Calculating the True Wind and Why it Matters
May 9, 2017 · There are several ways to define the wind. For weather work at sea we care only about the true wind. This true wind is the speed and the direction of the wind relative to the fixed earth under the ocean. Tied up at the dock, we feel the true wind. Once we get underway, however, our own motion changes the wind we feel, and then it is called the ...
Blue Water Sailing | Sailing Stories | Art of Crusing | Sailing Gear
Mar 17, 2024 · June 4, 2020. Electronics. December 17, 2019. Holiday Sales. Garmin Marine Stuff up to 20% Off. Electronics. November 6, 2019. Blue Water Sailing offers great sailing stories from cruisers and real world solutions for offshore sailors. Learn more about crusing and …
A Guide to Life Rafts, Their Equipment, Storage and Deployment
Jan 21, 2015 · By Administrator · On January 21, 2015. Here’s the first part in a two part series on life rafts: Nationally known safety-at-sea expert Chuck Hawley gives us a comprehensive guide on life rafts, their equipment and care…. Life rafts are designed to keep the crew of a vessel alive for a short period of time after the vessel becomes ...
Choosing the Right Fabric For Your Sails: Part One
Aug 31, 2016 · The real advantage of a laminate, other than the fact that it’s a lot lighter and stronger for the same strength and stretch resistance as Dacron, is that you can use the fabric to build a radial sail, either a bi-radial or a tri-radial sail. This way you can use fabrics of different weights in the same sail.
How to Splice Your Double Braid Lines | Cruising Compass
Sep 15, 2015 · Now you’re ready to splice. Step One: Marking the Cover (fig: 1,2) Measuring and marking the cover and core is absolutely essential to getting your splice to work correctly. Using a fid that is the same diameter as the line, measure one fid length from the end of the line and make your first mark (Mark A).
A Guide to Equipping Your Boat with a Windvane
Sep 10, 2015 · A Guide to Equipping Your Boat with a Windvane. By Administrator · On September 10, 2015. Daniel Collins provides a summary of the major choices involved in the purchase of new self-steering gear. A common piece of equipment found on the modern offshore cruising sailboats is the autopilot. Whether it is an electronic unit, a windvane, or both ...
Heaving-To: a Useful Maneuver Worth Practicing
Aug 26, 2015 · Simply put, heaving-to is a maneuver used to slow a sailboat’s progress and calm its motion while at sea. When successfully “hove-to,” a sailboat will gently drift to leeward at a greatly reduced speed. The reasons for heaving-to are numerous and often situational. When teaching students the maneuver, I impart the three Rs of heaving-to ...
Your Cruising Medical Kit - Blue Water Sailing
Aug 17, 2015 · Prior planning, proper training and the assembling of a complete cruising medical kit will prepare you to best cope with a wide range of medical emergencies. Denny Emory is a licensed yacht captain, holding a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master’s License. He founded Emory / Yachting Services in 1996 and in 2005 he co-founded OceanMedix.com LLC.
How to Assess and Repair Fiberglass Damage | Cruising Compass
Jul 1, 2015 · Essentially the process is to remove the damaged area, dry it if required and replace the material. This is easy if it is six inches of accessible deck, but is a massive undertaking if the damage is half of the hull. For vessels with a large area of compromised core, a common owner’s fix has been to drill hundreds of holes in the affected ...
Pocket Cruisers That Sail Far - Blue Water Sailing
Mar 12, 2019 · Today’s pocket cruisers make the best use of fiberglass technology and offer much beamier and voluminous hull shapes with longer and thus faster waterlines. Boats like the Hanse 315, Beneteau 31, Jeanneau 349 or the Catalina 315 have the space inside of 40 footers from the old days. And the modern designs sail so much better, too.