Hi Sailors!
The Sailing Roundup brings you the latest in sailing news, trends, gear, events, and training. Every other week (when we’re not sailing) we’ll send a curated list and analysis by Teresa & Ben Carey. Instead of sifting through a ton of articles and videos each week – let us do the work for you.
Rocinante, before we bought her. Known then as Djarrka.
Editorial:
One of the best things we did was buy our boat in Panama. The entire process of surveying and purchasing a boat in Panama was a logistical nightmare. The travel lift broke the day before our scheduled survey. So we pressed onward and rescheduled the haulout for a few weeks later. We made arrangements to fly our surveyor back down. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, the surveyor called on the morning of his flight to tell us he couldn’t find his passport. Facepalm. Meanwhile, our boat was hanging in the travelift slings, with no one there to look at it, as we scrambled to figure it all out.
But here we are seven years later, and all is well. The boat is in better condition than ever and we are happy with our purchase.
One thing that made a difference was the 3,000-mile shakedown sail from Panama to Maine. Before we made any changes or commenced a refit, we sailed the boat -- and sailed her hard.
On our second day out, the accelerated trade winds off the coast of Columbia gave us a taste of 12’ seas and 30kt winds. We found some leaks. We watched the boat work, learned how she sailed, and listened to her groan. We pressed on towards Jamaica, the Windward Passage, and then the Bahamas, where we relaxed our pace a little — taking luxurious days from Great Inagua to Great Abaco. We then jumped north towards Maine, with quick stops in Norfolk and Cape Cod. After six Weeks, 3,000 miles, we knew our boat pretty darn well.
That summer, we began to attack our long to-do list. We prioritized repairs, and simplification. We didn’t let ourselves get bogged down with an endless and expensive refit. We knew what the boat needed; we prioritized and tackled the most pressing issues first. And most importantly, we recognized that boats are always works in progress and never finished. Since then we’ve checked a lot of things off our list. We’ve made many improvements and upgrades. And we’ve reduced the clutter of too much gadgetry. But we’ve also added new items to our list. So, it is an endless process. But instead of waiting until it is all done, we’ve sailed back to the Caribbean and Bermuda twice, plus countless miles between Maine and the Chesapeake. And this summer, we’re headed to Newfoundland—all in the middle of a “refit!”
~ Ben
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Don’t forget to check out our sail-training expeditions at MorseAlpha.com.
From Morse Alpha:
The Morning Muster Podcast Ep 13: Offshore Sailing: Bermuda to Rockland Expedition Recap
Our latest episode features our students from the Bermuda to Maine expedition. It was a sporty sail, with a wide variety of conditions. We discuss the highs and lows of offshore sailing.Morse Alpha Expedition Bunks Are Filling Fast
Our summer expedition schedule is posted. We’re offering a number of Maine Coast Expeditions, plus we’ll be entering the 140nm Monhegan Island Race, and offering two big offshore trips: Maine to Newfoundland and Newfoundland back to Maine.
Now for the best of the web...
News:
Empty Containers Pile Up at Port of Los Angeles as Ocean Liners Add ‘Sweeper’ Ships to Clear Backlog
The number of container ships waiting to enter the busiest U.S. seaport complex hit a new record of 84 on Tuesday.NOAA's GOES-T: Earth in high definition coming in early 2022
NOAA's GOES-T is the third satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)–R Series, the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather observing and environmental monitoring system.Youngest round Britain sailor Katie McCabe to speak at BoatLife Live
The 14-year-old record-breaker Katie embarked on a 14,000-mile odyssey to become the youngest person to sail solo around Britain and managed just that.Extra-high tides offer a glimpse into the future as sea level rises
Coastal communities are experiencing more flooding at extreme high tides. Merchants in North Kingston, R.I., say it's going to cost a lot of money to keep the water at bay.Lobsterman Catches 1-in-100 Million Lobster in Maine
Lobsterman Bill Coppersmith noticed an iridescent, opal-like creature in his trap. He had caught cotton candy lobster.11th Hour Racing skippers Simon Fisher and Justine Mettraux dismasted
Team Alaca’i dismasted just north of Cape Finisterre off the Spanish coast. Both sailors were safe and uninjured.Steering the Course shines spotlight on women's sailing
Women's sailing in the Southern Hemisphere has had a major boost thanks to Steering the Course - World Sailing's global women's ten-day sailing festival.Early Freeze in Arctic Northern Sea Route Traps Ships, Icebreakers Dispatched
More than 20 ships are either stuck or struggling to make it through increasingly thick sea-ice on the Arctic Northern Sea Route.Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
The four divisions in the 15th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre race are descending the Atlantic, each experiencing the conditions familiar with the changing latitudes.
Gear & Equipment:
Sailboat maintenance: Essential weekly checks
As we all know, things break all the time on a boat. So here’s a checklist you can look at weekly to make sure everything is OK onboard.Three Best Fuel Additives for Boats
It’s common knowledge that treating your fuel can help keep it fresh when it sits for long periods of time. We review three of the top performers to help you narrow it down.Snotter trick – how to prolong the life of your sealant
Next time you work with a sealant, be sure to leave it hanging, and don’t be tempted to remove the erm… snotty bit that dangles from the bottom.Predictwind offers forecast accuracy analysis
To help you make the best forecasting decisions, Predictwind have developed a real-time validation system to show you the accuracy of all the available models in PredictWind.The importance of boat ventilation
Proper boat ventilation and a decent carbon monoxide alarm are essential for any yacht with accommodation.Colligo Dux Running Rigging
Colligo Dux Running Rigging is a heat stretched SK75 Dyneema core with a 50% Technora and 50% Poly cover.Common rail diesel engines explained: Should I install one on my boat?
Common rail diesel engines have been used in boats and trains since the 1940s. However, not many smaller yachts are fitted with them.What to look for in a sailboat cockpit
The cockpit is the centre of all sailing activities: helming, sail trimming, watchkeeping, and more. It’s not just an entertaining area.Introducing the Icom IC-M804 Class E MF/HF Marine SSB Transceiver
The IC-M804 is packed with features to keep users safe, including an intuitive user interface.Blue Water Sailboats are the Ultimate in Offshore Cruising Sailboats
Let's take a look at what an experienced cruising couple might want to think about when choosing a bluewater monohull sailboat...
Opinion:
I'm having some issues...
Maybe it's just me but I keep finding myself somewhere at the corners of Fantasy Avenue and Reality Road. Yeah, guilty of catching up on various YouTube sailing channels which are about as reality free as you can get.A Word About Non-Brightly Colored Foul Weather Gear
While watching the Rolex Big Boat Series on my computer, I saw the crews of damn near every fast boat wearing dark foul weather gear — charcoal and black foulies, to be exact.I've made every mistake buying a sailboat tender so you don't have to
Posting this for all new small cruising sailboat owners, hoping I can save some of them money by avoiding some of my mistakes.
Skills & Seamanship:
Are You Ready to Bareboat Charter?
The truth is it’s very different because managing a weeklong charter is a far cry from things like dinghy racing or daysailing a 30-footer on a lazy summer afternoon.Roger 'Clouds' Badham - ETNZ's forecaster
Roger ‘Clouds' Badham is one of the world's pre-eminent meteorologists and was also the first person to forecast for yachties and boaties on a fulltime basis.Storm Tactics for Heavy Weather Sailing
If you sail long and far enough, chances are you’ll find yourself in sporty conditions. The key is to match tactics to the weather