I watch a survey of a trawler with friends and we go on a sea trial. Soon we’ll compare our notes of this 2007 boat with a new one and see what’s changed.
And I share a nice way to get comfortable running a single engine boat.
Monday Minute - Restating the Obvious
Are You Well Equipped or A Hoarder?
Everyone has a tolerance for a certain amount of clutter. On the sometimes limited space of cruising boats, having spares for every contingency must be balanced with knowing where everything is while not sinking the boat with tons of spares, consumables, and items that somehow find their way aboard. I’m as guilty as the next person, but I’m working on finding the balance.
Monday Minute - Getting Back into the Dinghy
Being on the water sometimes means being in the water. It happened to me recently, and reminded me of a clever technique to get back aboard one’s dinghy, especially suited to older boaters. Practice it a couple of times and you’ll have another trick in your back pocket next time you need to get aboard without a swim platform or ladder.
Complete Integration and It is Way Cool!
Monday Minute - Distracted Driving
A recent report on driver distraction brings this subject into focus. While the numbers relate to drivers on the road, there is some parallel to boat operators, and drinking is much more prevalent in boating. Scary stuff but a trend that isn’t likely to change with everyone’s addicition to smartphones.
Monday Minute - It's Always Something
No matter how much you prepare, there is always something. A young Swedish couple I follow recently sailed from the Big Island in Hawaii to Honolulu. The sail wasn’t pleasant, and in the brisk conditions, they heard a loud bang against their aluminum hull. Turns out they lost their Rocna anchor overboard. The chain had been removed for the trip to keep seawater out of the chain locker, done a million times, but this time, their trusted stainless steel anchor restraint failed.
It’s Always Something.
Smoke Signals
When your diesel engine exhaust goes from clear to blue, white, or black smoke, this is usually an indication of several factors going on that might need your attention. Knowing what the colors mean can be helpful to determine if something is lurking in your engine room. Blue, black, and white exhaust smoke all mean something. Do you know what they are?
Monday Minute - The End of Ethanol?
Inspecting Fuel Tanks
Monday Minute - Boater Fraud is Alive and Well
Safety at Sea - Fear Management
All the what-if scenarios one can dream up due to lack of experience are best handled by managing one’s fears of the unknown. This is the crucial step in safety at sea for yourself and your crew. Too many people are lax when it comes to saying alert and situationally aware, and then are surprised when things happen to them that could have been easily avoided.
Don’t be one of them.
Monday Minute - Spring Boat Projects
We look forward to spring boat projects in my house. Getting the boat ready for the season, fixing what no longer works, and getting familiar with the boat again. But it is already June, postponed after many long weeks of spring rain and other distractions.
It is finally coming together, however, and soon we will be back on the water.
Safety at Sea - The Issue of Guns
For all the years I have been around cruising boats, there has always been the debate about carrying firearms. I still read neophyte questions by people looking for answers by asking others in social media forums and groups. It is most troubling.
I hope to present you with some facts surrounding guns on cruising boats. Not the legalities of doing so, but the very personal decisions and commitments required if you decide to bring them aboard.
Monday Minute - New Tech for Mosquito Bites
I found a cool product that effectively and instantly relieves the swelling and itching of insect bites, in my case, mosquito bites. The German product really works, so I’m telling you about it as I have not seen it before. With all the rain we’ve had this spring, the mosquito problem will be terrible this summer.
Safety at Sea - Dealing With An Actual Threat
What to do when a small boat approaches you from behind? How do you determine whether it is a friend or foe? A potential intruder comes aboard in port, what do you do? Let’s take a look at these situations, and discuss how to make sure the odds are on your side. Eliminating opportunity keeps you safer at sea and in port. Here are some ways to make that happen.
Monday Minute - The Meaning of Memorial Day
Today is the 150th anniversary of our country’s Memorial Day. Instead of simply enjoying a long weekend at the beach or backyard grill, or buying that new mattress on sale today, take a moment to reflect on the real purpose of this special day. On Memorial Day we honor our nation’s soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and others who lost their lives defending our country.
Safety at Sea - What Are The Risks?
This begins a series of posts that offer an updated look at staying safe while cruising. This has been a hot topic over the years, but is even more important today. This series will look at current threats, provide insight and suggestions for keeping you and your crew out of harm’s way, and taking the proper steps to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You see the risks young people take walking down the street staring at their phones, texting their friends, oblivious of their surroundings. That is not the safe way to go cruising today.
It’s been a long time coming but we now see tangible progress emerging to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. If the U.S. Navy can prove that it works, isn’t it about time the concept of the modern cruising boat includes hybrid forms of propulsion?