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ABANDONING BE GOOD TOO: The Skipper Responds to the Builder’s Response
As many of you know, I served as crew on Be Good Too, the Alpha 42 catamaran that was abandoned approximately 300 miles east of Chesapeake Bay in January. I published an account of the episode here on...
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MODERN MARINE ELECTRONICS: My Obsolete Chartplotter
I’ve been hustling a bit to get ready for this jaunt to Nova Scotia, which starts Monday. As noted earlier, I’ve been fretting about the charts. Thanks to Landfall Navigation, I now have all my paper...
View ArticleClik here to view.
MODERN MARINE ELECTRONICS: My Obsolete Chartplotter
I’ve been hustling a bit to get ready for this jaunt to Nova Scotia, which starts Monday. As noted earlier, I’ve been fretting about the charts. Thanks to Landfall Navigation, I now have all my paper...
View ArticleClik here to view.
OPEN 60 REFIT: Great American IV Ready to Sail
While dropping in occasionally at Maine Yacht Center over the winter to keep tabs on my own boat, I always had half an eyeball on Rich Wilson’s new IMOCA Open 60, Great American IV (ex-Mirabaud),...
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RETRIEVING LOST HALYARDS: A Cheap Trick That Works
I wrote about this once in a print magazine, and some people were skeptical. But I’m telling you–it really does work. I’ve done it twice at sea successfully; no fuss, no muss. If you lose a halyard up...
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NOVA SCOTIA CRUISE: Fog With Everything
I am writing this in the obscure, once prosperous fishing port of Lockeport, not too many miles north of Cape Sable on Nova Scotia’s so-called Southwest Coast, which actually faces east. It is not...
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AUTOPILOT FAILURE: Back Across the Gulf of Maine
I knew this day would come. I recently discussed having to make up new wood-chip “fuses” for the “electric vane” rig on Lunacy, and in the whole time I’ve owned the boat, about eight years now, this...
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AUTOPILOT FAILURE: Back Across the Gulf of Maine
I knew this day would come. I recently discussed having to make up new wood-chip “fuses” for the “electric vane” rig on Lunacy, and in the whole time I’ve owned the boat, about eight years now, this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
MAINE COAST CRUISE: To Thomaston and Back
This wasn’t so much a cruise as a delivery to nowhere, as the goal was to get Lunacy from Portland to Rockland, get her measured for new sails by Doug Pope, and then get her back to Portland again as...
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DOUSING THE MAINSAIL: Do It After You Park The Boat
I do a fair amount of singlehanded coastal cruising during the summer, usually just going out for a quick overnight whenever an opportunity presents itself. When departing my mooring at Portland Yacht...
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GARCIA PASSOA 47: French Metal Surfboard
Aluminum centerboard cruisers like this are not often seen in North America, but they are common in Europe, particularly in France. Garcia Aluminum, a highly respected French builder, now reorganized...
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MODERN MARINE NAVIGATION: Crashing the iPad
Having decided that part of this summer’s cruising program on Lunacy will involve a two-week jaunt over to Nova Scotia and back, it dawned on me that I needed to make sure I actually have charts for...
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VARIOUS MISHAPS: Two Abandonments and Two Boats Sunk at Harbor Entrances
It’s been a busy fortnight in the realm of sailing mishaps. Number one involves the abandoning of a 42-foot sailing vessel Walkabout (see photo up top), whose crew of three were caught in Hurricane...
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SERVICING WINCHES: A Necessary Chore
I spent some time last year installing new “disc springs” on the two Andersen primary winches in Lunacy‘s cockpit. At that time I knew I should have also taken the trouble to clean and grease those...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SERVICING WINCHES: A Necessary Chore
I spent some time last year installing new “disc springs” on the two Andersen primary winches in Lunacy‘s cockpit. At that time I knew I should have also taken the trouble to clean and grease those...
View ArticleClik here to view.
REBEL HEART: Lawsuit Against Sat-Phone Provider
Charlotte and Eric Kaufman, who brought the Wrath of the Mass Media down on their heads when they evacuated their Hans Christian 36 Rebel Heart back in April, have filed suit in San Diego against...
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ABANDONING BE GOOD TOO: The Skipper Responds to the Builder’s Response
As many of you know, I served as crew on Be Good Too, the Alpha 42 catamaran that was abandoned approximately 300 miles east of Chesapeake Bay in January. I published an account of the episode here on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
MODERN MARINE ELECTRONICS: My Obsolete Chartplotter
I’ve been hustling a bit to get ready for this jaunt to Nova Scotia, which starts Monday. As noted earlier, I’ve been fretting about the charts. Thanks to Landfall Navigation, I now have all my paper...
View ArticleClik here to view.
MAINE COAST CRUISE: Mouth of the Sheepscot River
With children fortuitously exiled in sleep-away summer activities, my bride Clare and I had a chance last week to venture out on Lunacy for several days on our own. We originally thought we might...
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NOVA SCOTIA CRUISE: Fog With Everything
I am writing this in the obscure, once prosperous fishing port of Lockeport, not too many miles north of Cape Sable on Nova Scotia’s so-called Southwest Coast, which actually faces east. It is not...
View Article