Table of contents for September 2018 in PassageMaker

Nobody likes to fuel up, and I mean nobody. It’s an expensive, messy proposition that is a necessary hassle for all boaters (sorry, you too, sailors). On a very good day, you might pull right up to the fuel dock, pump your gallons of diesel, swipe your credit card, and be on your merry way. On a bad day, well, let’s just not go there. So, literally any enhancement to the fuel-filling process is a welcome one, especially if it also helps the environment—okay, helps not-hurt the environment. Enter the Clean Way Fuel Fill, a patented and relatively inexpensive gizmo that allows for easy, spill-free tank fills minus the usual assortment of rags, diapers, or whatever absorbent materials you use to control stray fuel. With Clean Way, simply place the…

On the morning of June 17, the Coast Guard Pacific Command Center received an EPIRB signal from Kelaerin, a 46-foot sailboat floundering in big seas 180 miles off Washington. Vessel owners Joy and Jim Carey were injured and suffering from hypothermia after Kelaerin had been damaged by a succession of waves during the night. The Careys were experienced, veteran cruisers. In fact, this trans-Pacific voyage from Oahu, Hawaii, to Bellingham, Washington, was to be the final leg of an adventure that had spanned 17 years and taken them more than 70,000 nautical miles. Kelaerin left Hawaii on May 26 with a favorable forecast for the crossing. The passage was going smoothly until the 21st day underway when a GRIB forecast showed a sudden deterioration of conditions. Joy Carey describes the…

Stabilization options for cruising powerboats have evolved from steadying sails and bilge keels to active fins and gyro stabilizers. These new technologies offer far more than incremental improvement over the older methods. While active fins and internal gyros dominate the market, a number of other choices can also be effective for stabilizing your powerboat. We’ll begin by exploring the pros and cons of each type of system and then we’ll examine the maintenance needs of fins and gyros. But first let’s set expectations up front. Stabilizers excel at reducing roll and this makes for a much more pleasant cruising experience overall. Keep in mind, however, that your boat will still rise and fall with each wave—it just won’t rock as much. And when beating into head seas the benefit of…

Maritime Universal Truth #1: Reckless choices rock boats. Or they sink them. My husband and I considered ourselves seasoned mariners. Thirty-five years aboard seven vessels of increasing size and complexity seemed to substantiate that rank. Seasoned mariners understand the uncertainty of traveling aboard a boat. When Mother Nature’s fury kicks up her seas, we respectfully bow. When an unexpected maintenance issue presents, we inhale deeply, down a cold beer, and get to work. We’ve gained wisdom through extensive experience and choose adventuring with care over grounding on a rocky ledge, running out of fuel, capsizing, and/or drowning. Maritime Universal Truth #2: Seasoned mariners do not make reckless choices. Read on and you’ll understand why I’ve had to demote myself from seasoned mariner status. This is a tale about a foolhardy…

HERE’S THE SETUP. A few years after the start of the century, an exciting new communications technology is invented and rapidly adopted, connecting people around the globe and creating opportunities for news to be shared as it’s happening. Not until nearly a decade later does this technology come under real scrutiny when a major event incites international controversy. Politicians demand answers from the company’s founder, and his testimony sparks public debate: To what extent should corporations be held responsible for the use—or misuse—of their technology? When should a private technology company be regulated by the government? And should the public good be prioritized over a company’s bottom line? And at the center of this swirling controversy is one man, a polarizing figure more widely known for the company he built…

Every Mediterranean country celebrates summer with fresh-from-the-garden recipes that include succulent vine-ripened tomatoes, brightly colored sweet bell peppers, and tender eggplant—a combination that proves the old adage: “What grows together, goes together.” For the following recipe, I like to take the time to chop these vegetables into a small ¼- to ½-inch dice. The result is more versatile and more attractive, particularly as a topping for bruschetta. However, if you’re in a hurry or if you prefer a chunkier sauce, use larger pieces—the flavor will be similar. Just try to keep all the vegetables approximately the same size. SNACK AT THE READY While we were living our almost seven-year sailing adventure in the Mediterranean, friends came to visit to share in our adventures. Some stayed for just three or four…

Oddly enough, it’s the people who love the water the most—boaters, surfers, swimmers—who best appreciate the value of staying dry. Dry is good for electronics, spare clothes, Kleenex, underwear, etc. And watersports enthusiasts know how hard it can be to achieve true dryness. Being wet all the time, inveterate surfer and aimless explorer Klemen Surk decided to invent a backpack that could, at the very least, keep most of his affairs dry. Surk’s fledgling company, DryTide Gear, was born out of this simple necessity. Honestly, I’m a sucker for a good backpack and by all accounts Surk’s are enviable packs to bag. They are stylish, made from 100% waterproof materials, and use minimal stitching, which means that the pack will float in water for an indefinite period of time. But…

This anchor setup highlights a number of best practices. With two anchors and two windlasses this Fleming has redundancy and the ability to set two anchors if the situation calls for it. In addition, the boat has been outfitted with two different styles of anchor, giving some options for different bottom conditions. The use of anchor swivels remains controversial. Proponents claim that swivels reduce the likelihood of the chain fouling around the anchor as the boat swings with wind or current. They also note that swivels help align the anchor as it pulls into place on the bow roller. Others argue that swivels are not necessary and create a link weaker than the chain, putting the ground tackle at risk when you need it most. If you are going to…

BUSINESS VENTURE I recently started an online voyage planning service that the readers of PassageMaker are going to find extremely useful. Untold Horizon LLC provides boaters with voyage planning advisors who are professional merchant mariners. These mariners create extremely thorough voyage plans to the destinations of the customer’s choice. These plans are designed around the customer’s experience, type of vessel, and personal needs. This is a new concept, and we look to provide a service that prepares people properly prior to getting underway. I would like to tell you that I found your article “F/V Destination: Investigation Into Sinking Continues” to not only be interesting, but very respectful of the captain and crew. As a mariner I get very frustrated when I read articles like this that turn into the…

The Southern Ocean and Cape Horn beckon mariners from afar, evoking a dual sense of wonder, admiration, and fear. In the introduction to his new book, The Cape Horners’ Club, Adrian Flanagan writes the following of the 500-mile stretch of water that funnels the oceans between South America and Antarctica at the Drake Passage: “For mariners, Cape Horn was once a necessary trial, lying as it does on the shortest and therefore most profitable commercial shipping route between Europe and the Far East. For yachtsmen, though, Cape Horn represents the ultimate challenge. Storm-lashed for 300 days of the year, it is a place of unremitting fury, a place that tests seamanship in the hardest school of all.” Flanagan’s book is many things, but it is primarily an homage to the…

Geo Tamblyn Geo Tamblin of Denison Yacht Sales has been in the marine industry for nearly 30 years. He prides himself on his ability to not only listen to his customers’ needs but work hard to go above and beyond in accomplishing their goals. He is an excellent choice with his extensive knowledge in commissioning, warranty, repair and overseas building. Geo’s goal is to make the buying and selling experience confident and fun while sharing and utilizing years of experience and knowledge. He is personable and friendly and pledges to work diligently to represent his clients’ best interests. Mobile: 206-423-4422 Email: Geo@DenisonYachtSales.com Leslie Quarrier Leslie Quarrier, CPYB, Principal of Essex Yacht Sales, has over 25 years’ experience as an award-winning Yacht Broker. A long-serving CPYB Certification Advisory Council Member, Leslie…