After suffering some teething issues following the reinstall of our spars and standing rigging, we set off on a shakedown cruise from Antigua to Dutch Sint ...
Sailing Talisman
Failproofing is an elusive thing. No way to ever fully failproof a boat, but we do what we can. In this episode we repair our masthead deflector, which blasted ...
The title says it all. Getting quality work done to your boat is always filled with risk. Here are some common-sense suggestions for not getting taken ...
Talisman has a date with the dentist, in a way. We suppose that's probably what it's like for a boat. But the spars are newly coated in blindingly shiny ...
As mentioned in the intro, this episode is about the real work it takes to get a boat in the water. Plus, Talisman had her mast off for recoating during ...
It's a crazy time aboard Talisman, as we prepare to haul for hurricane season. First we suffer an engine room fire, which sets us back for a bit. Wendy goes ...
During lockdown in Antigua we found ourselves with time on our hands for projects that we don’t usually have time for. Lacking temptations like drinking with ...
The situation most skippers dread … being pinned on the dock by high winds. So what do we do? In our case we have a big cat behind us and the wind is blowing a ...
The passage between St Kitts and St Barts is 32nm +/- and these gaps between islands can be brutally exposed. You get swells and wind unbroken, with fetch that ...
The Oyster service team in Las Palmas had suggested engine service tasks, but there wasn’t time to do them, so I arranged for the necessary parts to be ordered ...
Squalls are focused small storms, with wind speeds that can approach and exceed gale force. As we get closer to the Caribbean, these become more and more ...
In this middle section of the passage we make the turn west into the trade-winds. We’ve headed almost 200nm south and are now just north of the Cape Verde ...
And then it happens! Departure day arrives and we have a time slot to leave! Our nerves are frayed to the ragged edge, but this is what we came for. We’re ...
As time winds down to departure for the 2019 ARC, boat crews frantically try to finish last minute projects. The ARC opening ceremonies, complete with parade ...
The ARC, or Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, has been held every year now for over 30 years. As a vehicle for “safety in numbers”, 189 boats participated in the ...
Tips on Passing the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam: These mostly from local RYA instructors. Contact me off-list for a more robust version of what follows. ...
Our race westward continues with a long 860nm passage from the island of Malta, located between the Sicily and the continent of Africa, to Cartagena, Spain. ...
After four days waiting out the weather in Mykonos (Greece), we finally head off southwest and west toward Malta, the first major leg of a trip that eventually ...
We visit four of the best spots in southern Turkey for cruising sailboats, Bozak Boku, the cliff tombs of Dalyan, Gocek Bay, and Cokertme. We get some good ...
The eastern Med never fails to amaze. Our stops were largely dictated by what we heard from other cruisers. Someone would say "you have to go here, here, and ...
Another near miss. This episode is more of a "what to do as a skipper" version. We hate when this happens, but if you're out on the water it'll only be a ...
A quick COVID-19 update from the Caribbean (Antigua), and then on to some more maintenance in Bodrum, Turkey. Specifically, we address motor mount issues on ...
Having left Greece, we arrive in Datca, Turkey. Things are great there, with a laid back style one wouldn't expect.
Wow! What to say. We sailed to so many cool places in a relatively short period of time that it all seemed to blend into one. The winds filled our sails and ...