Winded Voyage Sailing Archive – Page 2

M.O.B. or Man Over Board is an exercise every sailor should practice and master. It's also something one hopes to never have to do. Our skipper Nico was adamant we get it right. It took several tries until we got right, and finally we did. It was our last ...

Winded Voyage Season 2 is here! New destinations, new projects, new friends are all coming together to take you along the journeys of an ordinary 55 year old man taking a new course in life. I've sold everything and moved into my Jeanneau Sun Fizz 40, Galo...

Winded Voyage Season 2 is off on new adventures. With my sailing license in hand I go back to Galopin in Port Leucate France to set off on an key challenge to my sailing apprenticeship. Solo sailing for two weeks. I’m supported by co-star “Bix”, a co...

In my opinion, there is no better way to learn about your boat and how to sail it than by doing it alone. I set out for this challenge with a 20 knot wind in my face. Heeling at close reach, I had to go to the bottom of the mast to take reefs. It was the f...

It seemed the sea and weather played with us. Rocked our boats and trapped us in Palamos for hours. We made the best of it and continued down the coast the next day. It was a nice sail until my engine refused to start. Another test to pass. Getting into po...

My first time coming into a big port alone. And not just any port, Barcelona. It's amazing to sail into the heart of a city. You step out of your little floating home to walk around the city streets and shake out your sea legs. And then you get back into y...

Navigating at night is really cool when you're in the middle of the ocean. But when you're near the coast and coming into port it's less cool and sometimes hot. After a nice sail from Tarragona, we get into Port Vale in Barcelona in the darkness and I end ...

Once upon a time there was a tortoise and a hare. Each on their sailboats, they raced along the coast of Catalonia. The tortoise was lagging behind the hare, but made steady progress to catch up. Moral of the story, if you want to be a sailor, don't be afr...

We finally were sailing downwind. I had prepared my spinnaker three times and put it away. But third try was the one. That was quite a journey and learning experience. Later a whole other journey begins. The insides of Galopin are opened up. This when a n...

This episode is far from distant shores and beautiful people. It’s about getting into the inside of things. Galopin is like a living being with a wired and tube network that gives him life. His inner workings were tired and needed refreshing. In comes my...

Work, work, work. After a quick stint in Switzerland to do a paying gig, I board a train to my dear Galopin to do more work. And thanks to Neptune, I’m working with one of the best boat pros in the area. As far as I’m concerned, Daniel is probably the ...

I'm not the only one to have a dream of sailing off into the sunset. Here you'll meet several others who are preparing their boat for a big voyage. And I'm continuing to do so my myself. It's a big refit job, and seems to never end, but in the end it will ...

Living the dream of sailing off into the sunset means that sometimes you have to live high and dry. Galopin is on the dry dock and so am I. While we’re getting him ready to take on the oceans, home is on Galopin up on stilts. The retractable keel was an ...

Life on the hard it certainly is. I even got locked in one day and had to make a run for it. And got down and very dirty in that keel pit. But it's not a very big sacrifice knowing I'm going to have a really sound boat. And when I want to go I'm gonna take...

New Year's resolution? Make the best of 2017. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The eternal question of shaving or not. Will I or will I not? The beard does not keep me from continuing on with Galopin's projects. It's almost the holidays and my Dear friend Daniel not only helps but is kind enough to invite me to his holiday party with...

Since I’ve departed on my Winded Voyage, I’ve become reacquainted with sayings like “Getting Even Keeled” in the context they originated. In this case getting even keeled really means getting a new balanced keel for Galopin. It hasn’t been easy, ...

It's the holiday week but we're not on holiday. Got to keep on keeping on with the swing keel which I get delivered by Daniel the man of steel. He takes me to his shop to make custom parts and Dan & Dan manage to fit the 350kg keel in place. Bix is bac...

Finally back in the water after 6 weeks on dry dock. But before then we finish with swing keel, polish and paint the hull with anti-fouling. Then the big crane lifts Galopin to its natural environment. Please make your voice heard: Subscribe, like, dislik...

The mast goes up, and so do I go up on the mast. I have to get used to it, as well as many other challenges we face being sailors. My sailboat refit education with Master Daniel is almost over. Bix and the gang are back to help me raise the sails, and we g...

Good old Galopin is refitted, renewed and refreshed! We finish most of the final details and test him out in hospitality and on the water. he's happy, and so am I! Please make your voice heard: Subscribe, like, dislike, or comment. DISCLAIMER: This serie...

Galopin is finally ready to sail the seas. We make some final adjustments and I stock up on French food before setting off. Me and the gang go to a French Super Bowl party, and watch the end of the game inside Galopin. Two days later I'm off down the Catal...

This week’s episode is epic. As the title suggests, me and Galopin navigate in 45knt gales. I left Estartit on the north coast of Catalonia with already 20knt pushing me out of the harbour. I unfurl a small bit of Genoa sail and the wind quickly jumps to...

Galopin goes from gale force winds to super mega yacht haven in OneOcean Port Bell marina in Barcelona. Little 40ft Galopin is surrounded by yachts 50m and more, including the world' largest private yacht Dilbar, at 152m! My brother Stephane comes to join ...

We left Barcelona to continue south to Valencia. On the the way we stop one port after another into light headwinds. On the last day we get the perfect wind to carry Galopin with his big bright orange spinnaker. It's life on the sea off the Spanish coast a...

Valencia! What a city. Me and Steph dock in Marina Real Juan Carlos, home of the 33rd America's Cup and go off to discover the city. We make a first stop at The Brooklyn Barber Shop for a new look for Steph and continue on public bikes checking things out....

Mickey's back. And there's more of him literally. About 10 more kilos. But he's still fun and loves to eat. This time Mom is with us. We discover more wonderful Valencia and have some all around good laughs with Mickey. Please make your voice heard: Subsc...

Valencia in full Fallas. The city literally explodes every day at 14:00. And we get first row look at the big bang. Before that we visit the stunning Mercado Central. But the big highlight is a visit to the Ninots exposition at The Ciudad de Artes y Cience...

Please be advised there is a bit of vulgarity in this episode. (At about 5:48 for a few seconds. You have been warned if you want to skip it:-) I've been taken in by a crew of artist called XLF by a chance meeting with one of the members named Barbara, ak...

This episode takes us out of Valencia to see a show in honour of women and two different wineries. A small artisanal cellar and a large producer with our friend and winemaker Jorge. Then it's back to the city for more Fallas. They're up and on display, but...

The climax of Fallas is about to happen when they burn down the sculptures all over town. But before that I enjoy the last weekend of Fallas in fabulous Valencia with my new friends. Eventually my stay ends and my journey begins again and I set of South in...

I continue south from Marina Denia along the coast. My spinnaker gets all tangled up and have to moore at Marina Calpe. There's a big rock mountain over looking Calpe, so I couldn't help but hike up it. Later I continue and pass by the beach metropolis of ...

Just as I'm about to leave Alicante, I meet Diana Ross in person, as well as her husband Paul. They happen to be Winded Voyage followers. My journey continues along the coast until I get to Mare Menor where I have to get me and Galopin under a drawbridge t...

This episode takes place in Cartagena Spain. It was a destination I’d been hoping to get to from my frigid days in France and made it to Yacht Port Cartagena in the dark of night. I was also there at the right time, it was Semana Santa or Easter Week. Ca...

The ambiance is fantastic in Cartagena during Semana Santa. The Dutch family is getting ready to go with some final preparations on their boat, which makes me think about my engine. Then back in the city, Roman soldiers parade through the streets and me an...

Galopin gets towed back to Cartagena and the quest to the mystery of the runaway Perkins gets resolved thanks to the help of a very capable neighbor. Meanwhile, I take a break from the engine room to explore a tiny hidden pirate village and we meet Ray who...