- Top
Last November, 51 boats with more than 200 skippers and crew cast off from docks at Hampton, Va., bound for the British Virgin Islands in the 16th annual West Marine Caribbean 1500 Rally.
Sailing in tandem, various monohulls and cats ranging from a 32-foot Freedom to a 62-foot Hallberg-Rassy made the 1300-mile passage in seven to eleven days. There were plenty of challenges and a few setbacks in the fleet as conflicting weather systems produced lumpy seas and 20 to 30 knot winds halfway through the passage, but as in all past rallies everyone arrived — after a few diversions — safe and sound.
That has come to be expected in this, one of three cruising rallies managed by the Cruising Rally Association, with the primary objective of providing well-prepared and safe passage for cruisers heading south for the Caribbean sailing season. Since 1990, more than 750 boats have completed safe passages in the Caribbean 1500, many of them repeat participants. Boats heading back north at the end of the season can sail in one of the other CRA rallies, The Atlantic Cup. The 1500 and Atlantic Cup are not ocean races, but widely dispersed “convoys” of sailing vessels with friendly competition offered through the rally class – since even the most cautious and conservative cruiser must occasionally give in to the desire to beat an adversary to the finish.
Sailing back north at the end of the season can sail in one of the other CRA rallies, The Atlantic Cup. The 1500 and Atlantic Cup are not ocean races, but widely dispersed “convoys” of sailing vessels with friendly competition offered through the rally class – since even the most cautious and conservative cruiser must occasionally give in to the desire to beat an adversary to the finish.
More than a race
Unlike an offshore race, it is permissible, sometimes recommended, to motor-sail, and engine hours as well as handicaps (considering boat size and sail area) are factored in to arrive at final rankings. Many rally participants sail in the cruising class to simply share in what the rallies are really all about: mandatory advance preparations, safety in numbers and great before and after social events providing fun and opportunities for networking and establishing long-term cruising contacts.
This was my second crew gig in a CRA rally. I had sailed up from the Virgins in The Atlantic Cup last May, transporting a 43-foot ketch to Road Island via Bermuda. In the 1500, I joined a skipper and two other crew on a brand new Farr 50 Pilothouse — a “performance cruiser” with state-of-the-art everything, including hydraulic roller furling on fore and main, electric winches and an oversized autopilot that stood up to the sometimes nasty seas without as much as a whimper. Some of the other boats were not so fortunate.
After three days of motor sailing, conflicting weather systems created lumpy seas, at times breaking on deck from different directions and propelling plenty of spray. Large swells and continual squalls generating wind gusts up to 50 knots were the standard fare for the rest of the trip.
As reported on the CRA website, “All boats are learning the art of blue water passage making along with the need to carry out constant and continuous make and mend as the sea shakes and rolls the yachts about 200 times harder than normal weekend sailing.”
Banging and bruising
One boat was dismasted. Five boats sustained rudder damage, two losing them completely, mostly from the wrenching sea conditions, one possibly from striking something in the water. Several boats reported failed or balking autopilots, requiring crew to hand steer. One boat, taking on water through a failing rudderpost, diverted to Bermuda for repairs and three more made for Puerto Rico, either due to equipment problems or to provide rest for overtaxed crew from the northeasterly winds and waves.
“This is an open ocean event, not a cruise,” Steve Black, Director of the CRA, told me when we were back on the hard in Tortola. “People do get banged up and bruised.”
Still, and most skippers and crew to whom I spoke agreed, the point to be made isn’t that offshore passage making can be challenging, sometimes rough, but that rally participation improves the odds of avoiding pitfalls and meeting challenges successfully.
Pre-event preparations by CRA staff and rally participants are intense, and begin well before the departure date. With 16 years of rally organization behind him, Black reports one of the most significant benefits of rally participation is that it forces skippers to adhere to an intensive boat and equipment preparation/repair schedule — or be left at the dock.
Skippers, who pay an entrance fee to participate, receive lists of required and recommended boat systems and safety equipment. Each boat must pass an inspection conducted by staff, and official Coast Guard inspections can be arranged. Assistance is provided in hooking up skippers with chandlers and service providers. Also, sailing classes and demonstrations are held beginning a week before departure in everything necessary to safely make the trip: provisioning, sail and engine repair, life raft deployment, celestial navigation, healthcare and injury at sea, how to set up and operate high capacity pumps dropped by Coast Guard helicopters and landfall guidance and entry requirements in the Caribbean. Weather and gulf-stream briefings are held up until departure, and updates are provided during twice-daily radio chats while underway. Although offshore sailing provides no guarantees, participating in the 1500 pretty much ensures boats and crew are up to the task.
Teamwork at sea
The “rally advantage” was demonstrated when adversity arrived in both the 2004 and 2005 rallies. In 2004, a 45-foot catamaran hit a large, unlighted weather buoy in the night holing the bows, but two fellow rally participants stood by to offer assistance until the Coast Guard cutter Block Island could arrive on scene. Last fall, when two of the boats lost their rudders, conferencing among crew on scheduled radio roll calls provided counsel and advice on how to rig and operate steering systems by towing warps.
When Susannah Gale was dismasted, her single sideband radio was lost with the rig, but other boats in the rally were able to stay in touch with her and tie her into the rest of the fleet via sat phones, fax machines and VHF radios. Blueprint Match was then able to rendezvous with her to transfer additional fuel to her tanks so she could motor the remainder of the way to Tortola.
As a crew participant, I can say rallies aren’t just for skippers. They are a great way to get valuable offshore experience and develop confidence. Having gone through several of the ASA certification programs, chartering several times and sailing my own 23-foot boat on Lake Michigan, I was looking for the next step in preparation for my own blue water passage making in a few years.
The CRA maintains a crew registry as one of the services it provides to skippers, and invites crew of all skill and experience levels to sign up. Carolyn Grant, event organizer for the 1500, says Steve Black personally interviews each skipper to assess his or her sailing skill and experience level and matches crew accordingly.
As Steve himself said, “This is no time for the blind to be leading the blind.”
Thus, skippers having little or no passage making experience are required to take on at least one crew member who does, and veterans in need of someone to fill an open watch will take on eager learners. (Crew pay nothing to get listed with the CRA, but usually pay their own way getting to and from the boat and for off-boat expenses.)
Diversity of crew
The wide range of benefits offered by rally participation are well demonstrated by the experience and perspectives of the skipper and two crew on Elsha, an older Amazon 37, skippered by a younger-than-average Lloyd Thornburg of Santa Fe, N.M. He said he joined the rally because, although he had sailing experience, he hadn’t been offshore, wanted experienced crew and knew the inspections and safety checks would be helpful. “They came up with things I wouldn’t have thought of,” he said.
Robert Eichelburg, a patent attorney from Annapolis, Md., is more seasoned than most with 25 years of experience sailing his own boat on Chesapeake Bay and participating in ten CRA rallies.
Motivated by a love of the open ocean and a desire to practice celestial navigation offshore, he chooses to crew in the rallies because the amount of time he can give to blue water sailing wouldn’t justify the financial investment involved in ownership.
Joyce Little, the third hand on Elsha, had no prior sailing experience at all. She was walking the docks, “looking for a ride south,” and Lloyd was in need of more crew. Lloyd cleared it with Steve, and Joyce joined the boat. When I spoke with her a few days after the end of the rally she said, “I entered this in total ignorance. At the end I was physically and emotionally drained.” I asked if she would do it again. “If you had asked me on the day we got in, I would have said no. But now? Yes!”
For more information on the West Marine Caribbean 1500 and other rallies and activities managed by the Cruising Rally Association, go to their website at www.carib1500.com.
- Top
A very special group of sailors feels the need to share their knowledge and love of sailing with others through sailing instruction. In the past, a good sailor became a sailing instructor simply by beginning to teach and declaring himself or herself a sailing instructor.
The American Sailing Association was organized to establish national standards for sailing instructor certification in the United States. We take experienced sailing instructors and expert sailors and give them the tools they need to become certified sailing instructors.
- As an ASA certified sailing instructor, you are:Enhancing your career development potential as a professional.
- Qualified to teach and certify sailing students to uniform national standards which are internationally recognized.
- Playing an important role in improving the quality and extent of educational opportunities for the recreational sailor.
- A member of a professional organization which provides you with teaching materials and services, a centralized national certification authority, continuing sailing education programs for ASA instructors, member discounts on useful products and services, and a wide variety of other benefits.
- Recognized internationally as a leader in sail education.
ASA Sailing Instructor Qualification Clinics test existing skills and knowledge while teaching a structured curriculum and proven presentation techniques. ASA certified sailing instructors have proven they measure up to a national standard, which is used by most of the commercial sailing schools in the country. Take the challenge and attend an ASA Instructor Qualification Clinic (IQC). More information and dates of the clinics are found on the ASA website at www.asa.com under “Instructors.”
- Top
If you are searching for something both more exotic and challenging than the usual tropical destinations for your next sailing vacation, consider Scotland.
What Scotland lacks in palm trees and sand, it more than makes up for with its unique offering of lochs, canals with locks, castles, historic marinas and hundreds of small islands to explore.
You will probably need to do a bit more research than for your usual vacation to decide both where and how best to enjoy sailing in Scotland. Options range from a skippered charter “Classic Malts Cruise” in which one sails to each of the major malt producing regions, to bareboat charters navigating the lochs (and locks) of inland Scotland or the rough beauty of the Outer Hebrides Islands.
Legends and mystique shroud Scotland’s breathtaking seascapes. Local life, from bustling pubs to the serenity of its remote communities, is at once both unique and diverse. Plentiful wildlife from rare bird species to porpoises and whales add drama to the haunting archaeological remains that pepper the landscape.
First-time skippers to these waters will have a lot of local navigation information with which they should become familiar. Tides do matter in Scotland, and currents may be strong. In addition to area charts, you will also need local navigational publications such as canal guides.
Lock and Bridge Operations, whose personnel control the raising of bridges and use of canal locks, play a major role in exploring Scotland’s inner waterways. These facilities have different hours each season and may require very specific times of passage (due to local commuter traffic on bridges or tidal height restrictions).
Although (third party) pilotage through the locks is not typically required, those lacking sufficient experience using the Scottish lock system will certainly want to request some hands-on aid. The lock keepers who operate these are usually very knowledgeable and used to helping less experienced skippers. Pay attention to their advice … particularly if you are someone who is unfamiliar with terms like “cill marker” and “lock gangway.”
For more information on Scotland's waterways, visit www.scottishcanals.co.uk.
- Top
Every year for the past several years, around the end of May, Jean Gieger does something rather unique. Jean, a mother of a five year old, does this rather unique thing not only for her child, but also for other parents’ children. What Jean does, in a quiet little town, on which nestles the Atlantic Ocean, in a place that has more boats per square mile than any other place in the United States, is giving what she hopes these children will remember – a sailing safety lessoned learned. 
Jean Gieger is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. As one of over 31,000 of America’s Volunteer Lifesavers, Jean concentrates her time between Recreational Boating Safety on land, and as a member of the Auxiliary Boat Crew program, where she helps conduct safety patrols and search and rescue.
This day, she is concentrating on Recreational Boating Safety. In fact, she is working on what is called a Preventive Search and Rescue (Pre-SAR) mission. In laymen’s terms, she is teaching boating safety. Also, she’s teaching it to some of the youngest members of our society, as a hobby and sport that she hopes they will all enjoy for years to come.
Jean is teaching sailing safety to first graders in the local elementary school. Jean comes to school in her uniform. The children are apprehensive and awed. Jean also brings her international orange personal flotation device (PFD) as well as many other items that Jean uses on the water, as well as items the children may see on their boats.
Jean doesn’t teach down to the children, she teaches to them. She explains the buoy system, the red nun buoys and the green cans. She explains sound signals and the emergency signal of five short blasts.
She enforces the federal law that all children less than twelve years of age must wear a PFD for safety. She does this for both the students and the teachers and parents who have come to learn.
“Thank you for teaching me the safety rules on the water.” Wrote Ashley, age six, to Jean. “I learned that they have plastic whistles and a cork because if it was metal it would rust.”
Nick Aquino, also six, wrote, “I learned there is a night flare and a day flare. Another thing is make sure your life jacket fits you.”
What makes the time and effort worthwhile, says Jean, is the closing sentences that are representative of both the children and the adults who are present during her lecture. Ashley’s close states the case – “Thanks for teaching me the safety issues on the water!”
As Jean so eloquently put it, “lessons learned young stay with you your entire life. Hopefully, these kids have learned some important lessons about boating safety.” We in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary hope so. In fact, we’re counting on it!
Do you think your child’s class would benefit from a visit by a Coast Guard Auxiliarist? If so, why not contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of Team Coast Guard. Founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the US Coast Guard Reserves and re-designated the Auxiliary in 1941. The 31,000 volunteer members (men and women) donate thousands of hours in support of Coast Guard missions.
For more information about safe boating and sailing courses, contact the United States Coast Guard Auxillary at www.cgaux.org or call (877) 875-6296.
- Top
Type www.Mari-Cha4.com into your web browser. Right below the large dragon head and welcome message, two bold statements summarize the key facts about this impressive sailing vessel: “The 140-foot Mari-Cha IV was built to become the fastest monohull in the world. The team has already broken five world speed records to prove it, and will be attempting many more in the future.” 
This all carbon fiber single hull sailboat measures 140 feet in length and is capable of achieving speeds of 36 to 40 knots. No wonder then that the Mari-Cha IV smashed the existing transatlantic sailing record by two full days in October 2003 by sailing from New York to the United Kingdom in just six days. If this feat were not ample evidence to substantiate her claim of being the fastest sailboat ever, Mari-Cha IV shattered a second major world record on the same voyage: En route she became the first monohull vessel to sail over 500 nautical miles in a single day. Not a bad showing for one’s maiden voyage.
Robert Miller, the billionaire co-founder of the Hong Kong based Duty Free Shops chain, funded the Mari-Cha IV construction utilizing a top-notch design team including Clay Oliver, Greg Elliot, Phillipe Briand, Mike Sanderson, and Jef D’Etiveaud. The imposing Mari-Cha IV was launched in August 2003, just over two years after her construction began at the JMV boatyard in Cherbourg, France.
Built fully with the idea of speed in mind, she weighs (only) 50 tons. Don’t look for posh accommodations below. Since lack of weight is vital to achieving high speeds, the Mari-Cha IV’s design team did not allow for any nonessentials. The vessel’s key features include two nearly identical rigs, a keel with a 10-ton bulb, and a high tech water ballast system.
Mari-Cha IV’s current total of five world records also includes: best times in the Antigua to Guadeloupe race, the West Coast - Hawaii Pacific race, and, most recently, the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge race.
To learn more and watch as this larger-than-life sailboat continues to rack up records, visit the official site at www.maricha4.com.
- Top
As we sail in coastal areas, it is often necessary to determine how close our present course will carry us to a prominent headland or other dangerous feature and whether we should alter course for an added margin of safety. This determination can be made by combining Running Fix techniques with Relative Bearings, and is called Distance-Off. This method requires that you hold a steady boat course for a period of time while the change in relative bearing to the headland is measured, and the following rule applies: 
Doubling the Relative Bearing to an object while holding a steady course will produce a Distance Off equal to the Distance Run between the times of the two bearings.
As shown in the figure, you’re sailing on a course of 81 degrees per ship’s compass and note a headland off your port bow to leeward.
You sight the headland across your pelorus and read the relative bearing to the headland as 36 degrees off your port bow; at that moment your distance log reads 167.3 NM.
When the relative bearing to the headland doubles to 72 degrees you read the log distance as 168.7 NM. The calculated distance off the headland at that moment is the difference in the two log distances, or 168.7 - 167.3 = 1.4 NM.
Factors affecting the steering accuracy or distances such as current or wind leeway will affect the accuracy of this calculation, as follows:
A following current will decrease the distance measured by your log between the two relative bearings and therefore reduce your estimate of the distance off.
An opposing current will increase the distance measured by your log between the two relative bearings and therefore increase your estimate of the distance off. Cross currents or cross winds will push you either toward or away from the point of land.
Question:
You are sailing on a course of 327ºM and observe a point of land at 40 degrees off your starboard bow; your log reads 47.2 NM. A half hour later you note that this point is 80 degrees off your starboard bow and your log reads 50.4 NM. How far away is the point of land?
Answer:
3.2 NM.
- Top
All my dreams came true the day we landed in Corsica. After several days of leisurely strolling the streets of Nice, France, it was honestly pretty hard to drag ourselves to the airport to catch our flight from Nice to Corsica. Alongside my first-mate and chef, Louize Christensen, I had enjoyed lingering meals with fine crisp wine at sunny seaside tables, so I was in no rush to get to the airport. However, when our plane swooped down over giant green mountains and cliffs and dropped onto a tiny landing strip, I got those familiar butterflies in my stomach. A new place to discover and better yet - it is French, which for me means the opportunity to speak French and lots of excuses to drink wine and eat gourmet food at every meal.
Balzac described Corsica as a “French island basking in the Italian sun,” but this island has a character that is entirely its own. This beautiful, wild playground is the ultimate combination destination - physical exertion while sailing in the natural elements by day, then strolling fishing villages by evening enjoying French wine and cuisine.
Corsica is in the western Mediterranean, just to the north of Sardinia, it’s 99 miles southeast of Nice, France, and only 51 miles west of Tuscany, Italy, so it is easily accessible by either jumper flight or ferry crossing. Corsica has the highest mountains and most rivers of any Mediterranean island; high cliffs and rocky inlets characterize much of its coast. The interior boasts deep forests, glacial lakes, gorges and snowcapped granite peaks. The island is studded with standing stones, forts and other monuments, evidence of human occupation in Neolithic times.
An abundance of history
The Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans have all left their mark. Vandals, Goths and Moors were among the later invaders. The Genoese from Italy ruled Corsica from the 1400s-1700s, occasionally coming to blows with the local aristocracy, nationalists and the French. A nationalist rebellion led to the foundation of a Corsican republic in 1755 but their independence was short lived. The Genoese ceded the island to France, whose troops invaded in 1769. Corsica has therefore only been French for only about 200 of its 4000-year history, and has many indigenous traditions - gastronomic, musical and cultural. The birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, Corsica is not short on national pride. Famous for its extremely independent spirit, rugged beauty, olive oil, wine and citrus fruit, Corsica is a destination that will please you whether you are at sea or on land.
Our sailing trip began in the southwestern port of Ajaccio aboard a Beneteau 464 from Moorings. Ajaccio is famous for (and very proud of) being the birth city of Napoleon. The “Maison Bonaparte” is now a museum for the public to enjoy.
Time to provision
The Moorings office in Ajaccio is located in the main port and was very friendly and helpful. Being able to speak French is a big plus in Corsica. Luckily, both my first-mate/chef and I speak French. We thrived on getting our boat walk through done only in French; it was, at times, challenging but mostly a lot of fun. It was, however, quite tough trying to get through that and provisioning because the seaside cafes beckoned you at every turn to come sit down, drink some fine wine and watch the world go by. It was incentive to get it done promptly and thoroughly for our guests’ arrival! Sailing in Corsica is not for the faint of heart or for the navigationally challenged. The rugged coastline is famous for rocks lying just beneath the surface, and weather that seems to have absolutely no pattern or prediction requires that the skipper and crew have a good handle on a reasonable itinerary. Having sailed Corsica, it is crucial to point out that you need up to three different back-up plans per day in case your initial one does not pan out. This was confirmed to us on our fourth day of sailing when our destination was intended to be the village of Bonifacio on the extreme southern tip of Corsica. The weather report called for 10-15 knots of wind but what we ended up experiencing was wind up to 55 knots, low visibility and pounding rain and seas. Corsican and Sardinian weather is extremely unpredictable and can die or kick up at a moment’s notice.
Watching the wind
Wind direction changes constantly as wind blows off the peaks of the high Corsican mountains or down off the coast of France and Italy. This weather phenomenon is called “Le Mistral” and is something to be studied and learned before setting off on a sailing trip to either Corsica or the coast of France.
Having said that about the wind and weather patterns in Corsica, it is important to point out that for the sailor who is looking to learn and experience the adventure of a lifetime, this is the place to do it. I can only compare the natural, rugged beauty and the challenging sailing conditions to another place in the world famous for the same challenging conditions - New Zealand.
The Mediterranean is an amazing place culturally and is a delight for the sailor. There are literally thousands of islands to discover, but Corsica stands out as being unique and special. Our week was filled with physical and mental challenges during the day while sailing, then filled with gastronomic and cultural delights in the evening. The only regret I have about the sailing and cultural experience I had in Corsica was that it did not last longer. Rest assured, next time we visit Corsica it will be for much longer than a week!
Always looking for adventure, our next Fantasy Sail will be exploring the beautiful islands of Croatia. If you are searching for something new and adventurous, check out our website! Sea Dog Sailing, Inc. www.seadogsailing.com or email: captstacey@seadogsailing.com (877) 4SEADOG
- Top
I’m tough on shoes. The work I do is making long boat deliveries, teaching advanced sailing and evaluating potential instructors for ASA. My past record for the transformation of alleged boating shoes into scraps of leather flapping on worn-flat, nonskid soles has been seven months. I have witnesses to this.
My friend, Kathy Christensen, handles product reviews at ASA and has seen the quality of my footwear abuse. She has also put up with my badgering requests to test drive a pair having some spine rather than poof.
I was rewarded for my persistence with two pairs of footwear from Timberland, The Annapolis Rootbeer 2 Eye Moc Toe, and the Crosscut Tan Open Toe Sandal, “to wear in as many different conditions as possible, from mild to extreme.”
The two boat deliveries I had scheduled offered the proper description of the extreme and I would cover the “mild stuff” on the way there.
Trial by sea
The first delivery was a short 10-day, 1,100-mile bash to weather from Manzanillo, Mexico, to Marina del Rey, Calif. The second delivery covered 4,500 miles from Nicaragua to Honolulu, Hawaii. The 5,600 ocean miles would serve up both mild and extreme conditions to test these shoes.
The boat shoes have full-grain uppers, an orthotic insole that added shape to a non-marking outer sole that had, of all things, an arch. I have never had a boat shoe with an arch.
When I first tried the shoes on, they felt like bedroom slippers. Never had I felt a pair more comfortable than these Timberlands. The outer sole has a rounded edge for the entire circumference of the shoe. The outside curls up both the toe and heel leaving a surface that is shaped like the bottom of a foot with a grip of a fly. I’m serious. They stick!
The sandals also sport full-grain uppers with hook and loot straps for easy off and on. The out soles have a solid arch and active lugs on their perimeter. It’s a wellthought- out sandal. I did, however, have a nagging concern about open-toed shoes on boats. I would buy bronze toed boat shoes if they made such a thing, and I’ve always told new students to wear closed-toed shoes to shelter sensitive toes.
I would try these sandals and find out if my prejudice was properly placed. After 5,500 ocean miles and about 50 land miles marched out, I feel I can pontificate with some authority on these Timberland shoes and sandals.
The shoes stick like glue to a pitching boat deck. They provide excellent protection for your feet and toes. They stay on your feet because of the 360° lacing. They’re comfortable enough to wear for weeks at a time. No need to break them in. They float, which I found out the hard way. They perform well whether wet of dry, and they’re tough, handsome and well-made.
When they dry, they will percolate a milky dusting of salt. Simply soak them in fresh water, dry them in the sun, add a dressing like mink or neat’s-foot oil, and give them a brisk brushing. They will serve you well, no matter what level sailor or boater you are, beginner or professional.
Boat sandals?
The sandals performed well for me while pursuing land based chores. They look sharp and rugged and handled higher speeds well when I employed them as jogging shoes on a rocky beach in Tortuga Bay, Mexico. They handled the crags and beach shingle like champion hiking boots.
But my singular fear of sandals on the deck of a cramped and confused sailboat offering unclad tender toes to cleats, combings, blocks and the feet of other crew came true. I love them on the shore and, yes, thanks for asking, my toe did heal.
In the past I have perhaps played the penny-wise and pound-foolish approach to footwear. The boat shoes retail for $80. That’s about $20 more than I have been spending on boat shoes. These Timberland Moc Toe Boat shoes have reformed my penny-pinching ways. The sandals are on their way to lasting for years on the beaches, trails and docks.
Captain Bruce Royce is an ASA Sailing Instructor, instructor evaluator and professional mariner. He lives in Los Angeles, Calif.
- Top
I have lived in the Menlo Park section of the San Francisco Bay area for 15 years now. I love the close proximity to all the great outdoors activities … sailing, hiking, camping, skiing … ocean, mountains and wine country. I grew up in Dallas and as a kid would always look forward to our annual family trip to the Gulf Coast to be close to water. I loved it as a kid, and love it even more now as an adult! Being with and close to nature helps me stay grounded and balanced in life.
For 25 years, I was a CPA in public accounting (most of that time with Arthur Andersen) and a part of corporate America. Recently, I left that world to follow my professional passion and start my own business, Navigating Wealth. Four years ago, I started to sail quite a bit. These past two years, though, because of starting my own business, I haven’t had the chance to sail as much as I’d like. I’m hoping that this changes soon! I purposefully named my new business Navigating Wealth because of my passion for sailing and because life is a continuous journey of growth and exploration. I’m all for dreaming big dreams and living with excitement and passion!
I’m single and have never been married. I’m now in a fantastic relationship with a man named Dennis. He’s simply awesome. He’s not a sailor yet, but is very willing to learn and explore the waters of the world with me!
I started sailing when I saw a promotion for a trip out of Antigua and signed up on the spur of the moment. Since then I’ve taken trips to the British Virgin Islands, Grenada and Tahiti. I’ve also managed to find time to complete Basic Keelboat and Basic Coastal Cruising.
I love the sailing world so much and want to stay connected to it for life. Being with the water, winds, sun and nature really help keep me grounded in my hectic, professional life. I need my mental health tune ups to keep me focused. At times when I get very busy with my professional life, the ASA and their great newsletters allow me to live vicariously through articles and stories … until I get back out there again myself! Sometimes, especially when starting your own business, long and intense work hours are necessary, but are only tolerable when you’re reminded why you’re doing it. Knowing that soon I’ll be out sailing again and exploring the waters of the world gets me through these intense times.
- Top
Baked Red Snapper with Salsa Esmeralda, Cashew Brie Appetizer, Spinach Rockefeller, Curried Plantains, Eggplant and Tomato Pasta, Pork Chops with Apple-Yogurt Sauce, or Amaretto Peach Mousse, yes, you can prepare these mouthwatering delights at home or in your galley, using fresh and local ingredients.
Kay Pastorius did, and from her experiences of over 20 years of cruising, has prepared for you an outstanding collection of delightful recipes; the fantastic cookbook, Cruising Cuisine, a bible of mouthwatering recipes and ingredients.
Cruising Cuisine and Kay Pastorius will assist you in equipping your small or large galley with essential and not-so-essential equipment; aid you in the provisioning and preserving of needed ingredients wherever you drop anchor. You will also find information on storage, mailorder sources, and how-to's to save you time, effort and energy making your cooking at sea enjoyable.
Cruising Cuisine has put the fun back in my kitchen and will put it back in your galley. With Kay’s instructions, I have no problem preparing the over 450 recipes - breakfast and brunch, appetizers and beverages, seafood, meat and poultry, grains and beans, fruits and vegetables, sauces and marinades, bread and desserts.
I always have something new and delicious to serve to my wife and guests. I just wish that Kay would put Cruising Cuisine to CD-ROM; this way I could print out the recipe and keep my copy of Cruising Cuisine from wearing out. Yes, Cruising Cuisine has become my favorite cookbook to use in my galley and while cruising with friends. Bon Appetite!
Bruce is a retired country club manager who specialized in food and beverage. Bruce and his wife Phyllis have completed their American Sailing Association 101 with Chesapeake Sailing School, Annapolis, Md., and are looking forward to completing ASA 103 and 104. When not trying to get to the Chesapeake, Bruce sails on Lake Erie and on Indian Lake, Ohio.
- Top
Understanding sail power, sail construction and shape - Part 3 of a 4-part series on proper sail trim and shape
An ASA sailboat'’s sail can be compared to an aircraft wing. A crop-dusting aircraft flies at a slow speed and has a very thick wing in order to produce sufficient lift at lower air speeds. High performance jets have very thin and adjustable wings since they fly at high air speed. In the same manner, sailboat sails are generally cut differently for the conditions in which the vessel will sail.
A vessel that is to be sailed in an area known for lighter wind conditions will have the sails cut larger and with more fullness, similar to the wing of the crop duster aircraft. A vessel that sails in San Francisco Bay, known for strong breezes, will have its sails cut flatter and may have less sail area.
The method of obtaining these shapes is achieved by sewing elliptical sections of sails together into a total triangular sail shape. In the world of high-tech race boats, the sails are formed over a bent surface into the desired shape and then bonded. The sail material is much lighter than the sail material used in cruising sailboats.
When I was sailing at the Naval Academy, we had many sets of sails on our Annapolis 44s, which ranged from the baggies to the flats, numbered one through four. The #1 was the fullest and thinnest sail, and #4 was flat and thick.
Good sails can be costly. Often it is necessary to have more all-purpose sails and use sailboat rigging to change the shape of the sail.
Top |
