Clipper Race
King of Sports and King of Beers
Would you do it again? I seek the answer at Seattle Clipper Race Village where I spot a childhood hero, Robin Johnston. He notices that I have taken his picture but is busy.
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Perfect Blue Water Sailboat
The perfect blue water sailboat is a work in progress.
Novice builders and beginning yacht designers have been trained in the US to accept the notion of a trade off between sea worthiness, comfort, performance and cost.
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Vestas Wind Shipwreck
The saying that there are two kinds of sailors, those who have run aground and those who will run aground, is comforting to those recently grounded. But grounding rarely involves shipwreck and, with modern electronics and reporting, the chances of being unintentionally grounded, let alone shipwrecked, are minuscule.
The Story of Finisterre
In 1954 the Olin Stephens designed yacht Finisterre was launched, to late for the Bermuda race that year. She was a 38 foot centerboarder and there is no more accomplished racing yacht. She ranks as one of the most significant yachts in the history of the sport.
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Competing on Comanche Time
In 1994, at the age of 49, Jim Clark, owing to a company called Silicon Graphics, was one of the legends of the high-tech world. Now, 20 years later, he has become a legend in sailing (see Sailing World 28 October 2014.)
In 1994 Clark was tied to a company called Netscape.
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MARINE NAVIGATION
100. The Art And Science Of Navigation
Marine navigation blends both science and art. A good navigator constantly thinks strategically, operationally, and tactically. He plans each voyage carefully. As it proceeds, he gathers navigational information from a variety of sources, evaluates this information, and determines his ship’s position.
Canting Keel, DSS and Dynamic Control
Canting Keel
Centerboard, swing keel, or keel, new monohull sail boat purchasers should at least consider vessels like Sadlers, Potters, Etaps and MacGregors that have solid flotation. They should also choose thin rather than wide monohulls. The thinner the hull, the more it is like a log in that it is self righting and of course the quicker the righting the less likely serious flooding.
SeaFair
Appropriate Freeboard
High freeboard improves buoyancy with no decrease in hull speed. Sailboats at rest with low freeboard only look faster than many of their high freeboard counterparts. Unless the boat has the general shape of a log, the heel of the vessel increases the freeboard presented to the wind.
Lisbon Stop Over
US Sailors who cruise are different than those who just race. A US pure racing sailor views sailing as a competition between human athletes with the vessel being equipment. A US cruising sailor views the crew as components of the vessel required to make it seaworthy.
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