Cruising Compass

CRUISING SHOT OF THE WEEK

Thomas Harris sent us this lovely shot of his sloop Sorcery tucked into an idyllic cove near Gocek, Turkey, at the head of Fethiye Bay.

We want to see where you are sailing! Send your shots to us at cruisingcompass@bwsailing.com.

JUST CRUISING with Tatja Hopman

That Cruising State of Mind

After two and half years of bringing you Cruising Compass every week, our intrepid and capable editor, Tatja, is taking a sabbatical for a few months. So, I will step in and try to fill her sea boots. Cruising Compass is now in its eleventh year and we have more than 25,000 readers across North America and around the world. Thank you for sailing with us.

This week I had a phone call with our regular Blue Water Sailing columnist Heather Francis who was home in Canada for the first time in five years. Her boat is on the hard in the Philippines for the typhoon season. Arriving in North America was a shock. Life here is so fast and materialistic, she noted, and everyone seems so frantic. This is from the perspective of her cruising state of mind –mellowed over 10 years– that emphasizes simplicity, self reliance, living in the moment, spontaneity, curiosity and a close relationship with the natural world. I remember that shock well from the year following our return as a family from our own five-year circumnavigation. And I know now, that once you get into that cruising state of mind, even when you are thrust back into the workaday world, you never really come all the way home. And, that’s a good thing.

George Day

Dock Talk

Dock Talk 0
Bénéteau Announces Production Foiling Monohull

Is this the future of monohull sailing? Foiling is all the rage and it looks like the world’s largest builder of sailboats is getting in on the ground ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Dock Talk 0
Portrait of a Cruising Couple: Meet Barb and Con Sprenger

One of our favorite websites is www.noonsite.com that was created by Jimmy Cornell and is now owned by the World Cruising Association. Here’s the lead in to the ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Dock Talk 0
Man Killed in Boat Explosion in Ensenada

A man has died after a possible propane explosion and fire aboard a sailboat at Marina Coral in Ensenada yesterday afternoon, according to reports from witnesses in the ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Dock Talk 0
Island Packet Owners’ Rendezvous: Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Beige sailing yachts and bright green t-shirts dominated the waterfront this past week-end as the 16th Biennial Maine Island Packet Rendezvous hosted by Norm & Mary Pierce of ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Dock Talk 0
Surviving the OSTAR’s Perfect Storm: The Full Story of the Racers Rescued in Force 11 Summer Gale

Solo sailor Mervyn Wheatley set out from Plymouth for Newport, Rhode Island on 29 May this year with stirring tunes belting out from his beloved Tamarind, the Formosa 42 ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Dock Talk 0
Undersea Discoveries in the Failed Search for MH370

The disappearance of Malaysian Air flight MH370, which vanished in March 2014 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board, remains one of the ...
On August 8, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

The 10+ Year Anti-Fouling®

“It is the best thing we ever did….”

“We are very pleased with the way Coppercoat has performed for us over the past seven years; we have convinced a number of our fellow boaters to do the same, and they are very happy as well.

Our boat spends all summer moored near a treatment plant; we only had to clean the bottom once and there was very little to clean! Looking forward to many more years without having to paint the bottom each spring! “

Customers in Rhode Island

321-514-9197

COPPERCOATUSA.COM

SURVEY QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Before reading on, please complete this week’s survey.

Have you ever had to heave to?

Thank you to all those who responded to the last survey question: Do you have a dedicated propane locker on your boat? 91% do and 9% do not.

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BOAT RAT’S TIP OF THE WEEK

Boat Rat's Tip of the Week 0
Smart Charging

Previously published in BWS. Marine engines come with an alternator rated between 50 and 70 amps as standard equipment. ...
On August 8, 2017 / By Administrator
Boat Rat's Tip of the Week 0
How to Share Your Sailing Experiences Using Modern Video Cameras

Here’s a great article from Daniel Collins on how to get the most from your video cameras while sailing… ...
On August 1, 2017 / By Andrew Cross
Boat Rat's Tip of the Week 0
Building Redundancy into Your Boat’s Systems

Here’s a helpful article from John Champion on how to make your boat’s systems truly reliable… Cruising boats are simple ...
On July 26, 2017 / By Andrew Cross
Boat Rat's Tip of the Week 0
Leave and Return with Peace-of-Mind

Here’s a great article by BWS contributing editor John Neal on how to decommission and commission your boat in a ...
On July 18, 2017 / By Andrew Cross

BOAT REVIEWS

Boat Reviews 0

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

New Jeannneau Sun Odyssey 440

Jeanneau’s Eric Stomberg walks us through the brand new, ultra-modern family cruiser. Watch Here

COOL THINGS TO DO

Cool Things to Do 0
Tour des Yoles in Martinique

The Tour des Yoles Rondes de Martinique is currently underway but maybe it should be on your calendar for ...
On August 8, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Cool Things to Do 0
Women Master the Craft of Sailing at Maine Coast School

The small wooden sailboat rocked at its mooring in Naskeag Harbor as a motor boat from The WoodenBoat School pulled quietly ...
On July 18, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Cool Things to Do 0
Jaws on the Water

Imagine relaxing on an inner tube with a cold drink in hand on a perfect Texas summer night, your ...
On July 4, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Cool Things to Do 0
OCC Announces Azores Pursuit Rally in 2018

In 2018, Peter Café Sport will celebrate its centenary, and to mark this occasion the Ocean Cruising Club is ...
On June 27, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

TECH TALK

Tech Talk 0
Offshore Communication Comes of Age for the Occasional Passagemaker

Whereas long-term cruisers develop various communication strategies over time, offshore communication has always been a challenge for occasional passagemakers ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
Tech Talk 0
Some Propane Dos and Don’ts

There’s nothing more satisfying than capping a pleasant day on the water with a good meal, be it burgers ...
On August 8, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

LAUNCHES

Launches 0
Zurn Yacht Design to Introduce Concept 52 Sailboat

This Doug Zurn 52 foot concept is designed as an offshore capable fast cruiser for a couple, couple with guests, or small family. The perfectly proportioned sweeping sheer ...
On June 27, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Launches 0
Michael Schmidt Yachtbau (MSY) Builds Explorer Sailing Yacht

MSY in Germany has started construction of a fascinating 72 ft explorer, ordered by the Siemens Foundation in Switzerland. This ultra-clean, wind-powered research vessel will be used worldwide ...
On June 13, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Launches 0
Grand Soleil Reveals Two New Projects

The historical Italian yard Cantiere del Pardo just announced two new models: a 34 ft performance and, for the first time, a full custom 80 ft. Do you ...
On June 6, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Launches 0
Baltic cruiser – Saare 46

Although Arthur Ransome did all he could to put Estonia on the sailing map with Racundra’s First Cruise, this beautiful Baltic state is still not noted as a ...
On May 9, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

Website of the Week 0
Offshore Communications: Satellite or SSB?

Behan aboard Totem writes a blog with a ton of useful information for cruisers. In this post she shares ...
On May 22, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

Charter Chatter

Charter Chatter 0
Where Are the Best Snorkeling Spots in the Caribbean?

Grab your fins and get your mask fog-proof ready because we’re kicking our way through nature’s island-hopping paradise to ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day

CRUISING GREEN

Cruising Green 0
Youth Regatta Achieves Platinum Level Clean Regattas Certification

Sailors for the Sea announced today that the Secor Volvo Fishers Island Sound Race is the first youth regatta in the world to achieve Platinum Level Clean Regatta ...
On August 1, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman
Cruising Green 0
Make Sure your Sunscreen is Reef Friendly

A love of tropical watersports combined with the risk of sunburn and skin cancer translates into an estimated 6,000 to 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotion released onto coral reefs ...
On July 12, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

FOR THE HUNGRY CREW

For the Hungry Crew 0
Quick, Easy and Good

(First published in Blue Water Sailing) by Nadine Slavinski Sure, we’d all like to be accomplished galley chefs, amazing ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day
For the Hungry Crew 0
Mango-Strawberry Crumble

Two great sweet summer flavors combine in this easy dessert for any occasion. Ingredients For the filling: 3 large ...
On August 8, 2017 / By Tatja Hopman

MINDBENDER

Mindbender 0
Mindbender

What do you call the sail configuration when the mainsail is strapped out on one side and the genoa ...
On August 15, 2017 / By George Day