Blue Water Sailing

BLUE WATER

Vo l u m n 1 , 2 0 2 1

SAILING BUYING AN OCEAN CRUISING YACHT KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON BLUEWATER 56 1

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2021 VOLUME 1

FEATURES 14 Cruising Life

In the Mirror of the Sea

by Tim Kent

18 World Cruising

Selecting and Purchasing an Ocean Cruising Sailboat

by John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal

30 Practical Passage

Before Slipping the Lines

by Bill Biewenga

36 Fitting Out

Keeping the Lights On

by Bob Osborn

42 Blue Water Boats

New Bluewater 56 Unveiled

by Scott Akerman

Front Cover: The new Bluewater 56 uner sail

DEPARTMENTS 5 Captain’s Log 6 Blue Water Dispatches 48 Charter 52 Classifieds

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BLUE WATER

That Special Disaster Boat SAILING NOT ALL COUPLES ARE DESTINED TO LIKE THE CRUISING life but they often don’t know that until they actually get aboard their boats and sail away. Then, after that first bad offshore passage or a few months away from home, it dawns on one or the other in the couple that this is not the dream they expected. In cases like this, what is often left in the aftermath is a boat that has been fitted out with all the gear you need for roaming the world’s oceans that needs to be sold quickly. In the brokerage trade, these are often referred to as disaster boats but for the next owners they can be treasures.

Volume 1, 2021 Blue Water Sailing, LLC 747 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 - USA phone: 401.847.7612 web: www.bwsailing.com

I’ve been the beneficiary of such a scenario three times. The first was in our early cruising days when we found an Alberg 30 that had been fitted out to race in the Bermuda One-Two, a singlehanded/ doublehanded race from Newport, RI to Bermuda and back.

The owner had equipped the boat with all of the required safety and navigation and a windvane. He set out before the race to try singlehanded sailing for the first time and returned after one night having discovered he hated it. We bought the boat a few days later.

Editorial

The second was our Mason 43 Clover. It had been bought and equipped by a German sailor who went to town with safety, navigation and offshore equipment. He set off to live the cruising dream but, after a hard Atlantic crossing, he and his mate ended up in Annapolis where they immediately put the boat on the market and flew home to Germany. We were there to take this disaster boat off their hands and five years and 45,000 miles later we completed our circumnavigation.

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Finally, a few years ago, right after the Great Recession of 2008 – 2010, we found ourselves in the market for a cruising boat and happened on a Jeanneau 45.2 that had been seized by a bank in a foreclosure and the bank was happy to unload it at a fraction of the boat’s value. The boat had been completely fitted out for offshore passagemaking and just needed some TLC. Over the next 10 years we put something like 15,000 miles on Lime’n with cruises to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida Keys and Maine.

Disaster boats don’t come on the market every day, but they are perhaps more common than you might think. Going that route has worked well for us and if you think it might work for you, contact an experienced broker who can often find such a treasure before it goes up on Yachtworld and Boat Trader.

Volumn 1, 2021

photo by Bill Kund

Editor & Publisher George Day george@bwsailing.com Editors-at-Large John Neal

Amanda Swan Neal Contributing Editors

Bill Biewenga,

Patrick Childress, Rebecca Childress,

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 Subscriptions and back issues are available at www.zinio.com Published quarterly. One year: $18.

For questions about your subscription email the publisher. george@bwsailing.com Blue Water Sailing is copyrighted 2021. All rights reserved.

Blue Water Sailing is published quarterly by Day Communications, Inc. 747 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 ISSN#1091-1979

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Authorities say that Tomas Antonio Gimeno Casanas, abducted his daughters from his estranged wife, boarded a sailboat and set off to sail with them across the Atlantic. The best guess is that Casanas is headed to the Caribbean, or possibly the north coast of South America where he has contacts.

Possible Kidnapping Leads to Interpol Search RECENTLY, INTERPOL ANNOUNCED that it was searching for a Spanish man who they believe kidnapped his two daughters, age six and one years old, from their home in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

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Apparently, Casanas, 37, left the Santa Cruz Marina by powerboat with his daughters on the evening of April 27, after transferring 55,000 euros from his bank account. The powerboat was found abandoned and adrift the next day and authorities believe Casanas rendezvoused

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with a sailboat to make the ocean crossing.

Blood found on the powerboat was analyzed and belonged to Casanas but not his daughters. It is assumed by police, after days of investigation, that there was no foul play and that the powerboat was left as a false clue while Casanas and his daughters escaped at sea. An air search in the days following the kidnapping did not produce any leads.

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Interpol is asking sailors in the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Islands and the Caribbean Sea to keep an eye out for a sailboat arriving from the Canary Islands with a 37 year old Spanish man aboard and two young daughters. The incident has been filed and posted with www. boatwatch.org where you can find regular updates and more information. You can also post on the site any information you may have on the website.

For more information and to pass along any news regarding the kidnapping you can also email Manuel Niederleytner, a lawyer, at info@sosdesaparecidos.es. BWS

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Salty Dawg Offers Full Rally Schedule for 2021 EVEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC over the last year, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association found ways to run rallies for cruisers. The most impressive effort was a year ago when the SDSA organized the Homeward Bound rally for cruisers in the Caribbean who wanted to sail in company back to the States, often with crews that were not as numerous or experienced as they would have been in normal years.

Some 184 boats made the passage while the SDSA provided daily weather information, communications and tracking for each boat. And, they ran the rally for free. It was an amazingly complex and generous

effort. Well, in 2021, the SDSA is offering a full calendar of rallies for cruisers that emphasize, as always, safe offshore sailing and cruising with an emphasis on camaraderie, cooperation and fun.

Here’s the schedule for 2021 with links to the rally pages. The rallies are open to all cruisers and have some qualification requirements.

EAST COAST RALLY The SDSA East Coast Rally to the US departs the United States Virgin Islands May 1, weather permitting and is expected to last 7-10 days.

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DELMARVA RALLY THE SDSA DelMarVa Rally circumnavigates the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia Peninsula departing from Hampton, VA June 1, weather permitting and is expected to last 6 days.

DOWNEAST RALLY The SDSA Downeast Rally has departure locations from the Chesapeake Bay and Narragansett Bay areas. The departures from Hampton and Annapolis are on July 8 (weather permitting) and Newport July 13 with final landfall in Maine July 16.

CARIBBEAN RALLY The 2021 SDSA Caribbean Rally departs the US East Coast on November 2, weather permitting. This rally goes to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. A crossing to Antigua usually takes 10-14 days. The crossing to the Bahamas 7-8 days.

In 2022, the SDSA will offer two additional rallies that had to be canceled in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. They are: BERMUDA RALLY The SDSA Bermuda Rally departs from Hampton, VA in early June, weather permitting. This rally is not being held in 2021 due to COVID-19 quarantine requirements.

MARITIME RALLY The SDSA Maritime Rally is held in alternate years and departs from the Northeast US coast for points in Nova Scotia. This year’s Rally spans July 31Aug 11.

Check out the Salty Dawg Sailing Association here. It only costs $75 to join. https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/ BWS

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British Virgin Islands Open to Vaccinated Travelers

quarantine once their arrival test comes back negative.

The final vaccine dose has to have been administered 14 days or more prior to arrival.

Travelers who have been vaccinated also have to show proof of a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 test taken three to five days before arrival. The new rules do not apply to visitors from India or Brazil where the pandemic is still raging and new dangerous variants of the virus are emerging.

Children between the ages of five and 17 who have not been vaccinated traveling with their parents will be given a covid test upon arrival. The family gouip will be released from quarantine once all family members’ test come back negative.

Upon release, families are required to stay within their own bubbles and social distance from others when in public. Un vaccinated children wil need a second covid test four days after arrival

ON MAY 7, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE British Virgin Islands published the latest regulations for travelers visiting the island nation. This will be good news for the charter companies there and their clients who have avoided the islands due to very restrictive Covid-19 rules. Unvaccinated travelers will still need to quarantine for The fee for the BVI Gateway Traveller 14 days after arrival and show negative Authorization Certificate has been reduced covid tests during quarantine. from $175 to $105. For more information log onto the Horizon Yacht Charters As of May 15, travelers who have proof of website, where this notice was published, being fully vaccinated will be released from by clicking here. BWS 12

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IN THE MIRROR OF THE SEA

by Tim Kent

“…what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of clouds are dragging across it, and patches of sunlight are touching down everywhere. White strings of gulls drag over it like beads. It is my favorite thing, I think, that I have ever seen.”

Anthony Doerr All The Light You Cannot See

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I STARTED SAILING ON THE SWEET water lakes of Michigan. Lake St. Clair, my first love, had the faintest whiff of the exotic because the visible shore on the horizon was Canada. As I began to explore offshore racing, I started sailing on the perfectly named Great Lakes. On these huge bodies of water, the opposite shoreline is rarely visible, and when racing

on Huron or Michigan or the mighty Superior you can spend more than a day out of sight of land of any kind. When these lakes decide to kick up their heels they can be challenging at best. Killers when they care to be.

Yet, something was always missing for me on even these majestic bodies of water.

If I stood looking east from Wisconsin, I could feel Michigan lying just over the unseeable curve of the earth. Standing on Superior’s Michigan shoreline, Canada.

On Erie’s Canadian shore, Ohio. I swear that if you took away all of my senses and placed me on a shoreline, I would require no chart, no clue, in daylight or dark – I could tell you if I was on a lake.

There are limits to a lake. I can feel them.

Not so the ocean. The ocean is completely different, it smells completely different, the teeming mass of biology beneath the surface bursting out, smelling of life entire. The waves are different, longer, freer, reeking of danger, purity, and the unspeakable power of the biggest single mass of anything on top of our planet.

But what I feel when I look seaward over the ocean is that it is limitless. I could stand on any shore of any ocean anywhere and set sail to the east or west, touch the shores of modern worlds and ancient, see massive cities afloat with the materials of war and commerce, watch frail gossamer boats plying trades as old as the world, hear every language, see every people, and

Volume 1 2021

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finish on that same shore having circled our entire planet. Sailors in the distant past gave names to the various parts of the ocean, but those names are just foolish notions that make it easier for us to deal with the overwhelming fact that the ocean is but one. The ocean is limitless.

with its powerful soul, its flaws and glories and its unending willingness to take punishment to deliver me back to my children, my friends, my anchored world. There was no wind on that sunny day and I will never, never forget how terribly out of place she looked, tethered and purposeless. There was no mission, no urgent call for her to answer. She looked lost, pleading for one more lap of the world, one more terrific goal to crush.

When I took her out to attend to a lesser task she angrily spit off her keel and tried to kill me. I understood.

I sailed away once, left shore as a novice, saw storms and beauty, saw fish that fly and birds that simply never stop flying, experienced my insignificance in the face of countless storms, saw the holy landmarks of our people, and returned a different person. The day after I returned home, I walked down to see the marvelous The pull of the limitless ocean reaches into boat that carried me around the world the souls of both sailors and at the living 16

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boats that carry them. When they each taste the bitter cold beauty of the South, experience the crazed lightning storms of the Caribbean, navigate the fascinating intersection of the hemispheres, sail in the company of only the creatures of the sea and sky, when they place themselves lovingly at the mercy of the merciless weather, nothing else will ever be enough.

Someday, I hope to step off a beach and merge once again with the soul of another boat and race off. Off beyond the equator to the Southern Ocean, deep, deep into the purifying, cold tempest and sail in company with the albatross. Challenge myself and my boat on the limitless ocean for months of heat and cold, storm and calm, exhaustion and beauty. Then to return, changed once more, and step ashore to meet my footprints toe to toe.

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department at Doyle Sails in New Zealand.

Tim never lost his passion for the Southern Ocean. He and his daughters recently acquired a Class 40 with the ultimate goal of racing it around the world. The pandemic has upended everything, and this goal – unimportant in the face of this terrible scourge – is moving around but will come to pass.

Tim and Whitney plan to compete in the Around Block Island Race in late May. Whitney has to get back to Sheboygan, so Tim and his friend Cat Chimney – who has helped to prepare the boat this spring – will compete in the Bermuda 1-2. November 2021 will find the boat in Le Havre, France for the start of the doublehanded Transat Jacques Vabre.

Tim Kent began sailing on the Great Lakes in his late twenties. He began racing in his early thirties, entering the Mackinac races so popular there. In his mid-40s he sailed in a separate solo race from Chicago to Mackinac…and got hooked. At 50, he competed in the Around Alone Race on an IMOCA 50, completing that solo racing circumnavigation in second place. He has worked in the sailing industry ever since, working for Harken, Marinco, Mack Sails, Oakcliff Sailing and recently working in Dubai on Andrew Pindar’s Volvo 60s.

Tim’s two daughters are also sailing industry professionals. Whitney is the Program Director for Sheboygan Youth Sailing and Alison manages the downwind production Volume 1 2021

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Selecting and Purchasing an Ocean Cruising Sailboat

by John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal

Here’s an in-depth look at what you should consider when setting out to by a cruising boat The dream of purchasing a boat and sailing to exotic islands and interesting countries is a powerful and exciting one. And an important part of achieving that dream is in selecting the right boat to take you over the horizon in safety and comfort. By keeping the boat in top condition while you’re cruising, you’ll find a line of fellow dreamers waiting to purchase it when you’ve completed your cruise allowing you to recoup most, if not all of your initial outlay. If you wish to succeed in this venture, here’s how to do the necessary homework to make your cruising dreams a reality.

WHEN TO PURCHASE Time, money, health and energy are the four factors that need to be present in order to buy a boat and realize your dream of cruising. Following is a summary of these factors and some tips for you to consider.

ENSURE THE LIFESTYLE IS FOR YOU One of the first things you’ll need to do is to ensure that you actually enjoy and are comfortable sailing and living on a boat, and unless you plan on single handing, that your partner does as well. If you’re new to sailing or self-taught, sailing and navigation lessons are an excellent starting point. To discover if you’re comfortable living aboard, try a weeklong live aboard cruising/learning experience such as Offshore Sailing School’s Fast Track to Cruising or Fast Track to Passagemaking.

Even better, consider a course in an area you’re interested in eventually cruising on your own. If the Caribbean is a possible destination on your own boat, you could select a Fast Track to Cruising course in the British Virgin Islands.

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Time: There are several reasons why you should purchase your boat a minimum of one year, and optimally, 18-24 months before your planned departure.

It may take 6-12 months of serious shopping to find a boat that meets your criteria.

If the boat you purchase is over 15 years old and in need of some work it can easily take 6-12 months or longer to get it offshore-ready.

You will be upgrading old equipment for new and sourcing refit options, both of which take considerable time.

You’ll want to allow time to become familiar with sailing your boat and getting accustomed to living in a much smaller space than normal.

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YOUR AGE VERSUS BOAT AGE The older you are, the newer the boat you purchase should be if you actually want to go cruising. If you’re in your 20’s, you may feel like you have more time and energy than money. You probably won’t consider it necessary that your cruising boat is outfitted with a freezer, powerful windlass, or satellite communications. You’ll have the energy and motivation to work hard on a bare bones boat and then be keen to set sail, with or without a lot of gear that older people frequently deem necessary. If you are over 60 and inexperienced, you should consider a boat less than ten years old. If you purchase a 30 year old boat needing a refit, the chance of you having the energy to complete a refit and actually depart on an extended cruise is well less than 50%.

Cruising Timeframe: You may be looking at boats thinking you will be cruising for 5-10 years. However, we see very few people cruising for longer than 2-3 years. Take time to consider your cruising plan; where you buy the boat and start cruising, where you plan to sail and for how long and where you think you may sell the boat. It is good to be open in your planning but it’s also good to establish a Plan B, in the event your health or other factors change.

CREW Crew difficulties are frequently a common and persistent problem. It’s easy to find friends and family members excited about sailing with you when you first leave your homeport. As you get further away it becomes time consuming coordinating the logistics of crew arrival and departure points, and the timing of your passages. You might also find that you may not be comfortable trusting your boat and life to people whom you don’t know well and that pick-up crew can be more of a burden than help.

Boat Cost, Size and Age: If you’re cruising as a couple, each of you must be prepared to singlehand your boat, being conscious of your abilities and limitations. Seasickness or illness may incapacitate either of you, leaving the other person to handle everything. Safety dictates a boat with manageable sails, a dependable wind‑vane self‑steering system and a powerful, dependable autopilot.

If you’re planning on purchasing a boat over 42’ and aren’t as strong as you used to be, consider increasing your level of fitness and the option of selecting a boat with or adding a furling mainsail, bow thruster and possibly electric winches. This equipment adds cost, maintenance, weight and complexity but being able to easily handle your boat is important and adds to the enjoyment of cruising.

Marquesas: Tattoos 19 19

{ WORLDCRUISING } GO NEWER AND SMALLER In order to purchase a newer yacht that isn’t going to need an expensive, time-consuming refit, you may need to downsize your ideal size requirements. If this means purchasing a 12 year old 38’ boat instead of a 20-30 year old 45’-50’ boat, you will be far ahead; having more time to cruise and reducing your overall cost of ownership. Also, maintenance, insurance and moorage costs go up exponentially with the length of boat.

NEW OR USED? Pros

Cons

New

Used

· More expensive · Higher deprecation

· Older systems that may need replacing · Considerably more time and cost for repairs and maintenance · An expensive refit may be required

· Benefit from modern design · Your choice of boat and systems · Minimal time and money for · repairs in first 7 years · Boat and gear warranty · Clean, tidy and sweet smelling

· More boat for your money, particularly if there’s been a recent refit. · Can make high quality boat affordable · Retain value if you select the right boat and maintain it

Age of Boat vs Time and Cost of Ownership: The older your boat is, the more time and money it will take to go cruising. On a boat 20+ years old, you can easily spend an additional 50% to 100% of the purchase price replacing rigging, sails, tanks, engine, and electronics and upgrading the electrical system. This refitting process frequently takes one to two years. With a boat that is new or less than 10 years old much of the refit time and cost and is saved.

Another good option is to purchase an older boat that has recently been refit by the seller and is ready to go. It will likely cost more than comparable boats of the same age but will cost far less than outfitting an older boat that has only coastal equipment aboard.

Overall Budget for Boat Purchase: Boat Purchase: 60%; Outfitting: 40% Outfitting Cost: You’ll likely need an additional $20,000 to $50,000 for necessary offshore equipment including storm sails, liferaft, windvane or an additional autopilot, tender and motor, heavier and additional ground tackle, charts and spare parts. This cost excludes non-essential items such as watermaker, generator, solar panels, bow thruster, refrigeration, chart plotter and SCUBA compressor which are detailed in the Optional Equipment chapter.

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WHERE TO PURCHASE It is wise to spend considerable time researching and deciding where you most want to cruise and just as importantly, where will be an easy place to purchase and outfit a vessel. Perhaps charter in your destined cruising grounds first, at the same time research the selection and prices of boats available, boat yards and outfitting services.

If you’re interested in cruising specific areas before planning long passages, purchasing a boat on location may be a good choice.

Mediterranean: research Spain, France, Palma, Italy, Croatia, Turkey, and Greece. Turkey has excellent yachting services and marinas and is the least expensive country in the Med. As it isn’t an EU member, VAT and Schengen time limits do not apply.

Caribbean: it is best to purchase on the East Coast or possibly in Florida where there is a large selection of potential cruising boats and excellent refit services. Although there are many boats for sale in the Caribbean, the condition, logistics of purchasing and outfitting make this option somewhat less attractive.

Mexico and the South Pacific: starting out anywhere on the West Coast will work.

Cruising Boats in Foreign Countries: In your search for boats you’ll see listings of cruising boats that appear to be real bargains in foreign, frequently downwind tropical locations.

Example locations include the Med, Florida, Mexico, Panama, Caribbean, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Occasionally these boats are a good value, but often they are tired and require extensive repairs and upgrades to be passage-ready. As with the outfitting process, the owners have run out of time, money, energy or health and have walked away from their boat, leaving it listed with a local broker. On the other hand, if the owners are present and have conscientiously maintained the boat, it may represent a true value and savings of time.

High Latitude versus Tropical Locations: Boats that have spent most of their lives in higher latitudes where they are frequently only in the water for six months then stored ashore or inside a building during winters appear newer than sisterships in warmer, saltier water.

Examples: Great Lakes and New England vs.

Florida, and Scandinavia vs. Mediterranean.

HOW TO FIND YOUR BOAT Sites like Yachtworld.com are invaluable as they cover most of the world. Bargain basement boats priced under $30,000 may be easier to find on FSBO sites. If you are within six months of purchasing and have your financing in order, you may consider using a buyer’s broker. They will have connections to potential boats that you may not be aware of and save you time by cutting through the “broker babble”. Ideally your buyer’s broker will have personal experience offshore cruising or delivering yachts.

They should be truly interested in finding the most appropriate boat for you at the best price, not just encouraging you to purchase one of their own listings. This service shouldn’t cost you any additional money as the listing broker will split the selling commission with your buyer’s broker. It is rare to find knowledgeable buyer’s brokers interested on working with clients having a budget of under $150,000.

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{ WORLDCRUISING } SELECTNG THE RIGHT BOAT There is a wide variety of boats on the market so it’s up to you to decide on what is going to be the best boat for your budget and plans.

Read boat reviews, scan owner’s group websites for troublesome problems specific to certain makes or models, read about yacht design and safety. Go sailing on as many different types of vessels as possible, and consider crewing on local races. Take courses on navigation, offshore passage making, marine weather, sail repair and diesel engine maintenance. If your cruising plans include ocean crossings, consider signing up for a sail-training passage where you’ll be standing watch and learning 24 hours per day. The more time and energy you’ve put into obtaining skills important to cruising, the better yacht selection choice you’re likely to make and the more selfsufficient you’ll likely be once you’re cruising. You may go into your boat search thinking you absolutely must have a heavy displacement double-ender with a long bowsprit and a centerline queen berth, for example. After educating yourself and completing an ocean passage you may decide that these are not necessarily criteria that add to the comfort or safety at sea.

EXPLORE BOAT OPTIONS Monohulls, multihulls and long-range displacement powerboat each have different merits.

Monohulls are frequently better suited and designed for cruising temperate or high latitude waters and most are better suited to maintain performance when additional cruising gear is added.

Multihulls advantages include very little heeling or rolling and tremendous interior volume and deck space making them very attractive for tropical cruising or cruising with children. Disadvantages include weight sensitivity, uncomfortable motion upwind, difficulty in finding moorage and haul-out facilities. Multihulls are ever increasing in popularity in tropical cruising destinations. An excellent book on multihulls is Gregor Tarjan’s Catamarans; Complete Guide for Cruising Sailors.

Long-range displacement powerboats such as Nordhavn, Kady Krogen, Fleming and Selene provide a very comfortable ride and spacious living area.

Be Realistic: Many people searching for their dream boat have unrealistic expectations or get fixated on specific design issues. If your plans are for serious offshore cruising, ensure that safety and seaworthiness rate higher on your priority list than in-port comfort and interior volume. Compromise is important when selecting any boat. Chances are you will not find any boat in your price range that exactly meets all of your criteria, so be prepared to be flexible and keep an open mind.

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Market Appeal: As most couples cruise for a 2-to-3 year period, it makes sense to purchase a boat that will hold as much of its appeal and value as possible. If you buy a boat with little market appeal you may end up having it on the market for several years only to finally sell it a drastically reduced price.

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One Way Downwind Cruise Option: Some cruisers buy a boat with the anticipation that they will take advantage of strong economies and market for cruising boats in certain foreign countries. By purchasing an appropriate boat in Europe or North America, sailing downwind through the South Pacific, they then plan to sell their yachts in either Noumea, New Caledonia, or Queensland, Australia. Currently this is still very feasible, but could change at any time.

There are yacht brokers in both Noumea and Queensland specializing in the importation and selling of foreign-flagged cruising boats.

Ex-Charter Boat Option: Purchasing a recent (5-to-6-year-old) charter boat for shorter-term seasonal cruising or a one-way voyage from the Med to Florida via the Caribbean or from the Med, Florida or the Caribbean to Australia is a viable option. It wouldn’t be wise to spend a lot on extensive outfitting (adding a windvane, generator, watermaker or electronics) as little of this cost would be recouped on selling.

Well known Builder: If you’re considering purchasing a boat overseas and plan to eventually sail it back to North America or Australia to sell, if possible, select a well‑known boat builder that ideally has dealers in the country you plan to sell in. You’ll find it much easier to sell a well‑known boat for a reasonable price.

Is the Boat Builder in Business?: With so few of the quality builders of offshore cruising boats still in business, this has become less of an issue, but it can save you time and money if you can get replacement parts and technical information from the original builder and it may make selling the boat easier.

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BOAT PURCHASING OPTIONS Four Purchasing Options: New Production Boat. Because of a shortage of quality 5-to-10-year-old ocean cruising boats plus the high cost of and amount of time required to upgrade a solid 10+- year old vessel, purchasing a quality new production boat is more attractive than ever. The problem is there are only a handful of boatyards worldwide still in business producing quality offshore boats. Here’s an example: If you purchase a 25 year old boat for $80,000 and then spend $50,000 replacing the engine, rigging, dodger, sails, wiring, tanks, electronics and having the bottom stripped, dried and barrier coated, using up 1-2 years of your cruising time, you will end up with a 27 year old boat worth perhaps $90,000.

A better choice might be a new or nearly new (less than 5-to-10-years old) boat that initially costs more but returns much closer to 100-percent of your outlay. Your cost of ownership will be substantially less and hopefully you’ll be out cruising years earlier with far less time spent dealing with mechanical breakdowns and failures.

Custom Build. Choosing to have a boat semi-custom or custom built always takes considerably more time and money than planned and there are inevitably “bugs” to work out that would only occur on hull #1 or #2 of a production boat. Resale value on a custom boat is usually substantially lower than on a wellknown quality production boat. Custom boats only make sense if you are the second owner. However, keep in mind that they will nearly always be more difficult to sell.

Used Boat. Cruising equipment generally adds little to the selling price of used boats, so if you can find a boat that has already been outfitted and lightly cruised, you may save tens of thousands of dollars.

Conversely, if you are considering a boat that has circumnavigated or cruised extensively, you may discover that much of the gear is worn out and needs replacing.

Home Built. Home building a cruising vessel makes the least sense unless you are an unemployed boat builder, unconcerned with time and expenses. It generally costs considerably more to build a boat than to purchase a well-built used boat and is nearly always more difficult to sell.

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{ WORLDCRUISING } MARKET TRENDS It is still a bit of a buyer’s market worldwide, but the inventory of quality, offshore-capable boats in the under $100,000 and under $200,000 categories has been much reduced in the last year. In the $350,000-$400,000 category, there are currently amazing values available on fairly recent high-quality boats that have been priced at over $600,000. This is true in Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand.

Boat yards are finally starting to get orders for new boats as there have been a very limited number of new boats built in the past 10 years, resulting in a low inventory for buyers searching for a boat under eight years old.

Pete McGonagle, co-owner of Swiftsure Yachts in Seattle, shares this: “For the past five years, we’ve seen logarithmic depreciation on new boats. Due to the lack of new boat buyers, few yards have a backlog of orders and many are willing to provide discounts and swiftly build to order. A new boat loses 20-percent of its value as soon as it’s delivered. It then loses about 5% of value per year for the first five years and the value loss tapers off to zero as the boats get to be 20-to-25 years old. By then, maintenance costs will be higher and refit, maintenance and upgrade differences make values quite variable from one sistership to another. This is why an extremely well maintained, frequently updated timeless design will have the best chance of value retention.”

Shipping and Commissioning: When trying to decide whether or not it is logical to purchase a boat out of your area, make sure to factor in all shipping and commissioning costs if you don’t plan on sailing your new vessel home.

The cost of trucking a sailboat with a beam greater than 12’ and a trailer height of over 14’ rises significantly as a pilot car at $1.00 per mile is required in some areas. Add approximately $200 for trucking insurance rider, and $1000 to $2000 for decommissioning and recommissioning, depending how much of the work you do yourself. Here are some recent examples of trucking prices: Fantasi 44 Pilothouse (15’1” tall) San Diego to Seattle: $11,000 Outbound 44 Florida to Seattle: $16,600 Island Packet 44 (14’4” beam) North Carolina to Seattle: $19,995 The cost of shipping a 45-foot boat from Europe or New Zealand to the U.S. is approximately $35,000. Sevenstar Yacht Transport, www.sevenstar-yacht-transport.com.

Distress Sales: If you’ve been shopping for a cruising boat you’ve probably come across several vessels that have recently had substantial and expensive upgrades yet haven’t gone anywhere. Many times these boats are the result of people who during the refit and preparation process have had health issues arise or become too exhausted to go cruising. If the sellers have done their homework, selecting quality equipment and assistance on the refit, these distress sales can represent an excellent savings of time and money for you. It is still imperative to get the right boat for your intended plans. A great deal on the wrong boat is still the wrong boat.

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PURCHASE PROCESS Broker: Purchasing from a licensed yacht broker, particularly if they are a member of a professional oversight organization such as CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker-cpyb.net) is often safest and simplest. If you’re purchasing from a private seller, you have little protection once you’ve turned over your deposit (frequently 10% of offering price).

If the seller decides to keep your deposit, even if your conditions for purchase are not met, you have fewer recourses. A knowledgeable broker can provide invaluable assistance with boat selection, survey, sea trial, closing, registration and post sales service and logistics.

Initial Offer: I frequently advise my boat purchase consultation clients to make their initial offer 18-percent lower than the asking price unless the boat is exceptionally clean and well-equipped or there are other customers seriously interested.

Factors used to determine how much your initial offer include: Selling prices and length of time to sell of sisterships. (available at soldboats.com – a broker-only subscription site) Amount of time the vessel has been on the market.

If there have been any offers to date, and if so, for what price?

If there are any known or disclosed extenuating factors, i.e. winter about to start, seller has health issues, estate sale, etc.

Initial impression of the boat. Does it looks neglected? If so, the seller won’t be getting any full-price offers.

Are there any known defects (osmotic blisters, soggy deck or hull core material, non-working equipment, etc.)?

Any offer to purchase should have these following terms and conditions: Subject to acceptable survey and sea trial.

Subject to buyer finding acceptable financing. (This can always be an “out” for you if needed).

An inventory of all included and excluded gear and equipment.

A requirement for the seller to provide a completed disclosure form revealing if the vessel has ever suffered a grounding, fire, sinking, blisters, etc.

A specific timeframe for acceptance of the offer, acceptance of the yacht after survey and sea trial, and a final closing date.

Frequently there will be negotiations back and forth on the price. Assume the seller will negotiate until they say otherwise. During the final phases of initial negotiation or post survey negotiations, don’t ruin a seller’s goodwill by being overly aggressive and demanding. Squeezing the last few hundred dollars from a seller is not worth losing the value of them sharing their extensive knowledge of the boat and removing noninventoried spare parts, charts and other gear that is often left aboard.

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{ WORLDCRUISING } Loans and Insurance: At this time, you will want to secure a quote or verbal assurance that the boat you’re considering can be insured for your intended purpose. If you’re planning an international cruise, note that many countries including Mexico, all of the EU and most marinas require at least liability, or third party insurance.

If you’re planning on financing your purchase, you’ll want to have a loan pre-approved before you make an offer. All lenders will require comprehensive insurance, not just liability, to protect their collateral.

Insurance may be difficult to impossible to obtain if you can’t document boating experience on a similar sized and type of vessel. In some instances, insurance companies will require up to a week of one-on-one instruction from a licensed skipper/instructor with a sign-off from them before their underwriter will agree to insure your boat. Very few lending institutions will allow you to take a vessel outside your home country waters and only a handful of insurance companies worldwide will insure ocean passage making. This means if you lack passage making experience it will be difficult financing your boat purchase let alone go cruising. No insurance companies will insure singlehanded sailors offshore.

Change of ownership and registration: Frequently, particularly when purchasing a federally-documented or foreign vessel, a vessel documentation service, similar to a real estate escrow company will be used. This company may hold your deposit in an escrow account and will search for and discharge any liens and will handle dispersal of funds and payment of taxes. You’ll want to determine what company will be used before signing final acceptance papers. If you are using a buyer’s broker, they can recommend a documentation service.

Otherwise, the selling broker will frequently recommend one.

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Marine Survey: Here are some points to remember: Be very cautious in hiring a surveyor recommended by the listing or selling broker. Some surveyors are more interested in frequent referrals from brokers than in doing a thorough and complete survey for the purchaser. Contact other local brokers or boatyards and ask who they would hire to survey a boat they were considering purchasing.

Don’t hesitate to ask the surveyor for examples of previous survey reports.

Ensure the surveyor is a member of a professional group such as SAMS or NAMS. Top quality surveyors may have a 2-3 week backlog of work, so don’t expect next-day service.

Plan on paying $15-$25 per foot for a survey plus travel time and expenses.

Buyers pay for the cost of survey haul out, regardless of whether or not a deal is consummated.

There are four types of surveys available: Prepurchase, Insurance, Acceptance (for a new boat) and Damage.

On vessels priced over $200,000, it is common for the purchaser to request and pay for a separate engine and possibly rig and sail survey. Some surveyors will do a cursory check of the engine dockside and on sea trial, others may present you with an option for a more in-depth engine survey for an additional fee.

Still others will simply recommend another company or surveyor specializing in engine surveys.

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If possible, you should be present and attentive during the survey, taking pictures of everything and asking the surveyor to point out any areas of deficiency or interest as they go about the survey. Don’t be surprised or disappointed if the survey turns up some deficiencies. Quickly separate the findings into structural, safety and cosmetic categories.

If the structural problems are substantial (i.e. large areas of serious osmotic blistering below the waterline) be prepared to collect your deposit and resume your search. “Project” boats very rarely prove worthwhile. If there are easily repairable deficiencies that were not disclosed in the listing, it is normal that the buyer will ask the seller to either have the problems repaired or adjust the price to cover a quote for repairs. The seller has no legal obligation to remedy deficiencies. Certainly, ask for remedy but realize that not all sellers will agree to repair, reduce the price or share the cost of repair of deficiencies. If the agreed purchase price plus the cost of repairs is still a good value, it may be advisable for you to pay for the entire amount of repairs vs. start looking for another boat and incur more search and survey costs.

Sea Trial: A sea trial is where the seller or their agent provides an underway demonstration, hopefully with you and your surveyor aboard to test and operate all systems. This should include running the engine up to maximum rated RPMs while checking for overheating, vibration and smoke. All ancillary systems and equipment should be demonstrated including raising sails, operating anchor windlass, all pumps, radios and electronics, generator, cabin heater, air conditioning, lights, inverter/charger and stove. If the boat is hauled out for winter storage and it isn’t possible to have a sea trial and engine test until spring, it is normal for a “hold back” amount to be set aside to cover any possible problems discovered in the sea trial.

Refit Evaluation: Percent of original purchase price to prepare a stock 10+ year old boat for extended cruising: 30 – 100% depending on age, quality and condition of vessel.

You’ll need to assess the list of deficiencies outlined by the survey, the upgrade costs and outfitting expenditure. The sooner you get the major items addressed, the better chance the necessary repairs/upgrades won’t be put off indefinitely. Start with safety issues, then inventory items that need to be replaced or reconditioned.

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REGROUP AND REFIT After your transaction is complete, it is time to finalize your insurance application (you should have an insurance binder before closing on the boat) and obtain moorage.

You’ll also need to establish the time available regarding your potential departure times that utilize the best seasonal weather windows.

Engine: Most surveys will turn up at least a few items in the engine room needing attention. If you’re unfamiliar with marine diesels, hire a mechanic to show you how to make the needed repairs plus how to change the raw water impeller, replace the raw water pump, change the fuel filters and bleed the fuel system. Ask the mechanic what known, recurring problems affect your model of engine and consider replacing any components prone to failure, i.e. water injection elbow on Yanmars, transmission oil coolers on older Perkins, etc.

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Rigging: Most insurance companies ask to have the rigging replaced every 10 years if the boat is headed offshore. If you have a rig inspection or quote for new rigging, ask the rigger to show you how to service the winches and furler(s). Furlers that are old, undersized or furlers from companies no longer in business should be replaced. It is an excellent idea to hire a rigger to go sailing with you for two hours showing you how to inspect and tune your rigging and suggesting any modifications for easier offshore sail handling.

Sails: The existing sails can be inspected and repaired, but if you are setting out on an extensive cruise, it is wise to consider replacing the working sails before departure.

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Labor Costs: Quality boatyards in North America, Europe and New Zealand/Australia generally charge the equivalent of US$60$135 per hour. It is easy to spend $10,000 per month having work done in a boatyard.

Repairing and replacing gear if you don’t know what you’re doing can be a safety issue – best to get some help in planning repairs.

If you have more time than money, one option is to hire pros to quickly show you the ropes and then to supervise you doing as much of the refit, repair and installation of new gear as possible. Although it will be slower, the savings can be substantial, and you will continually be gaining important skills. Nigel Calder’s Boat Owners Electrical and Mechanical Handbook and Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual are two excellent resources.

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Ongoing Maintenance Costs Epoxy bottom job every 8 -10 years, depending if blisters are present 2,000 - 20,000 Replace main engine at 20-25 years or 8000 to 10,000 hours 10,000 - 30,000 Pull mast, replace standing rigging and lifelines every 10 years 5,000 - 10,000 Stripping and repainting a painted, non-anodized mast every 10-15 yrs 8,000 - 10,000 Replace sails every 10 years or 20,000 - 40,000 miles 8,000 - 12,000 Replace batteries every 2-6 years 1,500 - 3,000 Repack liferaft (1-3 years), replace at 12-15 yrs 1,500 - 5,000 Regalvanize chain every two years (tropical waters) 500 - 800 Replace chain every 6 years in tropical waters 1,500 - 2,000 Rebuild or replace windlass every 3-5 years 500 - 4,000 Drop rudder for inspection & repair initially then every 5 years 500 - 3,000 Replace tender and motor every 5-10 years 5,000 - 10,000 Replace failed or outdated electronics every 3-5 years 2,000 - 10,000 Replace fresh water and head hoses every 5 yrs 200 - 500 Replace thru-hulls and ball valves every 8-10 yrs 1,000 - 2,000 Replace solar panels and regulator every 4-8 years 2,000 - 5,000 Maintenance Costs while cruising (Costs will be 20%-70% higher than in North America in most other countries) First 1-2 years: 2% of original purchase price annually 3-4 years: 5% 5 years: 10% I budget for a 10-percent of the purchase price refit every 5-10 years.

John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal operate Mahina Expeditions for aspiring cruisers who want to get on-the-water training from two of the cruising community’s most experienced sailors. They also run a consulting service for people looking to buy and outfit a boat for extended cruising. Their website is www.mahina.com.

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BEFORE SLIPPING

THE LINES Before cruising plans become reality, there’s work to be done and decisions to be made

by Bill Biewenga

WINTER HAS FADED INTO MEMORY for this year, but that may also mean that it’s time to relaunch your boat or begin to prepare for a serious passage. Preparation for those efforts can be a daunting task whether or not you’re not familiar with the process. Long ago, I heard it said that the sea will find any weaknesses. Good preparation is an effort to avoid those discoveries.

Deciding on what you want to have onboard and what needs to be accomplished in order to get underway may truly be the beginning of your adventure. It’s time to think about preparing to make your boat ready for sea, and if your preparation or recommissioning is well thought out ahead of time, it need not be approached with apprehension. Well-orchestrated preparation is no less a thing of beauty than a properly equipped and managed vessel at sea. The preparation is, in fact, the rebirth of that potential.

alone, with your life partner or with crew. If you intend to make this trip with others, I think it is a wise idea to engage them early in the preparation work.

Everyone has a stake in the trip, and feeling a responsibility for not only the passage and destination but also for the work being done in preparation for the trip not only leads to a more cohesive crew, it also establishes a level of competency for the necessary tasks. You all get to know each other and develop a sense of ownership for the necessary tasks to be accomplished.

Compatibility is critical and similarly, so too is a sense of responsibility and competency.

MAKING LISTS Whether you’re doing the trip singlehanded or with crew, you will want to make a list of tasks that need to be done. With other crewmembers, they should be able to help develop the worklists, as well. The more complete and well organized those lists, Certainly, an early consideration is the more complete, well-organized and whether you’re taking your passage efficient the preparation can be.

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A s o n e p re p a re s a boat, the first task is to formulate the “ideal” and most complete list of equipment and tasks that one would like to have onboard and accomplish on the vessel prior her first use. Later, additional gear or tasks may occur to someone, but if the lists are kept on file in a computer, they can be easily modified, and the most complete versions can be saved for future reference.

The lists should not only be a listing of tasks or tools, but it should also have space reserved for noting who is responsible for the completion of the task and a space for noting the date on which that task has been completed. In some cases, shorter passages may not necessitate all of the equipment on the master list, and on longer passages you may want additional things.

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To make it easier to formulate the list as well as delegate various areas of responsibility, the general master work list can be broken down into specific areas.

These areas should include: Navigation, Electrical, Mechanical, Structural, Rigging, Sails, Winches/Deck Hardware, Safety, Provisions, Miscellaneous, and Tool and Spares Inventory. Naturally, different vessels will have different requirements.

Powerboat owners wouldn’t have much use for a job list that included sail repairs, but they might feel the need to break down the Mechanical list into smaller categories that included Refrigeration, Main Engine, Generator, stabilizer, etc.

Similarly, some racing boat owners might want to break down the Tool Inventory list into: “Tools Onboard During Races”, “Tools Onboard for Casual Cruising and General Maintenance”, and “Tools in the Container/Van”. The initial list should be as detailed as possible. By making detailed lists, it will be easier to determine whether something has been accomplished, and fewer tasks will be over-looked. By creating and keeping a “master work list” that includes most of the jobs you would ever want to do, next year’s tasks of decommissioning and recommissioning will be greatly simplified. As new jobs occur to you, add them to the master.

A great help might be to go through the list with the crew and get their aid in creating the original list. Determine who is responsible for the completion of a particular task or area of tasks and get their estimate of a completion date.

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Usually, I prefer to have separate lists for jobs and equipment If those lists are created on Excel spreadsheets, you will be able to sort the needed equipment by store, or person doing the purchasing. Similarly, tasks can be sorted by department, priority, or person who is responsible for the completion of the task. Once the equipment list is thoroughly created and distributed, one trip to a particular shop can get most if not all of the necessary gear from that shop, eliminating repeated stops back to the same place.

When the jobs list has been created and sorted by individual, they can more efficiently manage their time to get everything done. As an example, if one crewmember is assigned a task to change the engine oil and do a minor fiberglass repair, while another crewmember is picking up the necessary oil and filters, the first crewmember can be initiating the first stage of the fiberglass repair. When the oil is on hand and the first layup of resin is hardening, the person doing the tasks can get on with the oil change. Everyone is busy, striving for the same goal and expediting each other’s efforts.

PASSAGE PREPARATION While having a very complete list of tasks, tools and repair kits is a good start, you will need to prioritize which items fit into one of several categories. Which things do you “Need To Do/Have”, “Would Like to Do/Have”, “Can Easily be Deferred”. You may want to add an extra 50’ of chain to the 200’ you already have, but if 33

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you’re cruising in shallow water this year, you may be able to defer that to a later date. Similarly, having all of the tools to complete all of the tasks that you’re likely to encounter can be convenient, but if you’re sailing short distances between well-serviced ports, you may be able to reduce your tool inventory and use your resources elsewhere.

Some jobs may be best left to the boatyard to perform. Someone on the crew may not be qualified to perform a major engine overhaul or replacement, as an example.

The owner or skipper should go through the worklist, determine which jobs are to be done “in-house” by the crew, which are to be done by the yard, and which are to be 34

performed by outside contractors. The cost for each job is estimated, and, following consideration by the owner, priorities are established and the list is confirmed. After deciding on the final worklist, the work can be appropriately delegated and begun in a suitable schedule.

If you’re having the yard do some of the work, it’s best to be clear on the billing procedures of the yard or contractors prior to commencing the work. What is the hourly rate they charge? Is state tax applied to the labor bill as well as to the material bill? How does that compare with other yards in other states? Would a different yard be more suitable? Is the labor rate the same for all of the workers?

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Are the costs equal for the mechanic as well as the rigger or the head of the department as well as the apprentice?

Are you going to be charged to discuss the work as well as to have it performed?

Is there a yard surcharge added to bills presented by outside contractors? Does the yard get paid a fee by outside contractors for recommendations they make? The consumer ultimately pays that fee! Is the yard willing to negotiate a lower hourly rate during their slow periods such as winter or late summer? Getting started early may save you both money and time rather than waiting for peak seasons when many people will be rushing to get work done. Getting started with lists is the beginning of the process, and now is the time to make those lists.

Any owner will only want to deal with a reputable yard, performing their tasks in a businesslike manner. And, as such, the yard is expected to make a reasonable profit on the work they undertake. But it’s up to the owner or his representative to make informed comparisons prior to making a commitment to commence the work, and the information should be put in writing by the yard prior to commitment as well. The relationship between the vessel’s owner and the yard need not and should not be confrontational; both have the same goal of improving the vessel throughout its preparation. But a clear understanding of duties and obligations put in writing by both sides will go a long way in avoiding misunderstandings that Volumn 1 2021

are in no one’s best interests. It should also be understood that changes in the list of jobs to be performed by the yard will most probably also imply a change to the charges. Be clear on both.

Whether the jobs are to be performed by members of the crew, the yard or outside contractors, proper scheduling and adequate lead time needs to be allocated for ordering parts and completing pivotal jobs. If it’s desired to have your boat ready by mid-May and someone begins to check out the prop after the first week in May to see if it needs to be replaced or reconditioned, discovering a problem could easily throw the schedule back several weeks.

Well-organized and executed preparation is a “thing” of beauty: a choreography of people and tasks. At the end of it the boat is the winner, and the people involved can be justly proud. They’re now ready to enjoy this year’s sunsets. They’re safely prepared for this year’s inevitable storms on the boat they recently purchased. And it all starts with good lists. Including the input and assistance of others on the crew will also foster the necessary feeling of teamwork to insure a great passage for everyone. BWS Bill Biewenga is a veteran offshore sailor with hundreds of thousands of miles under his keel. He is also a noted weather router, navigator, author and lecturer. Also, he is a moderator for the US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminars.

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Keeping the Lights On Aboard Pandora, solar panels provide most of the energy they need

by Bob Osborn

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While there are endless details to address when making the jump from coastal weekend sailing to extended cruising, energy self-sufficiency is one of the most important. With the increased complexities of today’s cruising boats, and a desire to be comfortable aboard, managing energy usage and keeping the battery bank charged, well managed and in good shape is critical.

Aboard Pandora, keeping my wife Brenda happy when she is at best a reluctant sailor, is an added focus. Beyond keeping the boat running, perhaps the most important and most energy intensive system is refrigeration.

THOSE OF US WHO HAVE MADE THE jump from coastal weekend cruising to full time or seasonal live-aboard, realize that there are many changes that need to be made to the boat to become more self-sufficient. Many systems that are fine when cruising for weekends or two-week summer vacations are no longer adequate when away from shore power for weeks, months or years at a time.

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In the early 80s, when I purchased my first “big boat”, a 1962 Pearson Invicta, I installed a small 12v unit and learned the painful lesson that my battery bank, two group 27s, if I recall, could not handle the load, even overnight. After spending that first season messing with everything from upgrading wire sizes, new batteries and adding insulation to the box, it became clear how little I knew about energy management. All I wanted was to have a happy wife and a cold beer at the end of a day on the water, without lugging big blocks of ice to the boat and that was a lot more complicated than I realized.

Ham Ferris of Hamilton Ferris, a major supplier of electronic and alternative energy products, knows of this problem firsthand as the most common question he gets every day is, “I want to leave my 37

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boat on a mooring full time and need to set it up so that I can leave my refrigeration running.” His solution, more often than not, is solar.

When I purchased Pandora, our 2006 Aerodyne sloop back in 2015, we knew that we planned to spend very little time in marinas. She came to me with four 85-watt panels, not adequate to keep everything functioning without running the engine several hours every day. The answer was to install a sturdy set of davits and to add 38

another solar panel, 290 watts, increasing the total watts to 600, an amount that has proven to be quite adequate to keep everything running smoothly for months at a time when we are aboard.

Solar panels have dropped considerably in price over the last five years, some dropping in price by nearly 70-percent with solar now clearly established as the most economical way to achieve energy independence, often avoiding the need for a complex diesel generator.

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When it comes to managing energy usage, much can be forgiven when you use your boat for a few days at a time and then head back to a marina with batteries badly depleted, with shore power bringing the bank up to full charge and holding it there until the next outing. However, when time spent “off the grid” increases beyond a few days at a time, having the ability to keep them properly charged becomes critical.

Andrew Finkelstein, in tech support at Lifeline Batteries, says that there is considerable confusion regarding what it takes to manage batteries over time. “Properly managed, Lifeline AGM Batteries, as one example, should last 5-to-7 years before they begin to lose meaningful capacity. However, if batteries are not brought up to full charge at least every eight days, they will become sulfated and will lose significant capacity.”

He finds that many owners do not appreciate how difficult it is to keep batteries fully charged when a boat is kept on a mooring or at anchor. “Nothing will kill a battery faster than leaving it partially discharged, reducing its life by perhaps half. And when you consider the cost of a good battery bank, that can really add up.” As the saying goes, “batteries don’t die of old age, they are murdered.”

Andrew goes on to say that he has heard from owners who manage their batteries and report that the service life of their bank can be as long as 10 years.

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Although Andrew points out that even well maintained batteries will lose a meaningful portion of their capacity over time, the loss of capacity is gradual, not a sudden failure.

When considering the need to keep those batteries fully charged and healthy, Ham offers the following advice for cruisers when he is asked “how much solar power do I need?” He acknowledges that this is a very general question and that there are many variables but for owners with boats built from the 90s to the present, in the 34 to 50 foot range, he offers these general guidelines: 50-100 Watts: adequate for over the winter battery maintenance, for boats in storage 100-200 watts: weekend use and the refrigeration is only run while someone is on board 200-300 watts: generally works if the refrigeration is left running full time, assuming it is an efficient unit and the icebox is small and well insulated 300-400 watts: sufficient for boats used primarily for weekends and perhaps an extended two-week trip or more 400-500 watts: for extended cruising or seasonal live-aboard with a modest sized refrigerator/freezer that is well insulated 500-800 watts: appropriate for extended cruising or full time live-aboard with more food storage capacity and primarily away from the dock.

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Another common question that Ham hears is “where can I put solar on my boat?” Again, he is quick to point out that there are a lot of variables, but offers general guidelines. Framed solar panels work nicely on hardtops, bridging davit arms, on tubular supports over the bimini, on a stern arch, or as a stanchion to stanchion mount. More modern designs that carry their full beam aft, allows for larger installations.

Flexible panels, nowadays with output comparable to framed panels, are perfect for attaching directly to the bimini or over a dodger. However, boom shading of the panels is likely on the dodger but there are ways to address this through the use of multiple controllers.

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Aboard Pandora, the addition of a sturdy set of davits welded onto a stern arch allows me to securely lift my dinghy and provides the real-estate to double my solar capacity. I was also careful to add a separate MPPT controllers for both new and old panels, which improves charging efficiency, to separate the large 290 watt panel from the four 85 watt panels.

Sharing a controller with different sized panels is not generally recommended.

Care also must be made to be sure that the two controllers are properly set so that one does not cancel the other one out when voltage reaches a near fully charged level.

While Pandora is equipped with a high output alternator, 140 amps/24volts, on a power takeoff connected to my main engine, I only rely on this system to charge BLUE WATER SAILING

my batteries when I am on passage as the additional load from my instruments are more than my panels can keep up with. This is particularly acute in the fall when I am heading south, when days are short and my sails, oriented to the south, shade the panels.

When northbound in the spring, with the sun behind the boat and the days longer, this is much less of a problem.

When at anchor in the southern Caribbean, between Antigua and Grenada, where we spend most of the winter season, 600 watts of solar, combined with my 1000AH AGM battery bank is sufficient to keep my equipment running and batteries fully charged each day, or at least within a few percentage points of full capacity. My daily load is considerable, as Pandora has a powerful 24v compressor running a very large refrigerator and freezer plus a Spectra watermaker that I run every other day. As an added measure, I use my Honda 2000 generator about once a week, first thing in the morning, to give the batteries a boost and make sure that they are brought up the rest of the way by solar, so that the controller displays “full” by evening.

Ham also finds that there is considerable misunderstanding when it comes to interpreting exactly what sort of voltage a properly charged 12v battery should read.

He often hears “my batteries always show 12volts on my meter so why can I only run my fridge for an hour or two before the batteries are dead?”

He explains that when batteries are Spring 2021

reading 12.2 volts, they are approximately 50% discharged. Below that point they are approaching “battery collapse,” causing lights to dim, and refrigeration compressors and pumps to stop running.

Depending on the type, a fully charged battery at rest will show voltage in the 12.7 to 12.8 range.

For me, all of this rings true of my earlier boats, pre-solar, when I was lucky to get four years before the batteries required replacement. Now, with proper “battery and solar hygiene” my bank lasts a lot longer. All batteries are not equal, and investing in quality makes a difference.

The mindset required to move from coastal weekend sailing to extended time aboard requires many upgrades. With the increased sophistication of today’s boats and a desire to be comfortable (certainly among the more “mature” like Brenda and me who are in our mid 60s), it is vital to have adequate energy storage and the ability to keep the batteries fully charged and healthy to ensure their long life.

Bob Osborn is a member of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association board of directors and Antigua Port Officer for the rally. He and Brenda split their time between their home in CT and winters aboard Pandora.

They have sailed extensively from Maine to Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba and much of the Eastern Caribbean. Bob has been keeping a blog for more than a decade, focusing on sailing and cruising. www. sailpandora.com BWS 41

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New Bluewater 56 UNVEILED

I HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD to getting aboard and sailing the new A new company launches Bluewater 56 for many months, but it their first luxury couple’s wasn’t until the pandemic began to break cruising boat and score a and air travel become somewhat safer that I got the opportunity to fly to Florida huge success with their for a sea trial aboard hull number 2. The Frers-design Bluewater 56 German Frers design is the first model

by Scott Akerman rolled out by Bluewater Yachts, based in Annapolis, Maryland.

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T h e c o m p a n y ’s founders, Bill Van Evans and Jasen Adams, were both owners of Hylasbuilt cruising boats and friends with Kyle Jachney who had sold them their boats. So, when the Hylas builder, Queen Long, decided to take over the sales and marketing of the Hylas brand, Van Evans and Adams moved the56 molds to a new quality builder and, with Jachney leading sales, Jachney launched the Bluewater brand and the BW 56.

I’ve known Kyle for a long time, so I was pleased to get to Florida to sail with him on the new 56 and hear directly about all of the great innovations and

improvements they have built into the BW 56. I found the boat at the Ft. Lauderdale Marine Center with Kyle and the boat’s owners Kurt and Christina Lehmann on board and ready to go for a sail.

My first impression as I climbed aboard was how much the new boat looked ready for some blue water sailing in safety and style. The center cockpit was fitted with a hard dodger over the companionway to keep you protected from the elements.

The cockpit has a single wheel so you are never far out in the elements when driving and protected by the hard dodger.

Interestingly, the stainless-steel stern rail runs all the way forward on both side to the side gates, so you have secure handholds when leaving the cockpit to go on deck. Plus, there are stainless steel handrails everywhere and always within reach.

The hull is laid up with alternate layers of bullet-proof Twaron fabric in the laminate (similar to Kevlar), which strengthens the hull and will prevent a crack in a collision with a floating object. The keel is all lead,

and the rudder has a full skeg to protect outstanding quality, whether it is the stern it from damage. rails and handholds, the robust davits on the stern, the large dorade vents, or the The Selden rig has an in-mast furling stainless steel deck and bow protected up mainsail, a roller furling staysail, and a forward. The welds are invisible and are roller furling genoa. The furling systems something to behold. are hydraulic so deploying, reefing and furling sails can all be done from the Bluewater Yachts has made a serious safety of the cockpit and with the push of commitment to systems that make a finger. Naturally, the furling units have life easier for the owners and add the manual overrides in case of a hydraulic redundancy that cruisers need. In the or power failure. The electric cockpit and engine room, you will find an engine halyard winches make sail trim and many on-off switch so you don’t have to run other jobs easy and safe. The BW 56 is to the helm to start or stop the engine a true couple’s cruising boat that can be while working on it. The engine is fitted handled by one person standing watch in with dual Racor fuel filters that will keep the cockpit. the fuel a pure as can be. The engine, transmission, and Genset are fitted The stainless- steel craftsmanship is of with oil-change pumps so this regular 44

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maintenance tasks is a snap. Plus, there is a fuel transfer pump so you can move fuel between the tanks, and polish the fuel if you get a bad tank full. As I observed when I first climbed aboard, the new Bluewater has been built and outfitted with systems for blue water sailing and world cruising.

LUXURIOUS LIVING Climbing down the four steps of the companionway ladder you enter the raised saloon with the L-shaped dinette to port and a large bench settee to starboard.

You will be able to fit a good size party belowdecks. Both the benches will make good sea berths when on passage. One handy detail is the drip catcher at the foot of the companionway ladder.

The chart table and navigation and communications center is to port of the companionway ladder. The table is large enough for paper charts or a ChartKit and there is room inside for more charts, cruising guides, nav tools and a laptop.

Above the table there is plenty of bulkhead area for mounting instruments, plotters, radios and satphone communications equipment. There’s a good spot for a printer just aft of the chart table. The electrical panel next to the table is a work of fine electrician’s art that you might find on a custom mega yacht.

The 31-inch stainless steel sink is in the box under the companionway and nearly on the centerline so it will drain on both tacks and never have seawater back up through the drain in rough weather.

The master suite is aft and is truly comfortable and luxurious. The walkaround queen bed makes getting in and out of it a snap. There is tons of storage and hanging space so if you are living aboard for a length of time and through the change of seasons, you will always The galley runs aft from the saloon and have the right clothes with you. The head is a proper sea-going galley with a ton of is amazing with a separate shower stall and counter and storage space. There are four an elegant seahorse tile motif. drawer-style Vitrrifrigo cooling units that can be set up as refrigerators and freezers. Forward, the guest cabin also has a Volumn 1, 2021

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centerline double and plenty of storage space, just aft is the port cabin with a large double berth and ample storage, a large double berth and ample storage, the two forward cabins share the second head which is also spacious and elegantly fitted out.

moderate displacement cruisers, this Frers design provides a comfortable, sure-footed ride that will deliver you into port after a passage well-rested and well-fed. On passage, you can expect to make daily runs of between 150 and 200 miles and in trade wind sailing you’ll see 200 more often than not.

The interior of the boat we sailed has an oak veneer finish. It is interesting that the builder installed the bulkheads with the oak grain oriented horizontally instead of vertically, which looks unique and very attractive. The cabin soles are 3/8” teak on marine-grade plywood, and floorboards are positive locking, quality and features indicative of the quality of her build.

While motoring out of the marina and then when we got to Biscayne Bay and switched the engine on again, I was impressed by how quiet the sound of the engine is. The engine compartment has been thoroughly sound-insulated with SoundDown and the extra effort really improves the quality of life when steaming. Here, too, the effort is to make the 56 more like a custom mega Overall, I was seriously impressed with yacht than a production cruiser. the high level of fit and finish in the new 56. This is a yacht that competes in quality Before dropping the hook that afternoon, with the finest cruising boats in this luxury we spent an hour sailing in the flat water category. Plus, it is a warm, well laid out of Biscayne Bay, putting the 56 through floating home that will make discerning her paces on all points of sail. With the cruisers like the Lehmans proud. hydraulics and electric winches handling the sails, each tack and jibe was affected SAILING TRIALS effortlessly. And, I was pleased to see that We got away from the marina easily by the 56 did not lose much headway as making good use of the Sidepower bow we threw her through the tacks. In the thruster and soon were heading out the 10 to 12 knots of breeze, we saw speeds Port Everglades Cut into the Atlantic. We over eight knots on all angles of sail. A had a light easterly so we close reached out couple will be able to handle the boat by to the Gulf Stream before turning south themselves in the whole range of wind and toward Key Biscayne and the anchorage sea conditions. we were aimed for in Biscayne Bay. Close to the wind in 10 knots of breeze, the We concluded the day at anchor and 56 sailed at over six knots and when we gathered in the cockpit around the turned onto a broader reach the speedo handsome varnished teak table. After jumped up to over seven knots. Like most the day of sailing and having a thorough 46

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look at the new 56, we all agreed that the new Blueater Yachts team and the new builder had come out of the blocks with an amazing new addition to the luxury end of the cruising fleet. Bluewater Yachts, one of the first new luxury brands to enter the market in years, is off to a great start. Hull number 1 is already cruising in the Mediterranean and the team is hard at work preparing to roll out a 53 feet pilothouse and a 60-foot sloop for those sailors looking to move up in size. For now the 56 is a home run and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Bluewater Yachts, one of the first new luxury brands to enter the market in years, is off to a great start.

Hull number 1 is already cruising the Mediterranean. And the Bluewater team is hard at work, preparing to roll out a 53-foot pilot-house and a 60-foot sloop for those sailors looking to move up in size.

For now, their 56 is a luxury yacht home run and I can’t wait to see what is next. BWS Scott Akerman is Advertising Director for Blue Water Sailing, Multihulls Today, Cruising Compass and Cruising Odyssey.

He is a professional yacht captain with over 100,000 miles under his keel and a transatlantic crossing. He lives with his wife Kathryn and daughter Astrid in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

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