A recent video by Patrick Laine on radar reflectors has me climbing the mast to hang a new reflector. Then I'm northbound up the Bay toward Annapolis, but will make a stop a Solomons as a subscriber has offered me a mooring at Zahniser's. Following Solo...
I follow protocol as best I know with installing the new Marelon through-hull. There's no way to test whether or not I have it sealed properly until the boat goes in the water, so I'm pacing the deck like Horatio Hornblower as the travelift carries her ba...
Well replacing just one through-hull is turning out to be quite a bit of work. And the two other 1-1/4" throughs to the cockpit drains appear to be in decent condition, so I'm opting to recondition them rather than replace. While sanding and cleaning the...
I normally schedule my annual haulout for the month of September, but a failing through-hull fitting--even though successfully repaired--persisted as a source of anxiety and I wanted to get it replaced sooner than later. So the first task was to figure o...
Winds remain fickle but gradually settle southwesterly during the night of Thursday, June 6, enabling me to make Poquoson around 0400 Friday. Sleep deprivation is taking a toll as I discover the following morning that I had not secured the anchor rode pro...
A forecast for not quite as brisk northeasterly winds have me tiptoeing back into the Gulf Stream to take advantage of the favorable current. Come Tuesday morning, June 4, winds are around 15-18 knots out of the northeast and the Gulf Stream is far from c...
With the help of the Gulf Stream current we are logging over 160 miles per day, but I am opting to work my way to the northwest wall and out of the current in anticipation of a cold front and brisk northeasterly winds. I find a small land bird attempting ...
A period of southerly winds is on tap, bringing with it the infamous Miami heat (and humidity). But that also means good sailing weather for heading north to the Chesapeake Bay. First, however, we need to work our way out of the Old Florida Channel, and...
Well it's been a month at anchor behind Miami South Beach, and the infamous Miami heat (not the basketball team) has arrived. I took some refuge in the air-conditioned gym, but my membership has expired and it's time to head north anyway. Which means I h...
We move on to a spare parts list for the ocean cruiser, which of course will depend on what equipment you have. Following that I talk about adhesives and sealants, tapes and lubricants. Finally I go over materials I carry onboard, including cloths, leath...
I decide to attempt a little more sturdy repair to the seacock and corroded elbow leading to the galley sink drain (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I5XQLgczio) prior to heading offshore for Virginia. While gearing up for this project it seemed to me ...
So we begin our trek back to the northeast with an overnight run to Biscayne Bay from Marathon. Our promised southerly winds don't show up until late into the night, but we reach Fowey Rocks by daybreak and sail into the sheltered bay waters through the O...
We turn to the northeast from Boca Grande Key, back toward Marathon, after which we will continue on to Miami. The onslaught of cold fronts ushering in strong northerly winds is making life difficult, resulting in some brisk sailing and forcing me to move...
So of course a visit to Key West must include a visit to the home of Ernest Hemingway. I also have to check out the famous (or infamous) nightlife on Duval street and I am pleased to find a vibrant live music scene. I purchase a second hand Phantom 3 dr...
I wanted to get sailing footage of the boat at sea, but being a novice drone pilot I was afraid of launching and landing a drone from the boat. SwellPro appeared to have the answer with the Splash Drone 3, a fully waterproof drone with 4K video capabilit...
So with the boat peacefully at anchor I get a chance to dive and plug the offending through-hull from the outside so that I can disassemble the seacock. As I suspected, the tapered plug is corroded, which is the most likely reason for failing to shut off....
February 4, 2019. Exiting the Old Bahama Channel we are beset by contrary currents and light winds which threaten to drag us back into the busy shipping channel, as well as toward the coast of Cuba. So I spend much of the evening on deck hand steering, tr...
The winds freshen from the east-northeast, sending us scudding toward the Old Bahama Channel. The epoxy-doped duct tape solution to the leaking elbow is holding the water back to just a slow weep, for which I am much relieved. Feeling my spirits rising a...
Winds and seas moderate as we enter the Caicos Passage, headed west-southwest toward the Old Bahama Channel. A band of heavy rain showers supply me with water for a much needed bath (and shave). Our temporary repair of the leaking through-hull begins to ...
Just prior to weighing anchor, the galley sink refuses to drain. I remove the hose and clear the blockage, but discover that the seacock (valve) to the through-hull does not close all the way. I reconnect the hose and the boat is once again watertight.
...
In another edition of how to sail without an engine, I talk about sailing up to the anchor in such a way that 1.) does not require heavy windlass work to bring it up short and 2.) lets you sail away on a preferred tack. Then it's off to a tranquil (and in...
Ocean passages are hard on sails. When you travel to far away lands there may not be a sailmaker nearby, and not all sailmakers are equally skilled. It pays to learn how to repair sails yourself. Besides saving your cruising funds, it brings the added b...
We finally pick up the easterly Trade Winds on Saturday, December 1. The winds freshen overnight, and by daybreak we have the Virgin Islands in sight. I decide to put into Francis Bay, St. John, which leaves me with one final challenge of picking up a pa...
The winds finally lay down for us, but soon we are dealing with little to no wind at all. Taking advantage of the benign conditions I break out my camera drone and lots of fun ensues, especially when it suddenly flies away on me ... Less then 200 miles le...
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