News Archive

How to Anchor Safer with a House Brick By Nancy Knudsen/Glynne Attersall, MHYC, 7:42 PM Thu 27 Apr 2006
You’re in a deserted anchorage. It’s a dark night, no moon. You can’t even see to line up to the shore. It’s a lee shore - that’s the only way you could escape the worst of the 30 kt winds out there in the ocean - but invisible. In here, although the sea is calmer, the wind is still hitting 25 kts occasionally. It’s a small anchorage and deep, 20 metres. You have 80 metres of chain out. Scope 4 to 1. Is it enough? Will you sleep? ...[more]

The Tricky Art of Rafting - Safely By Swayne Hill, Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Sydney , 2:51 PM Fri 21 Apr 2006
Most cruisers' on-water events are as much social as practical, and rafting up to a moored yacht is something we do regularly. While our more senior yachties can make this look like a trivial exercise, I expect I'm not alone in feeling a little anxious until I have a glass of wine in my hand with all lines safely secured to the raft. ...[more]

Yachtmaster stable after flare explosion By Pains Wessex, UK , 4:37 PM Tue 18 Apr 2006
A UK Yachtmaster instructor seriously injured by a handheld flare is reported to be in a stable condition. The 51-year-old man was rushed to hospital last week after a white handheld flare exploded in his hand and entered his abdomen. He suffered broken bones, burns and severe internal injuries that required 18 pints of blood. ...[more]

Is your boat ready for sailing safely? By Sail_World Cruising, 12:55 AM Sat 15 Apr 2006
The numbers of people going out in leisure boats is increasing at a dramatic rate worldwide. Unfortunately, so are the emergencies at sea - which put at risk the lives, not only of the crews on the stricken boat, but also to the lives of rescue personnel and other sailors who try to assist. ...[more]

Wireless Anchoring a Winner By Cruising Editor, 6:18 PM Mon 10 Apr 2006
As every cruising sailor knows, getting the right scope when you are anchoring is vital, and it’s important to count the chain as it goes down. We’ve tried paint and we’ve tried cable ties. Paint wears off after a while, and the cable ties eventually catch on something and tear off. In addition, there are many things to distract the bowman’s attention, so the count can be lost. Chain counters are a great boon, but, depending on your boat setup, there are always disadvantages. ...[more]

Container Ships and the Cruising Sailor - Part 4 By Sail-World Cruising, 2:45 PM Fri 7 Apr 2006
In this article, we discuss the situation of yachts and ships in enclosed waters, a ship’s ‘close proximity’ effects on a yacht, How to tell you’re on a collision course, the meaning of horn blasts from a ship, and suggest two great gadgets that may help. ...[more]

Spade Anchor a Winner, Now Here's the Sword By Nancy Knudsen, 2:51 PM Wed 5 Apr 2006
Spade has released a new anchor called the ‘Sword’. It’s cheaper than its big brother, but the manufacturers are claiming the same or better holding power. If it’s as good as the Spade, it’ll be a winner, and well worth considering when you’re investing in a new anchor ...[more]

Sail Rigging for Short Handed Cruising By Sail-World Cruising, 11:40 PM Sun 2 Apr 2006
Hood Sail’s Ian Broad, veteran of many years assistance in the design of cruising sails, here describes the theory behind setting up a Peterson 46 for a short-handed world circumnavigation. All of the theory, and much of the specific information would apply to any yacht. ...[more]

Container Ships and the Cruising Sailor – Part 3 By Nancy Knudsen, 5:46 PM Sat 1 Apr 2006
So there we were, somewhere northwest of Darwin, on our way to Ashmore Reef. Lazy day, sunshine, great visibility, wind behind us, lunchtime. ‘Ya reckon that container ship is on a collision course?’ ...[more]

Iridium Satellite Users Warning By Nancy Knudsen, 8:24 PM Fri 31 Mar 2006
In the next couple of months, Iridium will switch off their current telephone number. If you use Iridium satellite technology for your onboard email/Internet connection, particularly if you will be at sea, you will not want to find yourself cut off unexpectedly. ...[more]

Container Ships and the Cruising Sailor - Part 2 By Nancy Knudsen, 11:29 PM Sun 26 Mar 2006
It’s the worst conditions so far of our 12-month journey. We’re in the narrow Gulf of Suez, it’s dark, with about 30kts gusting 40 on the nose –the engine is helping us through the rocky waves. To starboard, there is a two way shipping lane crowded with monsters going both ways. Ahead and all round are oilrigs, grotesque silhouettes blaring white light into the night. To the left and ahead is ...[more]

Seabrakes - a must have for offshore sailors? By Rob Kothe, 5:51 AM Thu 23 Mar 2006
When Captain John Abernathy grabbed a steel bucket and threw it overboard in a storm, he had no idea he was on his way to a great future invention for sailors. Such a good invention that Sail-World asks, ‘So, why the bloody hell don't you have one?’ ...[more]

Container Ships and the Cruising Sailor – Part 1 By Sail-World Cruising/Richard Chesher, 6:25 AM Wed 22 Mar 2006
It’s just after a chilli lunch in the cockpit. The skipper is sitting next to the companionway looking aft. His friend and crewmate is sitting on the starboard cockpit seat – it’s his watch - looking into space. They are distracted by the fact that the visiting wife is seasick, and the two wives have just gone below. The skipper is looking out to starboard, past his friend, at the gently curving horizon. Then it happens. ...[more]

Don’t Curse Your Diesel Engine! By Sail-World Cruising/Laurence Burgin, 7:48 AM Wed 15 Mar 2006
There’s nothing likely to ruin a great sail or a great holiday than breakdowns. Maybe the skipper and some practical-minded mates might think it’s a lot of fun solve problems while underway, but your non-sailing crew of nervous nellies won’t share your sense of adventure. ...[more]

The Bongo – will make you a better sailor By Cruising Editor, 7:49 PM Tue 14 Mar 2006
No it’s not a drum. It’s a 14 foot keel boat that will not capsize like a normal dinghy. It’s great not only for the kids to learn to sail, but also for anyone to improve their sailing without taking the big boat out, or practising while the rest of the crew look on. ...[more]

Three days adrift – could it happen to you? By Nancy Knudsen, 6:46 PM Tue 7 Mar 2006
It’s night, there’s a high wind blowing off the land. You are on the beach, your sailing boat is in the anchorage, but one of the boats far from shore. Beyond the anchorage, there is nothing but hundreds of miles of ocean. On the way to the yacht in your dinghy the outboard engine fails. You try to row, but the wind is too strong, and keeps blowing you sideways out to sea. You call out, but no on ...[more]

How to Get into a Dinghy Gracefully By Ward Esaak/Sail-World, 12:31 AM Sat 25 Feb 2006
Ever started a day badly by not even being able to negotiate the dinghy, let alone star on the foredeck? Ward Esaak from about.com has some wise words about sailing dinghies, which we thought were worth sharing, even for the tender. ...[more]

The Future of Cruising Boats? By Rob Denney, Perth, WA, AUS , 9:00 PM Tue 21 Feb 2006
Blind Date, the first professionally built harryproa was recently launched in Holland. Two weeks later, Rare Bird was launched in Coffs Harbour, Australia. Harryproas are arguably an entirely new type of cruising boat, the first since trimarans were introduced in the 60's. ...[more]

Innovation Awards Encourage New Thinking By Sail-World, 12:41 AM Tue 21 Feb 2006
Two new boats that could benefit the cruising sailor and three consumer products were recently honoured for innovative achievement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) at the 65th Miami International Boat Show, which closed 20th February. ...[more]

Skype for the Cruising Sailor By Nancy Knudsen, 4:06 AM Sun 19 Feb 2006
‘How long has this been going on?’ that’s what a cruising friend said to me recently when I showed her my Skype set-up. I had to admit I didn’t know the answer to that, but it certainly must be every cruising sailor’s dream. ...[more]

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