Sir Thomas Lipton

Sir Thomas Lipton, a knight so grand, in the tea trade made his name, His legacy in the Lipton Cup, added to his fame. From the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, to Seattle’s bustling bay, His influence on the sailing world, is still felt to this day. So here’s to Lipton, Geary, Monk, and the clubs that bear their mark, To the Spirit of Seattle, and the yachts that sparked a spark. In the annals of the sailing world, their stories brightly glow, A testament to the passion, that only sailors know.

Trade-Wind Force 7

Most boats carry sails that perform well enough to satisfy on trade-wind routes where three-quarters of the time the wind may be aft of 110 degrees apparent and there are opportunities for flying symmetrical shaped sails, like square sails and spinnakers. Spinnakers are usually made of a light material that doesn’t require a lot of…

Canoe Ocean Sailing

Joshua Slocum Joshua Slocum was from Nova Scotia, Canada. He owned several ships as well as commanding many others. After loosing one of his ships, the Aquidneck, on a sandbank in Brazil, he and his family sailed the Liberdade, a canoe of about 35 foot, from the site of the grounding to Washington DC USA,…

Water Ballast

According to Sailing Today, September 2000 page 83, Van de Stadt’s Dehler 25 sloop bested MacGregor Yachts by a year or so in the use of water ballast. The German Dehler 25s were produced from 1984 to 1991 and water ballast was reported in the US to be used for trailering reasons and cost savings. With the Van…