the water we float in while using highly toxic paint to repel marine growth below the waterline. There has to be a better way. In 2018, an extended haulout to dry Totem’s saturated fiberglass hull, coupled with bare fiberglass to speed up the…

NEW TECHNOLOGY, REVIEWS and PRODUCTS for the CRUISING SAILOR Like clockwork, each fall for the past decade or so, Dufour Yachts has arrived in Annapolis, Maryland, with a new sailboat (or sometimes two) that somehow looks remarkably just like its predecessor—only different. One year, the builder introduced the galley-forward concept, which puts the stove, sink, fridges, and counterspace adjacent to the mast and bulkhead, leaving the widest part of the boat open for entertainment and lounging. Another year, large ports in the cabin top over the forward galley were added to let light pour into the interior. One fall, they made a splash with an outdoor galley built into the transom, where a propane grill and sink can be put to good use by a cook standing on the folddown…

CRUISE NORWAY EMISSION-FREE Newly launched Canal Boats Telemark offers six Greenline hybrid electric cruisers for exploring the 65-mile Telemark Canal in Norway. One of Norway’s most beautiful and historic recreational waterways, the canal, built in 1852, is recognized as a national cultural heritage site. Most of its 18 lift locks still operate manually. During the cruising season from May through October, charterers can enjoy piloting past old lock keepers’ houses, sawmills, watchmen’s cottages and stone warehouses while winding through farmland, wilderness and industrial sites. Along the way, the elevation varies 236 feet, about 1.5 times the height of Niagara Falls. Each member of the fleet of two Greenline 33s and four 39s are fitted with an e-drive system. Ten charging stations are planned for locations along the entire canal. It’s…

I designed and, with the help of others, built my barn many years ago. While we didn’t use epoxy in the construction, I’ve used WEST SYSTEM® many times to make repairs and modifications. Much of this was needed because the construction crew didn’t follow the design instructions. The fourth floor of the building is a 24' wide by 60' long clear-span room. The weight of the roof, cupola, and sometimes a lot of snow, are held up by six trusses. I strengthened the trusses by adding the missing gussets, adding additional lumber to some parts, and strengthening weak spots in the grade F lumber I’d used. Unfortunately, the top beams and the bottom beams of the trusses running all the way across the room were assembled by just nailing the…

River tables? Love them! Think they’re cool… know I’d never have the patience to make one… too cheap to buy one. Lately, I’ve been on a refurbish/re-do jag and am obsessed with Facebook Marketplace. Things I never even knew I needed I can find everywhere! It really is a curse (for my family) and a blessing (to me!). After weeks of searching I found and bought a sweet sectional. I started visualizing the new living room layout and quickly was in search of a cool looking, round coffee table. It didn’t take me long to score an outdated, glass-topped baby for $25! I figured, at that price I could not go wrong—but then something did. As I was coming down from my bargain score high, it dawned on me…. I…