It’s time to think about reefing By Patrick Twohy It’s the beginning of the real sailing season on San Francisco Bay. That means sailors of all stripes will need to prepare for our usual strong winds. Most days, wind can be expected above 15 knots, and often closer to 20 knots, particularly in the afternoon. […]
A Most Unusual Delivery Sail By Bob Diamond I’ve done a number of boat deliveries in the past – some of them repossessions. The most unusual started out looking like it was going to be quite normal. It wasn’t even a repo although the boat had been repossessed from the previous owner. The new owner […]
The Day the Dinghy Engine and I Went Swimming When chartering sailboats overseas a dinghy with a small outboard engine is almost always provided and it is almost always towed behind when the sailboat is a monohull. In places like BVI, the engine us usually left on the dinghy because the passages are relatively short and […]
The Day Our Dinghy Wasn’t Stolen By Bob Diamond It happened in Gustavia, St. Barths on our 2004 spring St. Martin flotilla cruise. Gustavia is the main harbor town in St. Barths, a small French Caribbean island that’s popular for many of the rich and famous; some with yachts. All three of our flotilla boats […]
Securing the Dinghy By Bob Diamond On our overseas bareboat flotilla trips each yacht is provided with a motor dinghy used to go ashore, get out to the good snorkeling spots or even just to have fun buzzing around the anchorage. When underway in the yachts, the dinghies are often towed behind with a line […]
Two Atlantic Crossings (and Why “Routine” Is a Myth) By Karin Heck I’ve crossed the Atlantic twice, both times east to west. The first time, everything felt like a big deal because it was the first time. The second time, I thought I had a better sense of what was “normal.” Turns out… there is […]
A bit of light in our dim season By Patrick Twohy In these dark winter months, one must work a little harder to find the light we need to thrive. It’s a metaphor, but also perhaps a bit practical. We sailors often find winter somewhat of a trial — the wind isn’t great, if there’s […]
Dave G’s Recommended Sailing Books Whether the sailor in your life is new to sailing, dreaming of their next adventure, or already spending every spare moment on the bay, a well-chosen sailing book makes a thoughtful, lasting Christmas present. After years of teaching and talking with sailors of all levels, Instructor Dave G has found […]
How to Navigate Fall if you’re a Sailor Your Faithful author with his sextant Well, fall is officially here. For Bay Area sailors, that means a little less wind, a little less daylight to enjoy on the water. It’s also means perhaps some time to think about how a sailing-obsessed person might satisfy his or […]
Planets and mutinies in paradise By Patrick Twohy This is a tale of a three-hour tour. Well, actually it was a bit more than that. And no one was lost on a desert isle. But still… It includes mutineers, beautiful women, enchanting tropical venues, even gorgeous Venus herself — the planet, not the goddess. The […]