Living The Dream
Getting away on first passages are the hardest. There is always more to do than time allows. But at some point you have to say “Enough, we are out of here.” In our case a reasonable weather window was the incentive to get on with it. Read the rest »
This afternoon’s latitude/longitude ping from Cochise‘s Iridium shows the crew well along the route to Fiji. Read the rest »
Breem Head is in our wake, and Cochise is running free, squared away towards the north. Read the rest »
We’ve had a few days testing Cochise on our own, hanging out in the Bay of Islands. We’ve had FPB 64-11 for company part of the time,
Our family cruising photo taken in the Bora Bora lagoon in 1977. Note the banana stalk hanging off the mizzen boom, and trim physiques of the group! We’d been relaxing for a few days, chilling, reading, swimming, and for the first time since leaving California nine months previous not working on boat on maintenance projects. Those were the days.. Read the rest »
For decades, Linda and Steve Dashew’s books have been considered essential references for any serious cruiser. Having been blessed with the support of the yachting community for many years, they’d like to return the favor. Read the rest »
Now we get to the hard part, choosing art work and photographs for the many surfaces aboard Cochise. Read the rest »
We’ve been testing the Sony 6300 mirrorless camera with Canon lenses, and we have been pleased with results we are getting. Read the rest »
©Stan & Valerie Creighton: Fulaga, FijiWhen your voyaging takes you off the beaten path, where shore power and technical assistance is a rarity, the ingredients required for successful cruising change.
Many cruising decisions are based on a detailed decision making matrix. Others are based on a spontaneous decision. The latter often make for the most interesting experiences. Read the rest »
The Dashew Offshore swim step, shown above in its highest evolutionary form on the FPB 97 Iceberg, started out much more modestly. Read the rest »
Thanks to all who ordered the remaining physical copies of the Dashews’ cruising books, we are now officially sold out and closing down the SetSail store. You can download Surviving the Storm and Mariner’s Weather Handbook for free, and stay tuned for PDF copies of Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia and Practical Seamanship!
From time to time we like to feature owner blogs here on SetSail. Returning readers will no doubt be familiar with the stunning photography and narrative style of FPB 64-1 Avatar owner Carol Parker. Read the rest »
Beowulf leaving Norfolk, VA on her way to the BVI at the start of the 2001 Caribbean 1500. Read the rest »
You are looking at a huge mistake: a new mainsail that did not fit, with too much roach. Read the rest »
Innismara, the yacht that started us thinking so many years ago… Read the rest »
We offered SetSailors this special Once in a Blue Moon Deal earlier this year. As the holidays approach, our inventory is almost sold out. With just a few hundred copies left, the sale continues … Read the rest »
There are many wonderful things about the cruising lifestyle. But the one we love the most is
The new Sony A7R2 42 MP camera body is truly a breakthrough. There is nothing remotely close to its capabilities of which we are aware. Read the rest »
The universe of circumnavigators is a small world. It’s not unusual to meet somebody in an anchorage or a far-off port, spend a few days together, form a strong bond borne of common interests, meet up again years later, and pick up right where you left off. Read the rest »
Pete Rossin has recently posted a beautiful video on YouTube.
Sue Henry sent us this lovely photo of Sarah Sarah anchored in Lituya Bay, the location of the highest tidal wave in recorded history. How does 1720 feet sound? Read the rest »
The August 2015 issue of Soundings magazine has an interview with Linda and Steve and a lovely online slide show. Read the rest »
FPB 64 Grey Wolf has reached 80 degrees, 27 minutes north latitude, within 573 nautical miles of the North Pole!
FPB 64 Grey Wolf is starting a summer of arctic cruising. Making a direct passage from Scotland, she is currently less than a day out from Svalbard, well inside the arctic circle at 74 degrees shown in the graphic above. Read the rest »
Stan and Valerie Creighton have shepherded Buffalo Nickel over to Vanuatu this season, in part to lend a hand in the ongoing rescue efforts after the damage wreaked by Cyclone Pam. Read the rest »
We are starting to think about personal gear, art, tools, and spares for FPB 78-1. High on this list is camera gear. We thought you might enjoy seeing the results of a recent test. Read the rest »
Occasionally we hear from some of our Sundeer and Deerfoot owners. They let us know about cruising plans, meeting up with other Dashew designs, and racking up those ocean miles. Russ and Gwen Hobbs, who own Sundeer 60 A Train (pictured above anchored next to Sundeer 64 Touche M’Dear) recently wrote in to give us the scoop. Read the rest »
While awaiting the splash of our new FPB, we have acquired an enhanced photographic tool: a Toyota 4-Runner. To get a head start on the learning curve of what this beast is capable of and what we should avoid, we turned to off-road aficionados Mary and Scott Flanders. The Flanders are compulsive photographers, who circumnavigated aboard their Nordhavn 46, Egret. Read the rest »
It’s hard to believe that FPB 64-1 Avatar is five years old. In that relatively short period, she has traveled over 36,000 nautical miles and visited 17 countries. Read the rest »
Hi folks, Sarah here– I was just browsing the blogs and found this teaser for an upcoming feature in Boat International on innovative yacht designers. I thought it might be of interest to SetSailors: Swizzle Blog.
We are into flashlights, and those available today are simply amazing in what they can do using LED technology. This post is about three of the best we have found. Read the rest »
FPB 64-1 Avatar is currently wending its way down through Central America. Owner Carol Parker, an avid photographer, has joined up to explore and document the adventures. Read the rest »
Waiting is never easy, and when it is for the next big thing in your life – in our case what we think is our ultimate cruising machine – it is even harder.
Thanks to the generosity of our family of FPB owners who, once again, freely provided many of the featured pictures, we are happy to offer you this 13-month (January-January) wall calendar. Read the rest »
Here is a very short video of FPB 97-1 on her third day of sea trials. Read the rest »
The ultimate survival storm tactic, jogging into breaking seas, has had its first (and hopefully last) FPB test. This took place recently off the Needles near the Isle of Wight in the UK’s Solent. Read the rest »
Steve has an interesting article on extreme weather tactics in the most recent edition of UK-based Berthon’s Lifestyle Magazine. They were kind enough to allow us to embed a pdf of the article here for SetSailors to peruse. Read the rest »
With the day-to-day pressure on the FPB 78 Series winding down we’ve had time to do some more camera testing. The goal is maximum quality for minimum hassle, with a high degree of portability.
Photo Phuket NewsOur SetSail spies in Thailand have just made us aware of some interesting regulatory changes for those cruising in Thai waters. According to the Phuket News, all foreign-flagged vessels must now be equipped with AIS tracking devices. There is no vessel size limit on the requirement–all boats small and large have to comply. Read the rest »
Todd and I have just returned stateside after a trek east to England, where we celebrated FPB 64 Grey Wolf‘s demi-circumnavigation with press, pubs, and parties. Read the rest »
Hurricane Bertha has gotten a little press so far, but her evolution to extra-tropical structure indicates big things may be in store for the UK and parts of Europe.
We’ve been dragging around 40 pound backpacks of full frame Canon professional camera gear since the ark. It was the way we knew to get the results. Now there is a better answer. Read the rest »
It is always a treat to check out our owners’ blogs and live vicariously through their cruising adventures. Read the rest »
In case you missed Sarah’s Broadway debut at 54 Below last week, we thought a few photos were in order. Read the rest »
Having traveled halfway around the world in three months, Peter Watson and crew have brought FPB 64-6 Grey Wolf to anchor in the Channel Islands.
Of the ten FPBs currently afloat, nine are actively cruising, taking advantage of their seagoing speed, range, and comfort, actually doing it…right. We enjoy hearing from our family, keeping up with where they are and what is going on. This week, for example, Read the rest »
Life on the water is such a perfect metaphor for the uncertain adventure of opening ourselves up to what we yearn for…We have to navigate carefully, watch the changing weather patterns, think about where and how we want to go, and then, ultimately, at some point a few will untie themselves and sail off into the great unknown horizon. Read the rest »
Passaging season is upon us and the FPB fleet is on the move. While FPB 64-6 Grey Wolf nears the end of a quick 4000 NM hop, FPB 64-3 Iron Lady is on her way from Hawaii to British Columbia. The majority of the rest of the FPB feet is getting ready for or have recently completed their offshore passages.
Peter Watson and his intrepid crew aboard FPB 64-6 Grey Wolf are now just a few days’ from Panama. Keep up with their progress on Berthon’s web site. Of particular interest may be Peter’s comments after now having voyaged over 6,000 nm in the last two months.
FPB 64-6 Grey Wolf has finally hit her stride and is cruising along at 9.7 to 11 knots towards Panama along the fifth parallel.
The southern part of the Indian Ocean is one of the few places we have found where the trades blow as advertised… and then some. Here Intermezzo is departing Christmas Island for Cocos Keeling at the start of a long haul across this boisterous bit of ocean. Read the rest »
We are torn between a love for the tropics and the adrenaline that comes as you venture closer to the poles.
We are looking at a barometric pressure trace from the FPB 64 Grey Wolf. This occurred at the edge of the tropics South of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. As you close with the equator slight pressure gradients create big winds. A change of as little as two mb can indicate the onset of a hurricane. The weather models – all the majors – missed this event.
We’ve just learned that Hobie Alter has caught the ultimate wave, and left his earthly friends and family behind. We were friends, competitors, and collaborators with this remarkable man, and thought a few anecdotes might be in order.
“The new Dashew passagemaker draws much of its heritage from the high-performance sailboats for which the Dashews are well known…” –Bill Parlatore, Passagemaker Magazine
Of all the sailboats we’ve done over the years, Beowulf is our favorite. She was our ultimate couple’s cruiser, and the benchmark, against which we measured everything when we started down the FPB path. In seven years of cruising part time, see saw 40,000 nautical miles slip under her keel with just two on board. Read the rest »
It is cyclone season in the South Pacific, the weather is unstable, and Grey Wolf may win the weather lottery. The recent spate of tropical storms is creating the possibility of a very quick, relatively easy trip. Read the rest »
Spring is in the air and our southwestern backyard is filled with color, love songs, nest building, and competition for the attention of the fairer sex. It is the one time of year when we’d rather be ashore than afloat. Read the rest »
It is a gray, overcast, depressing afternoon – something for which residence in the US Southwest does not prepare its citizens. Since we have received a request for info on Beowulf IV from a journalist doing a book for the next “Little America’s Cup”, the scanner has been warmed up and we thought we’d share something different.
Deerfoot II, a longtime member of our family, is ready for a new home. She was launched in 1985 in Denmark, sailed across the Atlantic, via the West Indies, and Panama, to Marina del Rey, where she has been based for these many years.
We’ve been talking for years about going through our boxes of photos and slides and scanning them before they disintegrate. Well, the process has started and we are having so much fun remembering that we thought we might share a few stories with SetSailors, starting with this crowded cockpit on our 50 foot yawl, Intermezzo, in early 1977.
We are just back from a week at ground zero in the FPB world. We had the chance to take a couple of boat rides, hang out with three owners who are presently moored in the town basin, and review hundreds of details with the Circa team. Read the rest »
In the process of cleaning up the office, a few more photos from the early days of the multihull history on the West Coast have come to light.
Sue Henry just sent us this marvelous photo of FPB 64-2 Sarah Sarah anchored out on the longest night of the year. As big a thrill as this must be for Bill and Sue,
We have been rethinking the ultimate dinghy concept and are looking at a big custom designed RIB for our new FPB 78. Not having experience with properly designed deep V RIBS, we have a few questions and are hopeful the SetSail community can provide real world answers.
With the 34th America’s Cup now concluded, sailors with the need for speed can be expected to go into depression. As a partial antidote we offer Read the rest »
Over the years we have learned that often mundane destinations close to home offer unexpected cruising rewards.
Recently, owner Sue Henry put together an “anniversary” video of photos, highlighting her and husband Bill’s first three years aboard FPB 64-2 Sarah Sarah. Read the rest »
Having arrived back to the Seattle office a couple weeks ago, I now have a little time to sort through 100s of photos and share a few with you from my recent adventures aboard FPB 64-3 Iron Lady… Read the rest »
With the America’s Cup coming down to a final winner-take-all tomorrow, we are bringing out the big guns, er, stick… Read the rest »
This is the most competitive, compelling, and fastest America’s Cup ever. And if you have not been watching you are missing the spectacle of a lifetime.
Last week I wrote about my recent trip to San Francisco, where my hosts, Bruce Farrand and Logan Cripps of Circa Marine (builder of the FPBs), were on-hand to represent and promote Kiwi boat building skills for North American clients. Read the rest »
Tomorrow, Saturday September 7, marks the start of an amazing spectacle that you don’t want to miss. Whether on network TV or YouTube, we will be treated to heated competition between “yachts” traveling at 25 to 50 knots, with no love lost between the teams.
Mark Fritzer brings us his final at-sea post from aboard Iron Lady… Read the rest »
A night watch, monster blue fin, the end of Mr. Shabby, and further experiments with the high power DC charging system. Mark Fritzer writes: Read the rest »