Survey Question of the Week

Before reading on, please take a moment to answer our weekly survey. Thank you.

If you were planning to head offshore to sail south to Mexico, the Bahamas, Central America or the Caribbean this winter, what forms of communications would you carry aboard?

Thanks to all who answered last week’s survey on an emergency plan for the steering your boat at sea without a rudder. 78% of those who replied have an emergency steering plan. 68% said they would use sail trim to steer the boat, presumably in conjunction with other means. 56% said they would tow warps on a bridle; 38% said they would tow a drogue on a bridle; 12% said they have twin rudders so they already have a spare; 12% said they have no plan other than calling for assistance; and 8% said they had a spare rudder device on the transom. Omitted from the survey was the option of a wind vane self steering device with an auxiliary rudder –such as a Hydrovane, Wind Pilot of Auto-Helm– and 12% of readers said that this was their back up steering device.