Use this simple technique to throw a line accurately short to moderate distances. This technique has proved adequate during my sailing career aboard recreational vessels. Oftentimes students I teach this technique to make their next throw past the person they’re aiming for, over the dock, over the water behind the dock and into the parking […]
How to Lasso a Cleat (or Piling) while Docking
Practice lassoing a cleat from a distance and you’ll be able to save a docking attempt without even taking a step, let alone a flying leap!
Dockline Handling Addendum
This video is the first follow up to my original dockline handling video . I’m working on two more boat handling videos – keeping the videos shorter has the handy side effect that they’re much less time consuming to produce!
Anchor More Safely with a Dinghy Scout Track
With any simple handheld chartplotter, often as simple as your smartphone with your favorite navigation app installed, you can use this technique to improve your safety margin in sparsely charted areas. I love tips like this that use gear I’ve already paid for in an unorthodox way, especially when it allows me to enhance safety […]
Sailing Belize: A Bareboat Catamaran Charter
The story of our charter of a Sunsail 444 catamaran and a Sunsail 404 catamaran from Placencia, Belize. 7 days during February 2019. Visual reef navigation was a new challenge for us but we managed to escape unscathed. I’ll post more on the challenges of sailing in Belize later; for now enjoy the video!
A Weekend Sailing to Block Island
We dedicated a weekend late in the sailing season to finally getting ashore at Block Island. It was a great change of pace and I had a lot of fun making this video! Please enjoy:
Thailand Bareboat Charter Advice
…and suggestions… This article is about bareboat cruising in Thailand; specifically discussing destinations and preparing for the challenges. But first here’s why Thailand should be on your short list of bareboat charter destinations: Thailand, specifically Phang Nga (fang-na) Bay, is considered a challenging Bareboat charter destination. This isn’t because the wind howls; instead it is […]
Customizing your Chartplotter with Local Knowledge
Step by step instructional video for customizing a chart with local knowledge and then loading it onto a smartphone chartplotter app. Using only free software! Download Links Image Customization: Preview on OSX (builtin app) GIMP Maptiler File Management “Downloads” App (builtin on many Android devices) X-Plore File Manager SailGrib Weather Routing Free
