My wife and I have considered buying a catamaran and putting it into a bareboat program. This seems like an economical way to make sure that I have a boat available to me (paid off) when I retire in 5 years.

What would you recommend?

Sincerely Yours, J. Mitchell (Mitch) Patridge, Jr.

Dear Steve, Just finished your Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia. Great ideas and information. My wife and I just bought a Stevens 47 and hope to start applying your theories soon on our planned circumnavigation. Its 500 nm fuel range has me concerned though. Would you advise converting 50 gal. of its water tankage to fuel, leaving 75 gal. of water and a 20 gph genset powered watermaker? – Jim

I’ve got an electrical generating concept to bounce off you. The boat is a catamaran with two Yanmar 27 HP engines. I want to power a Marine Air 16K btu air conditioner without adding a genset (third engine, weight). I’d like to run two 120 amp alternators in parallel on each engine (one regulator per engine) by connecting their fields together. Then add a second 3KW inverter that powers only the airco compressor. A link 20 runs the 800 AH battery bank. What do you think? Thanks, Bill

Good Day: We are sailing our 48′ ketch up the Hudson into Canada this summer. We keep the boat in Elbow Cay in the Bahamas and plan to pull the masts in Albany.

I’ve seen awnings that don’t need to be supported by halyards. I’ve seen them supported with frames made with PVC pipe. Any idea who sells or might have plans for such an awning?

Do you sell or are you aware of any videos that might be of interest to us for this trip? Kindest regards, Steve

Dear Steve and Linda, I own a Columbia 50 sailboat and I am redoing the exhaust system. Do you know what the original water jacket exhaust was made of ? I have been told that copper is the best as long as no other metals are involved. I have tried a water lift but the back pressure is taking too much power from the engine (Westerbeke 107). I would like to go back to the original as I have the room to do it now. A stand pipe would work but I do not like the long section of dry stack. Any information would be helpful. p.s. great books I have “The Circumnavigators’ Handbook” and “Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia” Thanks So Much, Charles

Hi–I took your advice (article on The New Way to Get Weather Faxes) and got weather faxes from Marine Prediction Center. When I opened them they were scrambled letters and numbers only. Is the TIF format something I need to have a program for in order to decode and read? Thanks, Frank

You mention more than once in (your) books how pleased (you are) with your barograph. Some probably don’t handle the motion of a sailboat very well. Which one (do you) recommend? Thanks, Neal

Dear Steve and Linda: Have your Encyclopedia and am now on my second reading to really start nailing down the key points you make…what a great book…couple of quickies I have now…Do you navigate with GPs with celestial as backup? Thanks, Richard

I am now interested in a 40 foot Newporter that seems to be in great shape. I’m the guy from Alaska and wanted a motorsailer. Do you know anything about these boats? There was 122 made, an older model but appears to have nice lines to her. The only thing I might wonder about is the freeboard. She is nice and heavy at 30,000# 5600 in the keel. I happened to love wooden boats. This is a cold mold with fiber glass. I anxiously wait your response. Cheers, Spike

Hi Steve, I have been researching the used boat market for monhulls in Florida and am looking for a 40-45 foot monohull. I have a budget of 70,000 for a used boat and then know that it may take another 30000-40000 to complete the process to have all that I would want to be safe and comfortable to take off for 5 years.

I wanted to get your advice on some hulls that I have found. First is the cost effective Morgan 41-415 and 416 years 1976 and 1978. A lot of boat for the money. But I know it is slow and the quality may not be desirable. Second is a 1977 Halberg Rassey 41. A blue water boat, a center cockpit. I feel it is solid and quality built. Has all the room we need. Third is a 1974 Soverel 48. A long water line fast boat with a hull and keel design similar to your yachts.

All the boats I look at that are aft cockpit in this size have small master cabins. The center cockpits have big master cabins. A big cabin is important to us. I know you don't like center cockpits. If I could get some advise on the above boats or if you could recommend some yachts I should be hunting for with aft cockpits that you would buy if you had my budget and size requirement. This would be most helpful to start my process right. I am trying to follow all your advise but must start with an older used yacht. Thank you so much. Good luck. Corey

I’m currently stationed out in Hawaii and own a Lancer 30-5. I was thinking of sailing her to my next duty station in San Diego. I was wondering if you had any insight on that particular boat.–Brent

Can a ratchet block be used in order to control the release of a furling line? The 44′ boat I recently purchased uses a small diameter spectra line for furling, and if and when it takes off in a breeze, it can do great damage to the hands! If you let it go, it usually kinks in the aft furling block. Thanks, Ted

I am continuing to work on re-fitting my Columbia 45 with Mike Conner’s continued assistance.

We are beginning to engineer running halyards and lines back to my cockpit. I have main, jib and spinnaker halyards as well as the spinnaker topping lift halyard. My current main has one set of reef points and I intend to have two sets when I build my next main, so I am planning for two reefing lines. We would like to know whether I should plan to run these six lines back to the cockpit or if there are additional ones that should go back as well. If we run more than six, we are aware of deck organizers that stack the lines so four can run back with two on top of two.

Do you recommend for or against stacking lines with deck organizers?

Can you give a recommendation on which lines/halyards you most strongly recommend running back to the cockpit? Thank you for your input. – Eric

Gentlemen: For years we have been setting our headsail on a roller furler and, once tightened to the desired deployment, have simply cleated the jib halyard off to remain at the same tightness until we changed the headsail. It has been suggested that the jib halyard should be loosened when the boat is not in use, to be tightened again when the jib is deployed. Are we doing any significant damage to the standing rigging, the roller furling gear or the luff of the jib/genoa by failing to release the halyard when the boat is not in use? Thank you. J.P. Anderson

In your new weather book, do you cover storm tactics in a yawl? On a mizzen staysail where do you place the clue? We are thinking of getting a mizzen staysail for our Crealock 37. The mizzen mast is about 21′ tall, is this too small for a mizzen spinnaker or stay with the staysail? Thanks, Dave

I am currently looking at a 54 Hylas to be used for coastal cruising in Florida and the Bahamas, very little extended blue water. A lot of daysailing. Would you recommend a furling boom or in-mast (vertical battens)? Are the in-boom furlers relatively trouble-free? Thank you. Richard

Aloha Folks: I am, like too many new cruisers, spending money adding things I MIGHT need…I am thinking about prep for the day at sea when not smart enough to avoid heavy weather, and I need a drogue.

AVALON, TPI hull #5 has at the stern port and starb an open chalk on the rail thru which in a tie up to a dock leads fair to the cleat mounted thwartship on the stern.

I am wondering how to secure drogue lines considering their strain and the stern line cleat set at right angles to the pull of the drogue line.

What would you say to leading the drogue bridle thru the hole between the cleat “feet”, then a single turn around a heavy winch then secured to the midship cleat on the rail? The winch turn to facilitate retrieval, the stern cleat to provide a fairlead, and the midship cleat to provide a fair securing place.

Thanks, Scott

Greetings, I have purchased two of your books, with CDs, and they are excellent. I refer to them regularly to solve specific problems and for general learning (random open and read).

One area I want more information on, and cannot find in either of the books (Surviving and Offshore) is motorsailing. In addition to your two books, I have done quite a bit of research on the web, looked for magazine articles (current and archive), etc., and still cannot find any information. All I can find is the occasional reference to motorsailing in some trip logs.

I am interested in the theory and practice of motorsailing, and the pros and cons, cautions (re: sails, motor) etc. Can you provide this information and/or refer me to a qualified source of information on this.

By the way, another item I couldn’t find in your books was on the matter of what gear/or neutral to leave the engine in when sailing (I recently switch from a folding to three-blade fixed prop). Thanks, Howard

Do you still use the WH Autopilots referred to in your first edition? Where can I find them? Website? Regards, Hal

I realize this must be the single most common question you hear, but I cannot find it on your FAQ page. What are your recommendations on rig type and boat size for a cruising couple? We currently have a Frers 41, but want to move aboard and go offshore indefinitely – so we are looking at other boats. When we cruise now – which is every available moment (we do not race), our boat is stuffed with all manner of gear, supplies, bikes, books etc. Our gear wish list is long, and provisioning for a long journey… Personally we love split rigs, and are very inclined towards a marconi rigged schooner we have seen. My concerns are handling a large boat (60′) with my wife, and of course maintenance costs. Any pointers you may be able to give us would be much appreciated. Thank you for all the information you have published. Alex & Daria Blackwell

Is there a listing of used Dashew boats available?–Tom

Have you had experience with the Tacker, that plastic device that slides over the roller furled headsail to attach the clew of a spinnaker so you don’t use a pole? It seems to me the load on it would be excessive and possibly bend the foil on the furler.

Steve, I was fortunate to have sailed with you and Linda in Ventura a number of years ago and got to back your boat into the slip easily due to the max-prop. I need to decide between a max-prop and a controllable pitch prop. It seems that the max-prop might have the advantage in backing where the cpp shines due to ease of adjustment underway. Which do you prefer and why? Robert

Hi Steve & Linda, Thanks for the great Encyclopedia & library. We have been enjoying it for a long time now. Thanks also for your advice on the ROCNA anchor. We have now purchased one & hope to start using it & the boat soon. I’m wondering if you’ve any knowledge/feedback on leaded anchor line. We have 42 metres of chain but would like more. Unfortunately our anchor locker won’t take any more & I thought perhaps 50 metres of leaded anchor line might make a suitable compromise (added to the existing chain). We have not come across anyone who has used this product & are hoping you or one of your readers can help with some feedback. Thanks, Pam & Bill

Steve: You emphasize the importance of weight in anchors. Is it weight itself or fluke size that you think important? This issue has obvious relevance to buying a steel or aluminum version of an anchor where this is possible: Fortress and Spade. I don’t have an anchor windlass on my 40′ J120 and don’t want one. So I want a light anchor. I am considering a 33# aluminum Spade which is the same size as a 66# steel Spade. What do you think? – David

Hello Steve & Linda, I just watched Offshore, and enjoyed it very much. I have been looking around on your website, and I think it is fantastic. Well done. I dream of having a lifestyle like yours one day.

I’m 22, and have a 34′ custom riveted aluminum round bilge, Terhou, built in England in ’59. Within the next decade or so, intend to weld something bigger (and faster) for myself.

This goal has me thinking about design, best practices, etc. You mentioned in Offshore that Sundeer’s keel is welded on. How is the ballast installed? Is it poured inside? I assume it is lead? – Ryan

Hi Steve, You built some 74′ Motorsailors that are illustrated in the Cruising Encyclopedia, but not mentioned anywhere else that I can see. Can you tell us more about your Motorsailors. What are your current thoughts on Motorsailors? What IS a Motorsailor? BEOWULF is sometimes referred to as a Motorsailor and may be the best example of the breed. John T

I have a Rasmus 35 and I am having problems with the toerail being loose from its screws…and am finding it difficult to extract the loose screws…any suggestions?

I have an alum. yacht. It’s been sitting on blocks for 6 months so I can work on it. I noticed a month ago a small hole the size of a pin head appeared. Now I have 14 of them, all in the area of the heads. Any ideas why? How can I stop it, and fix it? Any advice would be appreciated.–Dale Quigley

I BOUGHT A YACHT WITH MOLD INSIDE ON MOST HULL SURFACES WHICH WE HAVE SANDBLASTED. I HAVE CHECKED MANY SOURCES FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. HAVE RECEIVED MANY FROM SPRAY BENZALCONIUM CHLORIDE TO GLACIC ACETIC ACID AND ALCOHOL TO PLAIN CHLORINE BLEACH SPRAY. DO YOU OR ANY ONE HAVE AND RECOMMENDATIONS OR SULUTIONS? FRED

We love your book! Can you tell me more about the deadbolts you use to lock the hatch boards down? We have a Crealock 37 Yawl and would like to install these on our boat also. We have watched the video many, many times and learned so much. Thanks, D and M

Hey, I really love your site. I’m heading out from Portland, Oregon through the Panama Canal to Europe. Do you know how I can locate cruisers who might have used charts? I have the Bellingham Chart resource but I want to help returning people “recycle” their recent charts… Any direction? Thanks, Jim

I have a Tayana 47…my initial cruising plans are as follows:

I am sailing with the ARC Europe 2002, from St. Augustine, Florida to Lagos, Portugal, via Bermuda and the Azores, this May. I then plan on cruising Gibraltar, Spain, the Balearic Islands, Morrocco,and the Canary Islands in the summer and fall. In November 2002, I will again rejoin the ARC, for the passage from the Canaries to St. Lucia, West Indies, in November 2002. Thereafter, I will spend some time, possibly two years cruising the Caribbean, before commencing a westward circumnavigation, through the Panama Canal, and across the Pacific. My questions, based on the above itinerary, are as follows:

1. Should I join a yacht club here in the States before I leave, in order to take advantage of club reciprocity? Is it necessary?
2. Should I install a European gas tank and fitting for cooking? I currently have 2, 20 lb. propane tanks in a dedicated locker. Shall I replace one with a European (camping gaz and fittings) system. I am not sure if my Force 10 propane stove will work with Butane? Will find out next week at the Miami Boat Show.
3. My battery charger will work with 110v, 50 htz. I will be installing a transformer to bring current down from 220 to 110. I currently use a 50 amp shore power cord. What kind of cord will I need in Europe? My A/C pump is 110/60. Can I run it with 110/50, without significant damage, if I am only using it for a few months at that cycle rate?
4. Will I need a gang plank for my short stay in Europe? I will probably spend time in Marinas in Spain and Morocco, but want to do more anchoring than Marinas generally.
5. I am planning on using an Iridium phone for my e-mail, rather than fitting out my SSB with a modem for such usage. What are you thoughts on this decision?

Thank you in advance for your prompt response to these questions. And more important, thank you for all you guidance and encouragement in my preparations. Sincerely Yours, Phillip

Linda & Steve, Love your site…We’re planning a 1 to 1.5yr cruise, starting next year. No definite destinations yet except East Coast of US & the Caribbean Islands.

I have not been able to find any info on handling finances while cruising. Budgets for cruising, yes, but none on how efficient mail forwarding is, paying bills for land homes, how to arrange to get money while cruising, cashing checks in foreign countries, etc.

Do any of your books cover mail & finances while cruising? Any sources of info covering these subjects would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Claire

Dear Steve and Linda, I did not see my question in your FAQ list, but I am sure that it is a perennial.

The question is what tactics have cruisers devised to economize on the potentially enormous cost of charts, no matter whether electronic or hard copy. Charts for the East Coast (US) are fine, for parts of Europe, but when one adds together all the places that one may visit, the ports that one should keep in mind for emergencies, much less to visit; the no. and cost quickly becomes enormous. So my question, what do people do to keep the cost within reasonable bounds? Many thanks, James and Kate

Hello, I am wondering if you have any experience with Whispergen generators. I have read their information and they sound very good, however I have not met anyone who has one to get a first-hand story about their efficiency. Hope you can help. Brent

Do you have any recommendation on how to isolate a alternator from engine body to prevent electrolyses on metal hull?

I’m trying to track down the “super juice” eutectic solution mentioned as being used by you to improve holdover plate performance. Where should I be looking? Thank you very much! Don Joyce

I am a Marine Surveyor in Northern CA and I am in the middle of managing a large maintenance and upgrade project for a client. The client is interested in following a number of suggestions made the the “Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia”, one of which is having both an electric and manual shutdown for his diesel engine. The local Yards are saying they’ve never heard of doing this and I was wondering how to contact Steve Dashew to see if there is a drawing or write-up explaining the linkage so that we can move this process along. I have no doubt I can “engineer” the idea but was trying to avoid “re-inventing the wheel”. Can you provide me with his e-mail address or an address of someone who might have this info? Thank you, Michael

I am trying to find a source to get some pricing and technical info on the Gale Rider drogue. Can you help? Thanks. 🙂 Tom

Dear Sailors:Last summer, I was reefing the sail, had my hand on my aluminum mast, and a thunderstorm that was a mile away sent an invisible charge my way and gave me quite a shock with a boom that I think was caused by the main bolt hitting a nearby ridge. What are the odds of getting a strong bolt through the mast? What will occur? We were sailing down in the Keys last month, and a lightning bolt hit a sailboat mast while the boat was on the trailer, out of the water. The mast glowed red for five minutes. I can’t find any information on this subject. Does a lightning bolt destroy radios? Can it hurt the hull? Best regards, Chris

Greetings from Cartagena, Columbia. We purchased your Mariners’s Wx Handbook in August and have enjoyed reading it as we sailed West from Curacao. This has been a very unusual year in the Caribbean with the late hurricane “Lenny” that tracked East from Jamaica to St. Martin and now all the rain on the coast of SA in the normally dry month of Dec. It looks like a La Nina event with the cold water off the coast in the Pacific. Your book talks about El Nino but not much about La Nina. We are planning a cruise to the South Pacific this Spring. Can you tell us how this might affect the wx patterns? Or can you give me some references of web sites etc. to check. Hope to hear from you soon and best wishes for the holidays, Tom and Maureen

Another question to add to “The Right Boat” category, if you have a moment. I would certainly appreciate a comment or two regarding Gulfstars as a sailing boat, specifically the cutter-rigged Gulfstar 44. Anticipated use would be primarily coastal cruising and island-hopping in the Caribbean.

Hi Steve, [What are your] opinions on the Formosa design and is it a capable bluewater vessel i.e. circumnavigator. Regards, Scott

I am inquiring about any good places to go for Santana 37 info. I have talked with Schock and they have been very helpful. I have also talked with Peter Crane of Peter Crane Yachts. Not much on the Internet about this boat.

I have a chance to buy Destiny II, Hull Number 2 of the Santana series, and wonder if it is a great boat or just a 30-year-old boat. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Eric

Hello Steve, I have a decision to make now on my new rig.

I have a brand new carbon fibre spar. It is 56′ long, double spreaders with discontinuous rod standing rigging.

The shrouds terminate with stemballs in the spreader bars (i.e. no tangs in the spar except for the cap shrouds).

The shroud stemballs cannot be removed while the spreaders are in place, which means that if I had a shroud problem, it would be impossible to change while the mast is standing.

Navtec has a part which is a stemball with a marine eye on the other end. This means I could have forks on the ends of the shrouds, which are pinned to the stemball eyes, which are embedded in the spreader bars. This would allow me to change a broken shroud while under way.

My question is: Should I bother? With rod rigging, are there signs of fatigue, like with meat hooks etc. in wire? If I broke a shroud, say a D3 or V2 or D2, or something, would the spar already be broken and changing the shroud is now meaningless? Obviously if a V1 broke, the mast would snap instantly, so we don’t have to talk about that. More clearly stated: is there any circumstance that would prompt me to want to replace a rod shroud while away from a harbour and a mast crane?

The stemball eyes would likely add maybe 2 or three pounds to the rig, and add the complexity of a dozen extra bits and pieces.

I want to sail across an ocean (and back) some time in the next few years or so. – Ryan

Hi Steve, I recently broke my mast on my 41 foot sloop and I am in a quandary in what to do. A new mast is pretty expensive and I am trying to avoid getting a new mast.

Some people have suggested that I sleeve and rivet the mast together (splice). I am not convinced if this method would have long-term advantages.

My mast broke right around the 1st spreaders with a relatively clean cut. It was a fractional rig. The aluminum mast is about 54 feet long. Do you think that a repair would be wise if done properly or would it be prudent to get a new mast if the budget permits? Thanks, Joey

In Steve & Linda Dashew’s 6Sept 2000 report they discussed new sails and closed with a comment that they had gone for a single-line reefing system–“details in a later bulletin”. I don’t recall seeing such an article–either in the logs or in Tech Talk. Did I miss it, or is it still to come? Regards, Mike

Hi Steve, I note in your latest book thay you suggest using 2 mm UHMW for chafe patches. I have a Kelly Peterson 46 and am having my sacrificial jib panel replaced. I want to redo the spreader chafe patches as well but my sail maker doesn’t know where to get the UHMW material. He is game to try this, but thought if he can’t find it, maybe heavy (40 mil) dodger window material would work well. Any thoughts where to get the UHMW or does the dodger window material sound good? Thanks, Carl

I read your articles about drogues etc. and would ask you, (being newly baked at sea things), how does one determine the size of a drogue or sea-parachute ancher? I hve a 36 foot Malo 50 with 8 tons laden weight. Sincerely, Richard Dixon, Copenhagen

In your (absolutely fabulous!) Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, you talk on page 46 about using a “Fortress to back up the Bruce in a hurricane” Would you link the Fortress to the Bruce via a chain trace? if so, what sort of length would you use? or would you run the Fortress on a completely separate chain back to the bow (with the risk of the chains winding around one another)? This is important to me because we have both anchors, plus a delta on our Fisher 32, and may be going into the tropics next year. Whilst we would aim not to be there in the cyclone season, I won’t go until I know what to do if we get one!

I will be very grateful for your suggestions. Best regards, Stuart

We are looking at buying a 1983 Alden with two centerboards. I’m familiar with one board but not two. The boat draws 5′ 4" BU and 11′ 8" BD. What is your advice on this arrangement. Thanks, Rod and Lucinda

(Regarding Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia)…An encyclopedia it certainly is–a wealth of information that must have taken a lifetime to collect. I enjoyed reading your book and I’m glad I made the purchase.

Criticism: 1. There are a few mistakes where you reflect imperial measurements and then the metric measurement in ( ). Assuming that the imperial measurement are correct, then the metric conversion is incorrect. I cannot remember the page numbers where the errors are. It’s insignificant really–perhaps a tiny slip of the pen? 2. You seem to have a big prejudice against multihulls and this is sad. All the text and pictures also show outdated multihulls designs and concepts. Regards, Wiets

Hi I am having trouble getting an answer on how to reef my main sail. I have a Beneteau 350 Oceanis. It is “new to me” but the person I purchased it from could not reef the main. It is a North sail. I will try to describe what I have. First of all the Sail is set up for Dutchman flaking. (I don’t think this has any bearing on the problem) This is applicable to both the first and second reef points. The main sail has only 2 cringles.

I have a line that starts at the cockpit and goes to a pulley at the base of the mast. From this point it goes up to a pulley into the mast end of the Boom. It exits the boom at the clew and goes through the cringle in the sail and then the bitter end is made fast at and anchor point at the bottom of the boom.

As it is currently rigged I can reef the back of the sail. I cannot reef the luff or front. There must be some way of leading the line through he cringle at the luff of the sail. I can’t go from the base of the mast to the cringle because when I return to the boom it would be on the wrong side of the pulley. I am sure it would snag.

I do have 2 open stainless loops attached to each side of the mast but they do not seem to be at the right location to aid in the change of direction. I hope my description is adequate. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In your very valuable Encyclopedia (looking forward to read the heavy weather issue) you briefly mentioned a way to generate DC power with a MAXPROP or AUTOPROP. Is there any description available on this setup? My boat is a Gerard Dijkstra designed 77 ft centerboard shooner (steel, 60 tons) and a MAXPROP is fitted but I am thinking of changing to AUTOPROP (only for performance when maneuvering). Is it possible to do the same trick with this prop? I hope you find the time for an answer. Best regards, Paul

Hello Steve, Would you please tell me the material you used for anchor rollers on Windhorse? Is there a good mix between something soft (quiet) enough and durable? Thanks, Bill

Dear Steve and Linda, Impressed by your books, esp. the encyclopedia. Still I’ve 1 question: I’m looking for a powered windlass for my new 50′ ALU ketch. In your books you hint electrical windlasses are good enough, however I hear from different people that they can only work for a short period because of heating of the DC motor. Indeed e.g. Muir says to me: max. 10 minutes running time. At a speed of 8 m.min that’s only 80 meters chain. Now you also write that anchoring involves 3 maybe even 5 trials before the anchor holds. How does that relate to each other? Wouldn’t therefore a hydraulic windlass be better? Many thanks in advance, Ronald

Good Morning Steve: I have a 98 Valiant 42. I’m selling her and moving to the trawler mode. Most trawlers are just ugly–too high off the water, too much windage. I’ve found the Dieselducks designed by George Buehler and built at Seahorse Marine in China. Please look over these and let me know what you think. Here is their website: http://www.seahorseyachts.com/ Go to the dieselduck 44 and take a look at them. Please let me know how you feel about steel boats and if the design is sound. I respect your opinion more than anyone out there. Thanks again, Roy

Dear Steve and Linda, heaving read all of your books I would like to thank you for your advice given there. As only one example, we’ve changed our mainsail to an extra-roached, fully-battened one which gave us 1 knot extra speed at all courses, which is a lot for 34 feet. Having a double backstay we don’t see any problems even with 30 cms overlap.

My question now is: What do you think of centerboards? We are interested in a 43′ Dutch aluminium Koopmans design which has no keel whatsoever. She sports only internal ballast and the centerboard seems rather small (weighing around 400 kg). The boat was constructed for falling dry in the North Sea. She has a long waterline and a draft of 1,20 meters board up and 2,50 m board down. The rudder is fully integrated into the hull and in line with the ship’s bottom, more just like a motorboat. Is the rudder surface of approx. 1,2 squaremeters large enough and the profile (not balanced) effective to steer the ship in a heavy going?

Thanks for some advice, and have some fun with your grandbaby. Andreas

I write seeking some advice on Aluminum boats. I have a 50 foot Ferru Pilothouse cutter. This French boat is constructed in Al but has epoxy fairing compound in varying thickness over the entire hull and deck (damn those Frenchies). The vessel was neglected for a couple of years so blisters formed over a large surface area. We’ve been chipping away at these blisters to allow air at the Al to prevent further surface deterioration and now the boat looks like it has leprosy. Inspired by your lithe bare-metal “Beowulf”, I want to remove the rest of the fairing compound to lighten the vessel and avoid the sisyphean task of regular paint and epoxy maintenance. The remaining coating, however are tenaciously adherent to the metal surface. These are some of the questions I have… 1. Is it advisable to strip the boat bare? 2. What is the best way to deal with the tiny areas of pitting corrosion that have occurred where water was trapped between the epoxy and the metal? 3. What is the best way to strip the epoxy from aluminum without damaging the hull and deck? 4. Does sandblasting have to be done with aluminum oxide grit or could another material be used? 5. Do you know anything about the French boatbuilder, Ferru? We love to sail our boat and we intend to keep her for many years. We are currently living aboard in New York. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

Hello Steve, We have an Aluminum boat and we’re in the midst of denuding the deck of fairing compound. With no anti-skid, what do you think are the best deck shoes to use to minimize the chance of careening overboard in heavy weather.

Thanks for the help. Edward

Steve, What system do you use for e-mail and Internet access at sea? What connection speeds do you get? Is it good enough to get the NOGAPS Java movies within a reasonable time frame? What are the options?–Alan

Greetings. Does your library of encyclopedic knowledge have any definitive source(s) for optimum, spatial ergonomics for the interiors of vessels? For instance, passageways 18″ – 22″ wide? Head & shower stall sizes…what’s adequate (for basic duties and toweling off) yet still economic in size? In a “U” shaped galley is 36″ between counters OK? Seating around a dinette…how much room should be allowed for each “sitter” and comfortable “elbow room”? I trust you get my drift as the list of examples could go on forever. I’ve seen your comments on headroom but very little on provisions for comfort, ease and safety whilst moving about and living on a vessel in a seaway. Hopefully you’ve covered this subject before, but if not, it might make a good topic for consideration.

I should add that I fully appreciate the functioning of a proper boat…not a floating condominium or “gin palace”!…And know the danger factor of being thrown about in overly generous living and/or poorly designed interior spaces. Further, I acknowledge that this topic is subject to personal preferences but believe there is, or should be a baseline to start with. Thank you for any information you can provide. Cheers, Richard

We are about 1/3 of the way through a refit of our Westsail 42 “Heartland” and are now beginning to think about what type of material to use on the dinette and saloon cushions. Ironically we have come across a quantity of leather for a great price but are reluctant to buy. Can you shed any light on how leather would hold up to the marine envirnoment? Thank Your Time, John & Deanna

PS: You Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia has proven invaluable during our refit.

Hello Steve,

This question may sound like I’m biting off more than I can chew, however my wife and I are fully committed to doing it anyway. The house is on the market and we’ve promised ourselves that we’ll give it at least one year before we make our minds up whether to keep sailing or return to landlubbers.

I am 41 year old, have almost no sailing experience other than going out on our local bay (Morton bay–Brisbane Australia) with friends on their mid 20ft day-sailers. This is where we (my wife and I ) intend to live aboard and learn to sail until I feel confident enough to coastal sail the 400 miles up to the Whitsunday Island group, and then offshore to the South Pacific Islands and beyond when we’re ready!

Just so you understand my reasoning in learning to sail this way, as opposed to getting a small kneel boat first, I wish to live aboard now, I have always found it easier and quicker for ME to learn by jumping in with both feet. I don’t learn easily in a structured environment, ie: sailing school, I enjoy a challenge. I quite often have people say to me after they get to know me "is there anything that you can’t do!" Some examples–I’ve built my own house from start to finish using no other trades except electrician, it is being sold as I write this for over half a million dollars (this is our cruising kitty) or rebuilding the Isuzu turbo diesel in my 4×4 campervan in remote central Australia when it split the skirting on a piston, I’d never worked on a diesel before.

I have just retired from 17 years as a professional motorcycle racer. This has taught me to trust my own judgment, recognise the difference between fear and danger, anticipate consequences and problems before they happen and never to let anxiety or fear cloud your judgment. As strange as it seems I think these qualities should be a good base from which to jump into the world of cruising. Oh and I grew up on a remote outback cattle station, so being isolated and self reliant is second nature to me.

Ok, now you’re probably thinking this guys got a couple of kangaroo’s loose in the top paddock.

Here’s what I am thinking:
Spending a total of about $150,000 AUS (this will leave us with 2 rental houses debt free for income )
A steel, aluminum or cold moulded wood boat (no doubt I’ll run aground while I’m learning) with a good size engine to pull us off a lee shore while learning too.
34-38 ft ( although my 24 year old cousin who has been the youngest captain ever to do the Sydney to Hobart races including the 1998 storm when he was just 19, says get a 40+ ft boat as it won’t be any harder to learn to sail than the smaller boat and be much better to live aboard)

After reading your sensational OFFSHORE CRUISING ENCYCLOPEDIA, on page 1123 HIO AVAE a Santana 37, I would be very interested on what you would think of this for our first boat?

I guess my biggest question is, should I buy a smaller coastal cruiser and then in a couple of years buy a bigger offshore blue water boat or put up with the inconveniences of a bigger blue water boat while we learn coastal cruising ( I am assuming that it would take at least a year to learn to sail any new boat to its full potential, so selling a coastal cruiser in couple of years then learning a new bigger blue water boat may be counter productive?

Should it be a more traditional design with heavy displacement, full keel etc. which will cope more easily with my mistakes while I’m learning or a boat with a fin keel canoe shaped hull that you favour?

I will probably have my cousin help in choosing from a short list of half-dozen boats the final boat, as he will have a better understanding of a good layout for systems on deck and living under deck.

Regards Peter

I was wondering whether you have any information on plastic bags that can be sealed for storing boat cushions. Look forward to hearing from you.

Hi: I would like to know what you consider the minimum a couple would need to set up a cruising boat in the 35′ range-we are looking for a Ferro-cement at present. I also believe in the ‘less is more’ approach. Thank you and good cruising

John K.

I am in the process of outfitting and taking classes in everything I can get my hands on (Safety at Sea, Mahina Expeditions, Coastal Navigation, Amateur Radio, Scuba, Celestial Nav, Diesel Maintenance & Repair, Intro to Radar, and so on) and am curious to get your take on medical training and the need for it. Specifically, I am contemplating an EMT course which is 120 hours and not cheap, but it does cover quite a bit that is practical on the water and a lot of stuff that will never likely come up. That all said, in reading your encyclopedia, it did not seem that those who you feature were necessarily caught up in courses and certification. Some of the courses I have and am taking are not necessary to all departing, but where do you stand on the medical training issue?

Thanks and I’ll see you out there! Mike

Hi. We’re about to install rigid (as opposed to flexible) solar panels on our Cal 3-46: looking at a number of options for placement: atop dodger, atop Kato davits at stern, swiveled at side rails–any comments about optimum placement and subsequent sailing/safety issues? Thanks, Glenys

Hi Steve, What kind of sailing instruments (do you recommend) for my 52′ sloop? My builder says he’s found Raymarine to be more reliable than B&G. And my electronics expert wants me to use B&G. Do you have any preference? And why? Or there is always Occam, but everybody seems to say to use B&G instead. Many thanks, Mac

We are in the process of purchasing an LRC trawler and are wondering about the advisability of including a watermaking system. We don’t know which is preferable, reverse osmosis or evaporator. Any thoughts on types, preferred brands, tradeoffs, etc? Any help would be hugely appreciated. Thanks, Tom C. and Bob S.

Can find no mention of “traction” batteries at Trojan’s web site. Do you have a part number or other identifier? Stan

Hi. I have purchased and completely read Mariner’s Weather Handbook, and now I am reading Surviving the Storm. I would like to take a stab at weather prediction, say for my own area (Detroit, MI) as a way to build the skills you suggest are necessary to make the best possible passages. My problem is, after reading all this material I must be in info overload as I have no idea how to start. Could you suggest a simple recipe for doing prediction using the internet that I could try out? I tried looking at some of the marine sites mentioned in the book, but there are so many sites and so many links to info. I am lost. A recipe might look like…

Steve, This may seem like a dumb question, but….How does the height above the water affect the anemometer readings? The reason I ask this is that my mast is 56ft off the water and it seems that the wind speed readings I get are consistently higher than mates of mine that have shorter (i.e. 35ft) masts. I have B&G gear so it should be accurate….is there a formula that we can apply to get surface wind speed, knowing the height of our instruments ? Thanks Cheers Alan

I’m starting to practice weather forecasting with the 500mb and surface charts. The NWS site has lots of different charts with different forecasts such as 12,24 or 36hr forecasts. Which one of these would you recommend that I use to practice?

These are the charts I download: 15.00Z Surface Analysis Chart Part 1 10E-45W Northern Hemisphere Size: 38.4K–Updated: Fri Nov 26 03:23:37 1999 UTC 16.00Z Surface Analysis Chart Part 2 40W-95W Northern Hemisphere Size: 32.5K–Updated: Fri Nov 26 03:33:36 1999 UTC 28.00Z 500MB Surface Chart Analysis 45W-85W Northern Hemisphere Size: 26.8K–Updated: Thu Nov 25 23:23:35 1999 UTC.

I’m “superimposing” the 500mb on the surface analysis charts to forecast what the weather will be like for the next 24 hrs. Am I on the right track?? Regards, Susan