Issue #21 winter 2017 18

From The Creators Of

5

244 PAGE

YEAR

ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

CruisingOutpost.com

MORGAN FREEMAN LIVING LIFE LIKE A CRUISER SPECIAL CRUISER'S

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE WOMEN WHO SAIL

BELIZE

RENDEVOUS REAL LIFE

MERMAID HANNAH FRASER Winter 2017-18 Issue # 21

BOAT SPOTLIGHT PASSPORT VOYAGER 480 HH66-05 CATAMARAN HYLAS M44 POWER CRUISER

U.S. and Canada $14.99

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The is for th e id a s stolen al. a w tion page t Interna like a o B o t be from wanted s!) y e g W ( ig u the b

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bob Bitchin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bob Bitchin

EDITOR

Sue Morgan

JANITORIAL ASSISTANT - Bob Bitchin

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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SENIOR PROPERTY WRITER

Bob Bitchin

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Bob Bitchin

ART DIRECTOR

Rich “Magic” Marker

DESIGNER

Bob Bitchin

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Sue Morgan

COPY EDITOR

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PHOTO EDITOR

Bob Bitchin

RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT

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LIFE-ABOARD EDITOR

Robin Stout

DIGITAL

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And we did it O N PURPO SE Most o ther bo ! magazin ating es h 65% adave over s.

Jody “Mo” Bitchin Bob Bitchin Cheryl McCroskey

BERRY CREEK OFFICE 530-589-7979 VP SALES NORTH AMERICA

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Suzy Carmody - Jim Cash - Tom Dymond - Bonnie Fern Carroll Green - Paul Esterle - Stephen Hicks Shane McClellan - Fiona McGlynn - Jess Lloyd-Mostyn Doris Neubauer - Zuzana Prochazka - Alex Rooker Robert Scott - John Simpson - Chuck Steffans Morgan Stinemetz - Julie Thorndycraft - Jeff & Judy Wahl Jessie Zevalkink ON THE COVER Morgan Freeman aboard his Shannon 43 Afrodesia Photo by Amanda Baker PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER

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Cruising Outpost US Edition CRUISING OUTPOST (USPS 011-950) IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY CRUISING OUTPOST, 9353 Oroville Quincy Hwy, Berry Creek, CA 95916. Periodical Postage paid at Berry Creek, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CRUISING OUTPOST, PO Box 15416, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5416.

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Issue #21-Winter 2017-18

Contents

Special Stuff in this Issue

13 38 48 54 59 64 76 100 120 132 139 144 152 212 216

Regular Stuff in this Issue Attitudes Bob Bitchin Outpost News Another Way Tania Aebi What’s Out There: Monohull -Passport 480 What’s Out There: Multihull - HH66-05 What’s Out There: Power Cruiser - Hylas M44 Lifestyle Did I Do That?

Galley Gourmet Latitudes & Attitudes PNW Cruisers’ Weekend & Share the Sail Book Review Jim Cash Life Aboard Robin Stout Bubba Whartz Cap’n Cap’n I Found It at the Boat Show Weather by Lee Lee Chesneau Talk of the Dock Zuzana Prochazka Tech Tips Captain Pauly Bosun’s Bag Mackie White Cruisians

Many people disagree with our punctuation usage. For those people, we offer these punctuation marks to be used wherever they like!

8 18 34 70 72 74 86 126 154 156 178 188 190 194 196 199 205 208 210 232 241 242

The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.

Morgan Freeman Interview The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test Jessie Zevalkink It Still Rains Mermaid: Connecting Two Worlds Black Boaters Summit Land of the Midnight Sun-Alaska How Not to Transit the Panama Canal The History of Cruising Outpost Special Outpost Christmas Gift Section Going Small - Power Cruising Comes of Age Going Loopy Galapagos to Tahiti Red-Handed Raccoon Kiwi Grip Deck Fix Women Who Sail

13

38 48

54

64

© 2017The Bitchin Group, Inc.

‘.?;:!-” “ ‘ ;: ,.,*@!

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Attitudes

By Bob Bitchin

F

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Those of you who have been reading my drivel for awhile know that I am not a publisher. I am not even an editor. I am just an enthusiast. I could in no way ever start a magazine about women’s tennis or Frisbee golf, than I could eat a Volkswagen (and there are those who believe I can!).

No, in my lifetime I have created quite a few publications.

The majority were extremely successful. Biker, in the ‘70s, continued for over 25 years and was merged with Easyriders after that. Tattoo Magazine, which I started in the early ‘80s, has been in continuous publication for about 30 years and is the #1 selling tattoo magazine on earth.

After sailing around the world for 10 years, we came back and started Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine about the lifestyle we’d learned to love. It became the #1 in retail newsstand sales.

When we thought all was lost after selling L&A to a couple of con men, I really thought it was all over. But then, almost a thousand of our readers came up with a plan for me to break all three of the no-no’s and helped me create Cruising Outpost which, in my opinion is, at last, the publication I have been trying to create my entire life!

To those of you who have been reading my editorials for the past 10, 20, 30, and even as many as 45 years, yes, this is a different style editorial than I have ever written. These days I usually strive to impart something from my sailing life that will pass on a meaning, a moral, or just something that I discovered about myself that I think could help you, as a reader, get the most out of the Outpost.

So what can we get out of this drivel that can help you get thru a day at sea that may be getting you down? Just this.

Sailing is like life itself. It doesn’t matter where or when you start out, and it doesn’t matter where or when you end your days. The most important thing you can glean from this is the experience!

Just like life, it doesn’t matter the dates on your tombstone. The day you were born and the day you passed don’t mean a thing...

It’s the voyage from one end to the other... Enjoy the ride!!!

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.

ive years ago Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine died. At the time it was the best selling marine lifestyle magazine in America. I’d started it in 1997 with my wife, Jody, and over the years we became a family of about 100,000 crazy cruisers who actually wanted to sail off into the sunset.

If I am to cast blame here, it would have to fall on me. I figured at almost 70, it was time for us to head out again. My mistake? I was a little too trusting. All my life I had done business by handshake and for the first time (and I might say last!), my trust let me down.

Further back in this, our fifth anniversary issue, I put the complete story of who, what, where, why and when it all came about. But what’s important is, we did make it back, under the most impossible odds in the world. There were “just” three little things we had to overcome to be back where we “ended”: 1. Never start a business near 70 years of age. I think this should be obvious. As most people in the industry know, it takes five years to pass the “critical” mark with a magazine.

The growing pains usually take out 80-95% of new magazine publishers, and that is when the economy is GOOD! 2. Don’t start any business when the business as a whole is disappearing. Because of the internet the print magazine business has been on a rapid slide since 2008. Most magazines have dropped over 75% of their circulation.

3. Don’t ever start any business related to an industry that has been downsized drastically by the financial crisis. The third and final stupidity. To start anything in the marine industry!

I did ‘em all!

Yes, we have “come back” all the way. We are, once again, the #1 selling print marine lifestyle magazine in the USA. Not because we did anything right (obviously!), but because we really do live the lifestyle that we write about.

In fact, I believe we are the only sailing/boating magazine that has no real staff. Everyone who helps create each issue lives that lifestyle.

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Interview With The Sailor Who Played God!

Morgan Freeman

Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman is an accomplished sailor and Chairman of the National Sailing Hall of Fame’s Honorary Advisory Board One of the most recognized sailors in the world is also an award-winning actor, director and narrator.

Morgan Freeman was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, TN, as one of five children born to Mayme Edna. Not long after he was born, Morgan’s parents relocated. While his parents looked for jobs, Freeman remained with his grandmother in Charleston, MS. His search for adventure started early, as the interview that appeared in AARP tells it. In 1955 he joined the Air Force to achieve his dream of becoming a pilot. But as it turns out, they decided he should be a mechanic rather than a pilot. So in 1959 Freeman left the Air Force and moved to Hollywood. It wasn’t easy. He took acting classes and struggled to find work.

While working at the Stowe Playhouse in Stowe, VT, he sailed for the first time. It was on a reservoir in an 18-foot (5.49-meter) Lightning-class centerboard boat. He was not only smitten, he was hooked for life. Ever since those halcyon days, sailing has been more than a pastime for him — it has been his refuge and passion.

For 16 years he sailed out of Eastchester Bay, cruising the waters and anchorages of Long Island Sound, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod, the coast of Maine, and up to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

He bought his first boat, a Holland-built Holiday 28, in Huntington Bay, Long Island, in 1971. By then he was beginning to make good in New York theater. His national exposure came that same year when he started appearing regularly on The Electric Company, a public television-produced children’s TV show that focused on teaching kids how to read.

On a show that included such current and future stars as Rita Moreno, Joan Rivers and Gene Wilder, Freeman had some of the show’s more memorable characters, like “Easy Reader,” “Mel Mounds” and “Count Dracula.”

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In 1987, Freeman’s fortunes changed when he was cast in the film Street Smart, which placed the actor on the screen as the volatile pimp Fast Black. The role proved to be a huge success for Freeman, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Some wondered, “Is Morgan Freeman the greatest American actor?”

Two years later, Freeman earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a second Oscar nomination—as the kind-hearted but stubborn chauffeur in 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy. That same year he also starred in Edward Zwick’s critically acclaimed Glory, a drama about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which was one of the first recognized AfricanAmerican units in the Civil War. By the 1990s, Freeman was riding high in his career, starring in such big budget films as 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption, Seven (1995) and Deep Impact (1998).

In September, 2016, President Barack Obama presented Freeman with a National Medal of Arts.

At the ceremony, President Obama said Freeman was being honored “for his outstanding work as an actor, director, and narrator. His iconic stage and screen performances have brought to life characters from the whole spectrum of the human experience, moving audiences around the world, and influencing countless young artists.”

In his interview for the National Sailing Hall of Fame, Freeman said, “I first sailed south in 1979, going to Bermuda on a 30-foot (9.14-meter) Alberg-designed sloop. The crew included my wife, Myrna; my youngest daughter, Morgana; and our cat, Zipper. It took nine days to get there, and we stayed for six weeks, anchored in the shelter of White’s Island in Hamilton Harbor.

On the way back to New York in October, we hit our survival storm. Two hundred fifty miles due east of

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Morgan Freeman Interview Newport News, Virginia, we ran into the worst weather I have ever experienced — sustained 50-knot winds and seas that appeared mountainous to me in my little sloop.

Luckily, Morgana had already gone back to school, so it was just me, a deathly seasick Myrna, and Zipper on board. It is an experience that I will never, ever forget.

It’s like an exclamation point in my life.”

“On the night Morgan Freeman thought he might die, he figured he could go out one of two ways,” said a USA Today account of the life-changing voyage.

“One, he could stay below in the cabin of the sailboat, radioing for help that he knew would never come in weather so severe it had pummeled the boat to its side. Or two, ‘I could go out there and try to change things myself.’ He changed things. On that voyage [Mr. Freeman], then a journeyman actor still trying to crack the film business, managed to right the boat — and himself.”

Mr. Freeman said the voyage from Bermuda determined the course of the rest of his life.

“Every sailor has a survival story and that one is mine,” he told an interviewer.” We were headed back from Bermuda. Eleven days at sea.

Big storm. And when we got within a hundred miles of New York, it was snowing. This was the first time it snowed in October in New York in a hundred years. It was a rough time.”

Morgan has said that virtually everything he has done since the fateful Bermuda trip changed his life, helping him to stop drinking, put his personal life in order and re-dedicate himself to acting, as he had been thinking of quitting New York and returning to his family home in Mississippi.

Freeman has since cruised thousands of openocean miles, many aboard his Shannon 43, a solid bluewater cruiser. He’s spent most of his sailing time in the Caribbean.

He sailed south to the Caribbean in late summer of 1989. This time with Myrna; one of his grandchildren, E’dena; and two friends, Billy Toles and Harry Smith, as crew. Six days out of Bermuda on their Shannon 38, Sojourner, he raised the light on Sombrero Rock, north of St. Martin, around 9:00 p.m. Two years later, he sailed across to the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and knew he had found his way to paradise.

“In 1993, I asked Harry to sail with me to the Spice Islands just for a look-see, and that’s when I met my first Grenadian. His name is Champie, and he is still my friend today. Harry and I and his then-wife, Linda, gunkholed up the Grenadines as far as St. Lucia before heading back across the sea to the BVI.” In 1996 Morgan contacted Walter Shultz at Shannon Yachts about building a Shannon 43. One of the things he’d asked them to do was to install a commercial sewing machine that would “flip out of sight” when not in use, just in case his acting career didn’t come to fruition. We doubt he ever had to use it commercially...

In 1998, with the new Shannon 43, Harry, Billy, and Morgan set sail for Trinidad and then to the islands of Grenada, the anchor of the spectacular Grenadines and a true sailor’s delight. The island has a fascinating history, and according to Morgan, its people are kind, generous, and full of fun.

Afrodesia Hit By Hurricane Irma & Maria

After this article was written, Mr. Freeman’s boat, Afrodesia, was hit by two of the worst hurricanes in history. Winds of up to 185 mph pushed her into the boat next to her. She will be repaired and sold with the proceeds of the sale going to charity!

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The Sailor Who Played God!

Morgan Freeman and 10 Questions About His Cruising Lifestyle Cruising Outpost: In all the years that you have been cruising, what was your favorite place to anchor, and why?

Captain Morgan: Not really. Fame has grown considerably since those days.

Capt. Morgan I think My very favorite anchorage

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was the Hurricane Hole on St. John in the American Virgin Islands. I started going there in the early nineties. It was alive with reefs, fish and diving pelicans, but like many such places it got popular and popularity killed the reefs, the fish died and the pelicans went elsewhere.

Cruising Outpost: I noticed you sailed a ketch for many years. What was it about the rig that enticed you to go with a ketch?

Captain Morgan: Flexibility. Afrodesia is

folks at Shannon said you had a sewing machine built into your boat “ just in case” you didn’t make it as an actor. Is this true, and if so, what kind, and did you ever use it?

Captain Morgan: Not built into the boat. I had the sewing machine on Sojourner. I think my then wife, who had a lot of input on the interior design, might have asked for such a thing, but it was not very practical.

a staysail ketch which offers at least six sail configurations and can handle light, medium or high winds whether beating reaching or running.

Cruising Outpost: Have you made any major crossings aside from your voyage down to the Caribbean from Bristol?

Cruising Outpost: The Shannon you built to

Captain Morgan: No.

sail on was a 43’ version. What was it about that size vessel that you liked? Had you considered going larger?

Cruising Outpost: As someone who has sailed for decades, what advice would you give a new sailor?

Captain Morgan: I owned a Shannon 38 for about nine years. It was this boat, Sojourner that I left New York on and sailed to Bermuda, thence to St. Martin.

She could not go to windward!

experience. Learn. Learn knots. Learn weather.

Learn navigation. Learn lights. Learn the rules of the road. Learn yourself.

Cruising Outpost: With your busy schedule, how

Cruising Outpost: Now that you are 80, and

Captain Morgan: Well, off and on, quite a bit. I was actually living on the boat for a time. If a job called, I would sometimes leave the wife, depending on how long it would be, other times I would tie her in a marina.

Captain Morgan: Not.

much time did you actually have to cruise?

Cruising Outpost: Was your fame a problem when sailing? Were you bothered much by fans?

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Captain Morgan: It can be an intense learning

you are selling Afrodesia, do you think you will continue to sail? If so would it be chartering or with friends?

Cruising Outpost: What was the life-lesson you learned from sailing?

Capt. Morgan You get what you want.

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Cruising Outpost News

Outposters News If It’s Gonna Happen It’s Gonna Happen Out There

I used to be a people person, but people ruined that for me.

Issue #21

Evening Edition

Winter 2017-2018

What are the Odds?

In December, 2013, Capt. John Baker and his crew were forced to jump overboard when their fishing trawler, Gentle Lady, capsized due to large seas and the heavy weight of their catch. They were swimming for over six hours before they were rescued by Capt. Kevin Swimm (how appropriate) and his crew aboard the fishing trawler Ocean Concord. At some point in the process of all this, Captain Baker lost his wallet.

Cut to the present: Captain Swimm was aboard Ocean Concord, trawling for clams in the same area where they rescued Capt. Baker and crew. It was the trawler’s last voyage before being retired. Among the clams brought up from the bottom was the lost wallet belonging to Captain Baker! It still contained his license, bank cards and a momento from his mother.

What’s the Point?

Men say women should come with instructions, but have you ever seen a man actually read the instructions?

The Ultimate Cruising Symposium!

Everything you need to learn about weather, oceanography, vessel strategies and resources, plus outfitting and handling all weather situations, will be presented January 13,14 & 15 at the Toronto International Boat Show.

This three-day symposium will provide both the beginning and advanced boater (sail or power) with valuable knowledge for coastal or offshore blue water cruising. Learn why, and more importantly how you can predict variable weather scenarios, sea state conditions, plan and execute routing strategies, as well as properly equip and handle your own boat in all weather and sea state situations. The end result is all about gaining confidence in your ability to make safe, prudent decisions.

This symposium is presented by three of the most experienced professionals in the cruising industry: Lee Cheneau - Marine Meteorologist, Frank Bohlen - Oceanographer, and Pam Wall - Cruising Consultant. They will combine meteorological and oceanographic topics, routing strategies and proper boat outfitting, using a combination of lectures as well as “hands on” exercises. Throughout the entire three days, there will be ample time for student Q&A and interaction with the instructors.

For more information and to buy tickets for one, two, or all three days, visit www. torontoboatshow.com.

Nautical Trivia In modern terminology, to be “above board” means in the open, without dishonesty, concealment, or fraud. And yes, you guessed it, its origin is nautical. Any guesses where it came from?

(Wanna cheat? Answer is on page 32)

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Cruising Outpost News Fire Extinguisher Recall

More than 40 million Kidde fire extinguishers equipped with plastic handles, some on the market for more than 40 years, have been recalled. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), “The fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during a fire emergency.

In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard.” The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean water is urging recreational boat owners to check their boats for the recalled extinguishers and get a free metal-handled replacement by going to the CPSC recall website. The CPSC recall website shows how to easily identify the affected extinguishers. Kidde may also be contacted toll-free at 855-271-0773 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ET Saturday and Sunday. The company offers additional recall information online at kidde.com by selecting “Product Safety Recall.”

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Cruising Outpost News BVI Back in Business

The word from BVI Yacht Sales is that the BVIs are making fast and serious recovery efforts, achieving huge progress on a daily basis. Many areas have power, water and communications again. The green is returning to the hillsides and there are even some yachts cruising around, enjoying the complete remoteness and lack of crowds.

Beach bars are open or will be open again soon, chandleries, grocery stores and the like are doing business as normal, and the feel is very much the Caribbean of 30 years ago with less people, and the ones still there are those who have made the BVIs their home and life.

BVI Yacht Sales is open again for business, and ready to help boat owners and potential boat owners return to some semblance of normalcy with their sailing plans and activities in the Caribbean. Hurricanes Irma and Maria delivered unprecedented damage with, by most reports, over 700 boats in some state of damage rendering them unusable or even total losses, so they are in the process of visiting all of their listings and updating them to represent the current situation. In addition, a specialized salvage division will be offering vessels in various states of damage for sale at prices valued taking into consideration the level of repairs needed.

There will be some tremendous deals to be had. Contact them if you are interested in taking on a BVI project boat at www. bviyachtsales.com. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Cruising Outpost News Marine Industry Raises $250,000 for Hurricane Relief at Annapolis Boat Shows In an effort to support the maritime industry hardest hit by the destruction of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Annapolis Boat Shows partnered with Pusser’s Caribbean Grille and Annapolis Waterfront Hotel to host a campaign during the fall Sail and Power Boat Shows that raised more than $250,000 in hurricane relief.

On the first day of the United States Sailboat Show, a Donor Appreciation Gala drew more than 350 donors and kicked off a two-week fundraising effort by the marine industry. Due to the generous support of more than twodozen Annapolis Boat Shows’ exhibitors, like-minded Annapolis businesses, and hundreds of boaters, the “Hands Across the Transom Hurricane Relief” and related in-show fundraising beat all expectations.

“We are excited by the great generosity of the boating community and, especially, our exhibitors and attendees at this year’s boat shows. We are pleased to have surpassed our original goal of $150,000, raising more than $250,000 from various campaigns included under the “Hands Across the Transom” umbrella,” said Paul Jacobs, president and general manager of the Annapolis Boat Shows. “Needless to say we were thrilled with the way our exhibitors and consumers stepped up to help out and we had a great time at the donor appreciation party to boot.”

Of special mention is Jeanneau America who pledged to make a contribution for each new boat sold and raised $36,000 in total for hurricane relief. Scattered throughout the shows and in Pusser’s were a number of “Soggy Dollar” cash donation boxes. More than $3,500 was raised in this effort.

The participating hurricane relief organizations were: Virgin Unite * Puerto Rico Strong * Pusser’s Disaster Relief * Bitter End Yacht Club Relief * Sister Season Fund * TMM Staff Assistance * American Sailing Association * BVI Recovery * Sunsail/Moorings Relief

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Cruising Outpost News I Can See Clearly Now Bill Cook has been writing for Cruising Outpost for years. His articles are always about optics, as he is an expert in the field. This new book has been hailed as one of the most in-depth books on the art of the binocular than any on the market.

The book is available on Amazon.com.

The Question of the Year...

Who left the bag of idiots open?

No One Likes A Smart-Ass

A truck driver is driving along on the freeway and notices a sign that reads, “Low Bridge Ahead.” Before he knows it the bridge is right in front of him and his truck gets wedged under it. Cars are backed up for miles.

Finally a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, “Got stuck, huh?” The truck driver says, “No, I was delivering this bridge and I ran out of gas.”

24 Cruising Outpost pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt.indd 8

So, how do you tell which way the wind is blowing?

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11/6/17 11:17 AM

Cruising Outpost News Plastic Kills

The people who throw plastic overboard, into the ocean, or even into storm drains, need to be aware of the cost to wildlife. This was taken at Put-In-Bay on Lake Erie, but it is typical of what is happening all over the world.

Plastic Waste Increasing

U.S. Yachtsman Paul Cayard has been sailing all over the world for 50 years and is speaking out about his first-hand observance of the increase in plastic waste on the oceans. At a presentation to the One Ocean Forum, he talked about a recent sailing race from Los Angeles to Hawaii and the problem participants encountered with plastic getting stuck on their keels, and more importantly, how bad this is for our planet. Cayard shared that on the last Americas Cup race, single use plastic bottles were banned. Sailors did their party by filling reusable water bottles from a large container on board.

The One Ocean Forum brings interested parties together to find solutions for preserving the marine environment. It is promoted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on Sardinia and its partners include UNESCO.

Add Two Parts Baby?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from ?

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11/7/17 11:07 AM

Cruising Outpost News BOOT: The World’s Largest Boat Show

January 20-28th If you get a chance, head to Dusseldorf Germany and visit BOOT. It is the largest boat show on Earth, and if it is marine related, it is there! You’ll find 1,800 exhibitors in the 3.5 million sq. ft. facility, with an estimated 280,000 visitors in 18 themed areas. You can find more here: www.boat-duesseldorf.com.

There‛s Waldo WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Cruising Outpost 27 11/7/17 11:08 AM

Cruising Outpost News

Share the Sail Tahiti

Don’t miss this one! For the past 20 years we have held our Share the Sail events all over the world, but the one that always fills the fastest is the one in Tahiti! This year, June 28 - July 5th, we will sail the islands of Raiatea, Taha’a, Bora Bora and Huahini.

Working with the folks at Proteus Charters we have reserved seven beautiful catamarans, the boat of choice for this area. Participants will share the navigation, galley duties and piloting. There will be a well-experienced skipper from our staff for any emergencies, but make no mistake, these are “Share the Sail” events to give the experience needed for people who want to “get out there” and learn more about the cruising lifestyle.

Cost (includes the boat, insurance, fuel, damage waivers, an experienced skipper on board and partial provisioning): $2,800 pp double occupancy and $3,800 pp single occupancy.

Traveling solo and want to save a few bucks by sharing? We will try to match you with a boat mate to share the cabin.

For all the details go to www.cruisingoutpost.com/ sharethesail or email: jody@cruisingoutpost.com.

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11/7/17 11:08 AM

Cruising Outpost News Great Loop Spring Rendezvous

BOATER BEWARE!

Thinking about doing the Great Loop?

Well, first of all you will find a great article about it, Going Loopy!, on pages 139-143 of this issue. Then, the Great Loop Spring Rendezvous is planned for April 30-May 3, 2018 in Norfolk, VA. This is where you go to get the very latest info on the Loop.

Bad Tenants

“We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it, chopped down its forests, leveled its hills, muddied its waters, and dirtied its air. That does not fit my definition of a good tenant.

If we were here on a month-tomonth basis, we would have been evicted long ago.”= -Rose Bird, Chief Justice of

California Supreme Court

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That’s the advice of Coast Guard Alaska, exposing online vessel documentation ‘scams.’ New England Marine Title has been aware and is warning its clients about online documentation companies. They exploit boaters by leading them to believe they are on the official Coast Guard website and charging service fees not commensurate with service provided. When it’s time to renew, remember the Coast Guard website offering documentation uses a .mil domain name. Web domains using .us, .com and .org are not authorized.

Cruising Outpost 29 11/7/17 11:09 AM

Cruising Outpost News Lost & Found

Jingle Buoys

While sailing in the San Juan Islands, Bitchin lost his dolphin ring over the side. A few hours later Steadfast Diving (Sam Bold is on the left and Cody Kieliszewski on the right), who are based out of Roche Harbor, actually found it on the bottom, buried in sand and rock. They had to bounce over heavy seas for 14 miles just to reach Sucia, and then found it in less than 5 minutes. Thanks guys. We got tired of listening to Bitchin snivel about losing it (again!).

Facing Reality

If you live a life of make-believe, your life isn’t worth anything until you do something that does challenge your reality. And to me, sailing the open ocean is a real challenge, because it’s life or death.

Morgan Freeman

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11/7/17 11:09 AM

Cruising Outpost News

Dog vs. Cat: Battle of the Company Macots On the left we have Bradley, the office dog at Edson, looking a little lost in the “drill room.” Katie Kittie, at the CO Offices, has found a better way to pass the day.

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Time to Get Real

A man can pretend to be a lot of things in this world; but he can only pretend to be a sailor for as long as it takes to clear the harbour mouth!

Bernard Hayman

Cruising Outpost 31 11/7/17 11:10 AM

Cruising Outpost News

Nautical Trivia

Boye Knives Backs the Talisker Challange

(Answer to the question on page 18) In days of yore, pirates would often hide much of their crew below the deck. Ships that displayed crew openly on the deck were thought to be honest merchant ships known as “above board.”

What non-sailors think it‛s like once you get out into the “great Unknown”

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The idea of the Atlantic Challenge race came to Sir Chay Blyth whilst he was rowing the Atlantic Ocean in 1966 with John Ridgeway. It was a 92-day battle against hurricanes, 50-foot waves and near starvation. It’s no surprise then, that more people have been into space or climbed Everest than have rowed the Atlantic. It takes a certain kind of person to keep going when faced with blisters, salt rash, sharks and sleep deprivation.

That’s why the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is the world’s toughest row.

The folks at Boye Knives are donating their boat knives to all of the teams for this year’s event!

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11/7/17 11:11 AM

Cruising Outpost News ACTIVE PIRACY REPORT from the ICC - A Narrative of the Most Recent Attacks (as of press time) November 1, 2017 - Around 21nm SSW of Bonny Island, Nigeria: Lookout onboard a tanker underway noticed two speed boats approaching at high speed. OOW immediately raised the emergency alarm and Master notified the terminal who relayed the information to a Nigerian naval ship. As the speed boats closed to the tanker guns and ladders were sighted. The Master ordered the crew to secure all access to the vessel and retreat into the citadel. The bridge team commenced evasive manoeuvre to prevent the pirates from boarding. On seeing the approaching naval ship, the pirates aborted the attempted boarding and moved away. The tanker continued her passage. All crew safe.x 01.11.2017: 1006UTC: Posn: 04:02.7N - 007:03.5E. Around 21nm SSW of Bonny Island, Nigeria.

October 31, 2017 - Around 17.7NM NE Tanjung Berakit, Bintan Islands, Indonesia: During routine rounds, duty engineer on board an anchored product tanker noticed footprints in the Engine Room. On carrying out a search, engine spares were reported missing. Review of CCTV recording confirmed tanker to be boarded by five robbers.

October 29, 2017 - Around 4nm SSE of Kampung Sungai Buntu Coast, Malaysia: Five robbers with knives in a skiff boat boarded a tanker underway and entered the engine room, threatened the duty oiler with a knife and tied him up. As the robbers moved away the duty oiler retreated into the control room and notified the OOW. Alarm raised and crew mustered. Seeing the alerted crew the robbers escaped with stolen ship’s properties.

A search was carried out. Incident reported to Singapore port operations. Singapore Coast Guard called the vessel to ensure vessel safe.

October 29, 2017 - Cartagena Inner Anchorage, Columbia: Duty officers onboard an anchored LPG tanker noticed a small boat near the anchor chain. Alarm raised. Seeing the crew alertness, the robbers were seen escaping with stolen ship’s properties. Port control was informed. Roving craft sent by port control.

October 27, 2017 - Around 35nm NW of Sao Tome & Principe Coast: Five skiffs approached a LPG Tanker underway. Alarm raised, crew mustered, Master increased speed and commenced evasive manoeuvres. Due to the bad weather and the evasive manoeuvres the skiffs aborted the attack and moved away.

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Cruising Outpost 33 11/7/17 11:12 AM

Another Way I often retell the thirty-year-old story of my circumnavigation to various audiences. Toward the end, things liven up with details of the time I nearly abandoned ship in the Mediterranean. After a week of constant sail changes, poor sleep and an even poorer diet of powdered tang and salted pumpkin seeds, I sailed toward an evening horizon overhung by ominous darkness that rapidly turned into wind-whipped waves and lightning streaked skies. No rain, no thunder, just electrified howling. My boat, Varuna, was barreling along downwind under reefed jib, rounding up and broaching in the waves until enough was enough. I dropped the sails, went below, pulled a cover over my head and said: when I wake up, this better be gone.

Thanks to serious lack of sleep, proper seamanship was at an all-time low. I knew better. Instead, I slumbered into oblivion and was wakened by a wall of salty water crashing through the open companionway as everything on Varuna’s starboard side came tumbling down onto me and my bunk to port. I thought I’d been hit by a ship square-on and leapt to the cockpit. But, no, a large wave had knocked us over and carried off all kinds of things. Below deck, a watery soup of belongings was sloshing about at bunk level.

When the bilge pump clogged, convinced I was sinking and seeing the lights of a ship on the horizon, I activated the EPIRB. Minutes passed spent thinking about what a rescue meant. Aside from deciding what to take, and submitting to total failure, I’d be abandoning my boat. Leaving her was a terrible thought and actually, she seemed to be waterlogged, but not really sinking. I calmed down, she and I were in it together. The ship’s lights had disappeared over the horizon, so I turned off the EPIRB, started bailing with a bucket.

Morning revealed a kinked hose as the bilge pump’s problem. Easily fixed. I finished draining her innards and started drying out bedding and cushions while motor-sailing to the closest harbor in Spain. Landfalls were made in Almeria, then Gibraltar, with conserved fuel and battery power, and for the first and only times, without any help from a depth sounder, VHF, or RDF. Saltwater had killed my impoverished selection of electronics, and I found my way exclusively with sextant and Casio watch. This is the part of the story I have become prouder to tell over the years, as sailors have become ever more reliant on technology to leave harbors.

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From Gibraltar, Varuna and I crossed the Atlantic home to New York City—3,400 miles, fifty days nonstop, biggest storm, longest flat calm, the grand finale. The following summer, she was sold to a banker with a retirement dream to sail around the world as well. Ten years later, Varuna made it to Bermuda again and nearly to the Virgin Islands, before he decided a 26-foot boat was really too small, wet and uncomfortable for a man of his age who preferred to be home, close to children and grandchildren.

He turned back and sold her to a fellow in Detroit who was waiting to sell his house before sailing around the world. Varuna gathered leaves on a trailer in his backyard while the Detroit real estate market tanked, giving him time to meet a woman and decide he, too, preferred to be with her and close to his offspring.

Varuna’s next owner, Sam, lived on the water in Maine, where he rigged a railway to haul her up and down with dreams no more ambitious than to enjoy a fun little boat and sail her to the Bahamas. He sent cool pictures of the burgundy hull set against granite coastline and green conifers, I promised to visit one day, but not before illness forced him to put her on the market again.

This was a couple of summers ago, when I was sailing my most recent boat in Maine. Uncertain if Varuna had sold yet, or not, we stopped to visit her and Sam, only to find she’d been trailered down to Florida two weeks earlier to Tony. This man had retired and planned to sail back across the Atlantic and Mediterranean to his native Greece. Over the next year, Tony upgraded and outfitted her for his voyage, sendt pictures. She looked beautiful, pristine, full of stories. We kept in sporadic touch, and I got an email when he left this spring. Then, toward the end of August, Sam sent me Tony’s latest Facebook posting, paraphrased and edited: “To friends and family following my journey, I hope you’re not disappointed in my effort. 3500 miles was 500 short of reaching Europe, I gave it my best under trying conditions. There was no sea and air rescue mission for Varuna. At dawn of Aug 25th, I called a container ship on the VHF, asked them to pick me up, and climbed a rope ladder to safety. The crew welcomed me with open arms and Varuna was left adrift. It was not a light decision.

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11/6/17 11:56 AM

Approaching Gibraltar with no navigational lights, radar or chart plotter, I chose life over money. I’ll hug my family and see my granddaughter on my lap again.”

The next day, he sent me a personal email saying how sorry he was, how he couldn’t stop crying. Wow. I immediately empathized with what he must have felt before stepping off Varuna’s deck onto the ship and leaving her behind. I didn’t press for more information and offered condolences.

Then, it hit me. Tony had been the last one to see something that had been incredibly dear to me for twoand-a-half very intense years together. One of the stages of grief is anger, and as wasteful an emotion it can be, I definitely felt some. At 18, 19 and 20, with all of life before me, I’d stuck with her, often without engine, always without any electronics. How could he, a grandfather with most of life behind him, just let her go?

As time restored common sense and compassion, I wondered if Tony had inserted the companionway slats before leaving. Had he shut the seacocks—even though you’re supposed to scuttle abandoned boats so they don’t menace others? Had he left up any sail?

What were her chances of survival? The rallies heading

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to the Canaries from all points in Europe were getting underway, somebody could find her. I sent the news to an acquaintance with an active blog and Facebook presence, and word rapidly spread throughout the sailing community. Not much else to do.

It’s like hearing somebody you once loved fiercely has disappeared into the wilderness. Even if you never, or rarely, keep in touch, just knowing they are out there somewhere findable is a mooring to your heart. When they disappear, a line is cut, your heart is broken.

In the end, Sam’s comment to me is simplest and truest: “Varuna had a good life and served both you and me well.

My adventures with her are ones that I will never forget.”

I write the story I want for her. She is drifting gently onto a beach somewhere, or floating along gamely until a Portuguese, Madeiran, or Moroccan fisherman finds her, climbs aboard and takes over the helm. Could have already happened by now. If so, who is her new master, and will they ever figure out her amazing past? Or, will she just become a mysterious and wonderful gift from the sea?

All I can do is wonder and never let go of hope that it isn’t truly the end, but the beginning of another story with a happy ending. Hope for the best.

Cruising Outpost 35 11/6/17 11:57 AM

It’s not for everybody, but that’s the beauty of it.

Don’t let life inhibit your adventure potential. Break free from uninspiring daily routines to reconnect with the open-water, where the sweet sound of buzzing lines and the irresistible scent of salty ocean breezes captivate your seafaring soul. With the helm in your hands and the world at your feet, you’re free to play by your own rules and frolic between uncommon coordinates. Come aboard, embrace the exotic, and let Sunsail whisk you away one nautical mile at a time.

Bareboat | Skippered | Flotillas | Sailing Schools Call 800.437.7880 or visit sunsail.com

36 Cruising Outpost US_SS_0358_1017_AD - Cruising Outpost - Winter Issue.indd 1 pg 36-37 Sunsail.indd 2

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11/1/17 3:03 PM

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Cruising Outpost 37 10/24/17 11:54 AM 11/1/17 3:03 PM

The Adventure Begins 38 Cruising Outpost

pg 38-45 Jessie On The St. Lawrnece edited Redo.indd 2

DesirĂŠe docked at the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club just outside of Montreal, gearing up for the next leg

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11/1/17 4:39 PM

Sailing Across An Ocean...

The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test

By Jessie Zevalkink

It’s snowing. Not just a little bit, but a-lot-a-bit. This morning it was specs of glitter falling kindly as dust. We motor through islands, mansions, forests, cottages, all appearing to be unoccupied. It’s absolutely beautiful. For a moment I think to myself how amazing this is – cruising the St. Lawrence River in the snow. There is no one. Just us.

The wind picks up out the north. Glitter morphs into wet bullets. My enthusiasm turns to panic. That lovely moment I just had with remote islands, mansions, and glitter is history. I am wondering what the hell we are doing out here.

The river is completely flooded due to this year’s rain and snowfall. Cabins look like they are floating.

Trees, branches, and sections of dock drift down-bound alongside

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us. Snow hits my face sideways.

Marinas are closed. When we phone ahead to find out if any docks can accommodate us

– voices are weary.

This is the highest anyone has ever seen the river and it is putting a heavy delay on the start of their pleasurecraft season.

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11/1/17 4:39 PM

Sailing Across An Ocean...

Riviére Au Renard sunset - an unintentional and magical stopover in Quebec

Snow and flooding have me wondering why I thought this was a wise idea - to take the boat myself to the Atlantic Ocean. Then I remember: I received a $6000 quote to ship the boat to the East Coast…and

Sticking inside the St. Lawrence seaway channel, even though it was flooded.

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pg 38-45 Jessie On The St. Lawrnece edited Redo.indd 4

made a bet with my future husband Luke, that I could sail it out of the Great Lakes myself for less than half that price. At this very moment I’m wishing I could pull that $6000 out of my ass. Luke meets me next week in Montreal. He and I will sail across the Atlantic doublehanded to England. From my house to his house. An expedition we’ve decided to execute prior to marriage.

Luke arrives in four days. Four days couldn’t come soon enough. Our tandem existence has revolved around long distance countdowns. This countdown feels like my hand is in the shredder. Hurry up Luke. I don’t have any fingernails left. I have a long list of projects to do before he arrives. But today I will do nothing. Absolutely nothing besides rest and recognize all the things I haven’t been able to. My mind shifts to the next leg of the trip.

The part where Luke and I try to sail across an ocean.

The ultimate pre-marital test. I’ve only made it 1/4 of the way without him. The other 3/4 is Luke-and-Jess-on-aboat.com. He is our new main character.

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11/1/17 4:40 PM

The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test

The last of eight locks along the seaway

One problem: I like the river. I like locks. I like shoreline. I like the birds. I like the houses. I like the floating debris. I like talking to ships. I like waving to fisherman. I like watching the clouds pass from one tree line to the next. I like not knowing what’s around the next corner. I like seeking the next buoy. I like that they lead you to oceans. But I am scared of the ocean. It’s not that far ahead of me. I’m wishing this river would take us all the way to England. ***** Luke arrives with one large sail bag. In it are some shorts, T-shirts, one fleece, a smock, two pairs of socks, three pair of underwear and Sperry Topsiders. I’m unsure where he thinks he is going. Must he have forgotten we are sailing up to Newfoundland and across the North Atlantic via iceberg alley?

We partake in a 24-hour honeymoon because we haven’t seen each other in nearly two months. Writing down our to-do list rips the stars from our eyes. We get to work.

List: Swap out old sails with new HydeSails. Change all hardware from old mainsail to new. Fit third reef.

Finish fitting inner-forestay. Put on stack-pack and lazy jacks. Install inverter. Organize ballast. Raise Hydrovane rudder and finish installation. Put together a better ditchwww.cruisingoutpost.com

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Luke helming us into the night

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11/1/17 4:40 PM

Sailing Across An Ocean...

Port of Riviére Au Renard for a night’s rest and repairs

riding a bull. Luke is on the bow reefing the main and kit. Find fishing gear. Find best place to store Switlik life raft. Set-up jack-lines and tethers. Do something about the raising the staysail. The standing waves break over the bow. Luke is in the center of a washing machine and I 440 pounds of loose lead in the bilge. Register EPIRB. am on the sidelines getting sprinkled on. For the first Connect second solar pane. Calculate water and diesel time I understand how usage. Calculate battery difficult it is to watch usage. Find more charts.

Jessie downloading weather to her iPad via the person you care most Fix the dodger. Top off Mazu Skymate weather ap for getting thrashed water /diesel. Engine around. I want to close check. Provision. my eyes. I tell myself Three days pass and to relax and get used we barely lift our heads to it because this is the to appreciate Quebec’s new normal. I focus on scenery. No breaks. The weather is not ready holding a steady course because I fall off every for us to go, but we are time I focus on Luke. ready to go. We know We tack back and better, but there is this forth into a 25-knot warped trait we share… headwind and white this eagerness to power water. The channel through anything. When narrows and the earth becomes black. For five hours we a challenge presents itself we both want it. tack 35 plus times in-between ships, a mountain, and The wind rips out of the northeast on the nose as we depart Quebec City. Honeymoon shifts to hurricane. shallows with only a 1/4 mile of space. Exhilaration becomes exhaustion.

Light chop turns to standing waves. I am at the helm

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11/1/17 4:41 PM

The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test

Arriving in Quebec City, where we spent four days prepping to sail to Newfoundland

We both sleep for two hours out of the last 24. It requires all hands on deck to make it through the night.

After 110 miles we turn up the Saguenay River into a seven-knot ripping ebb tide. Don’t ask why, but we try it anyway. Two hours later we make it two miles up the river and tie up to a dock at the Tadousaac Marina which hasn’t even opened for the season yet. We rest. We will try again tomorrow.

On our second attempt towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence we relearn that we are, in not fact, invincible.

Without providing the detailed weather report, let’s just say… the mouth of the St. Lawrence seaway is chewing us up and spitting us out. More of a regurgitation than a spit. We are receiving neon rejection signs and starting to think we should read them. www.cruisingoutpost.com

pg 38-45 Jessie On The St. Lawrnece edited Redo.indd 7

The 20-knot predicted headwind is substituted with a Force 9 gale. It’s raining. It’s black. It’s building. The waves grow into hills. The hills push us back into the river.

The wind becomes an impenetrable force. We tack back and forth. We cover no ground. The second reef The daily fog that is in main and stay-sail have born in the Gulf of Desirée pleasant to helm.

St. Lawrence The wave chop treats us like a rocking horse. We are stationary, teetertottering on springs.

We tack for a few hours with the engine on so we can point just a few degrees higher. The engine shuts off after it sucks in air instead of fuel on a starboard tack.

Rookie mistake. I go down below to bleed fuel in a gale. Diesel is everywhere. She starts running. I start to feel sick.

By 1:00 am we agree to turn around and run with the gale to the nearest safe harbor. Luke drops the main. We oscillate

Cruising Outpost 43

11/1/17 4:41 PM

Sailing Across An Ocean...

Moody skies and rays of sun just before our first gale

between the rolling hills and run with just the staysail. I am shaking, almost violently. I can’t get my body temperature up.

I don’t know if I am shaking from adrenaline, shaking from exhaustion, or shaking from the cold. I feel weak. My mind and body are not working together.

We surf double-overhead downwind and take turns helming. Ten-foot waves and 40 knots of wind. I throw up. I still can’t stop shaking, but I seem to be functioning.

Luke is okay, seems perfectly fine actually, aside from the tired in his bloodshot eyes. He is serious. A light smile here and there. He stares at the sunrise and appreciates it fully, while I can’t seem to find space to appreciate. Focus takes all of me.

I bleed more fuel from the engine when we near port after having it shut off for the second time. Tons and tons of bubbly fuel. So much that I pour it back into a jerry can. I spill diesel everywhere. All over the floor. All over my boots, legs, hands. The inside of Desirée looks like it’s rolled over a time or three. Shit is everywhere. Even my underwear drawer came hurling off the wall. I pass Luke the can of diesel and he tops off the tank. He, too, spills everywhere. All over his Sperry’s, legs, hands. All over the cockpit floor. The engine starts and stays on. We keep the boat flat as possible upon approach.

Go Cruising, Not Camping High Output Water Makers for Showers

DC Refrigeration for Cold Beer and Ice Cream at Anchor

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11/2/17 11:15 AM

The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test

Luke is excited about his HydeSails and experiments with the mizzen staysail

I am impressed by our teamwork, impressed with Luke, disappointed in my physical self. Frustrated by the way my mind feels perfectly fine, prepared, comfortable, while my physical self is in a war zone. I am unable to talk myself out of feeling hypothermic, exhausted, and bilious. I thought I could do that - talk myself out of it.

But I can’t. I soldier through silently, feeling unfit for the job as a result. Luke is an animal up on deck. A legend.

Agile, quick-footed, and precise. He can raise, drop, reef, untangle anything in seconds. He knows exactly what to do and when to do it. And as for me… well, I know how to get the engine started.

Everything takes longer than we think. Nothing is convenient. Chores are endless. Boat life requires strong effort from both of us. Even when I’ve had my ass handed to me, I always feel ready to go the next day. I don’t know why it takes these kinds of extremes to stir up fervent motivation, but it’s addicting. Everything requires more work than I have ever put in on land. The anticipation of crossing an ocean for the first time might be the death of me but the thought of going back to light switches, thermostats, stability and shelter is in a far-away corner of my mind.

We will make it out of this beautiful and malicious seaway.

Newfoundland, here we come. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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11/2/17 11:14 AM

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11/2/17 3:15 PM

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11/2/17 3:16 PM

It Still Rains i

by Jess Lloyd-Mostyn

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11/2/17 2:11 PM

s in Paradise

It’s raining today in Fiji. Or perhaps I should say, it’s raining again in Fiji. In the last few weeks we’ve been making passages through the reef systems of this beautiful island group, but progress has been slow as we’ve been weather dodging, trying our best to avoid huge rain downpours whilst underway.

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Shocking as it may seem, we get a lot of rain.

This shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise but, for some reason, once people know that you’re off sailing in exotic locations, it’s never an image of a rainy day that comes to mind. Well, perhaps it will come

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11/2/17 2:12 PM

A squall approaches while sailing off the coast of Costa Rica

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11/1/17 1:58 PM

Below: A rain dance is a great way to save fresh water by showering outside A far off squall dumps its rain out at sea as a nice surprise if you’re reading this whilst gazing at a wintery scene through your window. It rains here. It rains a lot.

I think that the real issue is the flippant use of the word “paradise.” Since leaving England we’ve spent the whole of the last three years living in the tropics and we’ve heard pretty much every single place we’ve stopped in referred to as “paradise.” It’s mentioned on the VHF radio nets in the mornings, it’s written all over the cruising guides, and we, too, find it creeping into our everyday vocabularies more and more. World cruising throughout the tropics means that your sailing routes can hit some of the countries and places that people have always dreamed of. The dream will always include a cloudless sky and is further fuelled by every book, postcard and every brochure image that is a record of such places. Tahiti, St Lucia, Fiji, the Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, every single one of them trades on the merit of being a glamorous utopia.

Emails or Skype calls with our friends and families back home often touch on a note of jealousy about the weather as people tend to picture us, bobbing gently below a clear sky of blazing sunshine. And yet, although we see www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Palm trees in the background, rain in the foreground

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Adamastor at anchor - French Polynesia

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the photographs of the lush vegetation, the verdant hills and the wealth of unusual and colourful flowers which sit so well with our personal understanding of “paradise,” people, in general, fail to realise that such fertility is fuelled by rain.

Tropical rain has a character all its own. London may have showers, or a continuous drizzle for a day, but the rains that we’ve encountered in recent years have much more theatre and spectacle to them. A rainstorm can start in an instant, but with a force that can’t be ignored. It’s like someone flipping a switch. It can pound so heavily that it’s actually quite pleasurable to stand out in it, as it’s stronger than any water pressure you’d get from a shower in a bathroom. The water drums on every surface and cleans our decks in moments.

Rain obliterates the mainland from your view, makes the channel you’re sailing towards disappear or suddenly renders a towering mountain invisible. The rains that we experience are so forceful and so sudden that a distinct wall of white can be seen moving towards you when it comes. It’s accompanied by a roar of water and a sudden flurry of movement as every boat at anchor closes itself up, hatches shut and all signs of life gone, like a turtle drawing into its shell.

Sometimes the wall of rain comes with intense gusts of wind, coming as if from nowhere. This sends the water flying horizontally and sets the boat bucking and straining at its anchor. If you’re underway, you have only seconds in which to reef down once you spot the wall of white approaching. Or, it can be the opposite, still and windless, with fat, heavy, relentless drops hammering down.

Sometimes it’s even a bit of both, with unpredictable swings and changes in wind direction as well as strength, making sailing through it a real challenge.

Rain in the tropics does, at least, tend to be quite warm, so if you’re caught out in a storm you generally won’t be shivering. But what gives it a real personality is the sheer volume of water that falls in one of these deluges.

We lived on our boat in Panama through one hurricane season. Tucked in as far south as that, you’re safe from tropical storms, but you are most definitely not spared from the full force of the rains that are associated with weather disturbances further north. It can easily rain non-stop for three days. It’s during this type of persistent downpour that you will really be aware of any leaks on board if you hadn’t noticed them before.

These rains can be trying. Everything feels damp and there is no way of drying out soaked clothing, cushions or bedding. The humidity is announced cheerfully over the radio as being 100% and everything you touch seems to be saturated. There are times when you might feel somewhat stir-crazy as torrential rain results in a sort of boat-arrest where your only option is to hunker down.

In our pre-baby boating lives we would resort to good www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Advanced Mainsail Management books and good movies, snuggling down into our cocoon of a cabin for a few days. Surprisingly, rainy days with an infant have resulted in even more delightful distractions.

The week that we were almost entirely boat bound due to the heavy rains in northern Fiji meant that we had some truly lovely quality family time together.

Sailing a route through a series of islands and countries, as we are doing in the Pacific, means that if you get hit by the rains during the limited time you have in one place, you may miss out on seeing it altogether.

We had great weather in Bora Bora, but friends who arrived later than us had a solid fortnight of rain. Our 10 days in Rarotonga in the Cook islands included only three days of sunshine.

It pays to remember that one aspect of life in the tropics is that the people who live there year-round are excited by the rain. They look forward to it and rejoice in it as opposed to our view in England of wishing it away. Rain feeds crops, nurtures plants, sustains animals and provides clean water for drinking, bathing, cooking and laundry. Cruisers too, for all our dislike of rain when navigating reefs, love the opportunity to fill our water tanks. We have no watermaker on board so rain catchment has always been a huge benefit of a few rainy days. We cover our aft deck with extra buckets, stretch a tarpaulin out or even collect rainwater from our dinghy and reap the rewards for the rest of the week.

I’m especially appreciative of this extra water now that we have a baby on board and every day is laundry day. There’s something that feels very satisfying about harvesting your own fresh water to live on in this way.

So, the next time that England looks grey and miserable and you silently curse your cruiser friends enjoying the sunshine on the other side of the earth, imagining them in some idyllic location, you should stop and remember to add a hefty dose of rain to that sublime image you’re painting. Or else, feel smug, as you’re the lucky ones whilst we’re longing for some of that glorious rain so we can fill our water tanks.

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ermaid M Hannah

Connecting Two Worlds

By Rich “Magic” Marker

PHOTO CREDIT: CHANEL BAREN

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PHOTO CREDIT: CHANEL BAREN

Imagine a golden-skinned woman with her blonde hair streaming out behind her, swimming alongside two humpback whales. Her slender torso transforms, at her waist, into a long glittering blue tail that flares out, where her feet should be, into a large double fluke. She undulates through the water, stretching her arms in front of her as the whales dip above and below. Imagine this same woman swimming with great white sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, seals and dolphins, smiling all the while, twisting in the water, bending her body into S-shapes and half-circles as she swims and plays in the sea.

Her name is Hannah Fraser, and she’s not a creature of legend and myth, but a real-life, present-day, professional mermaid. Hannah Fraser travels all over the world and is the most famous of the professional mermaids working today. A recent Businessweek article even called her the “Angelina Jolie of the tail business.” She’s also, arguably, the one who invented the profession. Of all the girls who grew up dreaming of mermaids, it was Hannah who grew up and actually became one.

There’s something wonderful and brave about someone taking that seemingly impossible step, taking a dream and making it a reality. Now girls all over the world are following in Hannah Fraser’s fluked pathway, www.cruisingoutpost.com

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and discovering their own mermaid selves.

Hannah quit her job as a photographer and an artist to become a full-time mermaid in 2003. She has worked non-stop to make her passion a career, and in 2010 left her hometown of Byron Bay, Australia for Los Angeles to create more mermaid career opportunities.

Putting her artistic talents to use, she’s invested thousands of hours (and dollars) into her tails and continues to create new ones. A tail is made from a FINIS Competitor Monofin covered with 3mm neoprene wetsuit material. Hannah collaborates with silicon artists SeeThroughSea.com and FinFolk Productions for the tails’ stunning decorative fins.

Each tail can take over six months to make. Hannah says, “For me it is a work of art that has to be fully functional as well as beautiful. There are so many elements to deal with. It needs to be flexible, long lasting, comfortable, safe, aesthetically pleasing and as realistic as possible.” There’s a lot of intensive sewing, gluing, and constructing. It’s a labor of love, but worth

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PHOTO CREDIT: SHAWN HEINRICHS

PHOTO CREDIT: SEATHROUGHSEA.COM

“Mermaids represent a unique bridge between the human and ocean world to inspire connection back to nature, and offer a voice to communicate the environmental issues that face us at this point.”

PHOTO CREDIT: EMILY GUMMIG

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it in the end. And not only do they look good - they help her swim FAST. Her support divers can have trouble keeping up with her as she swims and performs underwater - it’s a good thing she can hold her breath for up to two minutes!

Hannah is a passionate ocean activist, and appears regularly to educate audiences on ocean conservation. In 2007 she co-organized a “paddle-out” against Japanese dolphin slaughter, during which a group of activists attempted to shield dolphins being slaughtered in Taiji, Japan.

“I helped organize and participated in the surfers paddle out into the bloody waters of the Taiji cove where dolphins were being slaughtered. The fishermen there were very angry at being filmed committing these violent acts and began to attack us with long fishing sticks and push their boat propellers towards our legs. We held a circle for 20 minutes while the remaining live dolphins squealed and spy hopped, looking at us, and moving towards us as if they knew we were there to help. We were unable to free any of them as the cove was roped off by the fishermen. Eventually we had to leave and all of the dolphins were slaughtered. This goes on for six months of every year. While we were able to bring the footage to the rest of the world and bring a great deal of awareness, we are still campaigning to end this useless killing.”

This became one of the first actions to raise attention on dolphin killings in Japan and was later featured in the Oscar award winning documentary, The Cove.

“This is the part of my job that gives me most satisfaction, where I feel like I can be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. The ocean creatures are unique, magnificent, intelligent and imperative in our world’s ecosystem to keep the environment balanced. Seeing these animals diminishing in number around the planet, getting sick from pollution, being slaughtered by humans, and fished into extinction, breaks my heart.

I decided to create beautiful images of the connection possible between humans and ocean creatures to inspire people around the world to protect and love them.”

You can follow Hannah Mermaid on twitter @HannahMermaid or visit her website: www.hannahfraser.com. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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PHOTO CREDIT: BRETT STANLEY

Cruising Outpost 57 10/23/17 11:01 AM

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Black Boaters Summit

By Carroll Green - Photos by Joan Jackson

What a sight to behold! Black boaters ascended in great numbers during the off season in the British Virgin Islands, providing an economic boost to the usual downturning economy at this time of the year.

The eastern seaboard of the U.S. was well represented, with mariners from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Other states included Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, California, Washington, Oregon and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Leading the pack was Paul Mixon, who started it all when he launched the Black Boaters Summit (BBS) some 20 years ago. Paul greeted many of us on arrival at the airport in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. He greeted others on the island of Anegada and at the Bitter End Yacht Club.

Some of us had the pleasure of sharing the flight from Miami to St. Thomas with Fran Kelly, a long-time assistant to Paul and a member of his crew. Also attending this gala extravaganza was Dr. Byron “Billy” Biscoe, a

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practicing Ophthalmologist based in St. Thomas. Billy was there from the beginning, introducing black boaters to the Caribbean communities, and he returns each year for the annual reunions. It was a delight seeing Billy again and reminiscing well into the wee hours with him, his son, and his homies: John Quickley, Johnnie Parham, Melba Allen, Diane Moizio and Jerry Elie.

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Black Boaters Summit What Paul Mixon started has evolved into an increasing number of individual, but related, groups of black boaters. The Seafarers Yacht Club of Annapolis, reputedly the oldest functional black yacht club in the country, was exceptionally well represented. Joe Banks, the well known Chesapeake Bay sailor and a member of Seafarers, led an armada of yachts that not only impressed the locals, but impressed us all. Those who know Joe were not surprised; Joe has a knack for making the good better.

Joan Jackson, a member of Seafarers and a former long-time logistician for the BBS, led the group of No Drama Travel. We should all take note of how No Drama Travel conducts its business. No Drama employs local native charter boat captains. In fact, No Drama’s lead captain was Kenroy Hazel, the dean of local captains and well known throughout the BVI. Andrew Cooper was the other local native captain for No Drama. The moral here is that parity and charity begin at home; support our brothers and sisters first and foremost.

We need to look beyond the veneer of paradise. Paradise for whom? Certainly not the local native population. When the local economy nose dives during the off season it is the local natives that are hardest hit with unemployment. Local native charter boat captains will direct you to native owned businesses and scenic wonders that are unknown to credit card captains. If one desires the services of local native captains, Joan Jackson can put you in touch with this cadre of skillful homegrown talent of color.

Craig Martin on S/V Wild Thing II led the group Nauti

By Nature that included the dean of black captains, John Quickley on S/V TouCan Play. John was there shortly after the beginning with Paul Mixon. The mainsail of

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TouCan Play ripped while being hoisted en route to Anegada. That mishap ended any notions of sailing for the remainder of the voyage.

Cleve Taylor on S/V Liberty Choice, was an independent. Susan Lynch, on the S/V Pleaides, also a member of Seafarers, was an independent. Rex McAllister, a blessing to all of us and coming back from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a traffic accident, was also an independent.

His yacht, S/V Playlist, included his wife Janice, daughter Anna and cousin Gwendolyn Evans, all first timers for these nautical adventures. This crew also included Lewis Ethridge and Michele Jones. The last time I saw Janice she was still smiling from the great times they had in the tropics.

Lemart Presley on S/V Galeaux, had a crew of seasoned bluewater sailors that included Major General USAFR (Retired) Ernie Talbert and his wife, Admiral Richelle, Curtis and Veronica Cobb, Nadair Q, and firsttimer Dr. Debra Jackson English, who purportedly had an exhilarating experience. Debra made a last minute decision to attend this celebratory event and was fortunate enough to crew with a group of VIPs. Dean Baxter Smith and Anne Gaye curtailed their worldly travels to join this crew.

Beverly and Marshall Tolbert, long-time bluewater sailors on M/V Exit Strategy, led a group of happy sailors that were usually the first to arrive at the appointed designation with libations in hand. Joanne Kelly, a hard working member of Seafarers and a major contributor to its causes, was a member of this illustrious group.

Allen Plaskett on S/V After Glow, was an independent. He was joined by crew members Dr.

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Black Boaters Summit Roderick Boyd, a longtime Seafarers member, newcomer Rev. Dr. Brenda Harger, Signey O’Neil and Joanne Wilburn. Yolanda Lockhart was another independent with her crewed yacht.

A special shout out to the youngest captain in the fleet, Caleb Boise on S/V Endless Summer. Caleb, a seasoned bluewater sailor, has been sailing the Sir Francis Drake Channel for some years now, following in the footsteps of his father, Craig. Caleb, an alumnus of Howard University, usually has a crew of fellow alumni and they are affectionately known as the millennial crew.

By my count and Paul Mixon’s, there were 60 or more boats plying the waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel. This is, by far, the largest contingent of black boaters seen in these waters.

The Race From Anegada Ron Harris and Bill Reddick on S/V Osprey were callers for the start of the race. Hours after the finish the results were still being debated.

We understand from a very reliable source, a race participant, that S/V As You Wish (Daryl Dennis), S/V No Regrets (Shawn Ginwright), S/V Galeaux (Lemart Presley) and S/V Moonshadow (Keith Green), were in the hunt for fi rst place. But as Keith describes the fi nish, S/V Freedom Seeker (Alozona Galloway), another long-time bluewater sailor, coming out of the mist and closing fast, flashed by Moonshadow to cross the fi nish line ahead of all.

Anne Gaye on Galeaux thought she saw a foul, but Ron Harris and Bill Reddick, our race officials, were not anywhere near the fi nish line to substantiate the alleged foul. Congratulations to Alozona and the crew of Freedom Seeker.

Sightings Alex Dawson, a BBS participant in the early years, is a long-time bluewater sailor who grew up near the

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Albemarle Sound. Alex later became the director of Legal Services in St. Thomas. Shortly after taking the job, Alex came back to sail his boat back down to St. Thomas. Alex remains in the practice of law in the Albemarle Sound country of northeastern North Carolina.

Tony Ford and Darian Brown, independents, were also among faithful who were sighted.

Missing & Missed Bill Pickney, a longtime BBS participant, was sorely missed at this year’s gathering of mariners. As many may know, Bill was the first mariner of color to circumnavigate the globe solo, completing his epic voyage in 1992. Bill’s book, “As Long As It Takes - Meeting The Challenge,” with a foreword by Maya Angelou, is well worth the read.

Bill Pickney and Bill Cosby served together in the U. S. Navy, and Bill shares another distinction. He is one of two black sailors certified to captain tall ships in this country. Bill is the Master Captain Emeritus of the schooner Amistad, Connecticut’s official tall ship. Bill still has his hands on the helm sailing out of Fajarod, Puerto Rico. Bill, we missed you! Hopefully all is well with you and Migdalia.

The other certified black captain of tall ships is Rob Chichester. Rob is a relief captain of the S/V A. J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s official tall ship. Rob will be leading a voyage along the Amalfi Coast of Italy next month.

Retirements Afloat John Alexander Quickley called me last fall while I was sailing aboard S/V Bay Poet in the Chesapeake Bay, asking me to join him as mate on this anniversary voyage. I immediately said yes after a three year absence from the Caribbean. Shortly after boarding, John announced that this would be his farewell voyage of crewing in the Caribbean, a decision he had made prior to making the trip down. After watching Jerry Elie, some 20 years our junior, jumping into and out of dinghies and engine

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Black Boaters Summit compartments, I quickly concluded that this was also my farewell voyage of crewing in the Caribbean.

John and I are four score and more, a point in life that Lemart calls ancient, but a point we cherish and arrive at not by accident. Seniors at this juncture do not jump into or out of bed, or jump anywhere else. We tend to slide, glide and grasp firmly onto hand rails and other safety devices.

It is readily apparent that neither John, nor I, are a tribal chief, politician or pastor, since we know when to step down, step aside and simply get out of the way. We recognize diminishing skills, diminishing agility and diminishing energy; we know when to fold. Crewing in the Caribbean is history, but for now, sailing European waters continues unabated.

Good News Upon Returning Home Lorena Bow, a former BBS participant, member of Black Ski, and a certified scuba diver who had traumatic brain surgery, remains the competitive soul she has always been. She is a member of the DC MedStar Rehabilitation Hospital rowing team. Competing last weekend in the 36th Annual Adaptive Rowing Regatta, in Philadelphia, Lorena won two medals in the competition. A hearty congratulations Lorena, from your nautical friends!

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Land Of The

Cruising the Inside Passage

A

fter arriving in Southeast Alaska from Hawaii at the end of June, 2016, we spent six weeks cruising the Inside Passage on our Liberty 458 sailboat. The voyage from Sitka to Juneau was a great introduction to “high� latitude sailing; we feasted on crisp fresh air, breathtaking scenery and close encounters with bald eagles and whales.

From Juneau we travelled south through the inside waterways to Petersburg, visiting the Sawyer Glacier at Tracy Arm on the way. After a stop in Petersburg to catch up with friends, we headed further south to Ketchikan and the famously beautiful Misty Fjords. Observing black bears and sailing amongst icebergs were unforgettable experiences and we would like to share some of the high spots of our voyage.

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M

Midnight Sun from Juneau to Misty Fjords

By Suzy Carmody FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE SUN NEVER COMPLETELY DIPS BELOW THE HORIZON IN ALASKA’S NORTHERN LOCATIONS. IN THE SUMMER, THE SUN IS VISIBLE

AT MIDNIGHT. PARTS OF ALASKA ARE BATHED IN 24 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT. IN BARROW, THE SUN DOESN’T SET FOR 84 DAYS.

The Amazing Tracy Arm

Juneau has everything to offer the cruise-line tourists, but the old world charm has almost obliterated the traditional soul of the old fishing town. Nonetheless, it is a vibrant and thriving city and is a lot of fun to visit for a day or two. Once we had completed our provisioning, we departed Auke Bay (near Juneau), ultimately bound for Ketchikan two or three weeks later.

We had heard wonderful tales of the prodigious salmon to be found at Sweetheart Creek (in the bay gloriously named Port Snettisham). It was about a day’s sail away, so perfect for our first night’s anchorage. The next morning, armed with fishing rods and bear spray, we headed up the creek to test our river fishing skills.

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Black bear at Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory

Creek Street, Ketchikan, the bawdy centre of the old fishing town

Kasaan Totum being Carved

Cruisers helping carve

Casting below the waterfall in Sweetheart Creek – didn’t get a bite!

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We were enjoying the remote beauty of the spot until to go up in the dinghy. We paddled quietly most of the the creek turned out to be too shallow and we had to get way as we didn’t want the noise of the engine to scare out and drag the dinghy to the bank. We spotted tracks off the wildlife, and a light north wind gave us a boost. where the grass had been crushed by bears; apparently It was fantastically scenic and peaceful, and in amongst they often roam along the same paths. Talking loudly the meanders we found a deep pool filled with schools of and feeling nervous, we walked It was fantastically scenic and peaceful, and in amongst the up stream until we found a lovely waterfall. The pool looked perfect for meanders we found a deep pool filled with schools of salmon. salmon (or so we thought), but not a We were followed up stream by two seals and from the height one did we see. We practiced casting of the bank we watched them hunting the salmon in the pools. for a while, found some bear pooh and decided to call it a day.

The Sawyer Glacier lies at the end of a fjord named salmon. We were followed up stream by two seals and from Tracy Arm on the east side of Stephens Passage. We the height of the bank we watched them hunting the salmon anchored at the mouth of the bay and got up early for in the pools. This did not bode too well for our fishing our 50 nm round trip into iceberg country. We had been success, but surprisingly, I managed to snag one. We were briefed on the difference between growlers (icebergs, not very worried that a bear would smell the blood and get bears!) and bergie bits, and were advised to keep a sharp hungry, so we hurried back to the dinghy and got the heck lookout and to steer clear of ones that looked top-heavy out of there.

Petersburg and the in case they rolled over. There were only a few icebergs in the first half of the trip, but they got denser as we got Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory closer to the glacier. Dodging between them was a bit Petersburg was originally settled a hundred years ago like playing a computer game and good communication by a Norwegian, who opened a cannery there because of the between look-out and quality of the glacial helm was essential. water. It still has a Masses of icebergs very Norske feel to the made access to the place, with rosemaling South Sawyer Glacier paintings on the eaves very hazardous, but we and shutters of the were able get up close houses. There are a to the North Sawyer couple of marinas Glacier. We followed in the harbour and a tourist boat in, and several fish processing using their experience plants. At low tide it is to guide us, we got to a landscape of masts within 200 meters of and pilings. We caught the glacier front. It was up with Nancy and the very active with ice Commodore, friends blocks tumbling from on S/V Flashgirl who the top and huge, icy-blue slabs fracturing off the front we had last seen eight months ago in the Marquesas. It is accompanied by a grumbling roar. My husband, Neil, always wonderful to see old friends in new surroundings. was in the dinghy taking pictures of Distant Drummer in The route south from Petersburg passes through the front of the glacier and I had to turn quickly to shelter him Wrangell Narrows, a channel which is about 20 nm long from the waves generated as the slabs landed in the water. and only a 100 meters wide in places. Timing has to be well We didn’t hang around long. It was soothing to return to planned with the tides. Heading south, the idea is to pass the tranquillity of the fjord and watch icebergs float by, Green Point at high water slack when the southerly flood marveling at their sculpture. in the upper part of the channel changes to a southerly ebb On the move again, and we motored further south to in the lower part of the channel. By the time we left, the Sandborn Canal, another fjord on the east side of Stephens fog had mostly lifted and we enjoyed the passage through.

Passage. This time the river was deep enough at high tide Ticking off the buoys was like playing Bingo!

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Anan Creek (near Wrangell) boasts the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska. Brown and black bears, as well as bald eagles, come down to the creek to fish, and the Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory provides a (relatively) safe platform to observe the wildlife. The anchorage in Anan Bay on the Bradfield Canal is not great (steep and rocky), but we took a chance and dropped the pick. We really wanted to see some bears. Permits, required to enter the reserve, can be bought on line and it is wise to plan ahead, as they can be booked up for many days in advance. A park ranger, located on a hut on the beach, checks permits and leads visitors up to the viewing platform beside a waterfall in the creek.

As soon as we arrived we saw a mature black bear come lumbering down the opposite bank. After staring intently into the water for a while, it pounced in head first and snatched up a fish with its mouth, then hauled itself out and disappeared into a cave to feed. It was comical to watch the younger bears’ attempts at catching salmon. They’d dither on the rocks for ages, then plunge in, come up empty handed (or mouthed) and look around in the water to see what happened. Another mature bear, tatty from a recent fight, arrived and grabbed out a salmon. Then we listened to the snaps and grunts as it devoured the fish underneath the viewing platform. A couple of bald eagles were perched in the trees opposite the platform. They didn’t hunt, but preened and watched the antics of the bears and the tourists.

Prince of Wales Island

After an overnight in Myer’s Chuck, we crossed the Clarence Strait to visit Prince of Wales Island. The southern part of the island is being quite extensively logged which is a shame, but considering the vast tracts of forest we have sailed through with trees as far as the eye can see, the area being logged is exceedingly small.

Thorne Bay was our first anchorage and we could hear chain saws when we woke up.

Our next stop was the Haida settlement of Kasaan in Kasaan Bay. The old community house there has been rebuilt and the totems, dating from the 1880s, have been restored. It was a beautiful bike ride through the forest to the house site with various totems hidden amongst the trees. We met the carvers who were working on a new totem for the rededication ceremony in September, 2016. It was great to see the traditional craft being interpreted and practiced in a modern way.

Ketchikan

It was a one-day sail crossing the Clarence Strait again to reach Ketchikan. The town has a quaint pioneer atmosphere: the wooden houses cling to the steep hills with roads built on wooden treadles running between them. It has boomed from various industries including

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fishing, mining and lumber, and is now firmly on the cruise itinerary with at least three huge ships calling each day.

Creek Street, which was the old Red Light district, has been polished up for tourists with gift shops and jewelry stores, but the salmon still come up the creek to spawn (as the celebrated courtesan, Dolly, noted). After spawning they die, so unfortunately, the creek was full of dead or dying salmon and didn’t smell too sweet, but it’s a nice still a place to stroll after the last ship has left.

We were lucky enough to be there for the Blueberry Festival which was great fun - like an English village fair.

The day started (for us) with the Slug Race. My money was on a most revolting 49g white slug named “Slimy Carter.”

The slugs were placed in a heap in the centre of a round table and it was a race to the edge. We didn’t wait around to see the finals, so we’ll never know if Slimy Carter stole the show.

Later in the afternoon it was time for a cool beer and the Beard and Moustache Competition. Four blonde judges giggled and took notes as six beards and one moustache were paraded in front of the crowd. A guy whose beard was sprayed bright blue won for artistic interpretation, and the moustache won the People’s Choice.

Misty Fjords

Our last stop before the Canadian border was the Misty Fiords National Monument. The scenery is described as an incredible, jaw-dropping and majestic wonderland, but for us it lived up to its misty reputation and we didn’t really appreciate the splendor. The inlets are deep and narrow, and above the tree line the steep rock faces have been smoothed and curved by the ice of glaciers which have long since receded. U-shaped valleys perch like bowls on the skyline drained by streams which tumble into waterfalls down the cliff face. We anchored in several of the fjords on the east side of the Behm Canal and appreciated the stark and nebulous mood of the landscape.

At Punchbowl Cove in Rudyerd Bay, we took the dinghy ashore and walked up the trail beside the waterfall to a lake in the valley above. The trail could have been created for Bilbo Baggins: steps carved into fallen tree trunks, stairs made of logs and everything was covered in a thick layer of soft, spongy moss. Bear tracks and poo reminded us to keep singing and talking as we crawled under fallen trees and scrambled over rock falls. The lake was spectacular and the Forestry Service had kindly left a canoe for visitors to use.

We paddled through the still water up to the bare rock faces and admired the dramatic beauty of the place.

Late summer was an ideal time to be cruising the tranquil waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Most of the summer season boats had headed south, leaving peace and solitude for us to enjoy having this beautiful wilderness almost to ourselves.

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View from Tracy Arm Cove at the mouth of Holkham Bay

Icebergs floating in the water in the passage to Sawyer Glacier

Our fishing spot up the creek at Swanborn Canal www.cruisingoutpost.com

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What a life -seals sun-bathing in Petersburg

Anchored behind Carp Island, Smeaton Bay in Misty Fjords

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11/4/17 1:56 PM

What’s Out There?

The folks at Passport have come up with a new design for those who want to go cruising. The Voyager 480 is the latest in Passport’s long history of creating exceptional long-distance cruising yachts featuring intelligent design, quality and elegance.

The new Passport Voyager 480 is designed for knowledgeable sailors who need plenty of room for family and guests. It features a large cockpit for safe passage making as well as comfort while relaxing in port or at anchor. All lines are lead aft to the cockpit, which is very secure. It has a custom stainless steel-rimmed windshield for added safety during those long passages. The Voyager

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Cruising Monohull

480 comes standard with the stainless steel windshield and attached dodger, but for those who want added security, there is an optional hard dodger available.

Below decks the galley is large and centrally located so the chef can participate in conversations while underway. The staterooms and both heads are large and comfortable with plenty of storage, and the main salon is large and bright with large surrounding windows and excellent ventilation. There is even a walk-in utility room with volumes of storage, a work bench, and even room for a washer/dryer.

Passport has earned the reputation of a world-class cruiser, and this model is no exception.

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10/27/17 4:08 PM

Passport Voyager 480

Get all the facts: www.http://passportyachts.com Passport Voyager 480 LOA 48’ 5” LWL 44’ Draft (shoal/deep) 5’ 7” / 6’ 6” Beam 15’15” Displacement 38,500 lbs.

Power 110 hp Diesel 300 USG Fuel Fresh Water 200 USG www.cruisingoutpost.com

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10/27/17 4:09 PM

What’s Out There?

The folks at HH Catamarans build state of the art, carbon fiber, high performance catamarans for a stronger, lighter and faster cat. These cats are designed in California and built in Xiamen, China to exact specifications for speed, comfort and easy handling.

Hudson Wang from Taiwan, and Paul Hakes from New Zealand, came together in early 2012 and set about developing the new brand. The name HH has since come to represent their personal commitment to the quality and success of every boat they build.

What started this design was the desire to build a faster, stronger, smarter and more lavishly appointed

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Cruising Catamaran

catamaran than anything that’s come before it. Naval architects Morrelli & Melvin created a cruising cat that outperforms anything of equivalent size and class.

The HH66-05 sets a new standard for luxury cruising and performance, The interior spaces and clever use of ultra-modern materials bring a spacious look and feel to their cruising lineup. This design also offers easy access for maintenance while underway.

If you’d like more info on this, or any of the other HH Catamarans, you can find it all here on their website. http://www.hhcatamarans.com.

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10/21/17 12:52 PM

HH66-05

Get all the facts:

www.hhcatamarans.com

HH66-05 LOA 65.93’ LWL 64.96’ Draft (Board Up/Down) 6.2/13.1’ Beam 28.5’ Power (Saildrive) Yanmar 80 hp Fuel 200 gal Fresh Water 160 gal Displacement 37,479 lbs Max speed under power 13kts www.cruisingoutpost.com

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10/21/17 12:53 PM

What’s Out There?

The all new Hylas M44 power cruiser is built strong to go long. The design shows off the handcrafted quality and tradition that Hylas owners have long been accustomed to.

The M44 gives excellent fuel efficiency while still having power and performance that is unprecedented. The design maximizes storage space while offering large windows which provide panoramic visibility while underway and for enjoying your surroundings at anchor.

The aft galley positioning was designed to enable easy conversation while preparing

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food and entertaining. The full galley includes a large pull-out pantry for great storage. Saloon and cockpit tables are good for dining indoors, outdoors, or both! The spacious living areas are reminiscent of a much larger vessel, and the generous-sized cockpit is perfect, not only for alfresco dining, but fishing and just relaxing.

For decades Hylas has been synonymous with high quality cruising sailboats, and their new introduction to the power cruising market continues that tradition!

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11/3/17 11:12 AM

Hylas M44 Power Cruiser

Get all the facts: www.hylasyachts.com Hylas M44 Power Cruiser LOA 44’ 4” Draft 3’ 2” Beam 13’ 6” Power 2x Yanmar 8LV-370 370 hp Fuel 240 USG Fresh Water 185 USG Waste Water Tankage 25.1 USG Displacement 20,943.9 lbs. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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11/3/17 11:13 AM

“Sailing Vessel Blue Eye, this is Cristobal Signal Station. Sir, I don’t have you down for transiting today, you are tomorrow at 1500 hours.”

Five furrowed brows and gaping mouths materialised in unison across the cramped cabin, confirming each of us had heard the same depressing words crackle over the radio. Not entirely ready to accept this latest setback in our month-long quest to get through the Canal, we pleaded a repeat message.

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10/21/17 10:15 AM

How Not To Transit The Panama Canal

By Tom Dymond

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10/21/17 10:16 AM

“Manana sir. Your boat transits tomorrow. We lack sufficient advisors for you to go today sir.”

Fortunately, like any good sailors, we did not lack sufficient rum for the five of us to pass a night stuck at the Flats anchorage of Colon, which incidentally is the most inappropriately named place we’ve been since we left England on Blue Eye last year. The funneling winds and long fetch from the Cristobal breakwater condemned it to be about as flat as my blood pressure was, after yet another delay in getting ourselves from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

The Panama Canal is an exciting prospect on the circumnavigator’s itinerary sheet: a landmark, a unique watermark on the page if you will, amongst a list of seas, straits and oceans. It will become apparent, though, that completing the 50-nautical-mile stretch across the isthmus was amongst the hardest mileage we’ve had to cover, and by comparison the subsequent 3000 nautical miles of Pacific Ocean was something of a dawdle. That being said, I would still rather have endured the red tape of the Canal than the alternative - the entirety of South America’s coastline and Cape Horn.

Undeniably, the Panama Canal can be an expensive and time-consuming venture. All told, in March, 2017 we paid $1875 (as a boat under 50 feet) and waited 26 days from the point of arrival in Cristobal to the beginning of our transit. You may recover some of your alarm from these figures, however, in the following two caveats.

Firstly, given we declined to enroll the services of an agent, we had to pay a buffer fee of $891, which we received back a few weeks later having successfully and surprisingly transited without compromising the entire Canal operation by breaking down or something, and so the overall cost was actually $984. Still painful, but an improvement. And secondly, although it was, indeed, nearly a four-week wait until our allocated date, that is not necessarily entirely the fault of the Canal, with some fairly questionable decisions made on my part too. Hence, this is how not to go about matters.

The first recommendation, then, on how not to cross the famous isthmus, is to plan your arrival for March. It is the busiest time of the year and will ensure a lengthy stay in the expensive, stifling, and frankly insufferable marina that is Shelter Bay, as you await an admeasure, and subsequently, your transit date. At this point – although you could have done it weeks before to get your vessel on the system and to temper the imminent days of aching inefficiency – you can submit

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How Not To Transit The Panama Canal

the ‘Procedures to Arrange Handline Transits’ form to the authorities.

They require this to organise your admeasure inspection.

The second suggestion I might offer is that you seek the service of an agent who will charge you – reportedly – somewhere in the region of $300 to $450, a nice figure to add on to the not-insignificant Canal charges and the growing marina fees. In return, the agent will make some phone calls you would be more than capable of making yourself, providing you’ve done a bit of research.

It will become apparent that despite his services you will be no better placed to secure an earlier transit date than those moaning Brits on the Nicholson 32 next to you, who have clearly foregone the agent in order to make the most of Shelter Bay’s daily Happy Hour.

Indeed, seeing as we did not enlist an agent I will continue as if you have not heeded such advice either.

(This is also a means of securing respite from the foregoing sarcasm).

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a few days wait and some persistent, early-morning phone calls to make the inspection happen. When the admeasurer finally does make it around to you, he will literally measure the boat – bowsprits and self-steering wind vanes included, if you have them.

The kindly inspector will then ask a series of questions to ascertain the vessel is fit for transit, to which you either answer honestly or – say you are aware your boat might not meet the required standards – you tell him what he wants to hear and sign where he wants you to sign. Fear not, he is in on the façade, as his face gives away when I tell him that our 16hp engine can, of course, propel us the minimum five knots, no problem! And a holding tank on this 1973 build? Why yes, most certainly!

Soon, we have all the paperwork that will attest to these things, and the fact that I, Tom, am signing it all as James, the absent captain and boat owner, is no trouble. James was away volunteering as a line-handler on a friend’s boat. This, honestly, is recommended, as it meant our skipper would know what the process was prior to the potential (and in our case, inevitable) chaos of the first lock.

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The downside to this was that it necessitated someone severely incompetent in the realms of finance/banking/administration (I don’t even know what to call it), to deal with the ostensibly straightforward matter of transferring the fees to the Canal authorities.

Crucially, it is only when they have received the money that you will be allocated a slot.

Let’s not spend too much time on this. Suffice it to say, bamboozled and distracted by the 4614 Buffer Form, which had me deciphering the foreign language of intermediary banks, IBAN numbers, SWIFT codes and beneficiaries, somewhere along the line I didn’t actually wire the money to the Canal. Nor did it cross my mind that I had not done this until I called the scheduler’s office after a painfully slow weekend in Shelter Bay.

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Solid evidence that boat life has well and truly reaped me useless for office work, but still not disastrous enough for me to feel an agent would have been justified.

We hastily made the wire transfer, but these wasted days would prove exponential in their delay as we subsequently discovered our allocated slot was over a fortnight away.

This was significantly longer than any other boats-in-waiting had been told up until that point.

The upshot was that this provided an opportunity for us to flee the marina and continue to discover the exquisiteness of the Panamanian coastline. We had already passed through the San Blas Islands and Portobello, to where other delayed yachts made haste, so we hung a left after the breakwater for the magical Rio Chagres. The river soared to top place on our list of most beautiful destinations, only to fall www.cruisingoutpost.com

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How Not To Transit The Panama Canal

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second to the following anchorage at Isla de Escudo Verugas. This is an incomprehensibly delightful island that we gratefully crawled up to en route to Bocas del Torro, having run out of wind and fuel simultaneously.

(By this point you’re likely questioning if there’s any reliable advice to be found from such a hopeless source, and so, again, I would point you toward the title of this article.)

Having been literally stranded – though quite happily so – at the paradisiacal island we had stumbled upon, by the time we managed to un-castaway ourselves and get back to Shelter Bay for the final preparations, it loomed on us how much remained to be done in only one day before our transit.

Most pressingly – as it is a regulation for each boat to have a skipper and four line-handlers (a quite unnecessary stipulation) – we needed to find two people willing to sacrifice two days volunteering on an already congested boat.

Equally as crucial, was the renting of lines and fenders, and then there was also the not-insignificant details of providing our so-far-hypothetical-line-handlers with food, drink and clean bedding, and a clean boat as well for that matter. The advisors that would come on board each day would also need feeding and watering, and their presence

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would dictate a haphazard cockpit shade erection that also took place in those manic last 24 hours. I’d thoroughly recommend aspiring to such levels of disorganisation to really benefit from the relief of it all coming together at the eleventh hour.

We were lucky to bump into a previously-acquainted sailor in Shelter Bay who agreed to come along for a couple of days with us, and we got a quick and positive response from a travelling American who we had contacted via the incredibly handy – albeit somewhat archaic – website: panlinecanalhandler. com. Had we not been so fortunate we could have forked out somewhere in the region of $100 per ‘professional line handler’ (locals for hire), but as you might have gathered by now, that would not have been in accordance with our thrifty nature.

With the finer details ready, all that remained was the lines and fenders. The former must be of a certain length and thickness, and the latter, whilst not regulated in amount or size, seemed worthwhile acquiring more of, even if they were just old car tires. The man we were to hire them from – whom it implausibly appears is the only man with the initiative or ability to provide these items – was called Tito.

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10/21/17 10:18 AM

How Not To Transit The Panama Canal

Somewhat bizarrely, Tito insisted upon delivering the lines and fenders to the not-so-Flats anchorage on the afternoon of our transit, rather than to the marina as he had done for others. And so, when 1500 – the time of the agreed delivery on the big day – came and went, and the arrival of our advisor became more and more imminent, our nerves became more and more fraught.

After the month-long wait, after the escape from the paradise island, and after the last-minute frenzy of finding volunteers and prepping Blue Eye, it seemed cruel that want of the right ropes would thwart us now.

Of course, it was after the hissy fit that I don’t care to dwell on had reached its climax, that Tito’s cheery brother – more relaxed than one of Panama’s jungle-abiding sloths – floated over with the promised goods. I could have kissed him, but thought better of it, so decided instead to breathe easy in the knowledge that nothing now stood between us and the Pacific Ocean other than the three Gatun locks, Gatun Lake, and subsequently, the two Miraflores locks the next day.

Those things, and the news from the radio transmission at the start of this article. An advisor down, it was us who had drawn the short straw and been omitted from the list that day.

Incidentally, it had only been the evening before that the scheduler’s office had confirmed our time slot over the phone to me. It never occurred to me that anything could change after that. They were surprised at my surprise when I rang them after our unpleasant radio news, clearly believing we should have been informed that morning of the alteration, to which I’m inclined to agree. It’s at this point I start to get hazy on whether or not an agent would have been worthwhile True, they would have likely found this information out for us that morning, but I don’t believe it would have gotten us through the Canal any quicker. A sincere piece of advice would be to stay in constant contact with the Canal authorities, up to and beyond the eleventh hour.

Fortunately, our line-handlers were cool enough (plied with enough rum) to put up with a bonus 24 hours on the overloaded Blue Eye. (It was so cramped that James and WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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I slept outside, and woke up disbelieving our run of bad luck hadn’t summoned a rainstorm overnight). And so it was the following day, 26 since we first berthed in Shelter Bay, that our advisor boarded and we were to transit the Canal at last.

Overall, there are only three things that this article can advise about the transit itself. One, be very wary of your lines and fairleads when in the locks.

When ascending to the lake, the lines must be pulled in constantly to keep the nest – the line of two or three rafted boats – in the centre of the lock. When descending, lines must be eased out, which is a much more forgiving task for the handlers.

We had the misfortune – unsurprisingly – to be rafted with a ketch far heavier than Blue Eye. As a result, over the course of the transit the stresses exerted on our boat led to the loss of three fairleads and the gain of a severely mangled pulpit.

This occurred after a line ripped out the first fairlead (propelling it at an alarming velocity nauseatingly close to the handler’s head) and wrapped around the stainless structure on the bow, only to tear that from the deck and bend it out of shape.

By this point, we merely shrugged our shoulders in a way that said, “Well, obviously something was going to go wrong.”

Two, know that as the last magnificent set of gates open onto the other side of the world, there are dangerous forces at play. The freshwater of the lock meets with the saltwater of the ocean, and the result is some wicked eddies and currents that have seen boats come sphincterrelaxingly close to the concrete wall, and thus, skippers perilously close to requiring a new pair of pants. I’m delighted to announce Blue Eye and James’s pants emerged unscathed from this.

Three, enjoy the experience. Over the 33 years the Canal took to construct, $375,000,000 and thousands of human lives were spent. It’s impossible to slot through the centre of the Americas and not be in awe of what remains, to this day, one of man’s greatest engineering achievements and one of my personal highlights of an ongoing circumnavigation - even if it was bloody hard work.

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10/21/17 10:22 AM

L i fe s t yle

A Look at Why We Do What we Do Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Lifestyle section folks from all over the world give an insight into what it’s really like out there. If you have a photo you think tells a good tale, why not send it to us? We prefer you send a digital pic, in as high resolution as you can. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken.

We will probaby throw it into our “digital pile” and pull it out someday. We won’t send you any money, but you will be famous worldwide! Email to: Lifestyle@Cruisingoutpost.com.

By Mark Roozendaal, S/V Speakeasy anchored in Bahia Coyote, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

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10/21/17 10:22 AM

Just another day in paradise

Taylor Swift swimming off boat

By Ralph Erickson of old friends sailing

By Amy Norton, first bareboat charter

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10/21/17 10:23 AM

By Peter of Candy, Lala and Maria on the bow heading from Bimini to the Sapona wreck for snorkeling

By Cindy Holden,Tenacity in Cahleta, Madeira

By Dan, S/V Long Windid anchored at the head of Cook’s Bay in Moorea, French Polynesia

By Chuck Queen, sailing off the coast of Croatia from KomiĹža toward the Island of Bisevos and the Blue Cave - Loreen Haubner from Chemnitz, Saxony, German, is the lady enjoying the day.

From Richard in the Bahamas

By Carl from S/V Neshuma looking towards BBQ Island in the San Blas

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Cruising Outpost 89 10/21/17 10:23 AM

By Chris of Hamilton Island races, Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, off Airlie Beach

By Sally Stuart of raft-up at Cochiti Lake, SantaFe, NM

By Tim on the York River near Seaford, VA from on board S/V Morning Breeze

By Doug Shipley of his crew hard at work!

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10/21/17 10:23 AM

By Gary of his wife on their 25th anniversary fishing trip to Kanai Peninsula

By Kevin & Barbara, somewhere in the Caribe

By Charles Scott, 60 feet above the pavement inspecting the rig of Antares in St. Clair Shores, Michigan

By Jordon Rogers, sailing out of Port Canaveral

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Cruising Outpost 91 10/21/17 10:24 AM

Of Timothy & Tabitha, the traveling gnomads, sailing from Two Harbors on Catalina to Long Beach aboard S/V Merry Time

By Gary, sailing through the Philippines

By Aubrey Laughlin of Susan and “Jack” sailing in the Florida Keys

Suzy Jo aboard the Edna Mae in Key West with her dog “dog”

Of Robin Stout with her new pet alligators

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10/21/17 10:24 AM

By Deena Mitchell of Freddie passing through Angels Gate

By Allen Duran, Redondo Beach, CA

By Jim Miller on a Catalina crossing

By Rose Corser, Keikahanui Inn, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas www.cruisingoutpost.com

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By Terri Potts-Chattaway of fun in the bay

By Richard Frankhulzen, the Soggy Dollar Bar, BVIs

Bobbie Vurro aboard the Edna Mae, Key West, FL

Bruce & Jo Ballinger, Miami

By David, Cabo San Lucas, MX

From Terry Billingsby of The Bight, BVIs

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10/21/17 10:25 AM

By Al, aboard the Sea Cottage at Bohicket Marina near Kiawah Island, SC

By Steven Meckstroth of Marina Cay, BVIs

Jeff Thornton on first day out after a bad car accident... life is good again!

From Jim Gilchrist of Silver Lining, Galapagos, taken by David Wynn

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Cruising Outpost 95 10/21/17 10:25 AM

By Bob, Sint Maarten

By Tom and Kitty, on the Big Island of Hawaii

Of Todd Duff, sailing on their Amel Super Maramu

Of Henry Kuyt by Steve Lasher snorkeling off St. Kitts

By Brian Duckett of a San Francisco sunset at Berkeley Marina, CA

By Jeff Rainer at Eagle Harbor on Cypress

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10/21/17 10:26 AM

By Charles Parks, Stuart, Florida

By Brandon Lovejoy, Eagle Beach, Alaska

By Brian Ducket of Alisha and Remi at Pacific Sail Expo

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10/21/17 10:31 AM

Don Pedro State Park, Florida

By William Malone, Key West

By Ian Davies, Truck Lagoon

By Captain Brian, Ewa Beach, Hawaii

By Gary Wells of ARC Europe Rally boats at dock in Horta, Faial, Azores S/V Adagio is among the group

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10/21/17 10:32 AM

By Brandon Lovejoy

By Vincent of Kirstin and Liz aboard the Edna Mae in Key West

From Doug, WYC Post Easter Race celebration at Pelicans Rest Marina, Galveston, TX

Richmond County Yacht Club members in Cane Garden Bay, May, 2017 www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Cruising Outpost 99 10/21/17 10:32 AM

Whatever Happened To What Was Once The #1 Boating Lifestyle Magazine

By Bob Bitchin ...with input from Jody “Mo’ Bitchin” Lipkin

This is a difficult tale for me to tell. In fact, it has taken me five years to get up the intestinal fortitude to actually put it into print. You see, it’s not easy admitting you have screwed up. Add to this the great 20-20 hindsight that usually follows being a total idiot, and let’s just say every word I throw down on this paper hurts.

The story I am about to tell is fact, not fiction. At times it may sound like a crime novel, but in actuality this is a true and factual account of how the most loved boating lifestyle magazine in the USA was lost, and how the readers brought it back to a new and even better life! Looking back over the five years it has taken to rebuild our lives, it seems like it has just been a couple weeks.

First and foremost, I need to recognize the people who were hurt the most, and came back the strongest: Jody, Lisa & Darren O’Brien, Sue Morgan, Cheryl McCroskey, Rich “Magic” Marker, Robin Stout, Zuzana Prochazka, Tania Aebi, and Tabitha Lipkin. But more than these people, we need to recognize our “Founders Circle” - over 700 people who came together to make this happen!

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10/28/17 11:03 AM

And How It Was Resurrected As The #1 Boating Lifestyle Title In Just 5 Years

Act 1 The Birth of Lats&Atts

The 68’ staysail ketch Lost Soul pulled into her home port of Redondo Beach, California, and into her slip at the Portofino Marina, in June of 1996. S/V Lost Soul sailing home to King Harbor She had voyaged all over the world, but as will happen, we, the crew, had to return to get jobs as we had run out of fun tickets. As any sailor knows, when the fun tickets (money!) runs out, one needs to stop and replenish.

As we entered the harbor we called the harbor patrol and informed them that we would be announcing our arrival with the blast of our cannon.

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They weren’t happy about it, but I have to admit it sure felt good when the “boom” echoed in the harbor.

At the dock we were met by many of our friends who were waiting for us to arrive. We’d had a “Welcome Home Party” the night before in Two Harbors on Catalina Island, where many of our friends had sailed over to welcome us back. Since our boat was a true “Taiwan Turkey,” we were the last to arrive.

Later that afternoon, sitting up in the Portofino Yacht Club Bar (where I had kidnapped Jody when she was a bartender there years earlier), the topic turned to how was I going to get a job to make more fun tickets? At the time I was over 50, tattooed, and quite honestly, not what

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employers would look kindly upon. I hadn’t worn shoes in years and my hair had bleached so blonde from the sun that I looked like a real beach bum. So, given my circumstances, I could not even begin to imagine what a 9 to 5 job might feel like. This would be a pretty difficult task, to say the least.

Before I got totally involved in job hunting, I “had to” (lol) take a trip to Brussels! You see, when we were cruising we’d met this couple who worked for the Brussels’ Television networks. They thought we were weird, sailing all over the world just for fun, so they sailed with us a few weeks in the Caribbean and then again in the Pacific as we were headed back up the coast. When we arrived in Catalina they had flown in to “surprise” us and filmed some more. It was for a documentary called “Other People’s Paradise: Captain Bob.” They’d released Keith Ball it in Brussels and France, in French. They wanted me to narrate it in English, so they flew me to Brussels first class! Most kewl!

Once back in Redondo, I started trying to figure out just how I was going to make a living. I was having a little welcome home gathering and amongst those in attendance were two of my oldest friends: Keith Ball, who had been the editor of Easyriders Magazine for the past 30 Bob, Jody & Fred years, and Bob Clark, who working aboard had started the first custom Lost Soul motorcycle magazine, Street Chopper, in the late ‘60s. He went on to create another dozen or so titles before retiring. They had an answer.

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to the magazine I’d sold to Easyriders back in the mid ‘80s, Biker Lifestyle, but for boaters. So basically, “Boaters’ Lifestyle.”

You see, what I had Filming aboard learned in the decades I Lost Soul for spent at sea was, the vision Capt. Bob I had of “yachties” being the only ones out there cruising was total hogwash.

The vast majority of people I met while were just like me. They were from all walks of life, they worked hard to get their boats and even harder trying to keep them from sinking (in other words, they were real people)!

I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say a new cruising magazine was born at that party.

The premiss would Bob Clark be a magazine for cruisers who were real people, not the blue blazer crowd.

A couple days later I was out at the Easyriders offices meeting with their production crew to see how the business had changed over the years I was away. Believe me, it HAD changed! No more pasting up half tones. No more using hairline tape, or even creating film! They were just starting to go direct from digital to print.

The production staff at Easyriders showed me what equipment I would need, and a few days later Keith, Bob and I were sitting at the Marina Grill over a couple of coldies, trying to figure out just how I was going to pay for all this! You see, when we’d returned from our “little cruise” I’d been living on my AmEx card for the better part of a year. Now I was busted!

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September, 2004 Thru September 2008

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After doing a little calculating, we decided there Somehow, we managed to get it cleaned. We was going to have to be a little “cash flow” to get even towed it over to the King Harbor Boat Yard the thing going. I won’t go into how it all works, but and pulled the rusted chunks of metal they called engines out, and sealed basically, when you start a magazine you don’t get any up the hole. Now, it was a Latitudes & Attitudes money for almost a year. barge. It was the Latitudes first home First, you have to create & Attitudes Barge. the thing, then get it to the Next, it was off to the computer store to see printer (who usually wants $$$$ to do anything), then if we could afford what it has to get distributed to necessities Easyriders outlets, and then you need production said I should get: subscribers. In all this time, a Quadra 750 and a laser writer. We had moved the there is nothing coming in.

Just cash going out. houseboat behind Lost Soul, The next week we got a printer (thanks Bob!) and and were soon hard at work creating it’s “style.” In the a distributor (thanks Keith!), and we figured before beginning, it was just me working on the magazine, any dollars started to come back in we’d while Jody held down a job at our friend Curt’s car need at least $50,000 in cold, hard cash. lot. We had to eat, and we’d made a deal with our None of us were in that tax bracket. “investors” that we wouldn’t draw any money My mom and dad offered to loan me until it started to generate $$$. Those were some $$$. Then Keith said he’d throw some tough times, but fun! some into the pot, as did Bob. My buddy Our first part-time employee, (well, Curt said he’d throw in a little, and actually, “volunteer” would be a better before long we had $50,000 pledged. I description) was Dale Norley (now say “pledged” because it would come Atty “The Dude” Tude Captain Dale) who would come in and in over the next few months as we got the help with the production on those first few thing started. Meanwhile, we had to eat! issues. Then, Sue Morgan joined us as a part-time With the money situation organized, we turned editor. She had a full-time job elsewhere, but since our attention to other matters. First, we needed a she lived on the docks, she would help us make the place to work. The boat was fine, but copy into better English. By the way, we had just returned from a decade she is still doing that with us after or so of cruising, so it really was not almost 20 years! the best place for work. BUT, down Finding someone to do the the dock there was an abandoned artwork was also fairly easy. Ron houseboat that had just been sitting Tessensohn, the man who had for a couple years. We offered to painted every motorcycle I ever “help” the marina out and take it off owned, offered to handle the their hands. They agreed. artwork and it wasn’t long before I won’t say it was crusty, but the Lats&Atts had a mascot. His name people who’d lived on it were heavy was Atty “The Dude” Tude. He was smokers. You could barely see out the a sea serpent that followed us home windows they were so coated with one night from Corsairs in Jost Van yellow “tar” from the cigarette smoke.

Mike & Sue Morgan & Pogey Dyke after copious amounts of rum And did I mention the head had been had been consumed. removed? It seems they were fans Funny thing, when we got the of the bucket and chuck-it persuasion, and they had first issue digitally completed, we called the press neglected to “chuck it” when they abandoned the boat! and asked them how they wanted us to send the WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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October, 2004 Thru July, 2012

The last issue of Latitudes & Attitudes, July, 2012 Latitudes & Attitudes published 143 issues between September of 1996 and June, 2012. We were unable to find any records of the July or August issues which were completed, but never published by the guys who took down the magazine in the end. Since all of the computers disappeared when they took off and locked the offices, there are no records of those last issues.

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documents. They said to just have “pre-press” send it when they were through with it. Prepress? I had no idea what they were talking about, and soon I was on the phone with Dick Darling, finding out what pre-press was all about. It was about $13,000! Per issue!

This was just one small fun thing we learned as we plodded along the magazine-building path.

So, to keep this from becoming a novel, let’s just kinda skip ahead and cover some of the more fun aspects of Latitudes & Attitudes.

The first L&A Party, St. Pete - 2001

Act 2 Birth of the Cruisers’ Parties

The first Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Weekend

We were working at a boat show in Oakland, and they had a party after hours. It cost $15 a ticket, and there was a line 50 people long to get a drink, and another about the same to get a piece of cheese on a cracker. As there was a nice Mexican restaurant just a half block away, I opted to go there, where they would bring me my margarita and I could have all I wanted, no ridiculous lines involved. As we were walking out we ran into the Director of Sail America, Karen Martinez, who put on the show. She asked why we were leaving. I told her and said, “If you’re gonna throw a party, throw a party.”

At this point I realized I had shoved my size 14 into my piehole. She said, “Okay, you want to sponsor a party?”

Croatia

Miami

Bora-Bora

Neafu,Tonga

St. Pete WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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And so it was at the next boat show, which took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, the very first Latitudes & Attitudes Cruisers’ Party took place. Just as an FYI, that was in 2001. We have not missed a party there since, either as Lats&Atts or as Cruising Outpost.

Over the following years we created Cruisers’ Parties at a number of other boat shows. The Pacific Sail Expo in Oakland was next (now being held in Richmond, CA). After that was the Miami Strictly Sail, where we set a record with over 1,800 cruisers in attendance. Then, while we were cruising in Hawaii, Crazy Mike in the San Juan Islands decided there should be a Lats&Atts Party where he was. Since we were across the sea, he decided to host it on Sucia Island. We were able to surprise him by flying in, and Captain Woody, who was captaining a 70’ schooner, “gave us a lift” to the party. That night there were about 13 people, but now, going on its 17th year, we get over a hundred boats and everyone dresses like pirates. It’s held the second week of August.

Eventually we would host Cruisers’ Parties not just in the US, but wherever cruisers would gather.

We had one in Airlie Beach, Australia, one at the New Zealand Boat Show in Auckland, and others in Bora Bora, Tonga, Antigua, and quite a few at Marina Cay in the BVIs.

Act 3 Share the Sail is Born

The way I had learned to sail was by signing on as crew aboard a boat that was heading to Guatemala.

I learned from the best, Captain Alan Olson. He has just finished building a 130’ barque to help train more people with his “Call of the Sea” foundation.

In 1999 I got a hair-brained scheme where I figured I could get to sail in the best cruising areas of the world while helping bring even more people into sailing. We called it Share the Sail. The first one

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Lats&Atts first Share the Sail - Tahiti

was held in the Sous le Vent area of French Polynesia.

The group flew into Raiatea, then we sailed to Tahaa, Huahini, and then to Bora Bora. We had three boats and the people who were on that voyage are still friends to this day! And they are sailors!

Oh, yeah, and if you like this idea, we have another one going to the same place, June 28-July 5th, 2018. Feel free to join us!

Soon we had Share the Sails going all over the world. By then, Captain Woody had joined us. He had sailed with me and Jody when we were cruising. After completing his own circumnavigation we convinced him he would have fun running voyages himself.

In the following years, assisted by Tania Aebi, we brought cruising to new people by sailing all over the world. Greece, Croatia, Tahiti, New Zealand, the Grenedines, Tonga and BVIs are just a few of the hundreds of locations where we showed new people (and some old salts) what cruising was like.

Act 4 Now that’s Entertainment!

Boat shows have a way of changing people’s lives. And so it was, while at the Chicago Boat Show I met Eric Stone. He was standing in a corner by the refreshment area, strumming his guitar. I was in a meeting at one of the tables and kept hearing this great music. After the meeting, I wandered over to where he was playing and asked him to stop by our booth when he got a break.

Okay, that was part one. Now, let’s move to the Long Beach Boat Show in California. I was wandering through that show, as it was too small to have a booth, and I ran into a guy hawking a DVD about boating. His name was Darren O’Brien.

What has this got to do with anything?

Well, actually, a lot. Before very long these two WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Shooting Episode One of Latitudes & Attitudes TV with Courtney

Hostess Zuzana Prochazka filming in Miami

happenstance meetings led to Lats&Atts TV, and the he’d help fund it if he could get producer credits. We Latitudes & Attitudes Radio Network. immediately agreed.

When I met Eric in Chicago he came by the booth And then the best part of all... We needed a and he brought me his very first CD which he’d just hostess. Gary opened his wallet and showed us a finished putting together and was about to release photo of his daughter, Courtney. She had just come – I loved it! In fact, I liked it so much I told him we off a show on Fox Sports, and she was working at the would sell it in our Cheesecake Factory magazine. Here we less than a block are, 13 CDs later and from our offices in he is still performing Redondo Beach! at the Cruisers’ One year later, at Parties all over the Oakland Strictly the world and has Sail Show, we played Five Years, 65 episodes of Lats&Atts TV become a good friend. the premier episode of But on with the story...

Latitudes & Attitudes TV! It was a hit! It started on So, in 2004 we were at the Oakland Strictly the Water Channel.

Sail Show. In my booth I was selling Eric’s CDs Soon, we were airing weekly on the Outdoor and Darren’s videos.

Channel, then the Men’s During a break, Darren Eric Stone filming”Legend of Channel, and we aired the Lost Soul” aboard Lost and I were sitting at a on national TV for the Soul table listening to Eric. following five years (65 Darren and I had been episodes in all)! discussing the possibility Meanwhile, we started of producing a TV show Lats&Atts Radio, an online about cruising. Eric sat station that played music down with his drummer, from the singers and artists Gary Haas, and his you see at beach-side bars, friend,Jake “Yellow but who rarely get airplay.

Shoes” Diemer, as we Act 5 discussed the idea. Darren asked Eric if we could A Little Education use some of his music for the TV show and give him In 2003 we put together our first Advanced screen credit. Eric said sure. Then, I asked how much Cruising Seminar. This would gather some of the this would all cost. The number was higher than I best and most knowledgable mariners to help people could handle at the time, but Jake jumped in and said learn exactly what was out there once they cut their WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Lats & Atts Advanced Cruising Seminars

2003 Seminar (our first!)

2006 King Harbor

2006 King Harbor

2012 Biloxi

2010 the L&A Offices

2005 Redondo Beach

2008 Portofino Marina

2007 Redondo Beach

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2009 Mystic Seaport

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dock lines. In our travels we had learned that the only real problem people had about taking off was the fear of the unknown, so we figured we would make the unknown “known” and dispel those fears.

We held these events once a year, the first few being held at the Portofino Marina and Yacht Club in So Cal. We held other events at Mystic Seaport, and even at the Isle of Capri Casino in Biloxi.

At these events we brought in people like Tania Aebi, John Kretschmer, Lee Chesneau and other real experts. Attendees would have two days of The Lats&Atts concentrated classes, and always celebrate with a Staff party (usually with Eric Stone entertaining).

Act 6 One year (see photo on the top left page), they were filming Pirates of the Caribbean while the Finding Kewl Goodies seminar was in session, and the “graduating class” So by this time we had added a bunch of other had a great shot with the Black Pearl in the artists to our CD list. We mostly had people background! An unexpected bonus! who were on our radio station— the Jody and I felt as if we had kind of music that is hard to find actually accomplished more than elsewhere. we originally set out to do, which We started selling VHS always gives a good feeling. Our tapes of great sailing movies “Staff” had grown to a family. (later DVDs) like “Captain We had originally returned to Ron,” “Captains Courageous,” our home port, after cruising for Overboard,” and hard-toLats&Atts so many years, just long enough find videos like “Around the Cruising Casuals to earn enough fun tickets to Horn” and even the complete get back out on the water. With collection of “Popeye.” Then we the TV show airing weekly on a discovered “Cruising Casuals” national scale, it built the magazine’s and soon we had a whole line of following to one of the largest in the clothing that we called “Squash & country. Our radio station was doing very Wear,” along with Teva’s Bluewater well, with thousands of listeners tuning in, and Sandal collection. We even carried Ugg our seminars were so well attended that we actually Boots for a while. had to cut off sign-ups several times.

Before long, our Ship’s Store had thousands of items, and as the internet was just getting started, we were soon selling stuff all over the world. By then the staff had grown by an additional three people at the Ship’s Store and we had moved our headquarters into an apartment in the marina.

But it wasn’t long before we outgrew that and took another apartment right above it, moving the magazine production offices into it. The Ship’s Store kept growing, as did our booth at boat shows!

Before we knew it we had a complete Ship’s Store, carrying everything from clothing and music, to Engel coolers and marine gear that most Ship’s Stores did not carry.

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A Quick Trip to Hell and Back - The Birth of

So, when we last left Bob, Jody, and the staff of Lat&Atts, they were pretty much on top of the world: they were putting out one of the most popular boating magazines of all time, getting to take new people sailing all over the world to bring more people into the lifestyle, and getting to go to boat shows and throw parties for thousands of readers. The TV show was airing nationally, the radio network was being listened to which exposed little-known artists to a new audience, and seminars for helping people get into “the life” of cruising were a hot commodity.

In other words, things were great and Latts&Atts was in a great place. It was time to get out there and go sailing again!!! And then...

Act 7 The Beginning of the End

All my life I knew I could do just about anything I put my mind to, but slowly it was dawning on me that there were some things that I would not be able to do.

It was time to consider where we were and where we should be going. I was about to turn 70 which amazed me, as I felt more like I was 40, but I realized it was getting a little harder to do the shows and to get into the bilge for repairs.

At the time, our life could not have been much better. Shannon was building my new boat in Bristol, the offices were running well, the magazine was still on top of the heap, and the TV show was airing nationally and getting good Nielson ratings. We were able to get out and sail a couple times a year on our “Share the Sail” adventures, which Captain Woody was running, and we had grown to take over three apartments at the

Jody

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Sue

Portofino Hotel, Marina and Yacht Club, one of which we turned into a place for us to stay when not sailing.

In 1999 we had picked up 40 acres of beautiful forest land above Lake Oroville at a steal, and my old friend Al Saunders (who I’d ridden with) had retired from building custom homes in Hawaii and sailed over to help us build a place on the land.

Life was good.

A group of people we had met at the Pacific Sail Expo asked if we wanted to sell the magazine, and after considering their offer, we accepted. We would be able to go out again and enjoy the sailing life again.

There were four people involved in the deal, and I had met a couple of them before. They were sailors, so what could go wrong?

As it turns out, quite a bit.

We had a meeting at our house we had just built up in Berry Creek, CA, about 20 miles from the

Al

Zuzana Prochaszka WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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nearest town and 40 miles from the nearest real shopping. The isolation was like that of cruising, but with 40 acres of beautiful trees overlooking a lake, where three branches of the Feather River joined. At the meeting we agreed on a price, as well as terms.

My life was about to get much better...

Or, at least, so we thought.

We signed a contract spelling out the terms, which included a substantial downpayment at the end of a 90-day period in which they would do their “due diligence.” With that, Jody and I started to plan our future!

Two of the buyers were a gay couple (not that there’s anything wrong with that, lol!) and they moved into the apartment at the office. Jody and I had officially moved into the house in Berry Creek, so they sent us daily reports on how things were going.

I made a plan to give a portion of the sale price as bonuses to the people who had worked with us for so many years and helped make Lats&Atts into a reality. Then, one day the new buyer made me an offer. Instead of me giving them their bonuses, and having to report it as income to me, they agreed to pay the bonuses to them directly, as “signing bonuses.” In that way, they explained, it would be a tax savings for me and a write-off for them, so I agreed.

At the time we had a lot of product suppliers that had our credit cards, so when we would order from them they would just put it onto the card. We had

been doing it that way for years, and each month we would pay down the cards. The buyers also suggested instead of them paying the money to us to pay the cards off, they could just pay off the credit cards as they came in, and they would send me a report on how they were being paid off.

Once again, agreed. Sounded like a good idea.

Before the 90 days were up I started to feel uneasy. They told me all was well, and when I’d ask the people still working there, they would just say things looked “OK.” Unbeknownst to Jody and I, they had been ordered not to speak to us by the new owners!

The first inkling of suspicion I got was when I got a call from American Express. It seems that there had not been a payment in a couple months, and when they called the office they were told a check was “on it’s way.”

When it arrived it bounced!

Now, I had never had a check bounce in my life.

I felt there must be a mistake, because I had a report right in front of me saying everything had been paid off. Feeling uneasy, I called one of the other credit card companies. They had not received a payment in two months either, and the card was maxed out.

Turned out, not just that one, but all of them. I had over $550,000 on my credit line, with all of them maxed out, and no payments had been made in months. The buyers were taking all income and not paying the bills.

Who’s who of the transition: Some of the folks who hung in to help restart, left to right: Jody Lipkin, responsible for all products, boat shows and events. Sue Morgan, “Eddider” for over 17 years! Al Saunders, Founding President of The bitchin Group, Inc. Zuzana Prochazka, TV Hostess and regular contributor. Darren & Lisa O’Brien & Arrianna. Ad Director, Marketing Director, office “kid.” Rich “Magic” Marker, Art Director. Robin Stout, Life Aboard Editor. Tania Aebi, Columnist for 19 years, Share the Sail skipper.

Lisa, Ari & Darren

Rich “Magic” Marker

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Robin Stout

Tania Arbi

Cruising Outpost 113

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I got on the phone. I was unable to “reach” the buyers, but I was told they had taken over paying all the credit cards and were transferring any income to their “new business account” and giving my bookkeeper reports showing they were all paid off.

As you can imagine, all of a sudden I got a lump in my belly, and I have a very large belly. I had fucked up! I trusted them. As my lawyer would tell me later, that was my biggest mistake.

I loaded my .45 and told Jody I was driving down to the offices. It was an eight-hour drive, and it was late in the afternoon. She begged me not to go, but there was no way I could not go.

Al, who lived on our property in a cabin he had built, also told me not to go. He had ridden with one of the well-known outlaw motorcycle clubs for over 30 years and said, “It’s always better to give something an overnight think, then act.”

I had a VERY uneasy feeling, so I called a friend of mine back in Redondo who owned a car lot, asking him to ‘repossess” Eric Stone the company van.

It was okay, as it was in my name.

I also contacted Captain Woody and asked him to lock up the trailer.

I told them both I would see them the next day.

When I arrived at the Portofino

Hotel and Marina in Redondo Beach the next day my worst fears were realized. The buyers had been in the middle of fleeing when Woody locked up the trailer. Some of their “stuff” was already packed in it.

So they rented a U-Haul trailer and in the middle the night they had taken all of the computers and servers, including Sue’s which contained all her personal accounts. Then, they had changed the locks on the doors and notified the hotel that they would sue if they allowed anyone in the offices before their rent was up.

I checked with the printer to see if the magazine was on the presses. They informed me that the print bill had not been paid since they had “taken over” the operation of the company. The printers had informed them they would not print another issue until the bill was paid.

Over the next few days I learned from my attorney that we could not sue the “buyers” as they already had a number of judgments against them, the largest of which was over $3 million dollars. Since we had a contract, my Captain Woody only option was to sue for nonpayment. The two people who I had known that were part of the buyout had been “let go” over the previous few weeks, along with other employees as well.

Above: Eric Stone, musician, wrote the Lats&Atts TV theme song. Captain Woody, Admiral of the Share the Sails, ran the Lats&Atts Cfuising Club. Below, left to right: Cheryl McCroskey, accounting and bookeeping.

Dave Dudgeon, Outpost Party Manager. Jeff & Marie Inshaw, Boat Show Slaves & STS skippers. Eugene Damiani, Boat Show Slave. Steve Hall, Original Webmaster for Lats&Atts and entertainer at L&A events.

Cheryl McCroskey

Dave Dudgeon

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Jeff & Marie Inshaw

Eugene Damiani

Steve Hall

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And I had signed a contract selling them the company.

But I was wrong, as I would soon learn.

The magazine, the TV show, the radio station and all.

There were about a thousand people who were using I won’t go into all the things we learned after that the Latitudes & Attitudes Bulletin Board. As you can day. Suffice it to say, everything we had created over imagine, word spread fast about the death of Lats&Atts. the past 15 years was gone and there was nothing I People were pissed, not only because they had lost could legally do about it. subscription money, but because they loved the magazine.

In my previous On the board years, before I started folks started asking sailing, I lived a fairly how we were going violent life. All of to bring back a sudden, a feeling Lats&Atts. Truth be from those years hit told, there was no me hard. No one was way. We did not own going to get away it, and even if we did with doing this to me get it back, the con without some form of men had basically retribution. Many of bankrupted the the people I used to company. They still ride with offered to owned the name, and assist, but the two con I had nothing... men had disappeared Nothing except to Central America. for thousands of L to R: Jody, Swan Saunders, Bob Bitchin, Al Saunders, Lin Pardey, Larry Pardey, Eric Stone, Kim Stone at the Bitchin Ranch readers who wanted the Once again, my friend Al came to my aid. He sat magazine back. me down and explained, at my age, if I did what I was One or two of my readers even offered to help planning, I would be forced to spend what remaining fund a restart. A “Vulture Capitalist” out of Boston days I had in lock-up. Now, it is not that I don’t have offered to put up the money, but after some thought I a lot of friends in various prisons, but having visited realized that at my age, I could never pay it back. them, I knew I did not want to be there myself, ever.

Then, someone asked what it would cost to start The following week was utter hell. Not to overplay a new magazine. At the time, as you can imagine, I it, but I found myself sitting on a stump in the woods was not in the frame of mind necessary for starting by my house with my .45 in hand, considering from scratch. I kept trying to fight it. I was too old to something really stupid. The fact that it was so stupid start a new business. Starting a business at almost 70 is pretty much why I didn’t do it. If I was going to end was nuts! It’s a boating magazine. Print magazines things, I figured I should finish them first. were dying. The internet is the way to go, but internet magazines don’t cut it for me. Besides, at that time Act 8 Like a Phoenix Rising from the there were no profitable internet magazines that I knew of. And then there was the economy. It fell of a Flames of Destruction And then I got a phone call. One of my Lats&Atts cliff in 2008 and had not started coming back.

So, there was a triple threat. How could I go readers wanted to know what happened. I explained it against all that while in bankruptcy?! to him.

Al said he would help out and start a PayPal He told me that even though the website was account.

We could put a limit on how much anyone down, our bulletin board was still up and working, could put up, as I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. To as it was on a different server. There were dozens of do a single issue it would cost a minimum of $50,000. people on the board wanting to know what was going I figured there was no way, but we would give it a on, so I signed in and told them Lats&Atts was dead, shot. What we came up with was, if someone wanted and I was facing bankruptcy. I had lost everything, to, they could put up $250. which was what I thought.

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Act 9 The Founder’s Circle

If we received $50,000 we would print one issue. If it worked, then we would go on, and those who put up the initial $250 investments would become members of a “Founders’ Circle.” They would get a five-year subscription, special hats, burgees, and other goodies that only Founders’ Circle members could have, along with special deals and discounts that we could generate as we went along. I would also use them as a sounding board on how we could improve the magazine.

Kind of like a board.

I figured it was a long shot, but I had nothing to lose. I had already lost just about everything, which was what I assumed. Then I checked the PayPal account. In 13 days we had over $175,000!

Almost 800 people had sent in $250 each!

And I thought I’d lost everything!!! I had only lost stuff, and who needs stuff. I had plenty of support!

BUT, I was still in bankruptcy. I was about to lose our house, and I had lost everything else, including my Shannon (more on that later)!

With Al as the president of a new corporation called “The Bitchin Group, Inc.” I started to put things together. Captain Woody had moved on to start Adventure Voyaging, but Editor Sue jumped right on board, as did Ad Director Lisa, Lisa’s husband, Darren, Living Aboard Editor Robin, and cartoonist (and now our Art Director), Rich “Magic” Marker.

Jody and I became consultants and had no ownership due to our bankruptcy. The new “World-Wide Conglomerate Headquarters” were in Berry Creek. President Al, Swan and Nick built a shed over the weekend to house stuff. With that, we were at work creating issue #1 of Cruising Outpost. The company started in July of 2012, and the premier issue went to press in October of 2012 as the winter 2012-13 Issue.

As we had a smaller staff than any magazine in existence, we decided to print quarterly, but we would have more pages and less advertising than any other magazine. There were a number of reasons we went that way. First and foremost, we could not put together an issue every month. Most magazines are staffed with 15-18 people. We had three. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Then there were the ads. The marine industry was (is?) in a huge slump, so being quarterly made it more “affordable” to advertise with us.

We also cut our ad percentages, because most magazines run 60-70% ads, but we were “created” by our readers. We wanted to give back to them, so we reversed the percentage. We vowed (and are still sticking to!) never having more than 40% ads.

Okay, so let’s finish this, as this is a cruising magazine and that’s what you should be reading about. In the five years since we started, we have become the #1 selling marine title in the USA. That’s not a recent achievement. Since our first issue we have outsold all other marine titles on the newsstands. Most we outsell 5 to 1. Other as much as 10 to 1!

Act 10 The Future of the Outpost

Our readers often ask how much longer I can do this. The answer is fairly easy. As long as I can do it, I will.

I will continue to write for CO as long as my nubby little fingers can pound on a keyboard, or, more likely, as long as I can talk to this electronic thing on my desk that has been staring back at me all these years.

As you may notice, what set’s Cruising Outpost, and Latitudes & Attitudes before it, apart from the other magazines is simple. Our stories are not written by a “staff.” Our stories are, and always have been, by and for the idiots like me who actually find pleasure in setting sail from one place to another, just to see what kind of adventures we can find “out there.”

When will it end? God only know’s, and he’s not talking to me. But his surrogate is. Just look at our cover this issue - the man who played God himself!

Cruising Outpost is a state of mind that grew out of Latitudes & Attitudes. Latitudes & Attitudes was a state of mind that grew out of an ex-biker who learned how sailing can change a life for the better. As long as I live I will continue to help bring new people into that lifestyle, and I will continue to say: “Don’t dream your life, live your dream!”

God knows, I did!

Cruising Outpost 117

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Cruising Outpost 125 11/6/17 10:33 AM

Did I Do That?

By Stephen Hicks

Decision, Decisions, Decisions...

T

his year I returned to the USA after living and Puget Sound. Trailering and launching each time working overseas for 19 years. I figured it was exhausting, so Willie offered to let me anchor was time to slow down and start thinking about offshore near his house since he was on a low bank retirement and hobbies. As I settled into our home and my house was on a high bank. I accepted his on the Puget Sound I decided that if I was living offer to avoid the trailering, and started to use his on the water I needed a boat. When I was in dinghy to go back and forth to the boat. high school 45 years earlier, I had sailed on Lake The summer was coming to an end and I had Michigan and in the Caribbean. the itch to get out in the higher winds that usually By early summer I made the decision to buy come in the fall. In early September the day came a MacGregor 26C sailboat and start to enjoy the when I saw the tides right and the winds around water. Fortunately, our neighbors are Willie and Lou 10-11 mph, so I left work an hour early to take Schmidt, who along with advantage of the weather The wind was pushing the winning many sailing races, conditions. My wife had had also sailed around the come along a few times sailboat away much faster than the world. They met Bob Bitchin with me. She preferred dinghy and the gap between me and with the Lost Soul during to relax, but would also the dinghy reached a point where I their circumnavigation. steer occasionally. As we could no longer hold onto or climb Willie also was, perhaps, rowed out to the boat it into the sailboat. I made a decision to one of the first to ski off the wasn’t too choppy, but top of Mt. McKinley after the wind was strong. My let the sailboat go, with my wife on it. climbing it with the skis on wife went on board at his back. He had also been a the transom ladder and US National Men’s Ski champion, and along the way I took the dinghy to the bow. There was no buoy, did a 1400-mile kayak trip in Alaska. so my intent was to leave the dinghy on the anchor Lou and Willie were very gracious to me and while we sailed. started to show me all the things I needed to know I untied the rode from the bow of the sailboat about sailing. Along with that I devoured all the and brought the anchor bag (with extra rode) into the books and online resources to try and ensure dinghy and started to pull myself with the dinghy I didn’t embarrass myself. I had many lessons along the windward side of the sailboat. The wind learned on all aspects of sailing, but was woefully was pushing the sailboat away much faster than short on experience. the dinghy and the gap between me and the dinghy Within a month I had successfully launched and reached a point where I could no longer hold onto or sailed the boat several times (without embarrassing climb into the sailboat. I made a decision to let the myself) and in light wind had sailed around southern sailboat go….. with my wife on it. I figured that I

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more rode out of the bag in the dinghy and rowing quickly toward the sailboat which was being pushed by the wind at a faster speed that I hadn’t anticipated… So, when all the spare rode was played out I was still 10 feet from the drifting sailboat with no pole, line etc... a really bad feeling!

Unfortunately, I had not taught my wife how to start or use the kicker motor, but it wouldn’t have helped anyway since I had not opened the lazarette or unlocked anything on board. She was adrift with no boat hook or throw line, without power or ability to do anything except laugh hysterically at me from

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Illustration by Rich “Magic” Marker

I feel a lot more like I do now than I did a little while ago!

could let out the rest of the rode from the anchor bag in the dinghy, row quickly to the sailboat, tie off and all would be fine again. I quickly started pulling

the cockpit. At this point the sailboat was being blown quickly toward two other sailboats about 300 yards away. I had two options: leave the dinghy and swim for the sailboat, or drop the anchor bag and row for the sailboat. I decided to drop the empty anchor bag (rode attached) in the water, row for the boat and hope the anchor bag would float for a while so I could come back for it.

When I reached the sailboat I opened everything up, lowered the rudder down and started the kicker motor to go back for the anchor and rode. I then motored back towards the anchor spot and after a couple passes I spotted

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Did I Do That? the anchor bag still floating a couple feet below the surface.

After a couple attempts I realized I couldn’t steer and reach the bag, and every minute the bag was sinking deeper! So I jumped in the dinghy and left my wife once again, this time with the motor running in neutral.

I realized immediately that, for the second time in less than 30 minutes, I had left my wife adrift in our sailboat without any ability to do anything and being blown toward other anchored boats. At that point she was no longer laughing and there were some strong words about “never sailing again.” I did snag the bag after nearly capsizing the dinghy, but in the process one of the oars flipped out of it. Could it get worse?

I couldn’t leave the anchor bag again since it was already waterlogged and would probably sink immediately, resulting in losing the anchor. So, I made the decision to pull up the anchor while inside the dinghy, then retrieve my oar and after that go after the sailboat again. All that had to happen before my boat drifted into the other boats.

The anchor took about eight minutes, and again I nearly capsized the dinghy as I awkwardly hauled up 100 feet of rode, 20 feet of chain and the anchor. This was no easy feat and my arms were at muscle fatigue by the time I got the anchor in the dinghy. I wondered if my arms would give out before I retrieved my oar and rowed to the sailboat.

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Decision, Decisions, Decisions.

In the meantime the sailboat, with my wife, had blown about 300 yards. She had no idea how to move the kicker motor out of neutral and into forward, but she was being pushed hard by the wind and had the presence of mind to use the rudder to steer away from the other anchored boats and out into the center of the inlet.

After pulling up the anchor, I paddled with one oar about 40 yards to retrieve the other oar, then I rowed 400 yards to catch up with my wife who was sitting in the cockpit with a scowl on her face and a few words of “endearment.” It took another 15 minutes to compose ourselves, slow our heart rates and then eventually get the sails up for a delightful afternoon. In the end we had a nice day of sailing, we had fun, and I still had the boat, the anchor and my wife.

These events all took place inside one hour and our neighbors are all still laughing at the show we gave them. When I see one of them they smile and ask about the sailing, but truth is they now are glued to the window every time I go out. As for me, I laugh every time I think about how crazy it looked and I try to learn something from the dumb things I did. Here are a few of my lessons learned: Take the time to teach everyone onboard; Set-up the boat before casting off; Never underestimate the power of the wind (even without sails); Keep a sense of humor.

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

Cruising Outpost is the bible for cruising sailors.

The word “sailor” has many meanings and we want to make sure you are aware that trawlers, power cruisers, motor-sailors and cabin cruisers are a big part of that “club.” In the next pages you can see what is going on in the world of the power cruiser!

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

G N I O G SMALL

Power Cruising Comes of Age

by Zuzana Prochazka

If you cruise on a 35-footer, are you having half the Small Doesn’t Mean Slow fun of those traveling on a 70-footer? I doubt it. Are Most compact cruisers will plane and that includes you spending half of what they are? I doubt it – in fact, Beneteau’s trawlers with top speeds in the 20-plus-knot I think you’re probably spending less than half because range. Others will cruise at least in the teens due to between insurance, slip fees, fuel and maintenance, lighter vacuum-infused construction methods that need boat costs increase on a logarithmic scale so half just only a single smaller engine for lots of get-up-n-go. isn’t half anymore.

Stepped hulls like on the Cutwater help the boats get This is definitely on plane easier and laminar true when you forgo the flow interrupters break the whole sailing thing and go surface tension to make the power cruising. Hauling process faster so visibility around 70 feet of fiberglass out of the hole is better and will bruise your budget fuel use is lower. Changes when you have to feed in hull shape provide lift two engines and all the so boats carve a turn rather accoutrements that become than digging in or skidding suddenly necessary once even at high speeds, and you go big. Maybe that’s electric trim tabs take the why pocket power cruisers guesswork out of optimizing are gaining ground. Old planing and running angles sailors would rather push so the boats stay level and Ranger Tug Underway buttons than pull on lines run efficiently. Lindell’s so having another birthday upcoming 35 is expected to doesn’t mean having to have a top speed of 45-55 hang up boating. And today’s cruisers are so well knots, which redefines cruising for many of us. designed and outfitted that there’s no roughing it even With one engine, fuel efficiency is usually quite if you stay below 35 feet. good and will soften the shock at the pump for old Small boats are small no longer in terms of their sailors used to burning a gallon an hour. Innovations performance, features and systems, and although these below the waterline include varying shaft angles so under-35-foot designs have been around for a while, the boat is pushed forward rather than up with each their appeal is obvious. Whether you’re contemplating propeller revolution, and props are tucked into tunnels to a Beneteau Swift Trawler, a Ranger Tug, a Helmsman protect them, thus providing a draft of 30 inches or less.

Trawler or one of the many Downeast-styled speedsters When was the last time a sailboat could claim that? from MJM, Cutwater or Marlow Mainship, you’re in Joystick drive has crept down to this level as for a treat when you see what they have to offer. So, well and bow and stern thrusters (which are standard does size matter? on some models) will make you feel like a rock star

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers when docking. Ranger even offers an exterior aft fewer level changes make it easier to get around for steering station on their 31 so you can pretend kids, older folks and pets. And unlike on a sailboat, you’re on a 70-footer. large hatches, windows and skylights bring in lots of Engine packages mix things up too. For example, air and light so you never feel buried in the hull and Cutwaters have the option of either an inboard diesel mal de mer is only a memory. that is very economical, quiet and long-lasting, or Climate controlled interiors keep you outboards that are more affordable to buy and can be comfortable no matter the weather so you can cruise fueled and serviced in more places. Removing the year-round in some places. The Swift Trawler 30 and engine and drive from inside the boat also makes room the new 35, as well as the Helmsman 31, even have for gensets, larger tanks, more batteries and stores. micro-flybridges that increase the exterior living Outboards are also more easily replaced than inboard space, making cocktail hour more fun. engines when it’s time to repower and joystick drive Inside, flatscreen TVs, air conditioning and with double and triple outboards is available from heating, plentiful LED lighting and plush seating Evinrude, Mercury, Yamaha and others. make sure there’s no skimping on comfort. Many For the eco-minded, there are electric and hybrid builders offer all these amenities as standard options as well. The Aspen 32, a cruising pocket equipment or at least as upgrade options. The catamaran, delivers a 500-mile range at nine knots emphasis has been on luxury with a fit and finish with its single engine and two light cat hulls that will representative of much larger yachts. Leather seating leave a smaller carbon footprint. And the Greenline and trim, chrome handholds, folding glass and 33 with its 48-volt electric motor and an array of stainless doors, rich varnished veneers, teak and solar panels on the roof holly soles, and designer can go 20 nautical miles fabrics proliferate in this The Legacy 32 - Classic Downeast style at four knots on clean and class of cruiser. quiet electric propulsion, These smaller designs and then fire up the diesel are more creative and and venture farther. efficient with their use Finally, if 20 knots of space than their larger isn’t fast enough for siblings simply because you, remember that they have to be. With an you can trailer some of emphasis on innovation, these smaller models these little boats offer and tow them to the origami seating options next destination at 60 like on the Rangers and mph. Ranger owners Cutwaters. Seats swivel, especially are known for fold, turn, pivot and even their tendency to traverse pop out of the gunwales. the country, using their Beneteau’s trick transom boat on a trailer as an RV as they cross from the on the Swift 30 provides fold-up seats or it opens out Pacific Northwest to Florida, and visiting all parts to create excellent access to the swimstep. in between.

Sophisticated Systems Posh Pads Small but sophisticated and certainly Technology and high expectations have ensured amenity laden, these pocket cruisers are packed that the smallest of these cruisers are truly posh pads. with technology. Full-sized electronics with big Whether you step aboard a Ranger Tug, a Beneteau touchscreens adorn the dashes of interior and Swift Trawler or a sporty Back Cove, you’ll notice flybridge helms. Most of these boats are also wired flowing layouts with open concepts. Galleys are on for advanced stereo systems that are controlled the main deck in the salon or cockpit where the cook via smartphones and tablets and some even can socialize while pressing the guests into sous chef have integrated WiFi. Solar panels, gensets and service. Stall showers have been squeezed below and sealed batteries power the must-haves including

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers Going Small watermakers, underwater lights and loads of refrigeration. Gyro stabilization with the new compact Seakeeper 3 is not uncommon so no need to deploy flopper stoppers in rolly anchorages to get a good night’s sleep.

SUVs (Sport Utility Vessels)

These boats are SUVs – sport utility vessels that can coastal cruise anywhere and have room to carry lots of toys. From Lake Powell to Baja and the ICW to the Bahamas, these cruisers can take you there, hauling lots of kayaks, SUPs, fishing gear and other equipment designed to keep active cruisers active. This segment speaks to a variety of people because the boats are highly customizable and you can outfit them as your sense of adventure dictates. Best of all, due to their size and draft, they can often get into places bigger boats can’t go.

Easy Peasy

It’s a given that the transition from sail to power is easier than the other way around and if you stay small, it’s really a no-brainer. Smaller boats are easier to maintain and are ready to go in less time so it’s not a big production to get out of the slip even for short weekend hops. Also, owning a smaller boat means lower slips fees and insurance rates, cheaper haulouts, and less paint, varnish and wax. These boats can keep people comfortable, fed and entertained for a couple of weeks at a time and women are increasingly taking the helm on these small boats or cruising them completely on their own. And most of these boats, with their easy swim platform access, are Fido-friendly so no one has to stay behind.

Pocket cruisers are easy to handle, have amenities on par with the big boats and are good looking so they’ll get you noticed in the anchorage. Don’t be surprised if the owner of that 70-footer asks you for a tour. So it seems these small yachts prove that size doesn’t matter – or at least not in the way you thought.

A Quick Look at What’s Out There!

Beneteau Swift Trawler 30 and 34 Two economical trawlers from a powerhouse brand – these boats pop up on plane and offer great value.

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Legacy 32 A Downeast-style power cruiser from naval architect Mark Ellis and sailboat builder Tartan Yachts.

Marlow Mainship 32 Powered by twin 75 HP diesels with saildrives, a single engine version is also available.

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers Power Cruising Comes of Age

MJM 29 Downeast-inspired yacht by Doug Zurn and sailboat builder Bob Johnstone.

Ranger Tugs 31 (Also 25, 27, 29) The 300 HP Volvo Penta diesel moves the Ranger at 25-knots top speed for a range of 263 NM.

Cutwater C30 (242 and 28 too) The C-30 joins 24’ & 28’ models with inboard or outboard power packages and as a sedan or coupe.

Back Cove 30 Comes standard with a single 315 HP Yanmar that will cruise at 20 knots, but four other power packages are available as well.

Greenline 33 Billed as a hybrid with a diesel and 48-volt electric propulsion system that delivers a silent range of 20 nautical miles at 4 knots.

Helmsman 31 Previously called the Camano 31 (or 28), this little trawler brings the goods with 360-degree visibility, an interior helm and a flybridge.

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers Going Small

Aspen 32 (and 28)

With a single engine this catamaran has a 480-mile range (plus 10% reserve) at 2000 rpm and 9.3 knots.

Power Cruising Comes of Age

Solarwave Solar powered, this is a cruiser that never needs diesel!

Powered by the sun, it is quiet and comfortable.

Minorca 34 The minorca 34 is a small pocket cruiser with good living space and it’s easy to singlehand for cruising couples.

... And “The Next Step-Up” in Power Cruisers Kadey Krogen 58 Okay, so it’s not really a pocket cruiser, but it does show how comfortable a power cruiser can be. Luxury and comfort at sea!

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Outer Reef 58 Here’s another great power cruiser that doesn’t quite fit the “pocket cruiser” idea, but it is a true worldclass cruising vessel.

Nordhavn 43 The Nordhavn has a reputation as a true world cruiser. These are for those who want to go “the extra mile!”

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Both WA N T

M O R E O F W H AT Y O U

Krogen 48’ AE Interior

K A D E Y- K R O G E N S O L U T I O N S

MORE STORAGE.

E A S I E R T O M A I N TA I N .

SM

MORE LIKE HOME.

EASIER TO HANDLE.

www.kadeykrogen.com 800.247.1230 Annapolis, MD · Portsmouth, RI · Seattle, WA · Stuart, FL WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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11/3/17 12:53 PM

Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

Sailors Going Loopy Doing the Great Loop

By Alex Rooker

Jessie & Katie on their Great Loop adventure

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This spring, “The Loopers are coming,” was stated quite often around the New Bern Grand Marina off the ICW in North Carolina. I heard that enthusiastic statement so often that I wondered if it was a warning similar to the Revolutionary War cry that, “The British are coming. The British are coming.”

It was, in fact, statements of excitement being made by fellow marina mates who had, themselves, already done the Loop and who looked forward to seeing people they had previously met along the way. Even my wife, Diann, began to look forward to seeing the mix of vessels which would soon become temporary neighbors.

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

Sailors Going Loopy

Diann and I live full time on a Gemini sailing catamaran. On her boating bucket list is for us to “do the Loop.” It’s important to know that sailboats do, in fact, regularly do the loop. As a matter of fact, sailboat participation is increasing and as a result, services are now available regarding mast transport.

It’s possible to drop the mast near the Erie Canal and have it shipped to Mobile, Alabama for re-stepping.

Or, you can cradle the mast onboard during the canal transit, re-step and sail the Great Lakes, and then ship the mast from Chicago. Handling your mast is simply a balance concerning safety and convenience.

Doing the Loop is a simple concept. You pick a point of beginning and travel the waterways which include the Atlantic east coast, Hudson River, NY canals, Great Lakes, Mississippi River, the Gulf Coast, and return to “cross your wake.” It used to be almost exclusively a trip for power boaters.

Kim Russo, Director of America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association, provided some sailboat facts.

“We’re seeing more sailboats on the Great Loop than ever before. Sailboats are a great choice for a Loop boat because of their fuel efficiency. The percentage of members who tell us they have a sailboat has been creeping up year by year. It was 8% a few years back.

Now it’s close to 10%.” (www.greatloop.org)

life experience benefits. He dispelled the myth of the Loop being only for East Coast boaters. He returned to California and bought his boat of choice before having it trucked to New Bern, NC. He says that, “traveling on a small vessel does a lot to make the trip more intimate and engaging with the communities I pass through. I will hope to complete the Loop in two years, but I refuse to rush things as living on a boat is about enjoying one’s time at a reasonable pace rather than rushing through the trip just to bag a Loop.”

He continued his story... “On my Nor’Sea 27, a crossing to Europe would be nice and an eventual trip to the South Pacific would be a long-term goal. The Great Loop is a safer way to gain experience with my vessel before considering trans-oceanic sailing. It’s a good Great Loop boat and canal cruiser because I can bring it back to New Bern for the winter, and then trailer it back to the Great Lakes in record time with its eight-foot beam and tabernacle-stepped mast.

Skinnydipper awaits departure

Rob on his Nor’Sea 27 Rob exemplifies the sailboating evolution of those “doing the Great Loop.” Rob is from Northern California. After having made an 11-week solo bicycle tour through Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, he decided that doing the Loop would offer multiple

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David & Kim

David and Kim Osborne have transitioned from 1988 stand-up jet skis to a 19-foot bay boat, a 25-foot pontoon boat (which they still have), to their purpose-purchased Meadowlark 37 shallow draft Sharpie. Bought in 2014 as a project boat, they left Oriental, NC, on May 9th, 2017, to start their Loop.

Larry is from Delaware. His 1990s marriage in Maryland on Grove Point at the Sassafras, was immediately followed by

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

Doing the Great Loop

Larry and his 25’ Nimble Nomad departing from the reception on a Ray Hunt designed 31’ cabin cruiser. He honeymooned for a week, including stops at Still Pond and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. He’ll proudly tell you he’s 80 years old and doing the Loop on his own (though he wishes his wife could have joined him).

His choice of a 25’ Nimble Nomad simplifies his plan for the Loop. Having trailered the boat from Delaware City to begin the Loop from New Bern, NC, he again plans to trailer the boat from the end of the Erie Canal to the Allegheny River, so as to skip having to cross the Great Lakes.

His reason for doing the Loop was answered in short bursts of enthusiasm. “Looks like a great adventure for a non-bluewater boater. Been dreaming for more than five years.”

It is, so far, the adventure he hoped for. I spoke with him by cell phone after his crossing of NC’s Albemarle Sound. He had to motor-tack northwest to avoid broadside 3-½ foot waves. It was obvious from his voice that he felt both tired and accomplished.

Former sailboater, Tanya Binford, was one of the lecturers at the 2017 Spring AGLCA Rendezvous. Her topic was “Single-handing the Loop.”

Her most stressed tip was the value she placed on taking a float plane flight over Georgia Bay to get a perspective on the water and rocks. Tanya also spoke of using color coded docking lines (stretched on the side deck) so that she could Tanya Binford

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confidently step off the boat with both the mid-cleat and stern-cleat lines in hand.

Her book, “Crossing the Wake,” ends with a Steinbeck quote…. “we do not take a trip; a trip takes us”… revealing just how meaningful doing the Loop was for her. Tanya had taken a year’s work sabbatical from psychiatric nursing in order to do the trip.

At that spring rendezvous there were multiple Exhibitors offering guides vendors with and info on the Great Loop materials and services relevant to the Loop. Three that stood out included: Dan Boater Medical, the Waterway Guide, and Captain Chris Caldwell.

Robin’s Nest at the New Bern Grand Marina B-dock

Robin’s Nest is a 34’ PDQ power cat. Owners Eric and Robin who also own a sailboat, started their trip from Alabama’s Joe Wheeler State Park on the Tennessee River.

Says Eric in an email, “Our ‘Looping’ experiences have been rewarding and memorable with new

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers

Sailors Going Loopy

adventures, amazing sunrises and sunsets, complete with navigational and mechanical challenges. However, our most encouraging experiences have been with our interaction with people along the way. On multiple occasions we have been invited to tie up at private docks unexpectedly and even invited into people’s homes for dinner. On other occasions we have been offered rides for ice, groceries, errands, and even to the next town for a car rental. At marinas and AGLCA events we have met people who have become some of our best friends.

We are in contact with these friends and will expect to remain so after the Loop. Some have already visited us in our dirt home in Germantown for holidays. We have been invited to weddings, struggled through medical setbacks and rejoiced with good news with these friends on many occasions. After the Loop is complete and the memories of places visited fade, it will be the people we have met that will have made it all worthwhile.”

Sailors doing the Loop will find a nurturing group among the more traditional power boating AGLCA members. Dennis and Dana are retired pharmacists hailing from Lake Lotawana, Missouri. Dana has family ties to a farm - hence the play on the boat name - Pharm Life.

An express cruiser is also a viable Looper boat New Bern with on-board computer failure affecting the starboard engine and steering. The solution? Reboot like it’s a laptop. It’s part of the adventure.

They voiced the desire to complete the trip while “still being able to jump off the boat or deal with storms.”

From an email update Jim writes, “and even though we had problems, it’s started off to be a great trip.”

The trawler, Satisfied Frog, was named after a favorite bar During travels, a two-person scooter is placed to the left of the rooftop dinghy When asked about their most memorable adventure so far, they agreed it to have been the mysterious nocturnal noise that sounded like batteries being overcharged to boiling. It turned out to be shrimp chewing on the hull’s bottom growth. Doing the Loop is part of their celebration of having retired. Having a boat large enough to have a scooter on board is a plus for them.

Jim and Lisa have taken a year off from their respective careers. For them, the adventure began in

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Berrlin and Debra (on board Satisfied Frog) left Cincinnati, Ohio, to later begin their Loop from Ft. Lauderdale. Most memorable, for Debra, was docking their newly acquired boat at Riverview Restaurant in Nashville, TN. For Berrlin, crossing the Gulf of Mexico from Mobile to the west coast of Florida was a positive challenge.

They communicated what I’d heard from other new Loopers. Attending a “Looper Crawl” (boat owner tours at the docks) during an AGLCA rendezvous was a primary resource in deciding the features they wanted for a boat to purchase. That theme should hold for sailors as well.

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Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers Doing the Great Loop

The start of a Great Loop... Chicago The boat name Imagine This kinda says it all. Chris and Amy, after the rendezvous, followed up with an email which included, “We started the Great Loop on March 4th of this year. We have been talking about this trip for at least five years. We looked at about 50 boats before we found the Novatec we purchased 2-1/2 years ago. It needed work so we spent that time fixing her up. Our plan was to just spend a year doing the Loop, but we have met so many people who have kept going after they finished, we are considering it

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ourselves. As long as we are still having fun we will keep going.”

Speaking of just keep going, Jan (pronounced Yahn) from Finland was part of the Spring Rendezvous. He came to the event on board his Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43. Unfortunately, I had so little interaction with him that I was not able to learn his previous and planed routes. It’s a fair perspective, though, that if folks are coming from Finland to do the Loop by sailboat, it must be a decent trip!

Trawlers - Power Cruisers - Motor-Sailors - Cabin Cruisers - Trawlers

If you, too, are seriously thinking of taking an extended voyage- Imagine This

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s o g a p a l a G to i t i h Ta dy & Ju f f e yJ

l Wah

B

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Larry and I set sail out of Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, for the 3300-mile crossing to the Marquesas Islands. With light winds we would motor for three days until the winds started to fill in. Then we set a course southeast for 350 miles to get clear of the ITCZ. Days and nights we found many squalls and it wasn’t long before we put in the first reef. As Captain Ron says, “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen out there.” No truer words have been spoken.

This phrase should be expanded to add, “It will also happen at 3:00 a.m.”

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Galapagos to Tahiti

After a few days, when the trades set in, we hoisted the Code Zero. On the second night of flying the Code Zero, the thimble separated from the cringle and down she came. Next, the first reef chafed through and BAM! There went the reefing line into the boom. On to the second reefing point.

Since our crossing was during a new moon cycle, the darkness only added to the excitement.

Soon, when I started the engine, the alarms were going off in the engine room. The engine room was rapidly filling with water! Eight hundred miles out of the Galapagos, this kinda makes you pucker. We started pumping water, but soon figured out we were not going to keep up.

A quick search found water was coming in where the shaft had once been. A 1-1/2 inch hole lets in a lot of water quickly. We tried to plug the hole with rags but that did not work.

Finally, I found the fids and got the hole plugged. Larry would not need to go in for his next stress test. Bailing

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out that much water in that short of a time is better than any stress test.

No shaft and no prop makes for no help from the engine. We were soon to realize the Tuamotus would be out of the picture as a place to visit. Lesson learned, make sure you put a zinc about an inch in front of your strut, thus the shaft cannot drop back more than an inch, and especially, not out into the wild blue yonder.

I must say, Inreach earned its keep during the next couple of weeks helping us to be in touch with Bill on Pelican Express and the helpful forum of Sundeer owners. Over the next few weeks Fred Hutchinson, from PYI Service, became my newest best friend. Our agent at Tahiti Crew helped direct “Yacht in Transit” deliveries. Nikki, our manager, became invaluable as a go between.

For someone who knows nothing about boats, Nikki did great!

Next, an autopilot hydraulic hose came lose and the autopilot system soon shut down. With the hose

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reconnected and the system refilled, we would soon have the autopilot going again, but for only one more day. Then, one of the hydraulic hoses burst, shutting down the system for the duration. Thank heavens we had set up the Monitor wind vane, which came with Just Passing Wind, before leaving El Salvador. But installation does not mean knowing how to use

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the system. With prior planning, we had downloaded the operation manual for the Monitor and, with luck, we were back in business in a couple of hours. And my teachers said I would never even be able to tie my shoes!

A week had passed when things really started to get interesting.

The Monitor line wore through and broke. Time to change out both lines.

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Galapagos to Tahiti

Several days later, Larry was able to get the Code Zero repaired and flying. This worked for a day and a half, when a squall hit in the dark with winds of 26-plus. The old gal was shredded. You would think we had learned the lesson about flying the go-fast sails at night.

During the same blow, the vane itself decided to take flight. Very happy I had a spare. Then the idler pully on the genset decided to break and the V-belt went flying - a busy time at sea.

We were 1000 miles from nowhere when a two-seater helicopter came from the northeast, circled us, waved and headed southwest to meet

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and land on the mother ship. Nice way to hunt for tuna, and pretty kewl the first time you see it at sea.

A few days later, after finding out that the Monitor wouldn’t help us set any land-speed records, we decided to hoist my final go-fast sail, an asymmetrical spinnaker. Between the spinnaker and shaking out the reef, it didn’t take long for us to put some miles behind us. Only problem was the Monitor did not like our sail combination. After reading the manual, turns out that wind vanes do not like big mainsails on go-fast boats. Wind vanes love big headsails which put the power in front of the

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mast. So, back to the second reef while keeping the spinnaker up, and finally, back to making some miles. This lasted for a couple of days. Then, of course, in the middle of the night a nice 30-plus-knot squall came by and shredded this spinnaker. Did I mention that I hate squalls at night? Lesson finally learned: when the sun goes down, reef sails for 30-knot winds overnight. Then you can enjoy your evening when those nasty squalls appear out of nowhere on moonless nights.

Back to the slow boat to China syndrome, I needed to keep reminding myself, “without an ordeal it’s not an adventure.” We spent days looking for dolphins and birds in this barren waterscape, remembering the pod of orcas we saw on the other side of the Galapagos with the cold currents.

Making landfall in Hiva Oa was exciting. The Semaphore Search and Rescue, Atuona, came out to meet us and towed us front and center into the harbor to get hauled out. Unfortunately, that was short lived. They decided they could not haul us as we were too big, but maybe they would be able to hold us in the hydraulic trailer while we do the work installing the new prop and shaft... The specs for the trailer said they could haul us. I was warned

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Galapagos to Tahiti that they may lack the technical expertise to do the job. I personally could do the work, so all I needed was to clear the water from the shaft tunnel. Things were looking up.

We just needed parts and maybe a break in the rain.

We spent the last 11 years in Mexico without anything being stolen from our boat. We spent 11 hours in Hiva Oa and lost our dinghy motor. I shouldn’t say lost it, as we were told who had it. A couple of Frenchmen decided to “save” our motor from drowning. It took three days before we finally got most of the motor back, after finding it in pieces, saying they were fixing it for us.

After five days of rain I flew to Tahiti for a week to pick up the parts and to meet my wife Judy’s flight. Somehow, women know when to take flights vs. a long sail. While in Tahiti there was a fireman’s strike in Hiva Oa, and consequently, no flight for the next week. When given lemons you need to make lemonade. We rented a car and enjoyed the island of Tahiti. It was great seeing the sites without rain. Did I mention it rains in Hiva Oa? We took a little side trip on the car ferry to Moorea and loved Moorea even more peacefully quiet.

After two weeks in Tahiti we were able to collect our parts and head back to Hiva Oa, hopefully to install

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the shaft. We were greeted with rain. We worked our way out to the boat, which had been moved outside the breakwater because the freight ship arrived when we were front and center.

After a few days we were able to be towed inside the breakwater to negotiate being hauled. Yeah, that was not going to happen. We were informed that the yard had dropped a 42-foot monohull sailboat off the back of their hydraulic trailer while still in the water; something to do with center of gravity. After several rainier days, we bribed a fisherman into pulling us out into the anchorage where we hoped to sail out. Not going to happen, so we then begged a passing sailboat, Sweet Pea, to tow us out to fresh air. Within a half of a mile we were able to set sails and we were off like a prom dress. Thanks Sweet Pea and thanks Semaphore. Did I mention it rains in Hiva Oa? Our sail was rather pleasant between Hiva Oa and Tahiti, other than having another hydraulic hose break for our autopilot. Did I mention that I had an extra spare hose made? Yay for me, and damn proud I purchased a fivegallon pail of hydraulic oil in El Salvdor.

After a great downwind 900-mile sail from rainy Hiva Oa to Tahiti, we met the definition of professional service

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at Marina Taina. From our first contact with Phillipe, when we sailed through the reef, Phillipe guided us right up to our side-tie berth with his dinghy service boat.

Marina Taina is on top of customer service.

After eight sunny days in Tahiti we were able to get a tow to the ship yard, Technimarine. Tomah was our mechanic to help us do the new prop install.

I decided to hire a mechanic, as we only had the weekend to get the job completed and get out, because a mega yacht would arrive Monday for our space. Those who think a haul out is expensive in Tahiti have never hauled in Panama.

Panama is twice the price. Panama is where the whole prop shaft problem started, with the mechanic installing regular grade bolts in the hub to hold the shaft in place after replacing the PSS shaft seal.

At 7:00 a.m. on Monday the mega yacht was hovering, waiting for his spot. Tomah was at our side to help with the launch, with Henry and the director, Sebastian, at the ready. I recommend Technimarine as a great do-it-yourself place with knowledgeable mechanics at the ready.

Wow! I really liked having our shaft and prop back in place. Oh, to be able to motor again! So back to Marina Taina and back to boat projects, replacing all of the hydraulic lines for the autopilot being first on the list.

After having spent a little time in Tahiti and French Polynesia, I must say that the Polynesian people are the kindest, gentlest people we have ever met. The people made the crossing and any problems we may have had, well worth it. I would do it all over again.

Checking into French Polynesia was a snap using Tehani at tahiticrew@ mail.com. Tehani is knowledgeable

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about any services or locating items you may need, as well as looking after your yacht should you need to go back to reality for a while.

The most expensive part of French Polynesia is the food. Eating out is comparable to eating all your meals at an airport or a sports arena. Once you have the food thing under control the rest is manageable. And don’t forget your Diesel Permit. Ya gotta love the $1.68 a gallon for tax-free diesel.

With our log books updated, we realized that over 6100 miles had been put under our keel from December 2016 until June 2017.

But it was time to head back to the Lewis & Clark Resort at Yankton, South Dakota, for our summer job to help finance our off-season frolics. Our next plan is to return to Tahiti in September to visit the Tuamotus.

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e h t f o e s a C e h T n o o c c a R

d e d n a H d Re

cGlynn

aM

By Fion

Our first stop after three months in the boat yard was Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Exhilarated to be out of the yard, we tied up the boat at the RVYC outstation on Tugboat Island, packed our day bag with fruit and nuts, and hopped on our folding bikes to explore Gabriola.

We passed by quaint little homes framed with driftwood arches, a homemade bike station complete

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with pump and grease for passing cyclists, and plum trees resting their heavy fruit-laden branches on the fences bordering the path. We found a farmers market where we sampled organic black liquorice and met a woman selling artwork painted by her pet horse.

That evening, we made it back to the boat happy but exhausted.

I flung our day bag in the cockpit,

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poured two glasses of wine, and we settled in to happy hour.

The next day I was measuring and cutting old sail canvas on the dock beside our boat for a lee cloth, when I noticed our day bag floating face down in the water.

Alarmed, I called Robin over to fish it out and we hauled the waterlogged bag onto the dock. The front of the day bag that had contained my wallet and a bike tool, was unzipped, the flap hanging open like a gaping mouth. Inside the back pouch was a Ziploc of soggy trail mix.

As we went over the evidence, our dock neighbor came to report he’d seen a raccoon snuffling around the previous evening. I began to formulate a picture in my mind of how it had all happened. An oversized raccoon with matted fur had tight-rope walked along our dock lines, discovered the day bag to be the source of the delicious trail mix smell and with surgical precision used his little claws to open the front pouch. Frustrated to discover there was no trail mix in the pouch, he flew into a rage and, seeking revenge, drowned the uncooperative day bag as retribution. Sadistic by all accounts, it was also a feeling I could relate to, having spent many vexed moments rummaging around in the day bag’s many pockets and hidden compartments to find a lip chap or set of keys.

The same neighbor told us that the island is home to a raccoon family that was constantly breaking into boats and wreaking havoc, slipping in at the dead of night to eat a bag of Lime Doritos, lick dirty dishes, and god knows what other depraved acts. A small part of me began to feel sorry for the raccoon. Being born into a family like that, what hope did he really have?

The next day Robin gallantly suited up in his wetsuit to dive below the boat to retrieve my wallet. Unfortunately, there was no air in the tank so he had to resurface after 30 seconds.

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What with the scuba shop being closed on weekends and general laziness, we never did retrieve the wallet. So, it remains under the docks at tugboat island, a little piece of buried treasure for some scuba diver to discover. I only hope that he, too, leaves out some trail mix, or perhaps Lime Doritos, just a little plunder for the efforts of that enterprising raccoon who sent my wallet to the bottom of the ocean.

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Cruising Crepes

By Chuck Steffens The tedious task of crepe creation fell upon Mike, while I enjoyed the much simpler task of producing the filling. We had decided on sweet crepes, as opposed to savory, so I mixed up a container of cream cheese with about three tablespoons of sugar. By the time I had whipped it into a softer, manageable consistency, Mike had produced the first crepe (which consequently turned out to be almost pancake thick and nearly unworkable). I filled it with sweetened cream cheese and raspberry jam (good Greek stuff with raspberries and pectin, no high fructose corn syrup, and you don’t have to ask things like,

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“What is Dimethylglycogine and who on earth would ever think of adding it to food!?”) I rolled it up and placed it on a plate with an artistic swizzle of caramel sauce (another Greek wonder, a sauce like what you find on Flan, caramelized sugar, not like caramel ice cream topping). I then topped the crepe with sliced bananas and attempted to pipe some more cream cheese decoratively on top, using a piece of cling wrap with a small slice in it.

This worked precisely once, then the slice expanded into a rip which opened into a tear, making my neat little dollops of cream cheese bigger and bigger each crepe, ending with cream cheese coating me from neck to elbow and a hazmat team being called for cleanup. Trust me, have a baggie handy if you try this at home.

In a last-ditch effort to add the “warm fuzzy” effect to the plate, I asked Mike to slice up one of the amazingly delicious oranges we were provisioned with (it is absolutely amazing how sweet and delicious fruit is when it is allowed to ripen on the tree, not picked green and ripened in a warehouse somewhere) and performed a simple citrus twist and viola!

We then set this monstrously thick prototype aside, made some properly thin crepes and presented them humbly on one knee to the captain and crew to tumultuous applause! Honestly, it may not have been tumultuous, but they did applaud!

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Crepes are versatile. I like cream cheese, but it isn’t essential. You can use jam or fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, banana, star fruit, etc.), you can use Nutella or peanut butter, you can sauté bananas in butter and brown sugar, you can use chicken, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, onions, swiss cheese and rich hollandaise sauce.

Many probably already know this, but some prep in advance (the night before Crepes: or even days in 1 C. Flour - 2 Eggs advance) can ½ C. Milk - ½ C. Water ) really help make ¼ tsp.

Salt - 2 Tbsp Melted crepe production Butter (or Extra Virgin Olive smoother, Oil)If making sweet, rather especially if you than savory crepes, consider have no crazy adding half a teaspoon of cooking cousin cinnamon or vanilla extract. to assist. You can mix the

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cream cheese and sugar, or slice up fresh fruit (except bananas, which would turn brown), you can make fresh whipped cream, and even cook the crepes, separate with wax paper and refrigerate, then reheat in a pan just prior to serving. If making savory crepes, you can chop up your spinach, shred your cheese, cook your chicken, etc. Use your imagination, have fun with it, spruce it up with whatever Filling: kind of garnish 1 pkg. Cream Cheese that strikes you Sugar - 3-4 Tbsp. and make your Favorite jam or fresh fruit crew feel special. sliced thin (sliced banana, I have included strawberries, raspberries, the actual recipe blueberries, kiwi or star for crepe batter, as fruit) or small cubes or opposed to “Open Nutella, etc. package, dump in bowl, add water.”

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Cruising The Upper Caribbean

By Shane McClellan

When blondes have more fun, do they know it?

Editor’s Note: It will become obvious that this article and others were written prior to the massive destruction the Caribbean suffered this past hurricane season. Our hearts go out to all the wonderful people, places and businesses there.

I

have owned my Lagoon 410, Guiding Light, for eight years now and the last six of those years I have run it as a charter boat in the Virgin Islands. Well, this year I blocked out a period of time starting in mid-April so my girlfriend and I could go cruising for six weeks.

I chose to make a loop from Virgin Gorda in the BVI down to Montserrat along the eastern islands, and then back north along the western ones. I have written about our time on each island extensively through my blog, but I would like to take some time and give you my highlights and recommendations for each island.

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Sombrero Island – We started off with perfect weather for visiting this deserted island. It has the remains of three different lighthouses and was a huge phosphate mining operation. It sits 35 miles north of Anguilla, which owns it, and 55 miles southeast of Virgin Gorda. We had very little swell and the wind was below five knots, which is what I recommend if you visit.

The mile-long by half-a-mile-wide island is a 40-foothigh plateau sticking out of the sea and looks like an aircraft carrier as you approach. You anchor in 70 feet of water on the western side to the south end of the ruins.

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On Barbuda, enjoying a ride

There is a metal ladder sitting six to seven feet off the water and is the only way onto the island. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to tie the dinghy and the ladder is to high up to swim in, so you will need to have someone wait in the dinghy as you explore what is now a huge bird colony with pretty cool ruins as the setting.

St. Barts – We continued to take advantage of the calm weather and skipped St. Martin to get a bit further south and St. Barts did not disappoint us. While the town of Gustavia is about as cute as you can find, the anchorage is quite crowded and can be on the rolly side. As much as we liked the town, we loved Anse De Colombier cove at the northern tip even more. This deserted cove has a great beach, nice snorkeling, good protection, and free moorings to help you completely relax. Another fun anchorage is Ile Fourchue, which is a small island four miles away and where I ended up finding a treasure trove of goods, but that is another story.

Barbuda – Given the islands we wanted to see, I decided to motor directly into the wind for the 60 miles to St. Barts in calm weather

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Barbuda so we could have nice sails to each of the islands the 15,000 residents had to abandon their island. Today you that follow. Barbuda is paired with Antigua forming an can get a wonderful tour of the destruction by Joe Phillips. independent country and most people don’t know you can Make sure you ask him to take you into Plymouth, which check in at Barbuda if you will cost a little more but provide 48-hour notice. is well worth it. You will Once checked in, find anchor at Little Bay, which George Jeffery who can has a nice beach, but I like take you on a tour to see the the beach at Rendezvous Bay largest frigate bird colony better and you can dinghy in the world. He can also there or have a great hike be your water taxi across over the hill. I was amazed the lagoon if you anchor in at how wonderful and happy Low Bay to enjoy 11 Mile the people are given the Beach. We rode our bikes to hardship they have suffered, Two Foot Bay to see, among and I know you will love this other caves, one that was an island as we did.

The route taken by Guiding Light incline and got you to the Nevis – Our favorite top of the “Highlands” 114 island’s name is a corruption feet up. On the way back, of the Spanish word for you can visit the Codrington estate ruins (they owned the snow, because Christopher Columbus saw the permanent island in years past), and take the trail to the very cool cloud sitting above the peak on Nevis and called the Darby Sink Hole (I wrote a blog giving directions to get island Our Lady of the Snows. What sold us on this there). At the southern end, Gravenor Bay is very secluded island, besides the beauty and coolness of the mountain and has wonderful coral heads to snorkel. and cloud, was a hike we did from Golden Rock estate to Antigua – Of all the islands we visited, Antigua is the Hermitage House estate. It turns out the Hermitage House one I need to revisit just to see everything I missed. There are is the oldest wooden house in the Caribbean and is a coves and anchorages to explore all around the island, and wonderful spot to have lunch after the hike. We also liked thanks to a long reef, the north and east coast are available soaking our feet in the hot spring near the Bath Hotel of also. Antigua is a great hub for cruising because of all the 1778, which was the first resort in the Caribbean and the services available. We stayed at Falmouth Harbor next to Botanical Gardens were gorgeous. Nevis is known for English Harbor and visited the Nelson Dockyard, which is being the birthplace of both Alexander Hamilton and the one of only four World Heritage Sites in the Lesser Antilles. wife of Admiral Nelson. The other famous residents are This historic shipyard took care of the English fleet for over the green back monkeys. a hundred years and now it is St. Kitts – The other part an active working museum of this country is St. Kitts, On the island of Antigua, English Harbor that you can dock your boat which at first did not impress at. One tip I can give you is us. That was due to the lack to make sure you check in/ of anchorages. Basically, out at Jolly Harbor instead of you have White House Bay English Harbor, to save a lot with a good anchorage on of money. the southern end. There are a Montserrat – Back couple other fun bays around in 1995 Mt. Soufriere this area. After that you have started erupting and buried the anchorage off Basseterre, Plymouth, the capital of the capital, but you will not Montserrat, under mud. be comfortable if the winds Two thirds of the island is are south of east. Luckily, uninhabitable and 10,000 of you can get a slip in the

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Nevis & St. Kitts

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marina. Towards the northwest end of the island is St. Kitts Marine Works, which also has a few slips.

Once ashore, the secrets of this island start to reveal themselves. The main attraction is Brimstone Hill Fort, a World Heritage Site, where we spent half a day exploring.

You also have Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor where you can see the making of beautiful fabrics and explore the ruins of a sugar factory that was run on water power. The last thing we did was ride the St. Kitts Scenic Railroad, the last railroad in the Caribbean. A little secret: if you go tell them you ARE NOT on a cruise ship you save a ton of money.

St. Eustatuis – Would you believe tiny, little Statia (as it is called) was once the trade capital of the Caribbean and would have up to 300 ships anchored in the roadstead? Well, today is a different story and you might be one of only a couple boats as you look upon the shore and see a narrow strip of land between the water and the cliff behind it. On this strip of land, called Lower Town, is where you will find ruins of warehouses and

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Montserrat

wharfs. Many of them are underwater, making some great snorkeling. Ashore, the fort, Dutch Church, and museum can all be explored in a couple hours, but my favorite activity was hiking to the rim of The Quill. This dormant volcano is a great hike and has a true rim and amazing views as you sit in the wispy clouds.

Saba – You will not hear me say this very often about an island, but I recommend you fly to Saba. The two anchorages are open and either very rough or a wet mile-and-a-half dinghy ride away from the one place you can gain access to this almost impenetrable island. Now once you are ashore, it is a totally different matter as you take in the Dutch Caribbean culture in the perfect little towns of The Bottom, Windwardside, St. Johns, and Hell’s Gate. You should check out the hike to the top of Mt., Scenery that is a very steep staircase, but well worth the exertion. We liked the Dutch Museum and the Saba Museum, but for me The Ladder was the must see, because it was how all goods and people got on the island until 1970. Another fun story is the Road That Couldn’t Be Built, which, according to Dutch engineers, was impossible. Leave it Saba Island - Not to be confused with Saba Rock (above right) which is in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, BVIs

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Saba Rock - Not to be confused with Saba Island (below, left)

to the Sabeans to take a correspondence course on road building in the 1930s and built it themselves.

Anguilla – A unplanned and unexpectedly delightful stop was on Anguilla. The one bad thing is you have to stay in Road Bay unless you get an expensive ($54 a day for my boat) cruising permit, but we simply rented a car and drove all over this island. There are 33 beaches and each one has a unique charm. My favorite was Little Bay which is surrounded by cliffs. You either have to visit by boat or climb down the 50foot cliff. Even though it is expensive, I highly recommend getting the permit for at least a day.

We took the boat to Sandy Island to find a sandy paradise surrounded by perfect water. Next, we ventured four to five miles to the northwest for Prickly Pear Cays, which has a nice beach, two bars, and reef. The last stop was another our to five miles to Dog Island, which had another fun beach and zero bars. It also put us 10 miles closer to the BVI, which I needed to sail back to in order to get back to my charters.

This cruise was amazing and everything I had hoped.

In fact, I am already thinking about next year’s cruise further south once I end my season in mid-April. Who wants to join?

Anchored off Anguilla

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Halcyon Oak - Kings Lynn to London

By John Simpson

L

otte, Jo and Sim live on a 35-foot wooden motorsailing ketch called Halcyon Oak. It’s their family home.

They’d asked for my help whilst taking her on offshore passages from Kings Lynn to London.

Sim is an animator in London. He’d spent long, 14hour days commuting from Upware in Cambridgeshire for over a year. Moving their home much closer to his work would vastly improve their quality of life.

They’d had a windy and cold Fenland winter working hard on the boat: replacing the wheelhouse floor, servicing the engine and windlass, varnishing masts, plus a myriad of all the things needing to done on an old boat. They lifted her out for three weeks to check everything underwater: rudder bearings, replacing the anti-foul, anodes, servicing sea cocks, etc. I can remember doing all this re-fitting myself whilst a liveaboard.

Weekend work like this certainly isn’t easy when your boat is a home.

Jo and Sim had decided they could move from Upware to Kings Lynn themselves. Their 14-ton Inchcape ‘Border Minstral Class’ boat was built

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in Eyemouth in 1968. She’s based on traditional motor fishing vessel lines. Craft like this were used for seinenetting and trawling off Scotland and northeast England.

With high bows, wheelhouse, and masts down, she draws four feet.

It wasn’t easy planning their inland journey. The 35-mile inland passage from the River Cam to Ely took them down the Great Ouse River to Denver Sluice. Their journey involved checking out the locks, bridge air heights and river depth. Tide heights had to be considered (needing a Spring tide after Denver) where the river becomes tidal and thus affected by the North Sea. I joined them at Kings Lynn once they had their masts up. We spent an afternoon rigging a gaff mainsail and jib before running out of time to finish the mizzen. We needed to plan our tides for the passage to Wells, having to leave early and catch all the ebb tide after high water just to stay afloat.

Our morning’s departure went well apart from one red pile which was totally out of position, giving us a slight

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alarm. Thank goodness the Kings Lynn Harbour Master had downloaded for us the latest changes of buoyage!

The Wash is an extremely shallow expanse of mud and occasional tidal water with many shifting channels. Small wonder my dad had lost a small sailing boat in the Wash when he was a young man‌ We had a quick 32-nm passage down to Wells, trying out both main and jib. Then we had to wait at anchor for four hours to have enough tide to get over Wells Bar. This was slightly uncomfortable, making Jo seasick. With a lack of good sea-stowing, their home was also a bit of a mess.

Feeling our way through the long, well-buoyed creek with just enough tide depth, it felt a bit like being back where I started my sailing at Leigh-on-Sea. A short burst of VHF with the Wells Harbour Master continued (whilst Jo unfortunately continued to be sick!) as we closed towards our berth.

The Harbour Master was trying to persuade me to turn up tide into our berth to port; this was opposite to Halcyon Oak’s large prop walk. Ignoring his advice allowed me to turn and berth easily (14 tons with three knots of following tide; felt I knew, more!).

I realised that Jo and Sim were both extremely overtired from planning and working long days before this trip! An excellent rest day enabled us to finalise rigging the boat, etc. Lotte (10) enjoyed her crab fishing and chilling out onshore, whilst I studied the tide for the next leg.

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Although the forecast wasn’t great, Sim and I managed to convince Jo that following winds would be fine to leave the next day! The bar was bumpy, moderate Force 4/5 and occasionally 6 southwesterlies blew us rapidly down on the longest leg, 60 nm to Lowestoft. The big spring tides allowed us to average almost nine knots with the jib helping.

The only major blip on our trip was experienced just clearing Lowestoft. The engine overheated; we’d broken the fan belt. Thank goodness we’d rigged all the sails (and lucky that it didn’t happen when we’d really needed the beast!).

Lotte and I sailed slowly upwind with the tide, trying hard to avoid the onrushing big navigational buoys which the tide was taking us onto. Jo and Sim sweated, working hard repairing the engine. It took three hours, involving Sim fabricating a new engine bracket.

Due to their boat being far more motor than sailer, we missed all the fair tide, ending up safely in Southwold (12 nm) which has quite a narrow entrance.

The weather settled down, enabling us to reach Shotley Pt. Marina (42 nm) which finished off the bulge

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䐀漀攀猀 夀伀唀刀 䄀渀椀琀ⴀ䘀漀甀氀椀渀最 䰀愀猀琀

㄀ ⬀ 夀攀愀爀猀㼀

䌀伀倀倀䔀刀䌀伀䄀吀 䐀伀䔀匀℀

of coast round East Anglia. We were into the more sheltered waters of the Thames Estuary, calling in at Brightlingsea (23 nm) before we crossed the Thames to Queensborough (30 nm) and then heading upriver to London (43 nm).

Unfortunately, Jo and I had started to clash slightly, now that we weren’t offshore and she wasn’t feeling sick!

To be fair to her, she’d organised most of the trip, with Sim commuting. She was a teacher and obviously, she wasn’t used to listening to an order when it was important.

Stupidly or not, I’d also introduced them to their GPS plotter after the more problematical bits offshore. (Most non-sailors feel much happier with computer screens!).

They’d spent most of the last night in the River Medway plotting over 50 waypoints to go the last 40 nm up a river in a flat calm!

It’s a testament to all Jo and Sim’s hard graft over the winter, plus reasonable luck with the UK summer weather, that we’d enjoyed such a fine passage. Moving someone’s home carefully ain’t easy. It’s not something I’d particularly relish again unless doing it bareboat and the boat sailed properly!

眀眀眀⸀挀漀瀀瀀攀爀挀漀愀琀甀猀愀⸀挀漀洀 椀渀昀漀䀀挀漀瀀瀀攀爀挀漀愀琀甀猀愀⸀挀漀洀 ㌀㈀㄀ⴀ㔀㄀㐀ⴀ㤀㄀㤀㜀

刀愀琀 䜀甀愀爀搀猀

䬀攀攀瀀 瘀攀爀洀椀渀 漀昀昀 礀漀甀爀 戀漀愀琀℀ 刀漀琀愀琀椀渀最 搀椀猀挀 攀愀猀椀氀礀 猀氀椀瀀猀 漀渀 礀漀甀爀 搀漀挀欀氀椀渀攀猀 愀渀搀 愀渀挀栀漀爀 挀栀愀椀渀⸀ 䌀漀洀瀀愀挀琀 礀攀琀 瘀攀爀礀 攀昀昀攀挀琀椀瘀攀⸀ 䄀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 椀渀 琀栀爀攀攀 猀椀稀攀猀Ⰰ 椀渀挀氀甀搀椀渀最 挀漀洀洀攀爀挀椀愀氀 猀栀椀瀀瀀椀渀最 愀渀搀 氀愀爀最攀 礀愀挀栀琀猀⸀ 圀漀爀欀猀 攀焀甀愀氀氀礀 眀攀氀氀 椀渀 琀栀攀 洀愀爀椀渀愀 漀爀 漀渀 琀栀攀 栀漀漀欀⸀

刀愀椀渀洀愀渀 圀愀琀攀爀洀愀欀攀爀猀 䄀 倀漀爀琀愀戀氀攀Ⰰ 栀椀最栀 漀甀琀瀀甀琀 眀愀琀攀爀洀愀欀攀爀 琀栀愀琀 椀猀 猀椀洀瀀氀攀 愀渀搀 氀攀猀猀 攀砀瀀攀渀猀椀瘀攀 琀漀 瀀甀爀挀栀愀猀攀 愀渀搀 漀瀀攀爀愀琀攀⸀ 刀攀搀甀挀攀猀 眀攀椀最栀琀 愀渀搀 愀氀氀漀眀猀 礀漀甀 琀漀 欀攀攀瀀 礀漀甀爀 椀渀瘀攀猀琀洀攀渀琀Ⰰ 琀愀欀椀渀最 礀漀甀爀 眀愀琀攀爀洀愀欀攀爀 眀椀琀栀 礀漀甀 眀栀攀渀 礀漀甀 搀攀挀椀搀攀 琀漀 猀攀氀氀 礀漀甀爀 戀漀愀琀⸀

䠀礀搀爀漀 䌀栀愀爀最攀爀猀

嘀䤀匀䤀吀 伀唀刀 圀䔀䈀匀䤀吀䔀 䘀伀刀 䘀唀䰀䰀 䰀䤀匀吀 伀䘀 倀刀伀䐀唀䌀吀匀

眀眀眀⸀猀眀椀ⴀ琀攀挀⸀甀猀

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11/6/17 10:20 AM

British Virgin Islands Pub Crawl

By Robert Scott, S/V Honeymoon Forever

The Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke

W

hat started out as a simple conversation between friends soon became a fun-filled, laughter-filled, nautical pub crawl through the Virgin Islands. Our dear friends and fellow sailors, Gary and Shelly Howman, were visiting Vivi and I aboard our S/V Honeymoon Forever in the Dominican Republic last October, and we were discussing our cruising itinerary for the next few months. We laid out our basic plan which was: finish the year in DR, head to Puerto Rico for a few weeks, then onward to the USVIs & BVIs with the goal of being in Cane Garden Bay for the Second Annual Cruising Outpost Party at Myetts on January 30th. Gary and Shelley decided they wanted to join us for that party.

So, on January 28th they flew into St. Thomas and met us in Red Hook. The following morning we were off to the BVIs. The nautical pup crawl had begun. We planned on working our way around the BVIs hitting all of the great bars mentioned in Eric Stone songs and some others as well! We were blessed with a steady wind of 16 knots from the southeast, so once we cleared the harbor we raised full sails, cut the motor and we were off.

Our first stop was going to be Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke. A short while later we passed the imaginary boundary line between the USVIs and BVIs - we were officially in BVI waters! A toast was raised! In no time at

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all we spotted Great Harbor and turned the bow towards her entrance. About 1/2 mile out we doused the jib and the main. The harbor looked pretty crowded. We cut down a channel between moorings and spotted a ship leaving the perfect spot! Two minutes later we were secured on hook very close to shore. Perfect!!!.

I took all the ship’s papers and crew passports to Customs and Immigration to clear in. They had two speeds in the office, neutral and idle! Everything was manually done and the only pieces of working electronics were the computer on which the clerk was surfing the web and a TV that was playing an episode of “Star Trek Next Generation” The clerk expended as little energy as possible, giving monosyllabic grunts as I asked questions on the paperwork!

The whole process came to a screeching halt when the ferry came in. The clerk simply grunted “ferry - wait”! So wait I did - as there was nothing else I could do. An hour later, along with me producing some greenbacks, the process was finished and we were officially checked in to the BVIs. First stop was Foxy’s! It’s like every cruising sailor’s journey to Mecca! It was just as we pictured it - a rundown shanty-looking beach bar/restaurant/party place.

We ordered some coldies and did a walk about and then low and behold - Foxy himself appeared. He’s as old as

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World FamouseFoxy’s with world famous Foxy!

dirt by now and still has that lovely smile and joke telling attitude! A picture was in order and he agreed.

In the gift shop at Foxy’s they sold everything and everything had Foxy’s name on it! And everything was Foxpensive!!! There was no live music that day so after a couple of hours and several cold ones we made our way down the beach to the next destination - Corsairs. There we met Pizza Dave who was bartending, and he turned out to be simply delightful. He regaled us with stories and when we mentioned Eric Stone, he gladly put on Eric’s music. And so it was, for close to two hours we hung out having cold adult beverages and shooting the breeze with Pizza Dave and other cruisers who came in and out.

With the sun going down we headed back to the vessel for showers and dinner cooked by Chef Robert and enjoyed by all. Our first day in the BVIs was winding to a close as we sat in the cockpit for nightcaps feeling delighted at the auspicious beginning of our nautical pub Crawl through the Virgins.

The following day we headed over to White Bay to snorkel and to have lunch and Painkillers at the Soggy Dollar Bar, and some beers at One Love. Another two stops on our crawl were checked off.

The anchorage at White’s in Jost

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The view of Cane Garden Bay from Stout’s

With those stops completed we headed out the short distance across the sea to Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, with the intention of getting a good mooring spot close to shore. Luck was with us once again as we grabbed a mooring ball hooked just 100 yards from the dinghy dock. We hopped in the dinghy to get the lay of the land and some additional info on the Cruising Outpost Party, as well and to set up dinner and table reservations. We walked in to Myetts and ran right into Bob and Jody. It was so good to see them again.

After hanging out for a while and chatting, it was time for a cold adult beverages. They had things to do to get ready for the party, and we had some partying to do. We arrived back at Myetts about 1800 and were escorted to our table. We had a total of seven of us.

After dinner the party started in earnest and the music was supplied by a Zydeco band. They were very good and everybody was dancing and having a great time. Jody and her associates were walking about selling raffle tickets as they always do at these events, to raise money for a local cause. Everyone at our table bought tickets and guess what? By the end of the evening everyone at our table had WON PRIZES! How kewl is that?

Bob and Jody, as always, were the best of hosts and the party was a huge success with a lot of money being raised for the local causes. The rum and beer kept flowing until the wee hours and we somehow made our way back to our vessels.

The following day we had planned to take Bob and Jody sailing, but their schedule had changed so we just hung out all day and recuperated with a bit of rum. Next

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Bomba’s Shack

on our crawl as Bomba’s Shack. Realizing we could not get there by sailboat due to the rough surf off the beach, we rounded the point to Sopers Hole, grabbed a mooring ball and headed into Pusser’s for lunch and coldies.

Deciding to spend the night there left us free to party all day! After a couple of days of rollers in Cane Garden Bay, the stillness of Sopers Holes was a welcomed respite.

The following morning after breakfast, with Eric Stone cranked up on the stereo we sailed out to Road Town in search of the Bat Cave! After securing the vessel on the hook in Road Town we headed ashore and rented a vehicle.

Search as we might, we could not find the Bat Cave.

Contacting Eric brought us the news that it had burned down the year before! Bummer. So it was off to the other end of the island to Bomba’s Shack. We were getting thirsty.

At 1230 hours we had arrived at the famed Bomba’s Shack and it was everything we ever read and heard about!

A more befitting name has never graced a bar. To say that we were in cruisers heaven is an understatement. We had several beers, took lots of photo’, marked our visit on the walls, chatted up with other travelers who made the journey and we put one more notch in the nautical pub crawl belt.

A few hours later we made our way back to Road Town to turn in the rental car and get back on board to plan our next stop. However, along the way we found this kewl watering hole we did not know existed - Stoutt’s Look Out. It sits way up on the hill overlooking Cane Garden Bay. The beer is teeth-chilling cold and the view... spectacular.

Next up on our agenda was the Willy T, the legendary floating bar and restaurant located in the Bight at Norman Island. This place has been a cruisers’ hangout and

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must-visit for over 25 years and I can say from personal experience, they make the most awesome Painkillers! One of the highlights for those of us who are adventurous is the dive or jump from the top aft deck. There is a sign that says no jumping allowed, but I guess their lawyers made them put that there because it is largely ignored. One of the other “rites of passage” is for women to jump off topless while spinning around and facing the vessel. Kewl! We could not convince our respective women to do so, darn! But we were fortunate enough to watch others! LOL! We had several more stops in the BVIs we wanted to make, but time was running out for Gary and Shelly so we headed back to Road Town where we once again dropped a hook. The plan was for them to take the ferry back to Red Hook, St. Thomas and then taxi to the airport from there.

So we made one more stop at Pusser’s in Road Town to make it an even 10 stops on our nautical pub crawl through the Virgins. We hit 10 bars, two islands and six anchorages in six days. Along the way we shared great times, met some great people and compiled a ton of great memories. We love our cruising lifestyle.

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Vinny at Corsair’s, Jost Van Dyke

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Hui Wharram Rendezvous

By Bonnie Fern

Drone shot of the Hui Rendezvous

D

“o we have to wait a whole year to do this again?”

This was the plaintiff refrain heard throughout the Hui Wharram this past May. The weather throughout the weekend of May 19-21, 2017 favored the sailors and the seas with sunshine, light winds, and warm evenings. The gathering of Wharram catamarans, known more precisely by the Hawaiian, Hui-o-waa-Kaulua-Wharram, included cats of other styles and even an ocean-sailing canoe.

This annual event brings together Wharramites, fellow sailors, and other multihull devotees for the sharing of skills and resources (and the telling of tall tales of travel) and other musings.

Everyone is welcome (fair warning – the Wharram spirit is contagious!).

Among those called by the Wharram spirit were boats from as close as Panama City, Pine Island and Ft. Myers in Florida, and from as far away as North Carolina, Texas, Alabama and South Africa.

Wharrams are typically owner built using plans from

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the Wharram design firm based in Cornwall, England, under the direction, for 50+ years, of the 89-year-old, indefatigable James Wharram. They are light, fast, sturdy, stable and efficient to sail. With a variety of design options, potential owners find plans suitable to their purpose, whether it’s day sailing or circumnavigation.

Attendees were treated to a special guest. Hanneke Boon is the co-designer at Wharram Designs. The Dutchborn Boon grew up in a sailing family and has been an integral part of the design team since the age of 20. A gifted artist/graphic designer/craftworker, Hanneke has sailed thousands of ocean miles including round the world on Spirit of Gaia (1994-98) and the Lapita Voyage (2008-09) when she skippered Lapita Anuta. She shared her vast knowledge and experience with the group, sailing with each of the attendees, offering guidance and encouragement.

Saturday night, the banquet at the Three

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Fishermen brought the 55-60 attendees together to share stories of the weekend, tales of voyages past, and plans for future voyages. A portion of the evening was devoted to Hanneke’s remarks, followed by the presentation of awards. Ranging from the sincere (Andy Preston – Wharram Spirit Award) to the silly (Stuart Coates – Long Walk Off a Short Pier – yes, he did earn this one), the awards pay tribute to the camaraderie which develops among the group throughout a Hui. Brent Crawshaw (the closest we came to an actual Polynesian) led the group in a song originating in the Polynesian tradition. Come join us next time – experience this for yourself.

The group welcomed James Wharram himself via a Sunday morning Skype. From his home in Cornwall,

䈀漀挀愀猀 䐀攀氀 吀漀爀漀Ⰰ 倀愀渀愀洀愀

䘀甀氀氀 匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 䴀愀爀椀渀愀 泰 䌀愀氀礀瀀猀漀 䌀愀渀琀椀渀愀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀洀愀爀椀渀愀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀挀氀甀戀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀 䠀愀甀氀 伀甀琀 夀愀爀搀 泰 㘀 ⴀ吀漀渀 吀爀愀瘀攀氀椀昀琀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀戀漀愀琀礀愀爀搀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀

㤀뀀㈀ ᤠ⸀ 㔀ᴠ一Ⰰ 㠀㈀뀀㄀㐀ᤠ⸀㐀㔀ᴠ圀 WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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England, James answered questions and offered advice to the group. Personifying the Wharram philosophy of “Sea People,” James’ presence conveyed upon the group a sense of group identity uncommon to the generally independent and self-reliant Wharram-type sailors. Perhaps, in part, because of this, the event scheduled to end on Sunday didn’t see the last boat depart until Tuesday.

The success of this annual event is due in no small part to the venue. The Best Western Waterfront Hotel makes a block of rooms available at the special “Hui” rate for those who don’t wish to remain aboard. The new (and free) docks make ideal mooring unaffected by the tide, convenient to the North Ft. Myers Beach Park and, of note, to the Three Fishermen Seafood Restaurant from whence

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great food and beverages flowed. The venue location is accessed via the Gulf, the Intercoastal Waterway, and the Okeechobee Waterway (and for a good number, via the Ft. Myers Int’l Airport). The city of Ft. Myers is beautiful by water and land, and offers a music walk which coincides with the Hui, providing an evening’s entertainment.

Next year’s dates: May 18-20, 2018, and as of this publication date, no – you don’t have to wait a whole year to do this again. You are invited – you are welcome. Contact chief organizer and Cat wrangler Thom DelForge (huiwharram@gmail.com) for questions and to get on our email list to receive notice of future Huis. Find us on Facebook: Hui Wharram Polynesian Catamarans & Friends.

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Mokohinaus, New Zealand

By Doris Neubauer

W

“ hich part did impress you most?” people keep on asking the two of us after our cruise from the Bay of Plenty to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. The answer comes as quickly as simultaneously: The Mokohinau (Pokohinu) Islands – a paradise for those who love solitude, the sights of fish curiously checking out your boat, the sound of birds in a starry night, hikes on long forgotten tracks, dives underneath arches and kayaks in clear water.

“Places like this were the reason why I wanted to be a ranger,” my partner says, and I sense the longing behind these words. It is the same longing I see in his gaze when he looks at the lush green landscape over the steep hills, the deep blue ocean, and the little islands in the background of the Mokohinau Islands off the northeast coast of New Zealand and approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Great Barrier. Volcanic in origin, the group are some of the most solitary and desolate in the Hauraki Gulf. This said, it does not come as a surprise that we

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are the only human beings on top of the hill where the lighthouse overviews the Pacific Ocean. Actually, we are the only visible human beings at all.

Whereas the other islands such as Fanal, Flax and Trig Islands, and offshore stacks of the group, form a wildlife sanctuary and are the habitat for some of New Zealand´s smallest endangered species, including the Mokohinau stag beetle, robust skink and several threatened plant species, only Burgess is open to visitors. Nowadays at least.

In former days it was a different story. As secluded and isolated as the island(s) are, the Mokohinau Islands have a spiritual, cultural and historical importance for the Maoris.

In the past, the Ngati Wai tribe visited the islands frequently, and in season, to harvest grey-faced petrel (muttonbird) chicks. They preserved and consumed them later as a delicacy. Hence, the islands were named “Pokohinu” which can be translated in English as “the oil of the muttonbird.” Archaeological sites such as midden (food waste deposits), terraces and occupied rock shelters are evidence for these visits.

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The Maoris were not the only ones who left imprints on the Mokohinaus. From the 1880s onwards, three keepers inhabited the isolated island till the last settlers left in 1979. Now, remains of the tramway, which transported materials up to the lighthouse area, their cottages and the lighthouse itself as well as an oil storage and some World War II early warning stations, remind today’s visitors of these bygone days. As there is no public ferry service to Burgess Island and just a few charters available, there are not a lot of visitor out there. Among them, cruisers like us are the minority. Most of the humans setting foot on Burgess Island are environmentalists and employees of DOC (Department of Conservation) New Zealand who

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maintain the track, count the gannet colony on Maori Rock close by or make sure that the island stays pest free after the last Pacific rat (kiore) was removed.

Today, we are the only ones on the Mokohinaus.

Equipped with a big rucksack stuffed with cookies, a thermo with hot tea, water and blankets, we make our way up to the lighthouse. It takes about 40 minutes to hike from the anchorage south of Burgess Island, where the old wharf was, up to the lighthouse. This is the information you can find on the internet, at least. Maybe we were too excited or too curious, but we climbed the grassy, bushy hill within 10 minutes. There could not be a better spot to watch the sunset, we thought - and the view at the top of the hill, just underneath the lighthouse, really could not have been better. How many hours we spent up there, just taking in the quietude and the vastness, exploring and taking one picture after the other, I do not know.

My partner interrupted our peace at one point and sounded extremely excited. “Look, there is a school of fish!” I know why... After being on the ocean for weeks, cruising from the Bay of Plenty via Mercury Islands and Great Barrier up to the Mokohinaus, it was here, in the distance that we spotted the first school of fish.

Unfortunately, commercial fishing has left the former, plentiful sea, in a sad state. One can imagine how uplifting the sight of fish, of birds feeding on the ocean, of sea life in general can be.

“Look, they obviously do not fear people.” My partner was pointing out how, nevertheless, untouched this paradise was in comparison with the rest of New Zealand.

“They come pretty close to the boat.”

After hiking down, we left the unsheltered area in front of Burgess Island and found a better overnight

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anchorage which was not hit by the swell. We found it in between the rocks and arches of the other islands. Despite being quite small, Arch Rock was perfect and with four to six meters, deep enough for our Raven 26 yacht. We wished we had more time to kayak and explore the cliffs and coves. We would have also liked to dive the canyon which is more than 30 meters at the entrance, tapering off to around 6 meters at the far end. It is said to be full of stunning, colourful wall life which puts it on an even par with the legendary (and touristy) Poor Knight Islands. It is something we saved for our next visit.

When the sky got dark, stars and the bioluminesce in the ocean illuminated our little paradise and the songs of birds: red-crowned parakeet, tui, bellbirds - filled the air.

So we took our blankets and some cushions, grabbed the sleeping bags and squeezed ourselves into the gap in the cockpit. We closed our eyes, listened to the birds and made a promise: Mokohinau Islands, we will be back soon!

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Cruising Outpost’s F Joins the 17th Annual P

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s First Share the Sail l PNW Cruisers’ Weekend

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since we started our Share the Sail flotilla charters with Latitudes & Attitudes, taking our readers on adventures all over the world.

We figured what better way to restart than in conjunction with our 17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Event.

We started out at the San Juan Sailing Center in Bellingham, Washington. We knew we’d picked the right company when, as we arrived to board the boats, they were having a birthday party for Danielle, one of their staff. All who were there to pick up boats were invited to join.

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Cruising Outpost’s First Share the Sail The crew at San Juan Sailing in Bellinghm

Rick giving charter skippers info on tides and rocks

At the Skipper’s Meeting, Rick and Roger took plenty of time to explain to the charter captains what to watch out for. The Pacific Northwest is not an easy place to cruise, but it is about as beautiful as anyplace I have ever sailed.

Everyone who was taking out a boat sat through a two-hour briefing that covered how to avoid rocks, and most of all, how to work with the tides. They have a diurnal tide that can reach 10-12 feet, so passes can get extremely dangerous. I have to admit, it was the longest and most detailed briefing I have ever been to, and it was the best. Nothing was left unanswered.

It was kinda funny for our “skippers.” You see, the skippers on our boats each had more than 30 years of boating experience as captains. Capt. Jeff (and Marie) Inshaw, who would be skippering the second boat, has been a professional captain for over 30 years, including his most recent gig skippering a 67’ catamaran in the Caribbean for five years. On

our boat I was skipper, with 35 years living board and over 100,000 miles on boats. My “second” was Captain Mike Stinson, who skippered dozens of boats, the most recent of which was a 110’ Ocean Alexander.

We were qualified. We were also told that we would be the most endangered, as experienced skippers could tend to be overconfident.

That evening we did the boat checkout, and the “provisioning crew” hit the local Costco. They returned about 7:00 p.m. to load up.

Since the charter didn’t officially start until Saturday morning, we spent the night aboard and took off at 7:30 the next morning for the 15-mile sail to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, where the 17th Annual Cruisers’ Weekend was underway. We had to be in by noon, as there would be a memorial for Capt. John Aydelotte who recently passed away and was one of the original founders of the Lats&Atts Cruisers’ Gathering in the Pacific NW. We were set up with two exceptionally nice Bavaria 41s, Fresh

The pirate costume contest - this was a tough one!

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17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party Dave Calhoun

Air and Wind Song. The crew on Fresh Air consisted of Captain Jeff and Marie Inshaw, better known to many Boat Show-goers as “Ken and Barbie,” with Jeff and Debbie Kolod from Maine, and Steve and Pam Bowden, owners of Sea-Tech Systems, from Texas.

On Wind Song, I was skipper, and Mike Stinson was our “NSO” officer. Jody and Mike’s wife, Caro (no, that is not misspelled), did galley duty and line handling, and Mike’s friend, Bill Lockhart, joined us from So Cal. Our third boat was Traveler, a 47’ trawler with Darren and Lisa O’Brien and their daughter Arriana aboard.

They live aboard full time in the San Juans. Lisa is Cruising Outpost’s Advertising Director, and Darren was the Producer of Latitudes & Attitudes TV and is Marketing Director at Cruising Outpost. They were our guides for the week.

We were also joined by three other boats from the area, including Jeff Reiner from Olympia, and others who joined us along the way.

We were pretty lucky and it only took 2.5 hours to get to our first anchorage. The bad news? It was right into the wind! And as we know, when you are cruising there is either too much wind or not enough, but it’s ALWAYS on the nose. We got in early enough to wander the docks and meet with some of the 600-700 people who showed up.

I opened the service for John, then family and friends came to the mic with their best “Captain John story.” Captain John was larger than life and was always the “true spirit” of the Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Event. He could always be counted on to be the first volunteer for whatever tasks had to be done, and he always had a great smile on his face. The Captain John stories went on for quite awhile, and we could all feel his spirit there on the docks.

After the ceremony there was a spread laid out for lunch with hamburgers, sausage, and a lot of potluck goodies. No one walked away hungry. For the rest of the afternoon boaters wandered the docks, where

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there were beer kegs stationed so no one went thirsty!

The party started about 6:30, and at 7:00 we had the best costume judging. This is always a toughie, as everyone shows up in pirate gear! We ended up with two winners.

Then it was time for the raff le. We had about $5000 worth of prizes, with the grand prizes being a Katadyne Emergency Watermaker and a PureWater+ system from Forespar. It seemed like just about everyone who bought a ticket was a winner! The proceeds from this went to the Educational Tall Ship Foundation and the Call of the Sea. Captains Contageous!

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Lowering of the flags at Roach Harbor

The ladies gathered on Traveler, but they were not alone... lol

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Next the band Deception Connection started to play, and there was dancing and a whole lot of “pirate fun.”The camaraderie on the docks that night was like one big happy family.

In the morning the crews on the Share the Sail boats departed for Eagle Bay on Cypress Island. The original plans were to head to Wambaugh at the bottom of Lopez Island, but the weather turned during the night and there were reported 35 knots of wind that would be directly on our nose. It was a downwind run to Eagle, and other than our dinghy flipping over twice, it was fairly uneventful.

As we pulled in, three or four other boats from the party sailed in to join us. That evening Wind Song, which was the boat we were on, held its capacity of boaters as we hosted an impromptu gathering aboard to talk story, which is what all pirate-cruisers do. Usually with an iron grip on a cold beverage! Before we knew it the clock struck 11:00, and as we all know, cruisers hit the bunks early to be early to rise.

Captain Mike decided he wanted to set out a crab trap to catch us some good eating crabs. A few of the locals were a little befuddled when they saw him place some perfectly good Dungeness crab into the pot for bait.

As we all know, the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray, and as the morning dawned Mike watched

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17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party

in dismay as a boat passed close to wave goodbye, and then promptly ran right over the crab pot’s float.

We figured it was lost forever as we watched the boat, with its prop now wrapped with the float line, start to drift into the rocks of the narrow entrance. But a few minutes later the float popped to the surface, and all was well with the world again. Except, of course, for the crab-trap which was twisted tighter than a pretzel. Mike ended up buying a new one for the boat at the next port!

By late morning the winds had died and we headed out to try and do some whale watching as we sailed south to the Rosario Straights and around the bottom of Lopez Island.

The day was spent watching out for killer whales, enjoying the beautiful scenery and being at sea. And no, we never did see a whale!

By early afternoon we’d rounded the bottom of Lopez and headed up

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the Harow Straight into Mosquito Pass, which is almost like a river and very dog-leg shaped. So we did get a little adrenaline coursing thru our veins as we made the snake-like path thru the narrow pass and into Roach Harbor.

Roach Harbor was packed with boats from eight-foot mini cruisers to 100-foot powerboats, and about seven boats from the PNW Party had sailed in with us. That evening, after settling into a slip, we ate at the hotel dining room thanks to Bill, who “sponsored” our meal. We also ran into dozens of our readers, so it was very fun.

One of the traditions at Roach Harbor is the lowering of the flags at sunset. It is a long-time tradition and a very well choreographed presentation with music, pomp AND circumstance. A dozen children played on the lawn in front of the flag pole and at 8:08 p.m., exactly at sunset, the ceremony began.

一漀 䌀漀漀欀椀攀 䌀甀琀琀攀爀 匀愀椀氀猀 䠀攀爀攀

搀 愀渀 琀猀℀ 愀椀氀 渀 椀ⴀ猀 椀猀挀漀甀 琀 氀 䴀甀 瀀 䐀 漀甀 䜀爀

䌀刀唀䤀匀䤀一䜀 ⴀ 刀䄀䌀䤀一䜀 ⴀ 刀䔀倀䄀䤀刀匀 㠀 夀䔀䄀刀匀 䔀堀倀䔀刀䤀䔀一䌀䔀 䌀唀匀吀伀䴀 匀䄀䤀䰀 倀䄀䬀匀 ᰠ圀䔀 䐀䔀匀䤀䜀一 䔀嘀䔀刀夀 匀䄀䤀䰀ᴠ

椀渀昀漀䀀搀椀猀琀椀渀挀琀椀瘀攀猀愀椀氀猀⸀挀漀洀

眀眀眀⸀搀椀猀琀椀渀挀琀椀瘀攀猀愀椀氀猀⸀挀漀洀

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Watching the sunset in Shallow Bay on Sucia Island

Entering Sucia

After that we wandered back to the boat, stopping along the dock to talk to people about their boats, their voyages, and especially their animals which seemed to be on every boat.

They were mostly dogs, but there were even a few cats. Across from us was a family with two Malamutes that were unbelievably beautiful. The most interesting thing was, one was 11 years old and the other one year old, but they looked like sisters!

That night everybody gathered on the Bob Boat and the sea tales began. I don’t think there is anything more enjoyable than sitting in the aft cockpit of a boat tied to a dock with hundreds of other like-minded people, and telling sea tales. As they say, in a case like that, the first liar doesn’t stand a chance!

One of the reasons so many people like to cruise the San Juan Islands is the abundance of orca whales. There are supposed to be hundreds of them in the

channel between the San Juans and Canadian waters. So the next day we headed out in search of the white whale. Er, no, sorry, that was another story. We went out in search of black and white whales! Sorry to say, we never did spot one, but the search was a lot of fun.

Sailing in the San Juans is difficult at best. Not that there is not enough wind, but it is always on the nose. Honestly (and I hate to admit it), we never did get the sails up.

Every passage had the wind right on our nose!

We motored to Reed Harbor on Stewart Island. Talk about a well protected harbor! We were tucked back into the furthest reaches of the bay, and it was smoother than if we were in a slip. Not a ripple!

It was here that Jody decided she needed a little exercise, so she gathered up the troops and headed out on a “Jody Walk.” Anyone who has ever been on one of our

Share the Sail events is aware of a “Jody Walk.” They usually are very thorough and never seem to last less than three hours. This one was the 3.5 hour type and wandered over the island to the lighthouse.

Unfortunately, the lighthouse/ museum didn’t open until 11:00, and they arrived at about 10:00 a.m. So, no joy for the troops. But the walk was beautiful, so it was definitely not a waste of their energies.

The San Juan Islands have to be one of the best cruising grounds, as there are so many islands. It seems you are always passing beautiful forests reaching right down to the shoreline.

The “sail” to Friday Harbor was as beautiful as it could be. We passed tree-covered islands trying to pick out which house was the biggest or the most beautiful.

We motored slowly past Spieden Island looking for African wildlife.

Yes, that’s what I said. You see, many

Reed Harbor

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17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party

Lisa & Arriana kayaking

years ago someone had the wild idea to stock the island with wild game; antelope, African deer and more. Then he sold the right to hunt them to his friends. Well, a lot of people got up in arms about that, and soon he was “forced” to stop hunting them. Now, as you pass the island, you can see the animals on the slopes.

We arrived in Friday Harbor and found slips waiting for us that had been arranged by Darren.

We still had about four other boats that had joined us after the Cruisers’ Event in Anacortes, so that evening we had about 14 people aboard. We were stern-tied to the slip, so it was easy access. You see, the Bavaria 41 has a most ingenious stern system.

The whole stern lowers to become a boarding platform. It was perfect!

That evening we also had a pizza party at a new pizza restaurant named Van Go’s, with about 20 people on a open patio with more pizza than people should eat.

It was great!

We wandered back down to the docks after dinner.

The weather was perfect, so once again, it was a talk-story time as each sailor tried to outdo the other with tales of seas crossings and fun events!

Our trip from Friday Harbor to Sucia was, once again, directly into the wind. Now I know there are those of you out there saying, “You could tack there,” and you

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would be right. But by motoring into it we would get in early and get a mooring, so we did.

Now here, I have to digress. In the 17 years I have been sailing the San Juan’s, my favorite island is Sucia.

It’s where Krazy Mike created the first Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party. It is one of the nicest anchorages in the San Juans. There is a picnic area on the island between the two harbors, one on each side of the island.

䈀䄀䌀伀一匀䄀䤀䰀匀⸀䌀伀䴀 ㄀ Ⰰ 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀一䰀䤀一䔀

伀䘀䘀匀䠀伀刀䔀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀

一䔀圀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀

唀匀䔀䐀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀

伀一䰀䤀一䔀 倀刀䤀䌀䤀一䜀 泰 䈀唀夀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀刀 䌀伀一匀䤀䜀一 夀伀唀刀 伀圀一

⠀㐀㄀ ⤀ ㈀㘀㌀ⴀ㐀㠀㠀 泰 ㄀㄀㘀 䰀攀最椀漀渀 䄀瘀攀⸀ 䄀渀渀愀瀀漀氀椀猀Ⰰ 䴀䐀 ㈀㄀㐀 ㄀

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Fueling up at Friday Harbor

At one point I hit something with my elbow that caused it to bleed. I couldn’t see it (sometime, try to look at your elbow without using a mirror), so I reached around with my hand and felt a small scab. I picked at it with my left hand and threw it over the side. But as I did, my dolphin ring slipped off my finger and went right into the water with the scab.

Now, I know you shouldn’t wear jewelry while sailing. I know it, I have written it, and I have preached it.

But for some reason, I had mine on.

The ring splashed into 29 feet of water. It was a gold ring that weighed a little over an ounce, and had an Australian opal with a dolphin jumping over it. The dolphin had a small diamond in his eye. As it sank, my heart sank. Sucia island is, for all intents and purposes, uninhabited. Our charter boat didn’t have any wetsuits or dive gear, and the water was very cool. We radioed Darren and Lisa on Traveler and they had a wetsuit, but no SCUBA tanks. For about an hour we hit every boat in the anchorage looking for SCUBA gear. There was none to be found.

When we were in Friday Harbor (about an hour away) the night before, I’d run into someone we met while cruising over 20 years ago. He now did marine repairs in the town. We finally contacted him and he found someone who would come out for a lot less, but couldn’t come until the morning; problem being, we had to leave no later than 9:00 a.m. so we could get the boats back to Bellingham by noon.

All’s well that ends well. As we pulled into Bellingham to return the boats to San Juan Sailing, I got a text from Lisa on Traveler. She was holding my ring!

Rick helped us check the boats in, and soon the crews were heading out. Another Share the Sail was behind us.

Now, let’s see... French Polynesia in June?

Why not? Want to join us? Go to www. cruisingoutpost.com/sharethesail. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Cruising Outpost’s Book Reviews

by Capt. Jim Cash

This was the year for my long-planned cruise to complete the “Great Loop,” a connection and collection of traversable waterways around the eastern portion of North America. So, in honor of this voyage I chose several “Loop” books for review that I read in preparation or acquired along the way.

100 Great Stops

By Owen Schwaderer

One of these books was graciously received from its author while our boats were docked together at the Public Piers in Hampton, Virginia: 100 Great Stops on America’s Great Loop by Owen Schwaderer. Owen and his wife, Linda, had recently completed the Loop, thus they are now known as “Gold Loopers” by America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA). They were back on the water traveling in their 48’ Tollycraft.

The book is a great reference and cruising guide that I have personally referred to many times since receiving it. The beginning is a welcoming, general overview of the Great Loop, and suggests how to plan the voyage, including time of year to start depending where you begin, and the nitty-gritty—what you can expect it to cost. It also suggests other helpful resources available to guide one’s cruise. Linda also shares her interesting views and reflections as to the initial idea of Looping, planning, and the realization of such an adventure.

The first of 100 Great Stops begins in Stuart, Florida, and proceeds leisurely north along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Their stops are divided 188 Cruising Outpost

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into 10 “Cruising Areas” that follow the course of the Loop. At each stop we learn valuable inside information about the areas for visitors and boaters, including history, preferred marinas with contact information, and the sights within walking distance (WWD) and not within walking distance (NWWD).

The Schwaderers became eligible for their AGLCA’s “Gold Burgee” after Looping all the way around, proceeding through Florida’s west side at Ft. Myers and transiting the Okeechobee Waterway, which culminated in “crossing their wake.” They arrived safely back in Stuart after the adventure.

For those wanting to do the southern Florida coast and Keys, Mr. Schwaderer has added a Section 11 to cover some recommended south Florida locales. 100 Great Stops is nice to have on board as an additional, easy to read Guide, and is available from internet booksellers.

Go, with their own Loop starting from Stuart, Florida.

For the next 16 chapters we are taken on a delightfully humorous Loop from the Logbook of Lifestyle II, and are given an introduction to the people and places, trials and tribulations of Looping.

Almost to the day, a year later they cross their wake and earn their much deserved, distinguished flag, a Gold Burgee.

Hero’s Loop may be found through online booksellers.

Honey, Let’s Get a Boat

By Ron & Eva Stob

Hero’s Loop

By Mike & Denniese Liles

Our next selection is called Hero’s Loop - Stories of Boating and Adventure by Mike and Denniese Liles.

I will have to admit that I first picked it up to give to my wife because the cover photo features a preciouseyed dog who I assumed was the “Hero,” and my wife was considering bringing our two dogs on our voyage.

However, I learned that the dog on the cover was named Maggie and though part of the “crew,” Maggie was not the Hero named therein.

The hero(s) of this story are boat(s). Starting with the 1951 movie African Queen, which plants the seafaring seed in Mike that germinates and grows into a desire for boats and water as a lifelong passion, we are treated to Mike’s boating autobiography. This includes the purchase of a 1984 Marine Trader 40’ Sundeck trawler, after being introduced to the Great Loop and reading Honey Let’s Get a Boat, by Ron and Eva Stob, the founders of the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA) .

Mike and Denniese named their power trawler Lifestyle II after their former sailboat, Lifestyle.

We are then taken through the chapters describing preparations for the adventure. Finally, it’s Ready, Set, www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Now, the book that got the whole “Looping” craze going: Honey, Let’s Get a Boat… A Cruising Adventure of America’s Great Loop. I have not met a Looper that has not first read this, and most, including this Looper, have met the authors, Ron and Eva Stob, at one or more of the AGLCA’s Rendezvous.

Their story starts with how the intrepid journey began as an idea, a plan, and the Stobs buying a boat and proceeding to embark on their 6,000+ mile journey on water. In their case, they had been guests of friends that were cruising the Trent-Severn Waterway in Canada. This is a series of connecting canals, lakes, rivers and locks in Ontario’s western section that allows boaters to take a shortcut from Lake Ontario to the Georgian Bay section of Lake Huron.

After being bitten by the “Loop Bug,” they ultimately buy their boat in Florida, a 40’ Spindrift motor trawler, and name it Dream O’ Genie. After the prerequisite prep and provisioning, they head north along the ICW from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. For the next 17 chapters we are presented with a section by section travel guide with interesting, humorous and anecdotal stories of places seen and people they meet. They go through all their new experiences with confidence and trepidation, and make us comfortable wrapping our own heads around doing the journey ourselves.

The book’s conclusion contains a very extensive Appendix, including, in their words, a “A Potpourri of Information.” This book is very good for those considering adding the Loop adventure to their “Bucket List.” It worked for me. See GreatLoop.org or internet booksellers.

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Life Aboard Living and Cruising on the Waterway of Europe

Liveaboards not only live aboard boats on the ocean, but many live on inland rivers and canals. On a recent trip to the Netherlands we were amazed by the barges and people who live aboard them. They looked fascinating and we just had to learn more. One Dutch barge in particular caught our eye and we wanted to learn more from her owner, Anne.

Cruising Outpost: Please tell us about this boat, your home.

Anne Laurd: Our current boat is a Dutch-style barge, Viator, which is Latin for traveler. It was built as a one-off by a boat yard in the midlands of the UK. We think that the owner thought that there was big money to be made in Dutch barges. He got a local boat builder to construct the hull and superstructure. Unfortunately, he was not the best boat builder around. The owner of the boat yard did all the interior woodwork himself. Again, he was not the best woodworker! The boat was put up

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for sale for a lot of money and because people spending that sort of money expect much higher quality, it did not sell! Four years later and after a couple of big price drops, we bought it.

Because we have both had boats in the past, we were aware of some of the problems.

Some were very obvious, like no bollards and no anchor.

Some we discovered after we moved on, like the plumbing that had not been connected up!

However, we considered that we had paid a fair price and knew that we needed to save up to do the work to bring it up to the standard we needed to cruise.

We used great boat yards in the UK. It will always be a ‘pig’s ear’ and will always need things improved, but we decided on a list of jobs to get us moving.

One of the big pluses of the boat is the size. It is 17 meters by 3.50 meters (although on paper it is longer, another deception by the boat builder!). We have a

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Editor Robin Stout Aboard Mermaid

Up to 600 lbs. Capacity 120 Walled 316 Stainless Steel Several Sizes Available Universal Mounting Easily Rotate or Remove Integrated Cleats 2 Year Warranty

fully demountable wheelhouse which takes us about 15 minutes to take down. This allows us to pass under many bridges and gives us a great cruising range in the UK for a wide beam boat.

The engine is a Beta Marine 90 hp with hydraulic drive. We have a bow thruster off the same hydraulics and Vetus hydraulic steering. The engine installation seems to have been done to a higher standard than the rest of the boat. We have over 3000 hours on the clock with no major problems. We have had two small solar panels fitted which have helped boost our batteries.

The boat has 12v and 240v electrical systems with a Mastervolt inverter/charger. The boat was fitted with a coal/woodburner running a radiator in the bedroom.

We have since had this changed to an oil burner as coal is not easily available on the continent.

Cruising Outpost: Please tell us about yourself.

Anne Laurd: I am nearly 66 (how did that happen!) so have now retired. I had several jobs during my working life as well as bringing up two children and supporting partners (I am on number three!!!) My last and most rewarding job was working for local councils caring for adults with learning disabilities. Before that it was jobs, wherever and whatever, fitting in with schools, etc.

My children were born to boat life. My daughter was born in 1976 in Stafford. I was then with my fi rst husband (we married at the age of 18 in 1970). It was his family that introduced me to narrow boats and the

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UK canals. When we were first married we hired a boat with his parents and some friends and had a great time, so that sowed the seed. Shortly afterward I was left some money, just enough to have a 60-foot narrow boat built. I could just afford the engine and water tank, but nothing else. With the help of his parents we fitted it out. I remember we bought old bus windows for it from a breakers yard.

We were living on his parents’ cruiser while doing this. In those days everything was much more basic. More like camping!

We had just one battery for lights. It was a while before my daughter came along and we were just like a couple of kids playing house! We had no hot water. When she was born we got a gas water heater, but had no shower so I used to bath her in the kitchen sink. We had a coal stove for heating and used to strip wash in front of it with a bowl of water.

My first husband was not very good at working or responsibility, so it became difficult with a child to care for. We moved up to the north to work on a Leeds and Liverpool short boat (a traditional working boat from that area), but it was hard for me. This is where I met partner number two who was a boat engineer!

We moved to Oxford and I left the boat for a short while. We lived in a flat by the river as he got a job working for Salter Brothers who ran the trip boats there. During this time he built us a boat and we bought another two, so we had a small fleet. Also during this time my son was born.

We moved onto one of the boats, sold the one he built and kept the other which was a butty boat (a 70-foot unpowered boat that is towed by the motor boat), the idea being that it would be a workshop. We traveled around as much as we could, usually to work at different boat yards around the country. The children went to a few different schools.

Eventually we settled for a while in Braunston, which is a small village, but quite famous on the UK waterways as a center for old working boats. During

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this time my daughter left home to study art in London.

My relationship ended and I took the boat down south to be near my sister.

Partner number three and my husband since 1999.

Rod, was working on old narrow boats in Braunston and has been on working boats for a long time. We both have a love of boats and traveling, and together have visited several countries, always checking out the boats. We traveled on the Amazon for four days and the Mekong for a couple of days during these travels. We spent several years at a small boat yard in the northwest of England, working, saving money, and traveling when we could.

The boat, which I had had since the late ‘70s, had a wooden cabin, was 70-feet long and the maintenance was getting tiresome. It was the boat that I had brought the children up on, so I had a huge sentimental attachment, but it needed new owners and we wanted to buy a wide-beam craft and explore larger waterways.

We wanted an old boat but settled on a new build replica Dutch barge that wasn’t very well built or fitted out, but gave us the space we wanted and we could just about afford it.

That pretty much brings us to now! We cruised around the rivers in the north of the UK for a couple of years while Rod checked out the possibility of working from the boat. The UK canal system has become very busy and can be frustrating, so we are now into our third year cruising on the continent. We’re currently in France but heading back to the Netherlands which we both love. However, I am missing the UK and children and grandchildren, so we plan to return sometime next year. We hope to explore the waterways in the south.

Cruising Outpost: Over the years you have seen many changes in your community. What are they?

Anne Laurd: I think that since technology has made life on board a lot easier, more people consider it a possible lifestyle. With inverters it is possible to have freezers, washing machines, electric kettles, toasters,

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etc. However, many ‘living the dreamers’ in UK really don’t love boats as much as the idea of floating between restaurants and beauty spots. They find boating hard work and are always shocked to find flat batteries after they have unplugged and used all their equipment. Then there is emptying the loo and taking on water, something they have to do a lot as they still think they can stand under a shower every morning! We, of course, have upgraded from the one car battery days, but because we started back then, I think we have a better understanding. I never leave the tap running when I brush my teeth!!!

When we first lived on boats it was unusual, now everyone knows someone on a boat. Then, most people who were on boats had a love of boats and the canals, so you always had that in common when you met. We are those people who say “it’s not like it was in the old days!”

Cruising Outpost: What is it like living on the barge in Europe in the winter?

Anne Laurd: Winters always bring some problems.

We always had a coal/wood stove, but we have now swapped this to diesel which is easier here and the boat is well insulated. We have wintered in marinas before, but on the whole prefer short stops if possible. I am finding continuous cruising during the winter harder over here as water is often turned off and canals closed, but we have coped! In fact, fresh water can always be a problem. Frozen tanks and taps are not much fun. This is more to do with my age I am sure!

Also, access to friends and family is expensive and quite hard work if you are on the move abroad. Rod will be 60 soon and we plan to go to Amsterdam for a day or two, but planning where you can get transport from and also leave the boat is a nightmare (more so in France!).

Unlike a lot of boaters over here, we don’t have a car.

Cruising Outpost: What is your favorite thing about living aboard your Dutch barge?

Anne Laurd: My favorite thing is being able to take my home to Paris, Amsterdam, Manchester etc…

Cruising Outpost: What advice would you give to someone considering this lifestyle?

Anne Laurd: To anyone considering the lifestyle, make sure you think you can cope with limited power and water, fewer electrical gadgets and stuff in general, and that you don’t mind dealing with toilet waste! Learn as much as you can about your boat and boating etiquette.

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Cruising Outpost 193 11/3/17 1:26 PM

Bubba Whartz

Bubba Wins Debate at Blue Moon Bar You would not think that a location as dark and gloomy as the Blue Moon Bar--a place where the odor of stale cigarette smoke, spilled beer and urinal deodorant cakes presents sudden and rank olfactory overload for the uninitiated--a place where neon tubes advertising brands of brew loom out of perpetual dusk like the Northern Lights-would be the site of a tremendous debate. But it was.

The debate took place in May. Bubba Whartz was declared the winner by an overwhelming margin. I was there. I heard the rhetoric. I saw it happen.

The debate took place after a man Whartz later referred to as “some dweeb” stopped in for something cold and ordered an O’Douhl’s.

The denizens of the Blue Moon, lined up along the bar rail like birds on a fence, haw-hawed some at the guy’s order, winking and nudging each other with ill-concealed glee. The stranger noticed.

“You guys may laugh, but I know that my spurning the evils of strong drink will make me into a better and stronger man,” he said, his eyes shining pinkish in the reflected glow of a neon beer sign.

Whartz immediately took up the challenge. Rising from his bar stool, stumbling only slightly, Bubba took a deep breath, set his beer glass down carefully on the bar and faced the stranger. If it had been the Wild West, this would have been where guns would have come out. But this was Florida in 1998.

“You know,” Whartz began, “I was watching one of those National Geographic specials on the TV just last week. It had to do with the migration of the caribou herds up in northwestern Canada. Those huge herds, hundreds of thousands of animals at a time, answer some primal urge to migrate long, long distances.

“They ford frigid rivers. They cross mountain ranges.

They keep on moving, driven by instinct, and cover ground that has been covered by countless millions of caribou before them.

By Morgan Stinemetz

“Some of those animals are very young and weak. Some others are old and also weak. The wolves who live in that part of the northwest--obeying the same instincts that percolated in the veins of their ancestors--follow the herds, preying on the sick and the lame and the young, picking off the slower animals.

“This is nature at its most efficient. The wolves cull the herd and, as a whole, the herd itself grows stronger, because its weaker members are lost to natural predation.

Wolves, then, serve a useful purpose.

“Alcohol acts much the same way. It is a known and proven fact that the consumption of alcohol kills off brain cells. I submit to you that alcohol, like the wolves following the caribou herds, kills off the weaker and slower brain cells, cells that might have died on their own anyway.

“The consumption of beer in appropriate quantities will kill off the bad cells, leaving the stronger, younger cells in place to transmit electrical energy more quickly and more efficiently. Drinking beer is not in any way detrimental to your health. Drinking beer is good for you because it rids you of cranial detritus. It sloughs off the old and promotes growth of the new.

“If there were more serious drinkers in this country we might not have lost some of our technological edge to other markets. Think of how much beer Germans drink and how the cars they manufacture--Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Porsches--have been the standards by which other automobiles have been judged for years!

“I say to you, fellow Americans and good friends, that drinking regularly or drinking to excess occasionally is one sure way to get rid of those bad cells. Alcohol is good.

Alcohol is necessary. It is part of the American Way!” Whistles and shouts and hand clapping exploded in the Blue Moon Bar. It was deafening, joyous and continuous.

Whartz was raised up on the shoulders of the regulars and

“I say to you, fellow Americans and good friends, that drinking regularly or drinking to excess occasionally is one sure way to get rid of those bad cells. Alcohol is good. Alcohol is necessary. It is part of the American Way!”

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paraded around the inside of the room two times, then set down gently on the edge of a pool table.

“I’ll drink to that,” someone cried aloud, carried away by the sheer emotion of Bubba Whartz’s forceful presentation.

The passion of the moment must have struck Doobie, too. “A free round, on the house!” she declared.

There were more cheers and shouts as the Blue Moon regulars, with Whartz carried ahead of the rush like a piece of flotsam in the surf, surged toward the bar, where Doobie was putting freebies up as fast as she could draw them.

I noticed the guy who had ordered the O’Douhl’s put his drink down. His head was low and his eyes downcast as he maneuvered against the current of moving men and made his way toward the door of the Blue Moon Bar. He opened it, and the late afternoon sun shone inside for a second, cutting across the linoleum floor and casting long shadows of reaching men against the east wall of the bar.

No one even noticed the man’s disappearing act, so caught up were they in the heady moment of Whartz’s stunning debate victory and Doobie’s largess.

In the future, one might imagine, the Blue Moon regulars may talk about the time an outsider came into the bar and left shortly thereafter without a trace, the only remembrance of him a lingering, unanswered question: “Who was that stranger...?”

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I Found It At The Boat Show Since we get to (have to??) spend a lot of time at boat shows, we figured we probably should do some actual work. Strangely enough, drinking Painkillers and eating show-dogs doesn’t quite measure up to what the IRS people think is work. So, in order to be able to write off all the boat show expenses, we actually have to walk around and find new stuff to feature in the magazine. It’s not an easy job, but someone’s gotta do it!

The Astra IIIB Sextant Celestaire is Keeping the Dream Alive

The first time I sailed “across an ocean” (from Mexico to Hawaii) I used a sextant. Not because there was no other option available, but rather it was because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it... and I did! Back then a sextant was quite expensive, but it was worth it to know that, even when the batteries are dead, I can find where I am.

The Astra IIIB has helped revolutionize celestial navigation. It is a high quality, accurate, metal sextant available at a much lower cost than in the “Good Old Days.”

Over 25,000 of this model sextant have been sold, in the US alone, in the past 30 years. That’s far more than any other serious sextant. Its popularity has spread throughout the rest of the world as well, making it the most recognized (and supported) sextant worldwide.

Its low price, excellent optics, and choice of horizon mirrors and other accessories make the Astra IIIB the perfect selection for beginners. Yet we know several professional navigators who prefer it merely because they can leave their expensive models at home without sacrificing noticeable accuracy.

The Astra IIIB is the easiest sextant to use. Its light weight and excellent balance make it a pleasure to hold and sights easier to take under dynamic weather and sea conditions. The frame is made from lightweight aluminum alloy which resists corrosion, and it’s electrically lighted by an LED on the arc and drum.

The man who knows more about sextants than anyone we know is Ken Gebhart at Celestaire. It’s where I got mine all those years ago, and where you can get yours! They are at www.celestaire.com. Tell’em Bob sent ya.

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I Found It At The Boat Show

FilterBoss - Now With KEENAN FILTERS KTI Systems’ First Diesel Fuel Management System with Advanced GSM

KTI Systems, Inc. is making waves this fall. Its new complete fuel management system is integrated with advanced digital monitoring using GSM technology.

In addition, by integrating the interconnects internally with the The EFS Control Panel new KEENAN FILTERS®, the overall footprint has been reduced to the approximate size of a “12-pack of beer.” It also allows for porting fuel back to either filter for quick servicing, even while the engine is running!

As we all know, if the engine has a problem, it’s one of three things: either fuel, fuel or fuel! For more on this revolutionary system, go to www.ktisystems.com.

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I Found It At The Boat Show

Lighthouse Windlass It Looks Like a Work of Art and Works Even Better

The Lighthouse windlass is well known among world cruisers as one of the most reliable, strongest, and easiest to service windlasses at sea today. Now as we all know, things that work well are prized, but when they actually look like a work of art, that is all the better. The Lighthouse windlass looks like a work of art.

Lighthouse windlasses are rated at continuous duty and not maximum pull, as with most other winch manufacturers. Maximum pull on an average 12-volt unit could reach 3000 lbs. if amperage is available. Also, there are no ratchets or pawls to break.

The stainless steel construction won’t corrode away like aluminum winches or rust like steel units, and the chrome plating won’t peel off like others that are brass.

This is the only winch with three manual back-ups, plus it can be tailed just like any sheet winch. It has rapid manual rewind with use of a standard or ratcheting winch handle in the capstan end.

A second winch handle socket on top of the winch is provided for kedging and allows a maximum pull manually through a 60:1 gear ratio. This means if only 35 lbs. of pressure is exerted on a standard 10” winch handle in the kedging socket, a potential of 10,500 lbs. of lift is available.

The 12-volt motors are a proprietary design and have straight line power outputs as high as 3 hp. The motors have no fields to burn out and are ball bearing mounted.

Want more info? Go to www.lighthouse-mfg-usa.com.

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I Found It At The Boat Show

Leisure Furl System The Easier to Use In-Boom Furling System

The fact that nearly 3,000 Leisure Furl systems are in use shows that it is a highly efficient, safe and simple method of reefing and controlling the mainsail. Forespar has been building spars in the U.S. for over 40 years.

I replaced my boom on Lost Soul after 20 years of doing it “the old way,� and from day one it made my life aboard easier. It no longer took two-three people to reef in bad weather. It was so simple I actually found myself reefing more often. I used to let the wind

overpower me before I would go thru the hassle of reefing, but with the Leisure Furl boom it was almost fun!

The Leisure Furl boom comes standard with a built-in sail cover for convenience and ease of handling. The Sunbrella sail cover protects the sail from the harmful elements.

Each boom has a built-in manual backup in case of halyard or furling line failure. Winch handle control is easily accomplished at the mast. The internal ratchet allows the system to be locked in place for long passages.

The Leisure Furl boom was the best upgrade I ever added to my boat. It is available as an option on almost any new sailboat, and as an add-on to vintage boats as well. For more info go to http://www.leisurefurl.com.

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I Found It At The Boat Show

Sebago Clovehitch II Style and Function in a Comfortable Boat Shoe

Sebago’s Clovehitch II style was designed to keep all feet on deck. The shoe features two-eye handsewn premium Nubuck and full grain leather uppers, with breathable Drilex® Hydrofil® mesh panels.

The Clovehitch II has an anatomical EVA footbed that provides comfort while the Sebago® Marine Tack™ nonmarking sole conceals an EVA midsole for comfort and slipresistant security. This is a traditional lace-up style that keeps

the shoes on your feet in even the worst conditions at sea. To keep you on the boat they have added a sole of slipresistant, non-marking siped rubber.

Add to that the corrosion resistant eyelets and full length EVA cushion midsole, and you have a shoe that is long-lasting and comfortable to wear.

If you are looking for a shoe that will be safe on board and good looking at the club, this is the shoe you need to be looking at. You can find these and other Sebago shoe designs on their website at http:// www.sebago.com.

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The Anatomy, Language, and Nuances of a Marine Weather Forecast We live in an era of rapidly changing times, especially involving technology and mobile aps. The cultural changes, while seemingly modern, have not been so advanced when it comes to enabling one to critically think constructively, or thoroughly evaluate important details.

When it comes to weather there are similar fast-paced changes that, in the short run, seem so alluring so as to bypass standards that have incorrectly been asserted as “dated.” As a professional meteorologist, my career start began in the 1970s with pencil and eraser, then onto acetate overlays and crayon, to hand drawn weather maps, then the transition to electronically produced weather products by the late 1990s.

Electronically generating weather products continues today, with more and more digital graphics that seem to threaten the very existence of traditional weather charts.

Well, not so fast as ESPN’s Lee Corso college football analyst would say! Let’s take some moments in this article to discuss briefly the good old days of “radiofax” charts which, like the beaufort scale, will stand the test of time. You see, the symbols that permeate the “fax charts” routinely, day after day, do mean something.

They are not going to change.

Neither is the core weather forecasts we hear and see in a variety of formats today. Sometimes, amid all of today’s colored graphics of virtual weather in motion without any thorough explanations as to what is being portrayed, we need to take a step back and view weather from a time-tested aspect: its language!

We will stay at the level which forecasts are disseminated in this article, keeping in mind we are still dealing with a science and knowledge based discipline. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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We will also keep a focus on a boater’s aspect of weather, which, of course ,would encompass the marine environment as portrayed in a “marine weather forecast.”

So, here we go. The first element of a “marine weather forecast” that a boater is exposed to is the “marine advisories and warnings.” One hears the forecast over VHF radio, or sees it in an alphanumeric text format, and better yet, as a graphical product mode.

These products are issued by the National Weather Service (NWS).

An “advisory” is a statement issued by the NWS when conditions are expected to inconvenience boaters within a restricted local geographic area, but does not meet “warning” criteria. If caution is not exercised, this could lead to life-threatening situations. For boaters, we are referring to a “Small Craft Advisory” (SCA).

This typically applies to the inland and coastal waters of the U.S. within 40 nm along the East and Gulf Coast states and within 60 nm along the U.S. West Coast, all built around wind and sea state conditions (20-33 kt, and seas 5-10 ft and greater).

We ratchet it up to “warning criteria” which falls in the hazardous life and property threatening conditions. The lowest category for a “marine warning” is “Gale” (3447 knots sustained over 10 minutes), then “Storm” (48-63 knots sustained over 10 minute) and “Hurricane Force” (64 knots and higher sustained over 10 minutes).

This should not be confused by “Hurricane Warning,” exclusively designated for a named Tropical Cyclone.

The NWS marine “wind warning” system, however, does

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L e e C h e s n e a u ’s M a r i n e We a t h e r

not tie directly into sea state conditions, as does “SCA,” but one does not need to have an imaginary perspective to know what that would mean to the safety of everyone on board the vessel. Thus, the highlight of every NWS forecast is its “marine advisory and warning” system.

The next consideration a boater needs to take into account is the geographic area of coverage the “marine advisories” and “warnings” encompass. A “SCA” covers the inland and coastal waters areas of the U.S. inside 40 nm along the East and Gulf Coast states and 60 NM along the West Coast (further segmented from the coast

referenced landmarks such as Cape Flattery to Cape Shoalwater which breaks down into two distinct “Offshore Forecast Zones,” inner and outer (60-150 nm & 150 to 250 nm). The waters along the U.S. East Coast are a bit

“Offshore Forecast Waters” and “Offshore Forecast Zones”

to 10 nm and from 10 to 60 nm. This would be followed by a geographic area of coverage that goes further offshore known as the “Offshore Forecast Waters” that extends beyond the coastal 40 or 60 nm waters which extends further offshore in a more expanded regional aspect, out to 250 nm. The U.S. West Coast has distinct

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different. These zones reference a number of differing water demarcation marks such as the 1000 fathom line and specific distances of up to 100 nm, to latitude and longitude, or just longitude lines, all referenced from landmarks. This makes the geography of the marine offshore forecast zone a bit more complex in detail than the West Coast marine offshore forecast zones.

The next element after the “marine advisories and warnings,” along with the geographic area of impact to consider is a “synopsis” of current and predicted weather conditions covering a five-day period. The “synopsis” is a worded description pertaining to an overall view of specific weather systems (low and high pressure), their features (fronts, troughs, & ridges), that extend over a geographic area of coverage which could entail a whole ocean basin (e.g. the North Atlantic or Pacific) or the

Lee Chesneau is a senior Marine Meteorologist, and co-author of “Heavy Weather Avoidance” & Route Design, as well as being an Educator & Trainer of professional & recreational mariners.

regional aspect such as the entire coastal and offshore waters just discussed. An example of the synopsis is noted below for the West Coast WA and OR “Marine Forecast Offshore Waters.”

Finally, there is the body of the forecast, broken down into 12-hour forecast segments over a five-day period if one were to “click on” the outer Pacific Ocean Offshore Waters Forecast for WA Cape Flattery to Cape Shoalwater: Thus, we have several components in a marine forecast that do not change; the “advisories and warnings,” the geographic area of coverage, the “synopsis”, and the body of the forecast composing of the different components of a “marine forecast” (winds, sea state, and visibility). www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Talk of the Dock -

What’s New & What’s Goin’ On?

By Zuzana Prochazka

Newsy Bits and Rambling Thoughts

Chartering in the Caribbean?

I was going to talk about raised cruising fees in the BVIs – beginning August 1, 2017 charter and cruising boats pay $6 per person per day (instead of $2 in season or $0.75 off season). But given what hurricanes Irma and Maria wrought so far in the Caribbean, that will not be the biggest issue. The estimate is that 80% of Sunsail, Moorings, Dream Yacht and other charter companies’ fleets have been destroyed.

Consider moving a winter charter farther south to Martinique, St. Lucia, Grenada or St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Other places that may work are Australia and Europe like Greece and Croatia. Or you can come join Cruising Outpost in Tahiti in July. Either way, please forge ahead with your charter vacation plans and support the charter companies as much as possible so they can rebuild their facilities and fleets and help the local population with incoming business.

Is it time to sell your boat?

Maybe. If the idea of selling your boat has been niggling around in your brain, you may want to think on

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it a little harder. None of us want to sell our baby – that thing that has taken more money than a college student and provided hours of frustration and scraped knuckles but also an immeasurable amount of pride and joy.

Between industry consolidation, especially in European sailboat brands that have been busily buying each other up, and MarineMax signaling a slowdown in their 60-foot-plus segment of new powerboats, a shift seems to be on the horizon in 2018 or 2019. Even smarty-pants, Warren Buffett, seems to be looking at potentially defensive market strategies.

So what do I know? Well, nothing. If I could predict stock, real estate and boat sales markets, would I be sitting here writing this? No. I’d be out cruising on my own baby.

There are lots of other ways to get out on the water: Freedom Boat Club (mostly smaller powerboats but some sailboats as well) is growing gangbusters all over the country. SailTime fractional ownership, with numerous locations, is also doing well and with their partnership with Beneteau (they used to be with

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All The Latest News That Fits Between The Sheets As an “Insider” Zuzana sees a lot of what’s happening inside the boating industry. If you are into the boating lifestyle, chances are you’d like to be privy to some of the things that will affect your lifestyle as soon as they become available. So here is some of the inside info she has found while working the boat shows and industry functions.

Hunter), there are great sailboats of all sizes to choose from. Annual memberships cost about the same as a few months of slip fees and you don’t even have to clean the boat when you’re done.

And finally, for those hard to reach places – where you’ll probably not take your own boat anyway – there’s always charter with The Moorings, Sunsail, Horizons, Navigarre, Proteus, and Dream Yacht world.

Is it time to upgrade?

The last half of the year is usually when marine companies roll out new products. Yes – most of the business of boating is done in the winter so you can buy in the spring and then get boating in the summer.

So this may be the time to upgrade some equipment and gadgets.

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Tech Tips

from Capt’n Pauley’s Workshop There are a lot of little things that can make your boat easier to use and more enjoyable. Here are some tips from Paul Esterle, the author of Capt’n Pauley’s Workshop. More can be found at www.captnpauley.com.

Helping Your “Family” Get On Board A properly sized and installed dog ramp can ease Rover’s boarding dilemma, and can actually be a life-saver if your pet were to fall overboard.

Pet ramps can be divided into several categories including folding, telescoping, fixed and D-I-Y. Some primary criteria for a marine dog ramp are the ability to attach the upper end to the boat, an appropriate non-skid surface for secure footing, and whether the materials are suitable for the

marine environment. Making sure you have met these criteria will make for a easier to use and longer lasting boarding ladder.

The two most important considerations when using a ramp to board a dog from the water are the angle of the ramp and the depth of the end of the ramp. Keep in mind the animals age when considering how steep you want yours to be. The end of the ramp should be far enough under the

The PetSTEP II Dog Ramp

A Deck to Dock Passarel

(Photo courtesy of PetSTEP, Inc.)

(Photo courtesy of Deck to Dock, Inc.)

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Tech Tips from Capt’n Pauley’s Workshop water so your dog can step on the end instead of having to climb on the end of the ramp. Also keep in mind, these can also make boarding easier when you are tied to a dock or boarding from a dinghy.

There are plenty of dog ramps available online or you can build one yourself.

If you do choose to build your own, the things to keep in mind are your estimated final costs, how well it will work, and how can it be stored.

In any case, proper provisions for easily boarding your dog will make boating more pleasurable for both the dog and the owner. As the saying goes, “It’s a small price to pay!”

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Paws Aboard Doggy Ladder diagram (From the Paws Aboard instruction manual)

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r i a p e R k c

e D k Tea

e h t o t p i r G i w i K

We have a feeling this article is going to resonate with many owners of older teak-decked boats who are contemplating leaks and how to affordably fix them once and for all.

As for the solution we chose to address this semiuniversal problem, we explicitly followed directions and did things properly when it came to the fiberglass and KiwiGrip portions of this do-it-yourself project.

Otherwise, the experts and shipwrights among you will say we did not repair our decks the “right way” or the “correct way.” What we did do was fix our

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! e u Resc

By Darren O’Brien

leaking 37-year-old teak decks the “best way” we could, given our circumstances.

Of course, with teak decks that age, it is no surprise the issue was leaks. More specifically, it was the cumulative effect of said leaks over nearly four decades. What did the builders think would happen after drilling thousands of little holes?! (That’s a mostly rhetorical question, by the way.) Even though the teak itself was still in pretty decent shape and looked fine, we had underlying areas of delamination and soft sub-deck.

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The consensus on the proper way to make permanent repairs would be to rip up the teak, remove the underlying layer of fiberglass, and cut out any rotten sub-deck. Then lay in new sub-deck, fiberglass that in, and create a new top deck. Basic options would include new or fake teak (both too expensive for us), or to build up layers of fiberglass topped with a non-skid finish.

The reality of our circumstances were a shortage of expendable cash and the available number of successive warm, dry days.

In the Pacific NW we have a relatively short window for do-it-yourself things like the tearing off of decks, especially as our vocation requires us to be out and about during the cruising season. Beyond those constraints, as liveaboards and workaboards we are busy running multiple businesses and homeschooling a precocious seven-year old who also goes to gymnastics and jujitsu. We just didn’t have the hours available for the manual labor required to repair our decks the correct way. And so it was we commenced with fixing our leaky decks the best way we could, with the final step being the application of KiwiGrip.

Since it is not recommended to apply KiwiGrip directly to teak, we needed to cover it first. Fiberglass was the best, most obvious choice. I consulted with our friend, JB Currell, who used to own and now

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consults with MAS Epoxies. I explained our situation and what we hoped to accomplish. As we aren’t the only ones to have ever done this form of repair before, JB had plenty of experience to lean on. After giving us instructions on the proper way to lay fiberglass on teak he added, “it’s not a permanent fix, but it’s a good 15-20 year fix.” And that was good enough for us! We subsequently ordered enough MAS Epoxy to do the entire job.

The first step was to address the areas of delamination, which were in the foredeck.

The plan I came up with was to through-bolt those areas and inject penetrating epoxy to strengthen and stop the rot.

After removing the overhead below decks, I proceeded to remove 24 screws in the foredeck teak. In those spots we over-drilled and down through all four layers: 3/4inch teak, 3/8-inch fiberglass, 3/4-inch plywood, and 1/8-inch fiberglass. We removed dozens more deck screws around the drilled through holes and injected penetrating epoxy. Then, using nuts and bolts with oversized flat washers, we throughbolted and tightened the deck back together. It worked!

The deck went from being spongy in those spots to being solid again.

Next step was to prepare the teak for laying fiberglass over. We sanded down to new wood, which also finally removed the still persistent layer of Cetol the PO had applied to the decks many years ago. We

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then washed the deck with acetone to clean as well as possible prior to laying down 6.5-ounce glass mat. Using MAS Epoxies medium hardener, we then applied three coats of resin following directions.

Once the fiberglass was properly laid down, it was time to apply KiwiGrip, our non-skid coating of choice. We were making an application video and

Texture can be varied by thickness One of the many benefits of KiwiGrip is the fact that you control the finished texture of your nonskid surface.

Some vessels call for a very aggressive finish, while some have a need for a lighter, finer finish.

With KiwiGrip, both extremes and everything in between are possible.

Below are a few examples of different techniques used to achieve different textures commonly used when applying KiwiGrip.

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thus worked closely with PYI, the North American KiwiGrip distributor. Dan Schalk from PYI happened to be on the Olympic Peninsula the day we started, so he dropped by to make sure the first sections we did on the upper deck went smoothly and correctly.

KiwiGrip, as the name implies, was developed 20 years ago in New Zealand and was specifically designed as a marine non-skid coating for decks. It is unique in that it’s a water soluble, homogenous acrylic polymer that cures into a lasting, durable finish. That means there is no sand or walnut shells added to provide non-skid texture. Varying levels of non-skid texture are achieved with specialized rollers that somewhat resemble large Brillo pads.

The first step was to identify which areas of the deck were to be coated. As we were essentially covering all deck areas, it became a matter of determining where the “gutters” would go. More aesthetic than functional, gutters help add a finished design look to the project.

However, we observed during application that the gutters also broke up larger swaths of deck space into much more manageable sections for spreading and texturing. We had settled on grey for the KiwiGrip color, so we bought matching grey deck paint, which we applied and overlapped wherever the gutters and edges would be.

We then taped off the gutters and edges. We found that using a high quality painter’s masking tape worked best, as inferior tape either left residue or tore when peeling. We also carefully cut rounded corners in the tape, which really did add a nice touch to the finished product.

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We actually ended up postponing the application a couple of days, as – surprise! – our humid Pacific NW Spring weather was not cooperating. KiwiGrip, while fairly easy and unforgiving in its application, absolutely must be applied within a specific temperature and humidity range.

Another key to a lasting application is proper preparation of the surface to be coated. We scuff sanded the fiberglass to create a rougher surface to improve adhesion. We then thoroughly cleaned the surface with grease-cleaning soap and water.

The application is actually pretty straightforward and not at all complicated. It does help a lot, however, to have a couple people to assist. Especially if the surface area you’re working on is more than 2030 square feet. We had myself, my wife Lisa, and second eldest daughter Toni. We established a good routine whereby I would “slop on” the KiwiGrip with a notched trowel (highly recommended) and spread evenly for thickness. Toni would roll for texture, and Lisa would pull tape before the coating began to set.

The spreading and rolling gets better as you gain experience. The recommendation is to practice beforehand on some plywood or an area that is not very visible. That’s actually a very good idea, because you

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will develop a feeling for how thick and how deep the texture will eventually be. And that’s what determines how aggressive the non-skid ends up. A thinner coat with lighter rolling will result in a smoother non-skid surface. Thicker coats with deeper texture can be made much more aggressive. Too aggressive and it can be a little rough on bare feet, but it’s definitely excellent non-skid! We tried for a middle ground and were, by and large, able to achieve that. We can look back and see, mostly in the first few areas we did, that the texture varied a little bit between fairly aggressive and just right. However, even the more aggressive spots are no problem for our bare feet.

We ended up coating approximately 350 square feet of deck with KiwiGrip. And even though it took a few days doing one or two areas at a time, we think the finished product looks great. It definitely provides sure traction, especially when wet. And when we finish painting the inside of the bulwarks, it will look even better. But, as with many older boats approaching 40 years of age, our 1979 Cheoy Lee is a constant work in progress. At least we’ve stopped the leaks, fixed the delamination, and even made it look good! Whether the way we did it was right or wrong, that’s the best part of all.

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Women

Who Sail

By Julie Thorndy

craft

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Anyone who has organized a large group event knows that at times prior and during the event, organizing people can be a bit like herding cats!

l

Now I know this sounds like an odd way to write about the Women Who Sail Third Rendezvous, but humor me for a moment.

First off – I like cats and I like people and I like organizing things – it’s what I do. But things can get challenging.

A little background...

Women Who Sail (WWS) is a Facebook group and like any other Facebook group, there is no “real” organization. The membership is now over 12000, a 50% increase in just the past year. Its focus is on sharing experience, knowledge, and connections world-wide. Membership is, of course, restricted to women.

A few years ago, Holly Scott, from Mahalo Sailing, and a few other members had the idea to organize a get-together. The first—held in the BVI in 2015—was such a success a second Rendezvous was held last year in the Sea of Cortez.

Members at the Second Rendezvous each brought donations for the school children of San Evaristo, a very remote village that welcomed us graciously. It felt good to give something back to a community that shared their beautiful area with us. With that, it was decided each rendezvous would identify a charity or service in need that would be a focal point for the trip.

As I had helped out with the Second WWS Rendezvous, I offered to do so again for the Third WWS Rendezvous--headed for Belize, this time. I told Holly Scott of Mahalo Sailing that I wanted an official title. She let me pick my own and I claimed CEO – Chief Efficiency Operator! My first assignment as CEO was to identify a charity in Placencia.

After numerous phone calls and web searches I found the Placencia Humane Society, which provided us with an extensive list of needs.

So, I tackled my first cat-herding assignment – with real cats (and dogs) in mind. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Women Who Sail

My self-proclaimed CEO job description was broad – and expanded as the rendezvous approached.

Planning and coordinating a trip for 50+ people takes a great deal of work. Mahalo Sailing took care of booking boats, identifying qualified Captains and First Mates, route planning and research and addressing all financial matters. My role was a fun and entertaining distraction that kept me going through the long winter months in the land of ice and snow, where I live when my husband and I can’t be on our boat in the Great Lakes. During those chilly winter months, I coordinated T-shirt orders, ground transportation, prizes for our numerous giveaways, and became the de facto communication point with the participants.

Each year the number of Rendezvous attendees has increased, as has the fun. With six CATamarans chartered from Sunsail and a couple of BYOBs (Bring Your Own Boat), our contingent was made up of 57 amazing women. Sailing and boating skills ranged from the expertise of past participants in the America’s Cup to rookies with no experience who just wanted to feel warm breezes on their faces.

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We boarded the boats late on Saturday and once the crews got their personal gear stowed on their respective boats, we proceeded with a catered dockside party. The gathering was also an excuse to invite the board members of the Placencia Humane Society so we could shower them with the eclectic assortment of cat and dog toys, beds, bowls, food, leashes, and even more toys brought by women sailors. The humane society board members seemed overwhelmed and happily expressed their gratitude for the bountiful pirate booty.

We departed from the base the next day right after the truckload of provisions arrived. With bucketline precision the stores were carted off to each boat. Our first destination was Sapodilla Lagoon, an easy 21-nm motorsail north of Placencia. The evening was designated as a “quiet” night so crew members aboard each boat could get acquainted.

With laughter ringing through the bay – I believe everyone succeeded in getting to know each – but it was anything but quiet!

Continuing our trek northwest on day two, we anchored off Tobacco Caye where everyone got a chance to explore the tiny island, snorkel in the nearby reef, partake in some ridiculously strong adult beverages at the open-air bar, and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

Each evening there was a closing radio check by Captain Holly relaying options for the next day. We did some of the prize drawings via VHF and the whoops and hollers echoed around the anchorage from the winners. The final communication each evening came via song as the crew of S/V Jing Bao serenaded the fleet, accompanied by a pink Ukulele. How all the good voices and musicians ended up on one boat, I’ll never know!

Our crew on S/V Stern Talking enjoyed snorkeling so much that we made a point to have several snorkeling

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Third Rendezvous: Belize

opportunities the following day as we made our way 15 nm south to the Pelican Cayes. After dinner, we took the dinghy ashore to Hideaway Caye where we heard a rumor there was a bar hidden amongst the mangroves.

Hideaway is a three-acre mangrove island; nestled within is a tiny restaurant/bar/guest house. The owners and their charming daughter welcomed us to their little piece of heaven and shared their story of how they came to live on an island of mangroves.

Day four took us through an area with numerous small islands and reefs. After a three-hour snorkeling stop we continued on to Hatchet Caye where we went ashore to explore the resort. With beautiful gardens and flowers everywhere, it was almost too perfect! A large open-air restaurant and bar with a freshwater pool were greeted with great enthusiasm by everyone.

The bartenders took it in stride as they suddenly had 57 thirsty customers!

While one of our crew joined a couple going on a scuba diving excursion the next morning, the rest of us snorkeled or lounged around the pool at the resort. Then we bade farewell to Hatchet Caye and enjoyed a wonderful but short sail to Lark Caye. The evening started with a dinghy invasion of the mother ship, Blew Nowhere.

Armed with beverages and appetizers, the mother ship surrendered to raucous laughter and loud music. For my part, I came armed with oodles of giveaways including a number of subscriptions for Cruising Outpost.

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Women Who Sail

Third Rendezvous: Belize

Day six was scheduled to end in the Placencia Village Harbor. With great winds, all six catamarans set sail and simply enjoyed the day in the wind. With shouts coming across the VHF reporting their top speed, each boat vied to claim the fastest time. We clearly had numerous hidden racers on each boat as sails were tweaked to squeeze every last knot of speed.

It was the only day where the CATs actually stayed together!

The final day took us back into the Sunsail base, but that was not the end of the festivities. Our last group get-together took place at the Quarter Deck Restaurant at the Laru Beya Resort. After a fabulous meal, we were entertained by the singing crew of Jing Bao, with their raucous rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop

Believing” (Don’t Stop Belizan). With that Captain Holly officially ended the week declaring, “It was the best rendezvous thus far!”

For many, the sailing may have ended, but as many of the participants had never been to Belize, the majority opted to stay longer for tours coordinated by the resort. Over the next couple of days they visited Mayan ruins, nature reserves, went scuba diving, and power lounged around the pool.

Kudos go to the resort staff who maintained perfect smiles and quick-wit humor as we all did our best to confuse them with room changes, departure changes, and tour changes!

And as the activities wound down, the discussion started. Where would the next rendezvous be?!!

Photo of Sunset on Tobago Cays by Deneen Taylor

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1991 60’ Samson - $175,000 Neal Damron - 804.727.4787

1979 56’ Nautical Developments Corp - $199,000 Curtis Stokes - 954.684.0218

1990 54’ Irwin - $285,000 Clark and SaraNell Jelley - 561.676.8445

1984 47’ Bristol - $172,500 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1998 45’ Hunter - $159,000 Clark and SaraNell Jelley - 561.676.8445

1989 44’ Morgan Catalina CC - $84,900 Greg Merritt - 813.294.9288

1980 44’ Cherubini - $199,000 David Robinson - 410.310.8855

1979 44’ Cheoy Lee - $80,000 Ryan Daniels - 904.580.0559

1974 42’ Whitby - $49,500 Greg Merritt - 813.294.9288

2001 42’ Catalina - $139,900 Jane Burnett - 813.917.0911

1985 41’ C&C - $49,000 Greg Merritt - 813.294.9288

2001 40’ Sabre - $144,500 Clark and SaraNell Jelley - 561.676.8445

To see more details about these and all other yachts around the globe, please visit our website at

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Worldwide Yacht Sales Yacht Charters New Yacht Construction

1980 39’ CAL - $79,900 Bill Boos - 410.200.9295

1971 39’ Pearson - $34,000 Stewart Reeser - 410.924.8295

1986 38’ C&C - $49,000 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1986 38’ Ericson - $49,900 Bill Boos - 410.200.9295

2008 38’ Hunter - $130,000 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1997 37’ Lagoon - $170,000 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1977 37’ Tartan - $45,000 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1996 37’ Island Packet - $139,900 Jane Burnett - 813.917.0911

1979 37’ Gulfstar - $40,000 Barbara Burke - 904.310.5110

1981 36’ Pearson - $32,000 Wayne Smith - 516.445.1932

1995 36’ Catalina - $59,500 Greg Merritt - 813.294.9288

1986 36’ Catalina - $39,995 Wayne Smith - 516.445.1932

1.855.266.5676 | 954.684.0218 | info@curtisstokes.net www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Asking $1,245,000

6

7

50

CLASSIC PASSPORT 40’s 2

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The Bosun’s Bag Hard To Find “Stuff” For The Cruiser

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Cruising Outpost 233

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The Bosun’s Bag Hard To Find “Stuff” For The Cruiser

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Cruising Outpost 235

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The Bosun’s Bag Hard To Find “Stuff” For The Cruiser

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236 Cruising Outpost

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11/7/17 4:24 PM

You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk

Wanna Cheat? Here are the answer to this issues Maritime Crossword Puzzle.

Go ahead, no one will know.. except you! on Page 239

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pg 232-239 Bosun's Bag.indd 7

Cruising Outpost 237

11/7/17 4:24 PM

The Bosun’s Bag Hard To Find “Stuff” For The Cruiser

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11/7/17 4:25 PM

Get the Outpost at these Local Direct Dealers

Available at Most Magazine Outlets: West Marine, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo & Chapters plus these great local Marine Stores Does your local Marine Store carry Cruising Outpost?

If not, let them know that it’s as easy as 1 - 2 - 3

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pg 232-239 Bosun's Bag.indd 9

Across

1 They run parallel to the equator 6 Yes, to the captain 8 The color of many sunsets 9 Mollusc that clings to rocks 11 ‘’Midnight at the ___’’ Maria Muldaur song 12 Jet-___ in the wake 13 Mariner’s home 14 Land of opportunity 16 A Polynesian language 17 Wanderer 19 Tidal motions 22 __ and behold!

24 Where scuba divers dive to often- 2 words 27 Underwater vessel 29 “Wheel of Fortune” buy- 2 words 30 Shellfish 31 Like a tale of “the one that got away” 33 Strike 35 Juicy tropical fruit 36 Beachcomber’s collection

1 Coral reef enclosure 2 Magic charm 3 What Long John Silver sought 4 No or Evil?

5 Harnessing the wind at sea 6 Electrical power measurement 7 River mouth area 10 Free radio ad 13 Moves liquid from one container to another 15 Relatives 18 Go quiet, like a symbol of silence?- 2 words 20 Tanning area 21 __ Diego, CA 23 Actor Brynner 25 Cruisin’ Outpost’s 2017 anniversary 26 Manta ____ 27 Marina space 28 Marker bobbing on the water 32 Evil computer of filmdom 34 Exists

Down

Wanna Cheat? The answer to this are on page 237

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Cruising Outpost 239 11/7/17 4:25 PM

In th

there isis issue less tha n

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Sailtime 58 San Juan Sailing 185 146 Sea Frost Seaward Yachts 10 Shade Tree Fabric Shelters 161 Share the Sail-Tahiti 187 South Coast Yachts 227 Sport-a-Seat 191 Subscriptions & Back Issues 98-99 Summer Sailstice 176 Suncoast Yachts 231 Sunsail 36-37 Swi-Tec America 165 33 Switlik Tea Tree Power by Forespar 20 243 The Airline Two Can Sail 155 Ultimate Cruisers Symposium 23 Ultralight Solar 188 WATT 21 Whiteaker Yacht Sales 224-225 Wichard 26

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Non-Marine Advertisers None! Why would we want that? This is a boating magazine. Ya wanna see fancy watches, pick-up trucks and highpriced cars, read the other mags!

Advertisers: You can reach the most active segment of the boating community - In Print or On-Line.

Cruising Outpost - Winter - Spring - Summer & Fall Issues Next Issue: Spring 2018 - Ad Insertions by 1/15/18 - Art Due 1/20/18 - On Sale 3/3/17

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240 Cruising Outpost _pg 240 Ad List.indd 1

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pg 241 Mackie White.indd 1

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* Cruisians

*A small, exclusive group of people who are mentally ill and feel, for some reason unbeknownst to anyone, that by getting on a small boat about the size of a jail cell and heading out into the most inhospitable place on Earth (the ocean), they will somehow enjoy themselves.

Emmanuelle joined her father Pierre for a sail after returning from touring Indonesia.

She has her sailing license, and she is currently attending a physiotherapist school in Switzerland. Oh, yeah, did we mention that she is sailing in Switzerland in the photo? No? Well, she is. How kewl is that?

In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes.

This is Thomas, Luana and Samir Ellis. Thomas and Luana are avid sailors and have been at the St. Petersburg Boat Show Cruisers’ Party more years than any of us want to admit! They come all the way down from Georgia every year for the party. This picture was taken at the lake in Bagby State Park in Georgia.

Jeff Reiner and Sue White sail out of the Olympia, Washington area.

Here they are as they sailed with the PNW Share the Sail group around the San Juan Islands. Now he’s trying to put a group together to try and finish Bob B’s Global 52!

242 Cruising Outpost

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Jeff Kolod and wife Debbie joined us on our PNW Share the Sail. They flew all the way in from Maine to participate in this, and the PNW Cruisers’ Weekend in Anacortes, WA.

Glenn Smedstaad sails out of Oslo in Norway on his Bavaria 44. He cruises Scandinavia between Norway, Sweden and the tip of Denmark, and occasionally down to Germany also. Its a very short season there, but usually they get some warm days in between.

Mike Cowan was sailing off Coffman Cove, Alaska, on a fishing trip.

While attempting to release an undersized king salmon the trashing began and within seconds the salmon was not the only thing hooked.

The admiral demanded he pose for this embarrassing photo before ultimately cutting and removing the hook.

Brian Schatzman is a graduate of the California Maritime Academy who’s always had a great love of the sea.

This picture was taken while on a broad reach from Virgin Gorda. www.cruisingoutpost.com

10/28/17 11:21 AM

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