It's Easter 2009 and I've arrived in Jersey City after a quick visit in Atlanta, GA. I'm here visiting my father and also to do my Competent Crew sailing course, so long awaited. I was very lucky as there were only 2 of us on the course, due to the fact that it's so early in the season. Me and a medical doctor from Texas. 3 Lovely days out on the Hudson sailing around and learning the basics. The weather was fantastic (thought the middle day had a bit of rain). Our instructor even made us…
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Added by Carien du Plooy on April 30, 2009 at 2:30am —
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Yes, last week we had two of those days that Seattlites brag about. The kind of day that brings out crowds of bicyclists, joggers, shoppers crowding Market Street and boaters swarming the docks. As soon as the temperature edges above fifty degrees they are out in shorts and tee shirts with dreamy smiles on their faces. It was a startlingly beautiful day...by Seattle standards; the kind of day that would have my Hawaiian friends huddled around electric heaters and wrapped in blankets. But here…
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Added by Orvil Newton on April 29, 2009 at 12:11pm —
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Finally, I'm finished redoing the electricity of the boat!!!. I just stripped the old mess, designed a new floating ground system and did all the wiring. Everything seems to be working fine, and not a single fuse/breaker went off. I'm actually impressed with myself. It did take me about a year to do the learning, the design and the work itself (working only one day a week).
One of my three Trojan J185H seem to have shorted one cell. Well, we'll have to live with only two (about 500…
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Added by Marco Garcia on April 29, 2009 at 2:33am —
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It wasn’t too long ago that manatees were raised for food; hence Cowpens Anchorage near Islamorada, Florida. As slow and as stupid as they are; they are hard to catch. Manatees only eat sea grass and it’s hard to put sea grass on a hook. Running over them with a boat is not practical either. Contrary to what the Save the Manatee Foundation claims; very few are killed by boats. In Broward County only one per year has been killed by a boat over the past 30 years. That’s usually in Port Everglades…
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Added by Bob E Sherman on April 28, 2009 at 7:00pm —
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Ok, so a great deal of time has gone by since my last post. We have been on the move most of that time. We spent 20 days in George Town, Exumas where we finally got our dingy repaired using a bottle of sealant. That worked much better than the patches that were applied in Nassau. They started to come off and I used goop to stick them back on but they really didn't get the job done as there were many tiny holes due to chafing. The sealant works like the stuff in fixaflat and under the right…
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Added by Jim Jackson on April 28, 2009 at 2:37pm —
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As Andrea and Franc get ready to start their ocean crossing for charity next week we want to give you the opportunity to follow their progress day by day.
They plan to use a satellite phone to send Daily Ocean Reports, which are short e-mails (130 characters or less) sharing their experience right from the cockpit of Can Drac.
Daily Ocean Reports will be sent to Sailforwater.com sponsors only so if you haven't donated yet,…
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Added by SeaKnots on April 28, 2009 at 9:00am —
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Don't you just hate having to give up something you love for something else you want? It's that same old Tony Robbins theory on instant versus delayed gratification. I don't mind delaying happiness as long as I don't have to give up something I like. Take the annual Melbourne Yacht Club's spring regatta. Held over two week-ends; one for small boats and one for big boats, I have attended this event probably 20 times. Because I want to turn my dream job of being a sailing journalist into a…
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Added by Marlene A. Sassaman on April 25, 2009 at 3:36pm —
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This week was our last chance to be alone on Can Drac for a long time. So we spent it chilling out in Marigot, discovering Anguilla and sailing back to the British Virgin Islands, where we’ll welcome family visits right until we pick up our crew for the crossing.
We spent Easter weekend in Marigot, on the French side of St Martin and attended a local church on Easter…
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Added by CAN DRAC on April 24, 2009 at 5:00pm —
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Weather report - land: 5 - 10 mph winds; marine: 10 - 15 knots, with gusts of 20 late in the afternoon in the bay. Sky: partly cloudy when we headed out. Overcast most of the sail. But the sky was a light, even color, almost as if we were staring up at fog. No dark spots - no dark spots ever.
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Added by Anne on April 20, 2009 at 11:38pm —
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visit sailgulfcoast.blogspot.com
our new blog to record trips
thanks to all of you for your advice
comments welcome
Gina
Added by Gina Nadas on April 19, 2009 at 10:43pm —
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Unlike a traditional hen party where ladies gather round to share their beauty secrets, host a baby shower or buy Tupperware, seven sailing lassies representing the MYC and the ECSA Women’s Racing Series cozied up at Sassaman’s place to embark on a virtual adventure to the ends of the earth. This wasn’t a competitive event, just a few hours of inspiring conversation spurred by the magnanimity of Gary Jobson’s polar expeditions.
The clarity of Jobson’s DVD was no less spectacular than…
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Added by Marlene A. Sassaman on April 19, 2009 at 1:36pm —
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Lake Erie Pirates stole the Toledo Lighthouse boat lift, dock and ramp apparently for scrap aluminum – they must be caught and brought to justice. Last Thursday, April 9th, the dock and ramp were seen in good order. Saturday the dock, ramp and lift were gone. The Toledo Lighthouse Society is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to arrest and conviction of the thieves. Tax deductible contributions to help with the reward and the dock may…
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Added by Mark (Voodoo Acrobat) on April 18, 2009 at 11:32am —
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Here's a few words I thought I would throw out in hopes of getting ideas on how to use them in future writings. Send me your thoughts; you know like the days of old when you were in school and your teacher had you write your vocabulary words in a complete sentence. Use your imagination, be creative, funny. serious or delirious. Just relate them to sailing. Thanks, Marlene
Here are this week's words:
aperitifs
magnanimity
veroten
Added by Marlene A. Sassaman on April 18, 2009 at 3:01am —
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Added by Alain Brauckmann on April 16, 2009 at 1:37pm —
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Thailand, Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea are a superb area for cruising.
Limstone rocks, the most beautiful beaches and hundreds of islands that give you shelter in both seasons. The best winds are in June/July and August, but with performance catamarans (light and real sailing) it is good all year round.
There are several possibilities from budget adventurous camping cats to all inclusive luxurious yachts with skipper, cook and massage…
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Added by Andaman Sea Club Sailing Charter on April 15, 2009 at 4:00am —
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After small boat sailing and racing - Solings, Sunfish, Windsurfers & Hobie 16s, and wanting to be able to go cruising, I jumped into skippering a Hunter 33, with a tall rig for the sluggish summer winds of New York and Connecticut's Long Island Sound. This was with friends and BAWYK (Before and with young kids). Since the kids flew the nest, I'm starting my 4th season with Imogene Z, a classic bay sailer; 17' Oday 1982.
Imogene Z has new everything except the basics - hull, mast…
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Added by Suky on April 13, 2009 at 7:38pm —
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There is only one thing better than traveling to some of the most beautiful places in the world aboard your home: It’s doing that with the ones you love. That’s why this week was so special in many ways, as Franc’s parents joined us while we visited the French islands of St Barts and St Martin.
We were lucky enough to find a mooring right in the middle of the Port of Gustavia, which…
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Added by CAN DRAC on April 13, 2009 at 9:30am —
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Hi all, I have a lead on what looks to be a possible contender for my cruiser/live aboard. This is happening a year too early but..... ----Well equipped, Pearson 1981 323 Sloop - only problem is she's in Dominican Republic. So I'd love to sail one soon closer to home. Though I find I'm very intrigued about a fractional rig with a tiller, I haven't had much luck finding one of those. The Sea Sprite, another make I also have never sailed, is also inviting - has the fractional rig but not the…
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Added by Suky on April 13, 2009 at 12:23am —
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Early on in my school counseling career my supervisor, Libby Schmidt, warned me to ask busy people to help out when needed. She went on to explain that busy people have a knack for getting things done. I guess that is a complement, because just about the time my blackberry shows every moment of every day for the next six weeks is full, I couldn't seem to refuse a request for help.
One of my crew, Susan, wanted to buy a used 'total gym' fitness contraption. Because I have been using…
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Added by Marlene A. Sassaman on April 12, 2009 at 8:15am —
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I have been posting a blog at http://americanvega.org/captainslog.html since before we left Hawaii, beginning in April of 2007 with my retirement and our preparations but I will post new entries here as well. The latest news is that after destroying my old laptop I now have a new and much more powerful computer that has made video editing easier and I have been working through the 200 odd hours of recordings we made in the preparation phase and during our trip so far. I added one this morning…
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Added by Orvil Newton on April 11, 2009 at 5:00pm —
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