Archive for 2000
Cruising in the Fast Lane
Getting There: Reflections on Passages vs. Arrivals
Cruising Like the Old Days
Caribbean Sailing: Winter Trades Arrive and Pressure is Building
Thanksgiving on St. Martin
Caribbean 1500 Epilogue
British Virgin Islands Before the Crowds
Chesapeake to Caribbean: Arrival in Virgin Gorda with New Record
Beowulf in Caribbean 1500: Wind Dies in Center of High
Chesapeake to Caribbean: Beowulf’s Nicest Passage Ever?
Chesapeake to Caribbean Passage: Where Are the Northeast Trades?
Chesapeake to Caribbean Seamanship Tactics: Hitting the Corners
Weather Tactics in Caribbean 1500 Rally
Tradewind Sailing in Caribbean 1500
Chesapeake to Caribbean Seamanship Tactics: Angle is Everything!
Chesapeake to Caribbean Passage: Last-Minute Preparations
Weather Watch: Preparing to Return to the Caribbean
The Mother of All O-Ring Battles
Life Line Connections
The most costly and least reliable segment of your life lines is the terminating hardware. These are typically stainless on stainless turnbuckles, and are subject to galling and cracking over time. A much better approach is now possible with high-modulus line, like Spectra. Make up your life lines with nicro pressed end fittings, and then tie these in place using multipe wraps of Spectra line. There is a second advantage to this system. If you ever have a crew overboard, and need to get rid of the lifelines in a hurry, you can do so by cutting the lashings on one end.
Taking this approach a step further, when we replaced the life lines on BEOWULF this year we did so with Spectra line. It is about the same cost as the stainless steel we¹ve used in the past, a lot lighter, and not subject to corrosion like stainless steel wire.

Tips for Working with Marine Contractors
Seagoing Washing Machines
Probably the most critical piece of cruising gear, the one which we cannot do without, is the washing machine. (Okay, Steve would do without, but Linda is much more civilized.)
For years we’ve used the Spendide washer/drier combo on various boats we’ve built. The unit on Beowulf has 28,000 miles on it. Since the motion at sea is even harder on the innards than anything which happens in actual washing, it has finally been starting to show its age.
Metal Boats: Welding in the Water
Electronic Charting
The marriage of the PC, GPS, and electronic charts is a double-edged sword. The system, when it is operational, definitely reduces workload for a short-handed boat, and helps with navigation in tight spots.
But the system is not foolproof. One must use the same care with these systems as with conventionally plotted positions.
The “Ultimate” Sleep System
Comments on Using the WH Polar Pilot
We’ve been using the WH Polar Pilot option now aboard our 78′ ketch Beowulf for the past year. To say that the features in this option improve the breed is a major understatement. We think the performance and comfort enhancements are nothing short of revolutionary.
Testing Beowulf’s Radical New Sails
Norfolk, VA: Preparing Beowulf for Hurricane Florence
Navigating around Lobster Pots
Beowulf Maintenance Update
Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion
Nantucket Bucket
Beowulf Cruising in New England
Battery Maintenance
We’ve been using Trojan “Traction” batteries for years in our yachts. These industrial strength batteries are designed for a full 80% discharge, and guaranteed for 1500 cycles in industrial use. Last week we removed the batteries from the keel sump aboard Beowulf and sent them back to Trojan for service. We used a combination of main halyard and boat yard hydro-crane to remove them. It is somewhat over five years ago now that we purchased these batteries, and they have sat around for the greater part of this time – not a good thing for their capacity. Trojan took them in, cycled them to the 80% level twice, and then did a voltage check. The check is done at the discharged resting voltage. Turns out that these batteries are at 105% of rated capacity. Not bad after all these years. In chatting with Mark Waycaster at Trojan about maintenance, he emphasized several things (which apply to traction batteries and their marine batteries like the L-16):
Unusual Revolving Storms
Firstly, let me say how much I am enjoying your books, Mariner’s Weather Handbook and Surviving the Storm. For anyone with the slightest interest in the weather around them and in taking a boat to sea, they are excellent reading. However, I do have a couple of queries:
On page 340 of the ‘Mariner’s Weather Handbook’ you show three photographs of tropical revolving storms, when and where they should not be, one off Angola (West Africa) in April 1991 and two of one storm in the Eastern Mediterranean in January (no year mentioned). It is my understanding that no tropical revolving storms have ever been reported in the South Atlantic (until now) and that the sea temperatures in the Eastern Mediterranean in January are certainly not high enough for cyclogenesis nor is the ITCZ anywhere near the Mediterranean. Have you any explanation for these phenomena and/or a year for the Mediterranean storm (I would like to research past meteorological records to find what conditions actually existed in the latter case).
I look forward to your reply, Brent
Maintenance Report after 28,000 Miles on Beowulf
Reflections on Cruising in the Caribbean
Newport-Bermuda, Beowulf vs. Rebecca: Race Results
Newport-Bermuda Passage: Dropping Anchor in Newport
Bermuda-Newport Passage: Gulf Stream Tactics
Newport-Bermuda Passage: Weather Tactics
Bermuda-Newport Passage, Day 1
Final Preparations for Bermuda-Newport, and Agreeing to a Friendly Race
Preparing for Bermuda-Newport Passage
Relaxing in Bermuda, and Watching Weather for Passage to Newport, RI
Antigua to Bermuda Passage: Hook Down in Convict Bay
Antigua to Bermuda Passage Day 4
Antigua to Bermuda Passage Day 3: Confusing Weather Forecasts
Antigua to Bermuda Passage Day 3
Antigua to Bermuda Passage Day 2: Fuel = Speed
Antigua to Bermuda Passage Day 2
Antigua to Bermuda Passage: Watching the Weather
Antigua to Bermuda Passage: Weather Window Looks Good
Watching the Weather before Bermuda Passage
Race Week Reflections
Guadeloupe-Antigua race report
The Cockroach War
Antigua
Chafe
Salt Water Ballast Tanks
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia: Repairing a Bow Roller
Marigot Bay, St. Lucia: A Caribbean Anchorage as Nice as the South Pacific
Bequia: Nice Cruising Destination
Sailing to Bequia
Account of a Helicopter Rescue
To Steve & Linda Dashew,
I was able to see your “Surviving the Storm” book via Reg Ellwood…I was the Co-pilot and winch operator for the rescue of the Burman’s on the “Freya”. I was also Captain of the aircraft the following day at the first light in the search for Julie Black and the “Salacia”. The latter having been reduced to pieces not much larger than this letter.
A Day in the Cruising Life in Mt. Hartman Bay, Grenada
Strategy for Approaching Prickly Bay, Grenada
Should Beowulf Head for St. Lucia or Grenada?
Sailing Towards Grenada
Sailing from Curacao towards the Grenadines and Catching Up on Mail
Spanish Waters, Curacao: A Friendly Spot for Cruisers
Panama to Caribbean Passage: Experience the “Coastal Effect” off Colombia
Panama to Caribbean Passage Day 3
SailMail/SSB E-mail
When we first started cruising in the 70s a key factor in our desire to keep going was the ability to communicate with friends and family. In 1976 state-of-the-art communication was via an Atlas ham radio. One had to watch band conditions, and the voice connection was often difficult to hear. You’d connect to a shore-based ham station who’d “patch” you into his local phone system.