SOLUTIONS FOR OFFSHORE SAILORS
BLUE WATER
SAILING WORLD CRUISING
CRUISERS GIVING BACK SKIN CANCER PREVENTION JAMAICA’S PORT ANTONIO
BLUE WATER BOATS
NEW ISLAND PACKET 349 Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 9
Passport 545 Center Cockpit
Every part, every piece, every detail of the Passport is special. It is art you can leave out in the rain.
They don’t build them like this anymore...but we do.
www.passportyachts.com 326 First Street, Suite 404, Annapolis, MD 21403 | 410-263-0008
456AC | 470AC | 470CC | 480AC | 515AC | 515CC | 545AC | 545CC | 585TC | 615TC
{ CONTENTS }
28 Living Aboard
FEBRUARY 2019
18 Charter Notes
Knowing What You Know
After years of crewing and messing about on boats, she finally decided to go to sailing school...in the Canary Islands by Heather Richie
22 Cruising Life
Making a Positive Impact
With a little planning and forethought, cruisers visiting remote islands can really make a difference in the lives of the people they have sailed across oceans to visit by John Neal
There’s No Such Thing as a “Good Tan”
Faced with a cancer scare, this cruising couple did some scientific analysis on just how well dodgers, biminis, clothing and sunscreens protect us from the sun’s rays by Robert Osborn
32 Blue Water Boats Island Packet 349
If you are ready to “go small and go now,” then the new IPY 349 may be just the new cruising boat for you
DEPARTMENTS 6 8 14 34 38 43 44 46 4
Captain’s Log Blue Water Dispatches Bill Biewenga Offshore Chandlery World Sailing Adventures Brokerage Classifieds Parting Shot
Cover photo: Anchored off the island
of Tahiti, enjoying a leisurely standup-paddleboard morning cruise
BLUE WATER SAILING
S R
A Y E
Celebrating Our Golden Anniversary Since 1969, we’ve had the distinct pleasure of providing guests from all across the globe with the most unique and memorable vacations on the water. Now, as we look forward to celebrating our Golden Anniversary in 2019, we can’t help but reflect on decades past and the many rewarding experiences shared along the way. No matter how many times you’ve undocked with us, we’re truly grateful to include you and your loved ones in The Moorings family. May the next 50 years be just as fulfilling and even more unforgettable... MOORINGS.COM/BWS | CALL US: 800.669.6529
{ CAPTAIN’SLOG }
BLUE WATER
That Second Anchor
T
here haver been times in my cruising life when we have not been in a marina or moored to a mooring for literally months at a time. On a passage from Panama to New Zealand or Australia across the South Pacific, you can and probably will use only your own anchor(s) for 10 months. And on a voyage onward from New Zealand to the Med via the Red Sea, you will likely rely only your anchor(s) for up to 12 months without once going into a marina. Along the way, you develop your own habits and preferences for anchoring securely. The first thing to decide is what you will use for your primary anchor. The venerable plow was once the anchor of choice for cruisers but it has long been suplanted by anchors of better design. The new hooking type anchors—Rocna, Mantus, Manson, Bruce, Delta and so on—have become the standards for most cruisers. And, interesting designs like the Spade and Fortress have found their ways onto many voyaging boats due to their reliability and versatility in a range of bottoms. A 60-pound Bruce was our primary anchor with 300 feet of three-eighths chain and a Lofrans Tigress windlass. This rig would hold us securely in gale force winds. But it’s the second anchor at the bow that has played such an important role in our cruising life. The boat we took around the world had double bow rollers and we bought it because that was one feature we required. We had a second anchor rode rigged and ready with 30 feet of chain and 250 feet of nylon rode. We had a second Bruce (44 pounds) and a heavy-duty galvanized steel fluke-type anchor always ready to go. We usually anchor with the main anchor first and get a feel for how we are lying and for how the wind might change during the night. The idea was that the second anchor would go out if the wind picked up and the boat began to dance on the main anchor chain, with her bow blowing back and forth until the chain snubbed up on the snubber on one side and then the other. Not a good motion for sleeping. If that looked like the scenario, we’d motor the inflatable to the bow, lower the chosen second anchor and the chain into the dinghy along with a hundred feet or so of rode (with the end still made fast on the boat) and then motor out to the point we wanted to drop the anchor over the side paying out rode as we went. We tried to create a V between the two anchors so each was taking some of the strain. The boat immediately stops dancing, we know we have plenty of protection against dragging, wind shifts or possible gear failure and, we always sleep much better through the night. A second anchor ready to deploy is such a simple thing, but it often can make all the difference to your life on the hook.
6
photo by Bill Kund
SAILING Volume 24, Number 2 Blue Water Sailing, LLC 747 Aquidneck Avenue, Suite 201 Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 - USA phone: 401.847.7612 • fax: 401.845.8580 web: www.bwsailing.com SUBSCRIBER HOTLINE 866-529-2921
Editorial Editor & Publisher George Day george@bwsailing.com Editors-at-Large John Neal Amanda Swan Neal Contributing Editors Bill Biewenga, Patrick Childress, Rebecca Childress, Pete Dubler, Heather Francis
Advertising Sales/Production Art Director 401-847-7612
Sandy Parks sandy@bwsailing.com
Ad Director 207-939-5802
Scott Akerman scott@bwsailing.com
Advertising Sales & Marketing Consultant tomcat911@comcast.net Tom Casey
Circulation Customer Service 866-529-2921 (hours 8:30 am-7 pm EST)
Subscriptions:
Rates for one year): $29.95 in the United States; $44.95 for Canadian subscriptions; $64.95 (air) for all other foreign. No foreign currency checks accepted. US$ only. Blue Water Sailing is copyrighted 2019. All rights reserved. Reprinting, photocopying or excerpting passages is forbidden except by permission of the publisher. Postmaster: Send changes of address to: Blue Water Sailing, P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834-3000; Canadian Publications Mail Agreement # 41760516. Return Undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S8. Email Address custsvc_bluew@fulcoinc.com Ph: 866-529-2921 Blue Water Sailing USPS No. 014597 ISSN No. 1091-1979 is published monthly except in December, February and July by Day Communications, Inc. 747 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, RI. Periodicals Postage Paid at Newport RI 02840 and additional mailing offices.
BLUE WATER SAILING
The World’s Leader in Multihull Sales and Service www.MultihullCompany.com
+1-215-508-2704
The Multihull Company Featured Brokers
Phillip Berman President 215-508-2704
Fort Lauderdale, FL 484-744-2740
Chris Rundlett Grenada
Carl Olivier British Virgin Islands
Chris@multihullcompany.com
Carl@multihullcompany.com
Andrew Hodgdon North Carolina 910-477-2508
2006 Privilege 745 $1,999,000
2015 Fountaine Pajot Sanya 57
2015 Lagoon 560 $1,250,000
2016 Neel 45 €455.000
2018 Knysna 500 $950,000
1999 Voyage Mayotte 500
$1,099,000
Alexis de Boucaud
Phil@multihullcompany.com Alexis@multihullcompany.com
473-457-3245
Featured Listings
+1-284-441-3856
2006 Dolphin 460 $395,000
2011 Alibi 54 $899,000
2006 Lagoon 570 $699,000
2015 Lagoon 52 $1,100,000
1993 63’ G&B Mitchell
2006 Privilege 435 €310.000
2005 Knysna 440 $279,000
2001 Switch 51 $399,000
1993 Privilege 482S $300,000
2011 Lagoon 450 OV $495,000
2002 Catana 471 $395,000
Will Miller Charleston, SC 843-364-4123
Amhodgdon@multihullcompany.com Will@multihullcompany.com
$329,000
2014 Balance 451 $499,500
$499,000
Check Out Our Hundreds of Available Brokerage Listings Online
{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }
Port Antonio, Jamaica
I
was very excited to be headed to Port Antonio, my favorite place in Jamaica. I’d sailed there the first time from Aruba three years ago and discovered that it was a beautiful, laid back coastal town with the spectacular Blue Mountains in the background. The town had a slightly run-down, back-in-time feel. It had once been a British naval base, and then in the late 19th century it was a banana exporting port. Now, I was told, it was under special government protection from over development. People didn’t want Port Antonio to change, and it seems like it hasn’t much. I had spent a month sailing 8
A view of Port Antonio harbor from Errol Flynn marina restaurant
by Paul Sutcliffe (s/v Sonic Boom)
east along Jamaica’s north coast hopping from bay to bay. I’d been reading the wonderful novel, The Pirate’s Daughter by Margaret Cezair Thompson, which captures Errol Flynn’s life in Jamaica through the eyes of a local girl, in a nation struggling with its own independence at the time. I was now headed to Errol Flynn Marina from where I would leave Jamaica to go to Haiti. In 1946, Flynn was washed ashore in his luxury yacht Zaca by a storm near Port Antonio. A rich, handsome, womanizing movie star, he fell in love with the place and bought Navy Island, the small island in Port Antonio’s harbor, although according to Flynn
he won it in a rum-fueled game of poker. For Flynn, Jamaica was an escape from the pressures of Hollywood, where he was now a big star, and from the fall-out from various incidents, and scandals involving drink and women. He moved to Port Antonio in 1950, where he lived on Zaca, a classic 118-foot schooner built in 1930, moored off Navy Island. Port Antonio is actually two harbors, East Harbor and West Harbor. The entrance is via East Harbor and then you pass Navy Island on the starboard side, following the markers into West Harbor. As I passed Navy Island and went BLUE WATER SAILING
Zaca, Errol Flynn's yacht
NOT ALL FOLDING PROPELLERS ARE ALIKE
EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Lowest drag of all For shaft & saildrive 100% reverse & no prop walk With or without overdrive GORI Propeller design and manufacture the world’s most efficient and manoeuvrable folding propellers for yachts.
Part of the BSI Group:
AB Marine Inc. / Phone: 800 801 8922 gori-propeller.com
27453_BSI_Gori Propeller_206x139mm.indd 1
February 2019
21/01/2019 15.55
9
{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }
S/V Germania in the harbor, just off Navy Island to the right. 180 feet (60 feet longer than Zaca), the masts are 115 feet. It was for sale for $8 million
My guide to Reich Falls 10
through the channel to enter the quiet and calm harbor, I saw a huge classic yacht on the dock. It looked very similar to Flynn’s yacht Zaca. In fact. it was Germania, a replica of a 1908 classic. Still, it added to the magic feeling of going back in time, to the 1930s and Errol Flynn’s glamorous life. At the marina, there is a nice cafe next to a pool overlooking the harbor, a great place for lunch. A path leads from there to a nice beach. The marina was very much a pirate lair – there were old cannons and huge old anchors dotted around the grounds. Like going back to a scene from one of Errol Flynn’s films set in the age of galleons and pirates, films like Captain Blood, and In the Wake of the Bounty. Although he always BLUE WATER SAILING
“
Although other coatings options were proposed, recent experiences with Alexseal and the quality of finish... led us to believe that this was the correct product for this refit.”
played the good guy in the movies, I think Flynn saw himself as a pirate. He claimed that his mother was descended from a mutineer from the Bounty and that his ancestors were sailors. In town, a few minutes walk from the marina, there’s a great fruit and vegetable market, shops selling Jamaican patties, and along the waterfront a great ice cream parlor. At night, bars pump out reggae and rock. A local captain of a powerboat in the marina I’d made friends with, took me to a nightclub, where local DJs played mashed up dance hall music. There are lots of interesting day trips from Port Antonio. You can go to coffee plantations high in the Blue Mountains, or travel just a few miles along the coast to Blue Lagoon. I went, with a guide I’d met at the marina, to Reich waterfalls. A taxi took us through the countryside and up into the mountains. We trekked through some jungle and arrived at a large calm pool. We jumped in and cooled off. There was a waterfall leading into another deep pool below us. We jumped into that pool, and swam to the edge where there was another waterfall, leading into another slightly smaller pool. We did this five times, swimming through pools and jumping down waterfalls working our way back down the mountain where we met the taxi again and went back to Port Antonio. BWS
Captain Graeme Riddle S/Y Wellenreiter
ALEXSEAL.COM
EU: +49 (40) 75 10 30 > USA: +1 (843) 654 7755
11
February 2019 ALXS_halfpage.indd 1
9/5/2018 10:56:38 AM
boot Dusseldorf Celebrates 50 Years of Being the Greatest (boat) Show on Earth by Zuzana Prochazka
D
on’t capitalize it and don’t pronounce it like the footwear. It’s “boot” and it simply means “boat” in German. It’s a spectacle that every boater must see at least once in his or her lifetime because whether you like power or sailboats, kayaks or canoes, surf or paddleboards, dive gear or even
marine art, you’ll find it in this western German city every January. This year, we even spotted a real live prince. It may be the dead of winter in Europe but some 2,000 exhibitors from 70-plus countries make the annual journey to Dusseldorf ’s Messe exhibition center where 16 halls provide over 2.3 million square feet of exhibit space. About a quarter million attendees from over 100 countries came in 2019 during the show’s nine days to check out boats and equipment to be used on, in or under the water. An 80-foot power yacht is a sight to behold when out of the water. Numerous behemoths from Monte Carlo Yachts, Princess, Azimut, Absolute and some European
brands we don’t even know on this side of the Atlantic are on display in all their enormous glory. Sailboats and sailing multihulls take up two halls. Exhibitors like Oyster, Bali, Lagoon, Beneteau, Hanse, Solaris and Elan are packed into Halls 15 and 16. Smaller designs are tucked in complete with keel and full rig. Large models either have no keels or sport truncated show masts, which enable the show to display boats up to 70 feet. Although devoid of actual vessels, the superyacht pavilion houses premier design firms, yacht transport companies, crew staffing organizations and even some eyebrow-raising onboard art selections. Trailer and towboats,
CALL US TODAY
401-847-7960 Lowest drag, 100% reverse thrust. Unique overdrive.
The best rope, line & debris cutter there is! Two piece, simple install.
Now 2X More Teeth!
VARIPROP
Feathering Prop. Low drag, adjustable pitch, outstanding reverse.
MOONLIGHT HATCHES High quality hatches & portlights. Flush, compact, smooth design.
sales@ab-marine.com | ab-marine.com 12
BLUE WATER SAILING
RIBs and PWCs fill numerous halls and with nearly 1,500 boats of all kinds, there is something for everyone. Marine equipment including technical apparel from Helly Hansen and marine electronics from Raymarine and Furuno nestle in next to safety equipment, refrigeration units and engines. Many global manufacturers use boot to launch their new products and concepts. This year Torqeedo brought impressive electric propulsion while Neander displayed their Dtorque diesel outboard with an innovative dual crankshaft. Meanwhile Beneteau did a sneak peak of their new Excess catamaran line and Gunboat (now owned by Outremer) pitched a comeback. So far it may sound like any other boat show but it’s the interactiv-
February 2019
ity that sets boot apart. Diving is centered in Hall 3 with an actual tank where divers float and show off the latest wet suits, masks and regulators. Hall 14 allows dinghy sailors to take the helm with large fans creating “wind”. Surfing demonstrations are held on “The Wave” – a five-foot high and 30foot wide wall of water while numerous other pools offer the show goer a chance to try wakeboarding with an overhead tow cable and a shallow “pond” for kayaks and canoes. You can even take a SUP yoga class. It takes about three days, good shoes and a boatload of perseverance to get through boot, the onestop-shopping event for all things nautical. Once the doors close at 6:00 pm, it’s time to hop on the subway that has a terminus right at the convention facility. In a few
stops you can be in Dusseldorf’s Altstadt (historic old town) to take a stroll along the Rhine, catch a church organ concert or enjoy a traditional German meal. Your boot ticket includes the cost of public transportation throughout the city. The all-indoors boot is like no other boat show you’ll ever witness. This year, even Albert II, Prince of Monaco visited to highlight his ocean foundation that concentrates on environmental protection. Now, where else will you see everything from powerboats to princes? The next staging of boot will take place January 18-26, 2020. BWS
13
{ BILLBIEWENGA }
T
@Laurie Warner
he first Gunboat catamaran that I brought to North America from South Africa was almost 20 years ago. As with all new boats, we encountered a few problems along the way. The second Gunboat, another 62-footer taken north about a year later, also provided its own set of problems. By the time we took the third 62 from Capetown, SA to the Caribbean the following year, I began making comprehensive lists of problems and ideas on how to improve the design or construction of the boats. The lists were often five pages long or longer. It was a task undertaken without malice or pride and solely intended to provide feedback that would help the builders and ultimately the owners of the current vessel as well as owners of future boats. Happily enough, the boat builders understood the intent and ramped up improvement after improvement as deliveries continued the following years. The road to perfection is paved with problems, and that is true for all boats, mono- or multihull. I accept it as part of the process, and it was true enough during last December's delivery of a new 57-foot catamaran from Annapolis, MD to West Palm Beach, FL. Tom, a meticulously well-organized man with whom I’ve shared many doublehanded passages and other offshore trips, had a great team of boat builders, designers and managers prepare the boat to the highest standard. Numerous features were added or improved when compared to earlier versions 14
PART OF THE
PROCESS
of the 55-foot cat. Winches were added on the mast to eliminate cordage below deck and provide better visibility while hoisting and lowering sails. A forward crossbeam was added to strengthen the longeron and add stability to the foredeck and nets. A top of the line, multidimensional chair improved seating at the helm station. And mechanical rather than hydraulic steering was used to improve the feel and responsiveness of the steering system. The new cat was both simpler and an improvement over its predecessors, while reliability was increased. Tom’s new boat, Hammer, was a significant step forward. Like any offshore passage, preparation for the trip didn’t stop with construction and the initial sea trials. Tools, spares and provisions needed to be added, even though the trip from Annapolis to West Palm Beach was a relatively short passage by comparison with earlier adventures. Charts for unanticipated stops needed to be checked. When one tosses the dock lines, we may flatter ourselves by thinking we know
The shiny, brand new 57-foot catamaran had just undergone initial sea trials. It looked perfect. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t. They never are.
where we’re going, but in reality, one never knows where they will end up if things go horribly wrong. If nothing else, with an unknown boat – and therefore an unknown fuel consumption rate, untried tankage and untested fuel transfer system – we needed to plan on unintended refueling stops. What kind of problems might occur with an untried boat? With hundreds of deliveries behind me in a wide variety of boats along a similarly wide variety of routes, I can safely say, “I dunno!” Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong eventually. On different boats I’ve had sea water back-siphon into the engine, out of alignment prop shafts rip the base of the prop strut out of the bottom of the hull or seize up the cutlass bearings, and improperly mounted mainsheet pad eyes pull out of the deck. Builders have forgotten to insert speedo transducers prior to launching. BLUE WATER SAILING
{ OFFSHORE }
Hull core material has sheered in the forepeak during storms, and we’ve faced numerous rigging problems and failures – some more catastrophic than others. There have been fires, sails that were improperly stitched along seams (or not stitched at all!), lines slipped through jammers, and on and on. It happens. And those taking boats offshore need to be prepared for it. Years ago, I heard Skip Novak, with whom I’ve sailed quite a few miles in various around the world races, say, “If something breaks offshore, you either fix it or learn to do without it!” That’s the way it works and with new boats it’s almost a certainty that something will break – or if you’re lucky, maybe it will only crack. As luck would have it, none of the abovementioned things broke on our recent passage. No. We would
break “new ground” on this trip. The start to the adventure was remarkable only in its perfection: taxi ride from airport to marina, followed by a walk down the dock in sunny, warm weather. December can provide almost anything in Annapolis, but sunny and warm shouldn’t always be expected. Hammer was immaculately prepared. Clean and orderly with things where you’d expect them: emergency items such as EPIRB, PFDs, grab bag and harnesses inside but close to an exit and readily accessible. Tools were safely stowed, and the final tasks were quickly being wrapped up. The catamaran was soon ready for sea after I settled in and reviewed where Tom had stowed things. There was a weather window that was expected to remain open for several days, and it would be to our
benefit to take full advantage of it. We departed in mid-afternoon to get well out into the Chesapeake Bay before dark and planned to top the fuel tanks at the marina in Cape Charles, VA, just before we headed offshore. December trips can be dictated by weather patterns. The light northerlies that were blowing on our departure were expected to last for three or four days, perhaps longer. If we were moving right along, we might be able to have favorable winds for most if not all of the trip. Initially, the winds would be too light for sailing, but we expected the winds to build as we got offshore. Sailing could begin then. As we rounded Cape Hatteras outside of Diamond Shoals but west of the Gulf Stream, we were happy to be past that hurdle
SEA FROST ® Chris Parker’s Marine Weather Center Available via almost any communications method onboard... SSB radio voice...email... voice telephone...interactive Internet webcast...fax • Weather Forecasts & Routing Advice: geared specifically for small sail & power vessels, with the information you need to support good tactical decision-making. • Value-added: forecasts focus on the “worst-plausible” forecast for your interests, then suggest routing or tactical decisions. The result is faster, safer, and more pleasant trips—day trips, overnights, or offshore passages. • Economical plans: by the day, month, or year. • Geography: Atlantic N of the Equator, including Caribbean, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, and entire US E. Coast, Canadian Maritimes, and both E-bound and W-bound Atlantic Crossings. For more information, visit: www.mwxc.com or email info@mwxc.com Chris Parker, Marine Weather Center 5130 Medulla Rd, Lakeland FL 33811 ph 863-248-2702, fax 863-248-4666 February 2019
Living the Dream Months of preparation, full days of sailing, star-filled nights. Does it get any better than this? Whether it’s racing or cruising, family boat or mega-yacht, sailors the world over trust Sea Frost to keep the ice cream solid and the cold drinks coming all along the way.
Sea Frost — Chill Out with a Winner. Sea Frost, 148 Old Concord Tpke. Barrington, NH 03825 603-868-5720; www.seafrost.com
15
during a winter trip. The weather was still warm and clear, and as day broke, we continued with our inspection of the equipment in preparation for sailing. Suddenly smoke was pouring from the small compartment under companionway, forward of the helm where hydraulics equipment was housed. Thick, dense, acrid smoke. Tom quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher as I shut down the hydraulics. As I slowly opened the hatch, not wanting to feed a potential fire with fresh oxygen, there were no visible flames, and when some of the smoke started to dissipate, it looked like one of the hydraulic fittings had blown out, spraying hydraulic fluid over the hot pump. Cleaning up, we began to assess the damage. Fortunately, there was little serious damage that we discovered. We had spare hydraulic fluid, but no spare fittings or a good way to swage them back on the hose. We could probably switch hydraulic lines around if there was a problem with the distribution manifold, but the fact remained that the line that went to the mainsheet was the line that was – at least temporarily – put out of action. If we had a heavy-duty block and tackle with a Spectra line, we could jury rig a mainsheet, but that wasn’t available. The one I have was at home. Well, that put a serious limitation on the sailing we could do, certainly, so we headed for Charleston. Initially, we considered repairs in Charleston. We checked the weather and crew replacements while considering options for repairs. With the current weather 16
window expected to close in two and a half days and an estimated time to West Palm Beach of two days, we decided to quickly re-fuel and head to our final destination. A quick stop for repairs could easily turn into weeks as winter weather set in. Waiting, even if for only hours – might turn a pleasant downwind passage into a fight into southerlies along the Florida coast or yet another delay further to the south. Keep moving. As we motored quickly south, we monitored other systems to discover any additional problems that could arise later. We might not be able to sail this trip, but we wanted to eliminate additional problems that might prevent us from sailing out of West Palm Beach later in the winter. Usually, on deliveries, I try to make a point of doing a “walk about” on the deck every day to look for possible problems. Cracks around the chain plates, loose autopilot fast pins or other connectors, chafe on sails, halyards or other lines and other things can often be spotted early and help to eliminate problems later. Reviewing the gooseneck where the boom joins the mast, BLUE WATER SAILING
the bolt that joins the gooseneck fitting together was rising up out of its hole. The nut on the bottom of the gooseneck bolt had backed and fallen off, allowing the bolt to work its way partially out of the gooseneck fitting. It had happened to me decades earlier on another boat, and the possibility of the boom falling off of the gooseneck was not a desirable one – especially on a boat this size. Fortunately, the nut was on the deck and the problem was quickly resolved – at least temporarily. Later we could drill a set screw through the nut and into the bolt to completely eliminate that possibility. As we covered the final few miles to West Palm Beach, the wind was already shifting to the south. The forecast was for high winds out of the south that would last for days. The first trip had been done in relatively benign conditions, one of the goals for an initial shakedown cruise. Despite the fact that we weren’t allowed to sail due to the inoperable mainsheet, we had managed to discover a few problems that would need to be rectified. Once corrected, we could then move on to progressively February 2019
more rigorous sailing. Starting out slowly and gradually increasing the amount of stress one puts upon a boat accomplishes a number of things. First and foremost, it gives us the opportunity to discover problems – hopefully before they become disasters. Second, it gives us the opportunity to better understand the boat more thoroughly. And third, once we have discovered the boat and more thoroughly understand it, we are enabled to broaden our horizons, taking the boat to far away places, encountering whatever we may. It’s an adventure, and it’s all part of the process.BWS Veteran offshore sailor, navigator and delivery skipper, Bill Biewenga lives on Cape Cod, MA when he is not at sea.
17
{ CHARTERNOTES }
Knowing What You Know
T
here is something about sailing that defies all but the freshest egos. This feeling people have that they ought to be able to step on a boat and know how to sail it must be primal, so that when it comes to explicit in-
18
After years of crewing and messing about on boats, she finally decided to go to sailing school…in the Canary Islands
by Heather Richie
struction, it naturally offends us to have to learn. People must feel the same about memorizing scripture or cooking. Maybe gardening or hockey. Any of it can kill you. Equally dangerous is the sailor who doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. So accustomed is she to hav-
ing the line picked up just as her hand braved to reach it, so familiar is she with watching the application of phrases like “Give me some vang,” without ever reaching out to do it herself, this popsicle inside all of us is a real threat to livelihood. Sailing requires a moderate confidence that is hard to test so directly in other walks of life. Chat with British people and you’ll hear it, one comment out of reason will yield a “steady now” jest meant to damper the inflated confidence just encouraged. For the rest of us, there is sailing school. I have been messing about on boats for 10 years, and it has in that time for me to go from the person who does not know what she does not know to the person who does BLUE WATER SAILING
not know what she knows, to what a late sailor friend, a guy named Walter, affectionately called “bourbon and crew”. He called me that early on, so maybe he could see it in me before I could. When I bought a boat too big for a first boat and let a self-serving broker of a boyfriend sell it, Walter apologized for the boyfriend, not the boat, as my first sailing experience. I’d double-handed with that guy from Charleston to the Abacos in the Bahamas, and later I would make similar passages and sail countess harbor beer can regattas. I have crewed, or stowed away, over a thousand nautical miles, but that alone does not make me a sailor. CANARY ISLE SAILING SCHOOL
When I decided to commit to really learning how to sail, I made the decision to attend a school certified by England’s Royal Yachting Association, which are considered to be incredibly thorough, rigorous and offering certification that is honored around the world. I wound up at a place called Endeavour Sailing School on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. There are something like February 2019
six sailing schools in the islands; half are British (RYA). I was not limited to the Canaries in shopping RYA schools, and Endeavour Sailing School came to be my choice by absolute coincidence. It was a lucky and good choice. In part, that is because of the absolute navigability of Puerto Calero and surrounding Lanzarote coastline. It is simple enough to get your bearings. The school is in an undeveloped part of Lanzarote with few distractions, or restaurants, bars or tourist attractions nearby. If you want to get out and about after school you will need to take a good walk or find a taxi. It is this seclusion that makes the weeklong classroom theory courses and one-day modules particularly rewarding for anyone looking to find a quiet learning environment. The landscape of Lanzarote is an active volcano. The tidal range of the southeastern side where the school is located is minimal, and there are no currents. There is a periodic swell that I and my stomach don’t like. Luckily, in the Canary Islands you can buy the best motion sickness drug, Cinnarizine, which is not available
for some reason in the U.S. They say the art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance. I would add that we must relinquish to forces beyond our control, and never sail to windward when a rude swell is running. I took three one-week courses at Endeavor. The experience and personalities of the instructors within the school naturally vary from course to course and the crew mix varies (different levels on any given week), so that even with the repetition of courses I experienced variety. There was the competent crew party girl down from Ireland; the Yachtmaster Fast Tracker, who was headed for an entry level superyacht job; or, the wobbling retiree who was really unsure not of his sailing plans—those would be fine—but his life plan. In another week, I had a very capable crew member translating everything from his native Italian; and, of course, there was that guy, the guy who already knew everything. That week he was in contrast to my instructor, a man about whom it has been said that what he does not know about boats and sailing is not worth knowing. 19
{ CHARTERNOTES }
He does not wear that kind of flattery but, instead, Gordon Allen, a retired British Army colonel, brings along a stuffed dog called Sea Pup. Sea Pup has a personality of his own, and is a big hit with the young children coming to sail a week with their parents. The grown-up kids are a fan of Sea Pup, too, and of Allen’s sober confidence at sea. He ran a British university’s sailing program for a decade, is a combat veteran, and does not take people too seriously because, as far as I can tell, he takes life seriously. Most all of the instructors at Endeavour give off the vibe that they are people-you-want-to-sail with. Allen is sure personalities are not just the froth of a good sailing experience, but the ”make or break" factor. That’s what I mean. It is hard to talk about what sailing feels like when we can favor instead what it is, but it feels like close quarters, a natural elemental fear, athleticism. In moments, it feels like electricity, like flying, like disappearing or dancing. Funda-
20
mentally we all grasp it, but what does it take to be really good at it? I think I know how to sail now, and I think I know because I brought myself to an RYA school and worked on Day Skipper level practical skills for three weeks, on and off over the fall, after a week of Day Skipper Theory in a classroom. I took a Power Boat Level II course, and all four of the modules RYA requires for Commercial Endorsement. I didn't even know the RYA was a thing six months ago. When I learned it was part of an international common standard for commercial work, I knew it was for me. I do not want to crew on super yachts, or drive a water taxi. I want to do more than the common refrain of many in the Day Skipper course, which is to “independently sail in charge of their family and friends.” I bought progressively smaller boats until I found myself with, of all things, a J/24 but what I’ve learned is how little of what I want from sailing has changed.
Blue water sailing as Bourbon and Crew. As a skipper, when I ask for vang (what my British friends would call the kicker), I am going to look at the widest-eyed girl on the boat, and tell her to look first as the sail, watch the boom, and then look at the sail again. I am going to say it as if she does not know anything and then ask if she has any questions. Maybe I’ll steal Gordon Allen’s line, and simply ask, “Happy?” With their mental wheels turning, I think he must have realized that a person on a sailboat really has to think twice about why not to be. WHY CHOOSE A SCHOOL IN THE CANARY ISLANDS?
The British and Irish have made a playground of the Canaries and flights from Dublin and London often average $30. Airlines (namely Norwegian) now fly direct from Providence, RI to Dublin or New York to London for under $400 round trip. Try to book NYC direct to Lanzarote, or even Gran Canaria, and you’ll pay closer to $900. Even if you have flexible dates, what look like bargain flights are often 12hour or more itineraries and to get those deals, you might have to have an itinerary that runs something other than weekend-to-weekend, which is exactly what you need to sail at Endeavor for a week in the Canaries. You can get a week of instruction for $1,000 inclusive of flights, breakfast, lunch and two dinners, accommodation on board one of the boats (alternatively, there are nearby all-inclusive hotels and villas), and sailing instruction at one of Endeavour Sailing School’s “Drills BLUE WATER SAILING
and Skills” weeks. You can also book Advanced Drills and Skills, or a Royal Yachting Association Day Skipper Practical course week if you have completed RYA Day Skipper Theory, which has an online option. To save even more, go from November 1 through the spring, when Endeavour tuition rates drop about 10 percent. This is to sail on one of the school’s three Bavaria yachts, with life jackets and foul weather gear included. After a half-day safety briefing on Monday, your week will include a night sail, a day sail and overnight stay to Marina Rubicon at Playa Blanca and back to Puerto Calero, and numerous tutorials from RYA sailing instructors who themselves are popping
February 2019
down from England for the week. A true maritime cultural exchange, Endeavour’s strength is its instructors. Keith Charlton, who founded the school along with wife Stephanie, is a favorite instructor. The Charltons often steward the Yachtmaster candidates alongside other weekday courses, completing the range of RYA training at the school. Endeavour offers all four RYA commercial endorsement modules, so it’s possible to complete training right through to the Cruising Instructor level at the school. If “Drills and Skills” doesn’t sound challenging enough, Endeavour offers an “Around the Island” itinerary as well. However, if you’re looking to gauge
your knowledge, you’ll find your fit quickly by taking one of the school’s RYA training scheme courses. Governed by the MCA (the British coast guard) RYA qualifications are the world standard for commercial seafarers. You might show up sure you’re at Day Skipper level, only to learn after a great week of fun that you scrape by as Competent Crew. Then again, you might know more than you think. The joy of it is to test yourself in the controlled learning environment of sailing school. There’s few better ways to stretch your sailing skills and your imagination than leaving the U.S. behind for a week and learn to know what you don’t know with an international group of instructors and crew. BWS
21
{ CRUISINGLIFE }
Mahina Tiare's crew delivering requested school supplies and books - Vanuatu
MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT
I
f you enjoy cruising off the beaten track, there are many ways you can make a positive impact on the places and people you visit. Whether you’re sailing to less developed islands in the Caribbean, Mexico or Pacific, by researching your destination you can discover ways to make a difference in your experience, the environment and communities. When I first set off cruising on a Vega 27 at age 22, I had my hands full just keeping the boat off the reefs in the South Pacific and absorbing the incredible experiences. A couple years later after mastering the basics of cruising, I met a doctor on an isolated island who asked if I would sail him to several other remote islands that had no air service. The doctor conducted health surveys, provided 22
With a little planning and forethought, cruisers visiting remote islands can really make a difference in the lives of the people they have sailed across oceans to visit by John Neal medical treatment and gave each child a toothbrush for which the communities were very grateful. I found being involved, even in a small way, and working toward improving the quality of life of the people I met to be very rewarding. No longer was I just a tourist on a yacht; instead, I was welcomed at a much deeper level into their communities.
When visiting a village, I’m always pleased when I am shown or told of projects that previous yachties have started or contributed to. Now, with easy and extensive communication within the cruising community I never hesitate asking village elders, teachers and health care workers if they have any requests I can relay to future visiting yachts. BLUE WATER SAILING
GATHER INFORMATION
Lonely Planet travel guides cover nearly 200 countries and do an exceptional job of giving you insights into foreign cultures. Seven Seas Cruising Association bulletins (www.ssca.org) include requests from cruisers in remote areas of how future arriving cruisers can make a difference. Noonsite (www.noonsite.com) has posted our requests for school books and supplies to be purchased and delivered to remote schools and this has proven successful. In foreign countries, you’ll first clear customs in a larger port or town. We always ask clearance officers for recommendations for interesting places to visit. This shows an interest in their country and has resulted in their requests to deliver greetings, letters or packages to family members on distant islands. When clearing out of Puerto Williams, Chile for Cape Horn, the Chilean naval officer clearing us out asked if we would carry mail
and supplies to the three lighthouse keepers on Cape Horn as the patrol boat was not working. Of course, we agreed, and I volunteered that I would also bake a batch of brownies for which the light keepers were very grateful. The next time we cleared out for Cape Horn, the naval officer asked if we would take a lighthouse keeper, his family, and their supplies to Lennox, an uninhabited island near Cape Horn that had been without a light keeper for two years. We sailed toward Cape Horn with furniture and boxes piled high on Mahina Tiare’s decks and two very wide-eyed children scampering around. Cesar and Lorena named their next daughter after Amanda and, 22 years later, we are still in touch! COMMUNICATION
Communication is vital and the returns from learning the basics of a local language far outweigh the time and effort involved.
VILLAGE PROTOCOLS
When visiting a remote village for the first time, leave your camera in your backpack and don’t dress in flashy or skimpy clothing. Once ashore, ask to speak to the chief or a village elder. Even where not required, ask for permission to anchor, visit and explore ashore and swim in their waters. In some countries tradition requires that visitors present a small gift. In Panama’s San Blas Islands, it is flour or sugar, in the outer islands of Fiji it is a bundle of kava roots and in New Caledonia fabric is the gift. Don’t hesitate to ask village elders, school teachers or clinic staff if there is anything the village requires. There are some basic rules on what is not appropriate for your first few visits to a village. Before taking photos wait until you’ve gotten to know some of the villagers and ask permission before hauling out your camera or phone. We’ve been in some Caribbean
Dr. Losacker performing dental exam - Penrhyn Island
February 2019
23
{ CRUISINGLIFE }
locations where bringing out a camera instantly turns a peaceful encounter hostile. Passing out lollies or coins to village children, even if asked, is not a good idea, nor is serving alcohol to villagers visiting aboard your yacht. HEALTH CARE
John and Dr Losacker delivering toothbrushes - Penrhyn Island
Many remote cruising destinations lack basic health care. If there are locally‑trained health care workers, they are frequently short of basic medical supplies. As a result of requests from nurses and doctors we’ve visited in isolated locations we’ve returned with medical supplies or had supplies delivered by following cruisers. Most of the requested supplies are basic and may include toothbrushes, sterile gauze dressings, roller gauze, topical antiseptic degerming solution, topical antibiotic cream and ointment, silvadene burn ointment and sometimes oral antibiotics. READING GLASSES
Kuna women testing donated eye glasses by sewing a mola - San Blas Island
Reading glasses may be impossible to obtain in some areas. In Panama’s San Blas Islands, the Kuna women sew molas (artistic reverse-appliqued panels) as their sole cash income source. As they get older if they lose their ability to see detail and sew they are unable to help support their families. Many Lions Clubs collect and distribute used reading glasses, so check with your local chapter. SCHOOL BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
We’re rarely seen parents, village elders and schoolteachers more involved in supporting their children’s education than in three remote villages of Vanuatu’s southernmost islands; Aniytum, Tanna and Erromango. These schools receive very little assistance from 24
BLUE WATER SAILING
the capital, Port Vila, and their headmasters asked if we would help them establish the first-ever school libraries. In addition, they asked for school supplies including pens, pencils, exercise books, rulers, world atlas, dictionaries, crayons, marking pens and scissors. We relayed the school’s requests by email to cruisers about to depart from the previous country of Fiji where these goods are available at reasonable prices. A week later five yachts delivered the requested books and supplies and we returned this past season with many boxes of books for the libraries. Harriet Linskey, from Hands Across the Sea, provided a contact at Scholastic Book Services who allowed us to purchase large
quantities of new school books at non-profit prices plus we had Amanda’s family in New Zealand collect several boxes of school books at second hand shops. While transiting the Panama Canal and heading to the San Blas Islands for the first time in the year 2000, we met cruisers who had just spent several months anchored off Mormake Tupu, a small Kuna Indian village. They asked if we would deliver a care package to a special family of artists they had befriended, plus school supplies to the headmaster. They gave us a wish list from the headmaster that included exercise books, pencils, Spanish-English dictionaries and basic reading books. With the help of a taxi driver in Panama City, we
visited a large discount store and purchased supplies for Mormake Tupu. In 2017, we returned to the island for the sixth time with more school supplies, reading glasses and toothbrushes for this and neighboring villages. This year, our visit to the Cook Islands coincided with their Education Ministry’s Literacy Week. There were several places on the main island of Rarotonga with free books available, and at the end of the week Ministry of Education and an art gallery loaded us up with several cartons of books to take to tiny Palmerston Atoll, population 60, which were eagerly received by the school teacher at the island’s open air school.
Dental clinic - Vanuatu
February 2019
25
{ CRUISINGLIFE }
RECIPROCATE
Helping with generator repairs - Vanuatu
FISHING
Reef fish that are easily accessible for villagers are frequently seriously over-fished. We no longer fish or spearfish in inshore waters, however, before making landfall where we know we’ll be visiting villages, we get very serious about pelagic fishing. One of the best gifts cruisers can bring a village is a large ocean fish like a tuna, mahi mahi or Spanish mackerel. Several times we’ve been asked and have gladly taken villagers sailing specifically to catch larger fish than are accessible with dugout canoes and
Cruisers lend a hand on shoreline cleanup day - Samoa 26
we often get requests for fishing equipment. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Think about how you can help or teach the local people. Some ways that we’ve observed cruisers making a positive contribution include helping design and build clinics, schools, libraries, rainwater collection and storage systems, solar installations and small hydroelectric systems. Repairing equipment such as generators, outboard motors and sewing machines is always welcome.
People you’ll meet in less developed countries are often friendly and generous, so you’ll want to be prepared with some useful gifts to show your appreciation. Gift ideas include: soccer and volley balls, vegetable seeds, boat repair supplies, sunglasses and a photo of their family. We’ve started yacht/visitor log books at several villages, giving the locals a way of remembering visitors. Returning decades later, we’ve discovered that these books have become village treasures. Passing out gifts indiscriminately makes the locals think that all cruisers are like Santa Claus and locals may then come to expect or demand gifts from cruisers that follow. If a family has invited you home for a meal, why not invite them out to your boat for tea, juice and popcorn or dinner, or maybe out for a day sail? The benefits of making a positive contribution to the places you visit are many. Your experiences will be more intense and the local people will be much more open if they know that you are there to help and learn, not just to take pictures, leave your rubbish and then sail on to the next anchorage. You will also discover a sense of purpose to your cruise, something that frequently eludes many cruisers. BWS John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal run Mahina Expeditions and are popular lecturers on the may topics associated with voyaging and the cruising life. Check out their website at www.mahina.com. BLUE WATER SAILING
RESOURCES: Hands Across the Sea (www.handsacrossthesea.net), was started by cruisers Harriet and Tom Linskey. Their CLASS (Caribbean Literacy and School Support) program has been helping thousands of children in five island nations for several years. Every year they load their catamaran with thousands of books from a dedicated warehouse facility and set sail for the Caribbean. Last year, when moored in Jolly Harbour, Antigua, we visited one of the many schools utilizing their CLASS program, and took turns reading to, and being read to, by primary school students. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (www.reef.org) is trying to combat the exploding population of recently-introduced (into all Caribbean waters) and very invasive lionfish by encouraging snorkelers and divers to spear and eat them. The SeaBC Sea Bird Count (www.scistarter. com/project/741-SeaBC) is organized by a
volunteer group of long-distance birding sailors from around the world. The idea of a “SeaBC” was inspired by popular, long-standing landbased counts such as Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) and the Census Bird Count (CBC) in the U.K. Ocean Watch (www.oceanswatch.org) runs expeditions to developing small island nations to assist them with marine management, sustainable livelihood projects and environmental education. Sea Mercy (www.seamercy.org) is organizing a fleet of volunteer yachts to act as floating health clinics, traveling as needed to reach and meet the health needs of remote islanders in the South Pacific island nations of Tonga, Fiji, the Cooks and Vanuatu. The SSCA (www.ssca.org) provides a monthly bulletin of up-to-date information in the form of letters from cruisers worldwide and often outline projects cruisers have initiated to make a difference in local communities.
Mahina Tiare's crew gifting library books- Palmerston
February 2019
27
{ LIVINGABOARD }
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A ‘GOOD TAN’
S
o often, when we have met folks on sailing vacations, we watch them spend hours up on the bow, “catching the rays” so that when they go back to work they will hear “Wow, what a great tan.” However, talk to dermatologists and they will tell you, having seen so much sun damage and worse, over the years, that there is simply no such thing as a good tan. Nearly everyone knows that excessive sun, or at least extra ultraviolet (UV) radiation, sunburn or not, is not good for you. According to the American Cancer Society, 28
melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can develop anywhere on your body, even those areas “where the sun don’t shine.” Interestingly, the risk of melanoma is increasing in people under 40. So, it is important for all sailors to understand what to look for before a precancerous spot becomes cancer and spreads; early detection leads to better survival rates. Unchecked, melanoma is often fatal, in part because even an advanced case often doesn’t look like much, just a mole with irregular borders. I am particularly focused on this because my wife Brenda was diagnosed with
Faced with a cancer scare, this cruising couple did some scientific analysis on just how well dodgers, biminis, clothing and sunscreens protect us from the sun’s rays by Robert Osborn
melanoma three years ago after we got back from a cruise to Cuba. She had noticed a small spot on her arm some months earlier, when we were in the Bahamas, that looked suspicious but it wasn’t until we returned home to Connecticut in May that she had a dermatologist BLUE WATER SAILING
at Yale Medicine check it out. Fortunately for Brenda, her melanoma had only progressed slightly beyond stage one, but that diagnosis was upsetting in itself as she was told that the chance of a recurrence was perhaps one in four. Not great odds. Even though the lesion didn’t look like much, the surgery to remove it proved to be quite extensive, involving the removal of the equivalent of a modest “ice cream scoop” of tissue, all the way down to the muscle. Even more fun was that they then made an incision from the borders of the excised section that extended in both directions nearly to her shoulder and elbow. This had to be done so that they could pull the edges of the “ice cream scoop” together without causing a divot or pucker where the incision was February 2019
the deepest. Additionally, they removed some sentinel nodes in her armpit for testing to see if the cancer had migrated beyond the lesion on her arm. Fortunately, these biopsies came back negative. The point of telling you this is that even the smallest melanoma is a big deal and is generally dealt with aggressively, which speaks volumes of the danger that it represents. When Brenda was diagnosed, we did wonder if our sailing days were over because of the need to avoid unnecessary exposure to the sun going forward. For
us, it was doubly important that we find out how much protection from UV that Brenda would have aboard during the brightest portions of the day, from around 1000 to 1600 when the sun is most intense. With this in mind, I purchased a testing instrument from General Instruments that would accurately measure both UVA and UVB light waves, the parts of the light spectrum that have been identified as being the most damaging to skin. According to the instrument maker’s website, “The #UV512C UVC light meter is ideal for applications such as UV curing and sterilization, semiconductor fabrication, offset printing, environmental monitoring and industrial process control.” Ok, that sounded pretty official and scientific to me. The big question was how much UV would Brenda be
29
{ LIVINGABOARD }
exposed to at “high noon” in the Caribbean, aboard Pandora, where we spend a good deal of time each winter. We’ve also heard, over the years, that you can get a bad burn from “reflected UV” off of the water and this alarmed us as, even with a bimini overhead, it seemed to be an impossible task to eliminate the UV coming in from the sides of our enclosure, reflected off of the water. In theory, Pandora has better sun protection than most cruising boats with her hard dodger and fully enclosed cockpit. As an aside, you may be wondering if being enclosed all the time is too hot in the tropics? It isn’t. Actually, the full enclosure has proven to be particularly helpful at reducing the impact of the relentless trade winds to a manageable level. However, up in the Northeast, where the winds are often light, we need to open the enclosure’s side much
30
more than we do in the tropics. When we were in Antigua, and that’s plenty far south with really intense sun, even in the winter months, I took a number of measurements, with the meter, at noon. Here’s what I found and some of the findings surprised me. Control: As a control I took measurements directly into the noon sun on a cloudless sky. The reading, and the highest that will register on the instrument, was 10,000 units. Deep shade, away from the water, registered between 500 and 600 units, about 5 percent. Sunscreen: Then I put a small piece of plastic wrap over the sensor and checked full sun again that showed readings in the 8,500 range, suggesting that very thin plastic wrap let through most of the UV light. Next, I put a very light smear of SPF 15 sunscreen on the plastic wrap and took another reading,
again in full sun; the UV reading was reduced to about 2,000 units. With a thicker spread of SPF 15, the readings fell to half of that. SPF 60 sunscreen yielded a reading of 600 units, which is about the same as readings taken in deep shade. Surprises: Perhaps the most interesting readings came from pointing the unit toward the sun at 45 degrees off the water, simulating “reflected light.” This delivered a reading of 2,000, only 20 percent of full, direct sunlight. That was much less than I had expected. Also, in the middle of the cockpit, where the light was still very bright but not directly from the sun, the measurements were equivalent to deep shade. Vinyl blocks UV: I also took measurements through the clear plastic of the vinyl dodger, both new and old material, and the measurement was, again, zero. Even old and weathered vinyl
BLUE WATER SAILING
cut out 100 percent of the UV rays. I found that astonishing; however, I guess it does make sense as the material is treated to resist UV degradation. Glass does not block UV: My hard dodger has large pieces of tempered glass and I was surprised to find that it only blocked 10 percent of the UV rays. All of this suggested that during the brightest parts of the day Brenda was very well protected under the bimini, even if it seemed so bright that sunglasses were required. Clothing protects from UV: So, what about clothing? I tried taking readings on an old white T shirt and found that, even when wet, it blocked about 95 percent of UV, while a dry shirt let through somewhat more. I was particularly surprised by that given all the hype about UV protective clothing. My test suggests that just about any clothing that covers you works well, even if it doesn’t have a “UV rating,” I guess putting a UV rating on clothing is about the same as saying that a particular shirt has “100 percent blockage against vampires.” Works for me. All of this is good news but the most surprising thing to me was how low the UV exposure was under the dodger and bimini. Also, that clear vinyl windows were just as effective as being down below when it came to exposure and that even the lightest white clothing, “UV protected” or not, provided good protection. The good news for Brenda is that two and a half years out from her surgery she is doing well and her doctor told her recently that her risk of recurFebruary 2019
rence now is “very, very small”, which is good news. His advice to her is that it’s okay to continue spending time aboard Pandora but to always use plenty of sunscreen and to do her best to stay out of the sun when it is most intense. One way or the other, we are taking his advice very seriously but it’s nice to know that being aboard Pandora we can still manage the risk. So, there you have it. Reflected UV isn’t nearly as much of a problem as everyone thinks, sunscreen really does work and almost any clothing does an excellent job of keeping harmful UV from
burning your skin. We continue to keep our fingers crossed that Brenda won’t have a recurrence and every year that passes makes that less likely. All in all, this experience has certainly made the phrase “there’s no such thing as a good tan,” means more to us than ever. BWS Bob and Brenda Osborn live in Essex, CT and cruise the East Coast and Caribbean aboard the Aerodyne 47 Pandora. Bob is on the board of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association and is the port captain in Antigua for the Salty Dawg Fall Rally fleet that sails there from Hampton, VA.
31
{ BLUEWATERBOATS }
Island Packet 349
R
ight after the Annapolis sailboat show last fall (2018), I had the chance to go for a sail on the brand new Island Packet 349 that had debuted during the show. I had visited with the owners of IPY, Darrell and Leslie Allen, at their stand in the show and had witnessed what had to be an amazingly enthusiastic welcome for the new boat from dozens and dozens of Island Packet fans. There is no question that since the company was founded in 1979 that the boats and the people associated with the company have built a true family of faithful followers who are really into cruising and proper offshore cruising boats. The new 349 is very much a chip off the old Island Packet block, with its Full Foil keel, attached rudder, full bodied hull, 32
If you are ready to “go small and go now,” then the new IPY 349 may be just the new cruising boat for you
cutter rig and bow sprit. And, the beige colored gel coat that makes IPY boats stand out in every anchorage. I found Darrell and Leslie aboard the boat in the Port Annapolis Marina. We fired up the engine and easily slid the boat out of its tight berth and into open water. It was a beautiful sunny day, warm and almost windless. We motored down the creek to the Chesapeake Bay and got a feel for how the 349 handles under power. The 45-horsepower diesel was turning a three-bladed prop so we had plenty of power. The boat
turns deliberately and with the aid of a bow thruster will be easy to maneuver in tight quarters. The 349 has a 32-foot waterline, so it’s nominal hull speed will be about 7.5 knots. At full rpms, we got her up to this speed without much fuss in the flat water of the bay. The 349 carries 55 gallons of diesel in her tanks. At a cruising speed of six knots, the engine will burn about half a gallon of fuel an hour, which will give you a safe motoring distance of over 500 miles. That’s pretty good for a 34-footer. We hoisted the main and rolled BLUE WATER SAILING
out the genoa and did our best to get a feel for how the new boat sails. With only five to eight knots, we didn’t expect too much of a thrill. But, I and I think Darrell and Leslie were pleasantly surprised at how the boat responded to the breeze. The design has a full keel, a displacement of 19,300 pounds and ballast-to-displacement ratio of 39%. All of that indicates a boat that will need a real breeze to drive her and indicates a boat that will be comfortable and safe at sea. It doesn’t explain how the 349 actually sails. In the light breeze with just the working sails set, we
February 2019
got her sailing at four knots on a close reach, which I think is more than satisfactory. We made a few tacks and found that in the light stuff she would tack through about 95 degrees. With a bit more breeze, she will sail a bit closer to the wind. When we fell off the wind and the apparent wind died, we were still able to keep her moving at three to four knots until we were actually dead downwind. The boat’s cockpit is large for a 34-footer and laid out for easy line handling. All lines, halyards and sheets lead aft to the cockpit so you can manage everything in safety.
The seat backs are quite high and angled for comfort. Line pockets offer a neat place to store halyards, control lines and the main sheet to cut down on spaghetti on the cockpit floor. IPYs are really designed for long haul sailing and cruising and in that capacity the term “performance” takes on a slightly different meaning. Real cruising performance means that you will make safe and reasonably fast passages, be comfortable and secure in bad weather and make landfall rested and uninjured. Like the IPYs before her, the new 349 will fulfill this promise of performance very well. ACCOMODATIONS
The 349 is a two-cabin boat with a V-berth forward and a larger double berth aft. The aft cabin will probably be the master cabin but the forward cabin could fill this role, too. The berth aft has a cut out which makes it easier for
33
grown ups to get in and out of bed without disturbing their partner. The single head is forward and offers a separate shower stall, something you don’t usually see on a 34-footer. The galley is aft to starboard and has a two-burner stove,
34
large sink and extra-large fridge. Although a tight space, the galley will work really well at sea since there are many places to brace a hip or to lean against something while working in bouncy conditions. The sink is fairly near the boat’s centerline, so it will drain on both tacks and won’t fill with sea water when the boat is heeling over on the port tack. The saloon has an L-shaped settee to port and twin swiveling easy chairs to starboard. The dining table folds away against the main bulkhead when not in use so the whole ambience of the saloon is open and spacious. The chart table, which can be folded away when not in use, is just forward of the galley and faces aft; you sit in the aft swivel chair when working there. Radios, repeaters and other instruments can all be mounted in the cabinet just outboard of the chart table. The 349 carries 100 gallons of water so even long range cruisers would not necessarily have to install a watermaker. Still, if you
did require one, then it could be mounted in the sail locker in the starboard quarter or, perhaps, under the aft berth. Access to the engine compartment is via the lifting companionway stairs and through side doors that allow you to get to the
BLUE WATER SAILING
oil dipstick, filters, coolant tank and alternator. If you are going to upgrade to a higher capacity alternator, a small-case, 120-amp unit will fit easily and that is all you will need for a boat of this size and relatively low level of complexity. Darrell and Leslie have kept the overall styling of the new line of IPYs that they are building very much in the traditional IPY family. But, that said, they have also made dozens of small improvements to the boats stemming from their many years as IPY dealers in San Diego. The 349 is still trimmed with a lot of teak down below, has a teak and holly sole, and solid wood
bulkheads, doors and drawer fronts. The quality of the boat is as good as ever and in many cases even better. For couples who are looking for a true pocket voyaging boat that will honestly and safely take them across oceans or around the world, the new IPY 349 is a great choice. It has enough storage for the long haul, a sold fiberglass hull and full keel for safety in a grounding and a simple, efficient and manageable rig. And, it comers well equipped at under $300,000. If you are ready to go small and go now, the new 349 may just be the boat for you. BWS
Island Packet 349 LOA 37’10” LOD 34’6” LWL 31’5” Draft 4’0” Beam 12’4” Displ. 19.300 lbs Ballast 7,500 lbs. Sail area 763 sq. ft. Fuel 55 gals Water 100 gals. Holding 30 gals. Displ/Length 276 SA/D 17 Ball./Displ. 39% STIX 40 Island Packet Yachts 1979 Wild Acres Road Largo, FL 33771
www.ipy.com
February 2019
35
Every Mack Sail Is Proudly Made in our Stuart, Florida, Sail Loft Our 50th Year
Manta 42 Project led
instal Our rigging department a Boom a new Schaefer Gamm ak es m o n th is M an ta 4 2 th at coast st regular runs from the ea . We as of Florida to the Baham existe then built a new jib for th w full ne ing camber boom and ro ll erb at te n m ai n sa il fo r th e n si ve te fu rl in g b o o m . O u r ex catare experience with offsho booms marans and with furling ith a w provided our customer great integrated system.
Photo: Billy Black
The Biggest Small Loft in the USA
Call 800-428-1384
info@macksails.com • www.macksails.com WE SHIP EVERYWHERE AND PAY THE FREIGHT OF NEW SAILS AND MACK PACKS.
BETA MARINE RELIABILITY AND MORE! Engine Model Beta 38
What a concept! Engineered to be serviced easily
Beta 30 in a Morris Justine Engine Model Beta 14
Beta 20
Beta 25
Engine Model Beta 30 Beta 38 Beta 43 Beta 50 Beta 60
Vessel Catalina 36 Sabre 38Mk1 Valiant 37 Westsail 32 Hinckley B40 Valiant 40 Bristol 41.1 Morgan 41 OI Morgan 45 CSY 44
Some of our installations
Approved in California
Quiet diesels with clean emissions that meet current EPA requirements, without the need for computer controlled common rail complexity.
BETA MARINE US Ltd.
PO Box 5, Minnesott Beach, NC 28510 877-227-2473 • 252-249-2473 • fax 252-249-0049 info@betamarinenc.com
www.betamarinenc.com
The Feathering Prop For An Easier, More Enjoyable Sail For better performance!
THE 10 YEAR ANTI-FOULING PAINT • EPA and CA Approved; Doesn't Leach or Ablate • Prevents hard growth in all climates and water conditions • Anti-fouling protection doesn’t “die” when out of the water • Coppercoat has been successfully protecting boats around the world for 22 years
• Available in 2, 3 & 4 blade versions
• The blades will have identical pitch at all times
• Jprop uses only helical (continuously engaged) gears
• Fits all shafts and saildrives
CHANDLERY
Beta 16
Vessel Albin Vega Cape Dory 28 Catalina 30 Tartan 30 Catalina 30 Contessa 32 Island Packet 27 Pearson Vanguard Alberg 35 Morgan OI 33 Alberg 37 Pearson 35
Marine engines using Kubota Diesels from 13.5 to 100 HP. Including Atomic 4 replacements and saildrive engines.
THE
More than just a reliable engine...all of our new engines are equipped with a serpentine belt drive system for the alternator at no extra cost!
_ For product and application information visit: www.CoppercoatUSA.com
For questions and to purchase Coppercoat Please call 321.514.9197
Imported & Distributed By
BETA MARINE US LTD
877.227.2473 February 2019
252.249.2473
betamarinenc.com 37
ADVENTURES
Offshore Sail-Training Aboard Mahina Tiare III, a Hallberg-Rassy 46
With a combined experience of 645,000 miles and 81 years, John and Amanda Neal’s unique curriculum offers you a dynamic hands-on learning experience including seamanship, navigation, storm avoidance and heavy weather tactics.
SAILING
w w w. m a h i n a . c o m Blue_Water_half_ad_1_CMYK.indd 1
3/23/16 3:00 PM
MULTIHULLS QUARTERLY
WORLD
Subscribe to Multihulls Quarterly and get four digital issues packed full of destination pieces, boat reviews, racing news and performance tips! Just $18/year!
Now in digital format Subscribe online at
www.zinio.com/mq 38
BLUE WATER SAILING
IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
DISCOVER THE TMM DIFFERENCE
Your sailing vacation is in great hands Our goal at TMM is simple - to ensure your sailing dreams come true. You will experience one-on-one personal service from our team who truly care about your charter experience.
Please contact our stateside office in regards to all bookings. For yacht sales and management programs, please contact don@sailtmm.com
1-800-633-0155 www.sailtmm.com
Representing these fine yacht manufacturers:
Since 1979 we have been providing our clients with first-hand local knowledge, friendly and memorable staff, and a diverse fleet of modern yachts at affordable prices.
2019 Mahina Offshore
Cruising Seminar Series
Technical guru Nigel Calder joins John & Amanda Neal to co-present 8 hours of detailed instruction with PowerPoint illustration that follow the included 260-page Offshore Cruising Companion course book.
January 12 - Chicago, IL Chicago Boat Show
January 19 - Toronto, Ontario Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place
March 23 & 24 - Anacortes, WA Mahina Offshore Workshop, Cruisers University
April 6 - Richmond, CA Pacific Boat Show
Seven months a year John and Amanda conduct sail-training expeditions worldwide aboard their Hallberg-Rassy 46, Mahina Tiare. This seminar incorporates the knowledge gained from their combined 715,000 sea miles and 85 years’ experience.
For course outline & registration: www.mahina.com
The Moorings Yacht Brokerage has the world’s largest selection of pre-owned charter yachts. 2013 LEOPARD 48
Knot on Call- 4 cabin/ 4 head Located in BVI Asking $489,000
2013 LEOPARD 48
Changes in Latitude- 4 cabin/ 5 head
Located in BVI Asking $489,000
2012 LEOPARD 44
See Pal- 4 cabin/ 4 head Located in St. Lucia Asking $355,000
2014 LEOPARD 39
Sundog - 3 cabin/ 2 head Located in BVI Asking $269,000
2013 LEOPARD 48
Natural Mystic- 4 cabin/ 5 heads
Located in Nassau Asking $489,000
2014 LEOPARD 39
Harvset Moon- 4 cabin/ 2 head Located in Placencia, Belize Asking $269,000
2013 LEOPARD 48
Bobcat- 4 cabin/ 5 heads Located in BVI Asking $450,000
2012 LEOPARD 44
Shazam- 4 cabin/ 4 head Located in BVI Asking $350,000
2013 JEANNEAU SO 509
Sabamba - 4 cabin/ 4 head Located in BVI Asking $229,000
www.mooringsbrokerage.com | 800-850-4081 | info@mooringsbrokerage.com
sailing opportunities
gear
gear
gear
Sail to Discover Sail and Learn Voyages 2019 Leg 1...SW Spain to Canary Islands Leg 2...Canary Islands to Barbados Leg 3...Barbados to Curacao Leg 4...Curacao to Panama
www.sailtodiscover.com SAIL A TALL SHIP IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC Explore legendary islands including Galapagos, Pitcairn, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Samoa, Tonga and more! Trainee and passengers berths. Casting off October 2012 Barque PICTON CASTLE (902) 634-9984 www.picton-castle.com
SAILMAKING EXCELLENCE Stuart • FLORIDA • Ft. Lauderdale
(772)283-2306 • FAX 283-2433 1-800-428-1384 www.macksails.com
Specializing in Packages
KISS-SSB
™
THE PROVEN GROUND SYSTEM FOR YOUR MARINE SSB RADIO
AIS SSB
GPS PC
CAPN
360-510-7885
SAT
radioteck@gmail.com
www.kiss-ssb.com Patent-Pending
CLASSIFIEDS
Navigation, Communication & Weather
Two Can Sail Want to learn to cruise together as a Couple? Captains Jeff and Jean can help you both become confident as individuals and as a team. Conducting prepurchase surveys, voyage training on your boat. Eastern US, Gulf Coast and Caribbean. www.TwoCanSail.com
BOAT SELECTION CONSULTATION SERVICE Looking for the right boat for offshore voyaging? For a flat fee I will use my extensive experience to help you evaluate, locate and purchase the best possible boat for your investment. John Neal www.mahina.com/consult
gear
EASYSTOW FENDERS® Stop filling up your valuable storage space with air. Easystow Fenders store in as little as 1/12th their inflated size. 5 foot models can replace hard to use fender board arrangements. Practical Sailor rated heavy duty models“best choice”. www.easystowfenders.com 800-437-7654 Small Ad, Small Prices Standing and running rigging, life lines, winches, furlers, line and all types of sailing hardware. We are a rigging shop specializing in discount mail order. Problem solving is one of our specialties. Since 1984. Rigging Only www.riggingandhardware.com e-mail: sail@riggingonly.com or call 508-992-0434
888-989-6503
Branching Out...
Mattress comfort without the mattress price!
Seeking a Safer Tomorrow
www.tuftedtopper.com
Index of Advertisers DISPLAY
THE CHANDLERY
AB Marine ...............................12 401-847-7960 Alexseal...................................11 843-654-7755 ATN.............................................. 800-874-3671 Celestaire.................................17 800-727-9785 Chris Parker Weather...............15 863-248-2702 Gori Propellers........................... 9 800-801-8922 Great Circle Sails......................12 617-271-0712 Moorings.............. 800-669-6529 Ocens.......................................16 206-878-8270 • 410-263-0008 Passport Yachts............. Cover 2, 3 410-263-0008 Sea Frost..................................15 603-868-5720 Watt & Sea................................13
Beta Marine.............................37 877-227-2473 • 252-249-2473 Coppercoat...............................37 321-514-9197 J Prop.......................................37 401-847-79656 Mack Sails................................36 800-428-1384 CHARTER Blue Water Sailing Sch........40,41 800-255-1840 • 954-763-8464 Mahina...............................38,42 360-378-6131 TMM.........................................39 800-633-0155 BROKERAGE Moorings.................................43 800-850-4081
MULTIHULLS QUARTERLY
Help the Manatees, Adopt One Today! The ORIGINAL, since 2001 www.airheadtoilet.com • 740-392-3642 PO Box 5 Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
savethemanatee.org Photo © Wayne Hartley
44
Just $9.99 for four issues full of reviews, racing news and multihull destinations! Now in digital format Subscribe online at
www.zinio.com/mq BLUE WATER SAILING
self-steering Become a Shipbuilding Syndicate Member or Plank Owner. Find out how you can become a part of this historic ship.
BLUE WATER
magazine
• boats • products • services
Blue Water Sailing readers: own boats over 30' own boats over 40' average LOA # of days onboard yearly have bareboat chartered
80% 29% 41'3" 62 72%
SAIL NAKED
Just leave your Hydrovane on Independent self-steering windvane AND Emergency rudder... • • • •
No lines to the wheel No power consumed No problem off center Your best crew member... doesn’t eat, sleep, or care what you wear!
ONITOR
STEERING THE DREAM INDVANE
gear
TM
ONITOR THE GREEN FREE SOLUTION!INDVANE Southern Ocean
TM
Sailing DVD
Display Classified: $70.00 per column inch. SAVE MONEY WITH THE BWS FREQUENCY DISCOUNT: 10% off for a six month schedule. 15% off for a 12 month schedule.
CALL 401-847-7612 george@bwsailing.com
Wind Power Water Power Alternators Solar Power Inverters Chargers Batteries
INDVANE
TM
Rated best windvane in aRC
SOSRudder ORIGINAL
Our products are custom made for your boat and shipped from our US factory directly to your door. Manufacturers of Marine Self-Steering
PROVIDING AFFORDABLE POWER SYSTEMS FOR OVER 30 YEARS!
508-743-9901 www.hamiltonferris.com February 2019
ONITOR
POWER TO SPARE!
CLASSIFIEDS
Sell through Blue Water Sailing’s CLASSIFIED SECTION AND REACH 130,000 POTENTIAL BUYERS EVERY MONTH
www.ohpri.org
SSV Oliver Hazard Perry will be Rhode Island’s own tall ship to join the select fleet of worldwide Class-A size Tall Ships. With this extraordinary ship we can provide education at sea programs to youth of all ages.
www.hydrovane.com
SAILING
Manufacturers of Marine Self-Steering
Email: Scanmar@selfsteer.com Check our Website with over 5000 photos
www.selfsteer.com 45
CRUISING IN
TAHITI
A MOORINGS CHARTER A Tahiti sailing vacation offers balmy easterly trade winds averaging between 15 and 20 knots throughout the year, virtually guaranteeing a relaxing sail every day in the calm waters behind the reefs and spirited sailing on open-water passages. Inside the reefs navigation is line-of-sight from one marker to the next, though a watchful eye on the chart is necessary, as is plotting courses on the longer passages between the islands. The tidal range is insignificant at less than one foot, which means currents are typically weak except in narrow passes through the reefs. A Tahiti yacht charter is well within the reach of sailors who have basic skills in coastal navigation. The beauty and unique character of these exotic waters lures less experienced and veteran sailors alike to return time after time for more adventures. Year-round temperatures range from 78°F to 80°F . www.moorings.com
SERIOUS SAILING EQUIPMENT 1 800 874 3671 | atninc@hotmail.com
www.atninc.com
Tacker
MasTcliMber
No more spinnaker pole
Climb UP your mast BY YOURSELF
gale sail
spinnaker sleeve
The Storm Jib that hanks OVER the furled Headsail
The safest, oldest proven spinnaker handling