In our last video, we found ourselves in an open anchorage with a lee shore in a 45-knot storm that lasted for several hours overnight. We were confident in our anchor, which allowed us to tuck away into the side of the channel.

Note: This article is not meant to be a highly technical article about anchors, it is solely meant to share our experience with the anchors we have carried on board.

Overnight Anchoring Is a New Experience

Before we left shore to go cruising, we were racing sailors, meaning an anchor was always an afterthought. We wanted the lightest anchor that was allowed by the rules and nothing more. Most racing boats carried small aluminum fortress anchors with absolute minimum chain and rode.

When we went cruising, like many others, we had not spent much time on the hook but were planning to spend months or years at anchor while cruising. We had to accelerate our learning curve, learn how to anchor properly, and over time find out which anchors and techniques worked best for us.

Experience Gained in 3 Years of Sailboat Cruising

Over the past 3 years, we have anchored in almost all bottom types except for kelp (we will learn this in Patagonia). We have anchored in heavy current areas, surf, rolly anchorages, and held our ground in wind gusts up to 65 knots. We have also dragged our anchor a few times and experienced others dragging into us.

We hope to shed some light and a real-world perspective on the topic which can generate a lot of passionate debate in the forums or over sundowners.

Experience with the Lightweight Fortress Anchor

First, a little bit about our experience before we started cruising. This is our base point. Before cruising we had anchored a sailboat a total of 3 times. Twice on a J/105 that we cruised in the North Channel of Lake Huron, and once in Lake St. Clair on a Melges 24 waiting out a postponement between races.

These experiences are important, as with both boats we tested the limits of light aluminum Danforth anchors with little or no chain. The Fortress anchor, according to many tests performed by the sailing magazines, bar-none packs the most punch for its weight.

It delivers the holding power with a large and sharp surface area which allows it to dig deeply into sand, clay, and mud. On the Melges, we rafted multiple boats off of one anchor, a good test, but it was in light air with a little current.

During our cruise in the North Channel, we sat through a large line of thunderstorms on a Fortress Anchor in racing configuration. This was our first “real deal” anchoring experience, and although a little scary at the time, gave us a lot of confidence in this anchor.

Its down faults though are that it does not like large direction changes, and there is a propensity to drag it or bend it in a large and quick shift greater than 90 degrees. The other issue (which depends on how you look at it) is it can be very hard to recover after a big blow in a thick mud or clay bottom.

It also has a lot of pointy edges and places for ropes to get caught and sails to snag if stored above deck. It does collapse though, for easy storage down below, and can be reassembled quickly with basic hand tools.

Carrying a Fortress Anchor for Cruising

We carry a 21lb FX-37 Fortress Anchor as our go-to secondary and emergency anchor on board Sweet Ruca. It is attached to 50ft of 10mm galvanized chain and 150 feet of ⅝” 3-strand nylon rode. We keep this setup assembled in our forepeak, ready to go, just in case for some reason we need to quickly abandon our primary anchor.

Weighing in at just under 10 kilograms (21 lbs), it is sized large enough for our 12-ton sailboat, but can still be easily carried in a dinghy. This is important for stern anchoring or kedging.

Fortress Use as a Kedge or Stern Anchor

Luckily, we have never needed a kedge anchor to winch our way off of a grounding, but we have used it as a stern anchor. It works wonderfully for this purpose, however, for a dedicated stern anchor, we would size down just a little.

A stern anchor does carry a lot of load, as the wind load sideways on the boat can be quite large. In most cases though, when using a stern anchor, we are in fairly protected waters, just trying to angle the boat a bit better to avoid rolling in swell. In those cases, a smaller anchor, which can be lifted and moved easily is very nice to have.

Choosing Our Primary Anchor or “Bower”

What’s your bower? You may hear this from time to time. At first, I thought people were talking about the popular midwest card game called Euchre. What they are really asking you is which anchor do you choose to be the one to keep on your bow, as your primary anchor for regular use.

We have had two “bowers” so far. The first is a 44lb Lewmar Delta Anchor, and the second is a 73lb (33kg) Rocna. Now, on to our experience with each.

The 44lb Lewmar Delta Anchor

The Delta anchor came with our boat when we purchased it. It was in good condition and already connected to the boat’s Lewmar Windlass via 66 meters (216 feet) of 10mm G4 galvanized chain.

That being the case, we had no plans to replace it, until we spent a few nights at anchor and did a little more cruising up the east coast to the majestic anchorages of Maine. This is when we put the anchor to the test.

Our First Experience Dragging Anchor

Like most new cruisers with a big asset, it is scary to leave the boat on its anchor and go to shore for the first time.

We had to get over this, and we did, but we always had that “what if” feeling while using the Delta 44lb. Not that it is a bad anchor, it is excellent, it just never gave us that comforting feeling.

In the big tidal changes that sweep in and out of Maine’s most beautiful anchorage is when we had our first dragging experience. Not much, just a little after the anchor refused to reset after a big change in the current direction.

We were on board, and it was no problem to reset the anchor by raising it and re-anchoring.

Setting the Anchor

Another issue we were having in the soft mud in areas of Maine was the ability to quickly set the Lewmar Delta Anchor. We always felt the sets were pretty soft, and sometimes it seemed like we could just keep plowing it through the mud on the bottom with our engine in reverse.

Although going backward with our big 3-blade feathering Max-Prop pushed by a 75hp Yanmar turbo diesel is much more than most normal wind conditions, we still didn’t like that feeling of being able to drag the anchor while setting. What if a large storm front came like we saw on the great lakes and brought big 60-knot gusts? Would the Delta hold?

Upgrading to the 33kg Rocna Anchor

After many sleepless nights on the hook, and constantly setting anchor alarms while off the boat to run errands, we were hoping for peace of mind.

We found that peace in our Original Rocna 33kg (73lb) anchor. This “roll bar” style anchor was all the rage at the time on YouTube, but was it just hype? Back then we didn’t really know, but we took the gamble and ponied up on a new Rocna, which we ordered from Amazon.com to be shipped to Hinkley in Maine where we grabbed a mooring ball to make the switch.

The switch was easy, but we did have to adjust our bow roller slightly to accommodate the oversize anchor for our boat. Being racing sailors, we despise extra weight on the bow, especially at the forepeak where its weight is most noticeable. We can tell you now, without a doubt, the extra weight is worth it.

Trust But Verify

We knew the reviews were good. The new Rocna anchor set the first time. When it sets, you know it, you feel it. This is excellent as every time you anchor you can feel that you are locked in, this is an important trait to ease the mind.

When we cruised from Maine to the Bahamas, the crystal clear water of the island nation allowed us to have a good look at how our anchor was performing. We could actually watch it set, and see how it moved in different conditions.

Our first true test came while anchored off of Eleuthera’s Meeks Island in the easter Bahamas. A strong storm front rolled through which brought frontal winds of 60 knots. We were anchored in 15 feet of water with a 5:1 scope in the sand.

Anchoring in Storms

It was the middle of a cloudy night, in total darkness, the boat was thrown sideways with the first wind gust, and heeled to over 20 degrees. We watched the wind gauges, GPS, and anchor alarm with anxiety, ready to go on deck and react to a dragging boat. We stayed put, however.

Over the next few years of cruising we dealt with the famous Bahamas Christmas winds, tropical storms in the Caribbean, and the latest big blow of 45 knots in an open anchorage with a lee shore in Brazil.

We have learned that although it may be a rough ride if you have proper holding, a good anchor, and good chafe protection, you should not worry about your own boat, but about other boats drifting into you.

Using Two Anchors at Once

We have read a lot about deploying two anchors at once for many conditions. Some like to use two anchors in a V formation at the bow in storms. Others like to use a Bahamian mooring for shifting currents (this is two anchors set in line with their chains connected to the boat floating above in the middle).

We have never tried any of this in our 3 years of cruising. We are fans of keeping it simple. Dealing with one anchor if there is a problem in storm conditions can be a major undertaking and a cause for concern. Adding a second to this can be a major hurdle, especially for a shorthanded couples crew. Recovering one anchor can sometimes be a burden, no sense in adding to the fire.

Other’s Thoughts About Using 2 Anchors

We have also spoken with some old salts and round-the-world sailors that are also advocates of using only one anchor at a time.

One of those was the inventor of the Rocna anchor, Peter Smith, whom we met in the Azores. He is quite the accomplished sailor, having just finished navigating through the Northwest Passage, and an incredible source of knowledge. We couldn’t resist the chance to talk with him about our favorite late-night reading topic, anchors.

He was also a fan of a single oversized anchor and chain in most cases. The logic is when there is a large storm, if you have a problem with one anchor, with a second out, it could likely compound into a larger problem which may increase the danger. As a testament, his boat, a large aluminum ice class vessel named “Kiwi Roa” had a single Rocna up front.

Another salty dog we spoke with about the topic of anchoring in the Azores was Genuino Madruga. He is a wonderful sailor who has circumnavigated twice (once via the capes on the same route as we plan). His advice was also to use one anchor and swing on it in big weather. He told us he tried two anchors once for a storm, they tangled, and it was quite the shorthanded headache to fix.

Stern Anchors & Swell Bridles

The only time we have had two anchors in the water at the same time is for adjusting the boat to ride out rolling swell. Even then, in most conditions, we get away with a swell bridal to avoid having extra tackle in the water.

The swell bridle is just a long snubber brought back to midships and then run to a primary winch. This essentially allows your boat to set at a sideways angle to your anchor. Using the winch and windlass together you can adjust the length of each part of the V to match the swell and the wind.

This keeps your boat bow into the rolling ocean swell of an open roadstead anchorage. Caution must be taken with this configuration though. It is possible that with a big wind or current shift the line of the swell bridle led aft can easily go under the boat and possibly tangle in the keel or rudder.

We only use the swell bridle in calm conditions, never in a storm. We also advise removing it before leaving the boat. Lastly, take care while doing this in a full anchorage, as you will swing much differently than nearby boats.

What Anchor, Chain & Rode, Do We Carry On Board For Cruising

Over the last three years we have owned a total of four anchors and at one point carried all four on board: 43 lb Galvanized Danforth, 44lb Galvanized Lewmar Delta, 21lb Aluminium Fortress FX-37, 73lb Galvanized Rocna.

Now, some may quibble at only having two anchors on board, but in 3 years we have not found a use for more. If we had a larger budget and more space we would consider adding a second FX-37 or possibly similarly sized Mantus Anchor or aluminum Spade Anchor which can be disassembled and stored below in case of emergency or those odd cases when you want to set up a more permanent mooring.

Why We Carry Only Two Anchors

The weight of all of this anchoring gear can add up quickly on a cruising boat. Storing anchors and chains should not be taken lightly (pun intended). They are heavy items with sharp points, that could become dangerous projectiles in a boat offshore in large seas. Imagine what a 50lb or more anchor would do if stored under your settee in a knockdown!

Storage space is also a concern. Only a few anchors can be taken apart or folded away for stowage in tight places. This is excellent, but when will you need your 3rd or 4th anchor? Likely when the poo has hit the fan you will not have time to source it and assemble it.

This combined issue of space and weight comes into play on performance-oriented cruising sailboats and catamarans. Let’s face it, we all want to be safe, but there has to be a limit or you will never leave the shore. We find that selecting a larger primary anchor and oversize chain at least in our minds, offsets the need for carrying multiple smaller anchors.

Do You Need An Anchor Swivel or a Shackle

Over the past 3 years we have not used an anchor swivel. We use only a shackle. Our thought behind this is we want as little points of failure as possible in our system. The more direct the connection the better. As a plus, it has saved is a little money.

Whatever you decide to use, make sure to mouse your shackle. In other words, safety wire the bolt of the shackle closed so that it can not spin out. We keep a set of motorcycle/airplane safety wire pliers on board as we like the way they can securely and neatly lock in these bolts. Another option is to use a zip tie or two, or even some dyneema thread. This is a place we prefer metal though, and regularly replace it.

Which Type of Anchor Is Best

Discussing which anchor is best is like opening Pandora’s box. This article is not meant to go there and open a can of worms. We are strong believers in “you do you.” Essentially, to each their own. There are so many types of boats, sailing goals, anchoring conditions, etc. that it is impossible in our opinion to even attempt to give a definitive answer on this topic.

Many new boats can not accommodate this style of anchor though, so make sure that when choosing an anchor it will fit onto your boat. We would also highly recommend many of the new style anchors such as Spade, Mantus, and Rocna Vulcan. There are also the tried and true styles such as Bruce, CQR, Claw, Fisherman, and more. The old school still has its place in some unique situations, and it has held fast for many that went before us. Who are we to judge?

Of course, we have the Amazon.com links in this article if you would like to buy there. It is easy, and many times cheaper, it is hard to beat a free shipping deal on an anchor. Buying there after following our link helps us fund this website, our vlog, and our sailing life. However, we really do like to support the local chandleries. We wish there was some easy affiliate way to earn money while sailing and writing to do so, but there isn’t. If you can, we encourage you to support your local small businesses! When you are in a pinch, it is really nice to walk into a local store and speak with a knowledgeable mariner!

The post What is the Best Anchor for Cruising Sailboats?  appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Safety is paramount when sailing offshore, off the beaten path. We sometimes sail outside of normal cruising routes and shipping lanes. This is sometimes the best pure bluewater sailing experience, but it can also be intimidating or nerve-wracking for some.

I remember the first “big” (to me at the time) offshore sail in my own boat, a 24 footer. When we left sight of the glimmering shore lights to venture into Lake Huron to cross Saginaw Bay at night, it felt like we were jumping off a cliff.

I was an experienced sailor at the time, it was part of a sanctioned race, we had a team of 4 experienced guys plus shore support on call, we had checked all of the required safety gear boxes and more. Even though we were well prepared and sailing less than 300 miles, I still had this feeling of hesitation to overcome deep inside as we ripped across the lake at sixteen knots in the dark under a code-0. We were still on a small boat in big water!

Now, aboard the 46 foot SV Sweet Ruca, I still have those qualms, though they are now felt on much longer passages. You likely also have that same feeling inside as you prepare for your voyages. Here are some of the methods and technology we use aboard to help ease that feeling and stay safe offshore.

#1 Confidence in your boat

Having a well-maintained boat is step number one to feeling good when offshore. It starts with your critical systems at the core and expands outward to more minor things and redundancy. 

Insurance companies require detailed surveys before they will cover your boat, or assume your risk. Why would you require any less? Inspect all of your boat’s systems regularly, if you don’t have the knowledge, hire surveyors, riggers, mechanics, composites men/women that do. 

There is no shame in outsourcing to experts, but also keep in mind the industry is full of armchair “experts” willing to extract endless sums of money from “rich” yachties. That expert will also not be with you 300 miles offshore when you need to fix a problem. It pays huge dividends in both tranquility and dollars to learn about your boat systems. 

Here are some things on the boat we check and inspect regularly:

• Standing rigging for rust, cracks, pins in place, adjustment
• Mast and boom for in column and loose fittings, sheaves, pins
• Sails for stitching, tears, shape, and lifespan
• Hardware from blocks to winches, pins, seizing wire, tape, zip-ties, clean, lube, function, bearings, attachment points
• Running rigging, halyards and sheets for chafe and strength, clutch holding
• Engine, oil, coolant, trans lube, air intake, water intake, fuel filters, loose fittings
• Engine and transmission functioning properly
• Electrical, voltage, connections, loose items, fuses
• Lighting including nav lights and required interior/exterior lights
• Instruments for the proper function of all navigation equipment
• Hull for any damage and growth
• Prop for damage, growth, and function
• Steering system, rudder bearings, quadrants, cables, etc.
• Thru hulls for function and required open/close position

That may sound like a lot, but it is far from a comprehensive safety list. Knowing these things are in working order and will hold up in your planned conditions is key to putting your mind at ease when you leave port.

Confidence in your boat also has to do with its overall build quality, outfitting, and suitability for your journey. Let’s be honest here, almost any boat can make any voyage. People have crossed oceans in bathtubs, rounded Cape Horn on Hobie Cats, and explored the Pacific on bamboo rafts and dugout canoes. People also have bulletproof expedition boats that can survive being rolled over countless times in a hurricane. 

The Titanic was also said to be unsinkable, so let’s not have too much confidence. There is also a trend in boat design to cater to dreamers that sit at the dock. The bottom line is many boats these days are up to the task of crossing oceans in most conditions, but considerations should be made in your choices to ensure your safety at sea. 

Remember this, in most rescue scenarios the boat outlasts the people and usually continues floating long after the people have been helicoptered away.

#2 Safety Items

The old Boy Scout motto says “Be Prepared.” We do our best to be prepared for anything, but there comes a point when you have to realize that you aren’t sailing an aircraft carrier with a fleet of support and defense ships by your side. There is only so much room and weight available on our little boat, so we prioritize.

USCG

We start with the basics for a USGC vessel. USCG Minimum Requirements PDF

Then we add a bit more, picking and choosing from racing safety regulations.

US Sailing

US Sailing has also published a simplified version which is probably the best jumping-off point for those wishing to expand on USCG safety regs.

https://www.sailing.org/specialregs

Offshore Racing:

Though, that is just the tip of the iceberg. From there we start to look at Category 1 racing checklists for safety items. Although this may seem a little overwhelming at first, the Word Sailing or ISAF (International Sailing Federation) safety requirements are an excellent resource. These cover races such as the Vendee Globe and Volvo Ocean Race, hardcore stuff. 

https://www.sailing.org/28098.php

This covers most items, however, keep in mind some countries may require other safety items upon inspection. There are also other items specific to your needs or destination that must be considered. For example high latitude sailing or piracy-prone areas. Even though the below links are not specific to our voyage, we do utilize some of the items, techniques, and tactics employed in them on our boat.

High Latitude:

https://www.highlatitudes.com/assets/Antarctic-Yachting-Guideline-2016.pdf

Piracy: 

https://www.sailing.org/sailors/safety/piracy.php

#3 Information

Making good decisions is key to safety. To make those decisions, one needs quality information to weigh. We separate the information into two categories:

• Stored Knowledge
• Real-Time Input

Stored knowledge is experience and previously learned information. This gives you the confidence to make better decisions. This knowledge increases every time you go sailing.

Examples:

Boating experiences – past experiences we have learned from such as sailing schools or racing

Books & Videos – things we have uptook from others documenting their knowledge and experience to pass on

Charts, Logs, Polars, Almanacs – navigation materials to help understand our surroundings and predict how our vessel will react

Real-time input is the information we gather about what is happening around us. Grib files, instrument data, sensory information, etc. This knowledge can be increased by adding more inputs.

Examples:

AIS – lets us know when large ships and other boats using it are approaching

Radar – Allows us to see squalls, ships and buoys not on AIS, and small boats at night we may not be able to see in the dark

Instruments – Helps us to turn sensory information into usable data points

Grib Files – future predictions of wind, waves, rain, etc. We get these offshore via satellite connections and PredictWind and SailMail

#4 Automation

There is a point in which one can have information overload. There is also the need for sleep when sailing doublehanded offshore. This is where automation comes into play to contribute to our safety.

Safety comes down to good decisions. When we are tired and overtasked, we are the worst at decision-making. 

Automation is used in two ways. The first is to ease physical workloads and allow for more sleep. Tools such as autopilots, wind vanes, furlers, and electric winches (we don’t have these) help tremendously in these areas.

Automation of physical tasks allows us to stay safe off of the working deck and allows us more time to process data for decision making.

We also automate data processing. This is where our Expedition Sailing Software comes into play. Modern chart plotters and PredictWind are starting to gain routing functionality, which automates the task of understanding the weather and figuring out where to go.

Expedition brings everything together in one place, gribs, instrument data, logs, charts, polars, sail charts, satellite imagery, buoy data, ais, radar, etc. It can then process this information to help you determine an optimal route or even avoid trouble such as heavy winds or underwater obstacles (rocks, reefs, wrecks, land).

Summary

Hopefully, we can pass on some knowledge to make sailing more enjoyable for you. We don’t claim the above as perfect information, and we are always learning new things. 

The best thing you can do is to be prepared and seek information to expand your understanding of sailing, your boat, and the conditions around you. As your confidence increases, so will your enjoyment of offshore sailing.

The post 4 Things That Keep Us Safe When Sailing Offshore appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

It was delaminated and figuratively hanging in there by a thread. You could see the sunlight through the stitching, and poke your hand between layers. The draft was blown out better than a 1980s hairstyle.

When we bought the boat, we knew the sail was old, approaching 20 years. Well past its normal lifespan. The local sailmaker in Newport said he thought it had one season left in it or 3000 ocean miles.

Well, we got two years out of it and over 7000 hard & fast miles. Not bad. But, old ratty sails are slow, inefficient, and can become a safety issue if they tear, refuse to furl or end up in the water. 

When Should We Replace Our Sails?

Let god take it down is fun to say, and works while fully crewed racing, but when sailing your tiny-home doublehanded offshore in a big ocean, that is a far too risky proposition.

We are on a very limited budget, even more so, like many, after a year lost to the pandemic. We thought very hard and did a lot of research before committing to such a major purchase. For us, replacing our primary headsail was a big deal.

I will save you our thoughts, as we could probably write a book about sail plans, crossovers, polars, etc. We finally decided to leave things well enough alone and go for an exact match replacement, kind of. 

Being avid racers we know sails very well and are quite picky.

What Type of Sail Material is Best for Us?

There were only a few options that made sense. 

1. Dacron
2. Hydranet
3. High tech materials

Dacron was the cheapest option, but its shape-holding ability is the least. Sail shape is very important to us. We would likely have to replace a Dacron sail again before our trip is over. 

Hydranet is a very strong material, but it is also the heaviest option. Its shape-holding is much improved over dacron, but it does lose performance over time. It is resistant to stains and good for the tropics. It is also expensive, coming close to the cost of a high-tech sail.

High-tech sails, laminates, or membranes, are normally known as racing sails, but there are cruising and RTW-level high-tech sails. You see these on Vendée Globe and VOR boats. They are lighter and hold their shape best, but are also the most costly. They are easy to repair as they can be glued instead of sewn. 

We like to measure our enjoyment in smiles per mile though. We like to sail fast, and the fact is membrane-type sails hold their shape the best mile after mile. 

Where to Purchase Our New Sail?

After much consideration of all the pros and cons, we finally chose an Evolution Sails Expedition Membrane genoa. We purchased it from Evolution Sails Chicago Loft, run by Andy Camarda who we knew well from racing. We had seen the performance, shape, and quality of his sails on boats we have raced against. He is not only a racer, he has a passion for long distance sailing as well. We had a lot of trust in his knowledge, as well as the designers at Evolution in NZ. Andy worked hard to get us the best price possible and arrange for overseas delivery.

How are Membrane Cruising Sails Built?

These are built in New Zealand with precision laid load path carbon fibers. The cruising Expedition series has extra fibers for more durability, and these fibers are designed and laid custom for your boat type, sailing conditions, reefing configurations, etc. 

After the fibers are laid and the membrane is sealed tight, layers of taffeta are added on both sides. 

The sail has a 3 layer foam luff for improved aerodynamics and a WeatherMax sun cover to protect it when furled. One of the coolest parts of the membrane tech is the ability in production to insert spreader patches and chafe reinforcement inside the sail itself.

The lamination is surprisingly thin because of the new membrane methods, and the sail is loaded with carbon for strength! These aren’t like the old-school laminate sails of the 90s and 00s. Technology has improved greatly. 

Are We Happy With Our New Genoa?

The bottom line is our sail showed up, fit perfectly the first time, and looks beautiful. We can’t wait to get off the dock and see what type of gains we see. We have thousands of ocean miles coming soon to test and review our new sails performance.

The post Buying a New Sail – We Review the Purchase of Our New Cruising Genoa appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

#sailing #saillife #boobies

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This is the real cruising life aboard Sailing Sweet Ruca. Even though our transatlantic voyage is on hold we don’t stop having fun and continue the adventure in a beautiful new country. In this satisfying video, we test negative for da’vid and get to escape the quarantine anchorage. We met some new sailing couple friends from SV Dragonfly and SV Kuma Too. Join us as we explore the island of Grenada from the top to the bottom. As the title says, if you hang in there to the end you will get to see boobies!

Special Guests:

SV Kuma Too: Mandi & Joe

The crew from Kuma Too charters their Leopard 47 in St. Thomas USVI as they work toward their around-the-world sailing plans. Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAvgJoOMfDY8EiOJ0TpXALw

SV Dragonfly: Jen & Ryan This power couple is cruising the Caribbean with their daughter aboard their Leopard 46 catamaran. Link: http://www.addyatsea.com/about-me.html

The post [Ep. 30] BOOBIES on Board! – Welcome to the Jungle appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Our first hiccup, we forgot we had a fishing line out, and as we set our anchor we ran over it, fouling it in the propeller. Kate had to dive on it to untangle it. Luckily the water was warm and calm. Roxy the sailing dog supervised the work

It is still Christmas time in the Caribbean, so we head out and explore the town near Hatchet Bay, a well known hurricane hole. You could surely weather a storm in that harbor. We found a local bar and after a few beers made some new friends. They took us on a tour of the town for a Boxing Day celebration.

While we were here we did a much needed oil changes to our Yanmar 4JH3-TE 75hp Turbocharged Diesel Engine. 

Next we were off to meet up with out friends aboard SV Sargo for a floating dock party, snorkeling, and sundowners. 

Lastly we were off to Rock Sound. It was a beautiful day for sailing. We tried to get a nice photo shoot in. Sargo found an uncharted blue hole on the way, which we stopped and dove with them. Inside we found sharks! Our first time in the water and swimming with sharks. 

After cooling off we finished the trip by sailing around Rock Sound. We noticed less power and some extra smoke from our Yanmar engine though. It was time to investigate. Finally, after exhausting all the options, we found the issue was a small engine mounted fuel filter. What could have been a 5 minute fix cost us days of downtime.

The downtime was OK though. This gave us a chance to reprovision, relax, and make a YouTube sailing vlog video.

Next we get ready to sail nonstop from the Bahamas to the USVI and BVI. We hope you enjoyed this episode. Please subscribe, share, and hit the like button

The post [Ep. 18] Blue Holes & ENGINE WOES appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

The post [Ep. 16] Can We Outrun a Storm? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

0:00 Intro

0:36 Bahamas Sailing

We raise our anchor at the deserted island in North Eleuthera Bahamas and head west. We sail through the crystal clear but shallow water of the Bahama Banks to Chub Cay, Whale Key, Bimini, and then on to Miami.

3:49 Gulf Stream Crossing

We crossed the gulf stream with a northeast wind, perfect for some downwind spinnaker sailing on the way to Miami and Biscayne Bay. We hit 10.9 knots of boat speed during some great and fun sailing conditions.

7:00 Stiltsville

We entered Biscayne National Park through the Stiltsville Cut. It was pretty cool to sail between the old houses and buildings on stilts, which have been long since abandoned. This is a tricky entrance and we must be careful as we draw over six feet.

7:25 Coconut Grove Sailing Club

We got the last open mooring ball at CGSG, which thankfully was the only one that would fit our 46 foot sailboat. We were very thankful for the clubs hospitality. What an amazing place with excellent staff and friendly members. It helped that they were a racing club and we had visited there before while racing Melges 24’s.

7:41 Sail Loft

One of the main reasons for coming to Miami was to get our staysail fixed up. When it was originally re-cut down from a #4 jib in Annapolis the sail loft there made a mistake and made the sail longer than the hoist. So we were able to have the sail re-recut and fixed in under a week. We were super thankful to get this done.

8:39 Melges 20 and Bacardi Winter Series in Miami

It just so happened that the Melges 20 Winter Series and Bacardi Miami Winter Series was going on. Was this planned? Well, it certainly was a good enough reason to sail back to the USA and see all of our racing friends. On top of that, the race committee boat broke down, so we volunteered to be the RC boat for the day. It was lots of fun, but there were a few close calls. Luckily no boats were harmed in the filming of this video and SV Sweet Ruca came away without a scratch in her Awlgrip!

12:52 Coconut Grove

We ended our time in Miami with a stroll through Coconut Grove. It is a lovely little suburb on the south side. We took advantage of this time to get our last meals out in the USA for what we be a long time. We were also invited to go to the CGSC staff Christmas party, so we celebrated the holiday in style with our new friends before we sail away again to the Bahamas.

#sailing #boatlife #bahamas #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #sailor #yachtlife #boating #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog #snorkeling #paddleboarding #desertedisland #jboats #saltydog #saltlife #sailingvlog #liveaboardlifestyle #rocna #anchoring #cruising #sailaway

The post [Ep 15] Hard Decisions…Do We Turn Around? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

It’s been done many times before. Blogs. Videos. Podcasts. About dogs on sailboats. Monohulls. Catamarans. Day cruisers and liveaboards. Should you? Shouldn’t you? Young dogs? Old dogs? Big? Small? What’s best? What’s a big no-no? 

But ultimately, what’s the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW?!?!

The most important thing to know IS THIS:

Having a dog on the boat prohibits your spontaneity. We can talk vaccines and breeds and potty breaks in a sec, but first things first. 

Paperwork and Vaccines

Before you depart from your current country, you need an import permit AND health certificate, amongst other things, for each pet. The “health certificate” is the key thing to ruining your spontaneity. It’s essentially the physical and health inspection the vet gives your dog/pet before you depart your current country. The new country requires this permit to be done so many days before you depart so that the pet may seem as healthy as possible as close to the departure date as possible so they have less of a chance of acquiring any diseases before they leave. 

The Health Certificate

The health certificate often expires in a short while, often two weeks or less. So you have, we will call it 10 days for example’s sake, 10 days to depart your current country before the certificate expires and the new country won’t accept it. This does not include travel time at sea. So what if a storm comes? What if you decide to go to a different country? What if you decide to leave earlier than the vet appointment allows? What if you decide to leave later? If your form expires, be prepared for another vet appointment. Each country has its own form and the vet will charge you for each one they do… and don’t forget they expire quickly! 

Another challenge could be diverting your destination mid-travel, perhaps even for the weather. If the decision was one of safety, most countries will be accommodating or may simply not allow your dog onshore. The forms usually include all current vaccines, microchip numbers, breed, age, weight, and a vet signature that the dog appears in generally good health. 

If you are coming from the United States, it is often that a USDA vet signature is required, and sometimes this is challenging to get. Don’t forget to get an extra copy in case customs decides to keep one. Two sets of everything is a good idea so that you always have hard copies of documents to present. 

The Import Permit

The import permit is a nice formality for the intended country of travel. It does not usually require a vet signature from your country of departure but SOMETIMES requires a signature from the intended country before departure. You find this form online from the intended country, usually from their Ministry of Agriculture website. Print and fill out with information about your dog: name, age, weight, breed, vaccines, microchip number, and any other required information on the provided form. Some countries will require that you send this form via email ahead of time to be signed and then emailed back to you. You will then need to print this new form with the signature of the vet or official from the intended country and present it to customs.  You will either provide this form with the other check-in forms for the vessel and crew or email it ahead of time to the intended party.  This may sometimes be a specific vet from the intended country of travel or someone from the Ministry of Agriculture Department. 

This is why it is a good idea to carry a printer on board. You can find small compact ones for a decent deal online or at your electronics or office store (Best Buy, Staples). You’ll want to be able to print from your email in some way or another. Having a printer that can scan is also a good idea to save your documents electronically that were given to you by the vet. 

In summary, your health certificate is your vet health inspection from your current country while the import permit informs your intended country of travel of your intentions of bringing a pet. The reason for this is that many countries do not wish to bring in foreign diseases. All of this technical talk aside, there are many countries that have all this paperwork as a formality and are pretty laid back. They are simply looking for proof of vaccines and may help you out when it comes to dates and timing. 

Is less better or is more better?

When it comes to paperwork on vaccines, more is perfectly fine, but keep your most recent vaccines up front. People doing paperwork usually want to move on quickly so make it easy for them. Less is better in that sense. Make your paperwork simple and straightforward, no need to present a book. (However, there may be some countries that prefer a complete history, but it’s not as common.)

Vaccines and Other Tests

There is also something called the rabies titer test. This blood test calculates how many rabies antibodies are in their system. You generally get this done ONE MONTH after their rabies vaccine. I would say most countries don’t require this test, but still many do. It is generally expensive and there is only one location in the United States that will do the lab work so it is also often a time-sensitive test. It can take weeks to get your results back. Get this done before you take off, BUT make sure you had your rabies shot at least one month before. Although not all countries require this, it’s easier to get it done when you’ve got the time. Don’t wait and find yourself in a pickle. 

The majority of countries that I’ve seen in my research require the following vaccines:

-Rabies vaccine (1 year or 3 year, usually 1!)

-DAPP: Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, Parvo

-Leptospirosis

-Lymes

While still some countries will ask for:

-Proof of heartworm 

-Treatment for internal and/or external parasites

Most of these vaccines are yearly and others are every three years. However, the standards vary from country to country, and thus three year may not be accepted. 

Everyday life

Fake turf did not work for us!

Using the “bathroom”

The most common question I get when people learn we have a dog on the boat is asking how she goes to the “bathroom”! Everyone seems to have advice for this. I will start by saying it is different to train a puppy than an adult dog that had been living on land. Training a puppy to essentially have a “litter box” is something you should take the time to work on.  Re-potty training your adult dog can sometimes go smoothly. Putting their scent on a fake turf pad or buying the spray from the pet store or using your code word for going and lots of treats work really well for some people. I researched to my wit’s end about how to get my 9-year-old pup to go on the boat. Preface: We have a monohull and our dog has been day sailing before moving onto the boat. 

I tried everything that I could possibly do and no matter what I tried I could not convince my very smart well-behaved dog to “go” on the boat. She really thought it was so terrible and always refused. We even tried seaweed on the deck! All failures. After some deep searching, I found that many people were experiencing the same troubles as me. I have resorted to taking Roxy into shore twice a day. Some may say this sounds like a lot of work, but don’t we do the same at home? A walk in the morning and a walk when we come home from work? It works for us and also gives me some good exercise and a break away from the boat. Thanks to this, I’ve seen many beautiful sunrises and sunsets I may not have taken the effort to see. I’ve also gotten good exercise from paddleboarding when maybe I was preferring to become just a couch potato in the salon. 

So what do we do underway?

We wait. She holds it for as long as she can! I’ve read and talked to other couples and this tends to happen to them too! Even sailing overnight was difficult for us humans to get used to “going” on the boat, so we can’t expect our pet to get used to it right away! Over time she has gotten better, but she still holds it in as long as she can. We consulted numerous vets about potential health hazards with this and the worst we’ve heard is a UTI. Fortunately for us we have not had any serious issues. Eventually, when she’s reached her limit, she knows to go to the stern and do her business there, where it can fairly easily be washed away. Once the “seal” is broken she has a better time going underway. 

Navigating the Boat Underway

Safety and Navigating the Boat

Getting her sea legs took a bit of time. I would recommend some day-sailing in flat water first if you’re able. Give them baby steps and let them work up to rougher conditions. TREATS. ALL THE TREATS. Or toys. Do whatever you can to make them happy and feel at home. Side note: Many dogs struggle with walking on a dock or making a jump on board where there is no land, and only water, underneath their paws. Don’t assume they will be comfortable with this! We made sure to give treats the first time on the dock as well as boarding the boat and she had no issues, but not all dogs overcome this fear so easily. 

Safe Spot to Sleep

Another suggestion is to find a specific safe spot for your dog. There are going to be a lot of weird noises and weather for them to experience and you’ll want to make them at ease by giving them a spot to call their own. A spot in the boat where it is dry and warm or cool, depending on the weather, along with their bed and pillows and blankets and toys or whatever they enjoy! Bonus points if they can go there on command. Unfortunately for us, we discovered that our pup jumps out of bed and attempts to climb the companionway stairs and check out what’s happening on deck during storms with loud noises and lots of yelling. She knows what to do when I tell her to “go in Roxy’s bed”. Sometimes we have to block the companionway to keep her from checking things out. She’s slowly getting better at staying in her bed when things get uncomfortable. 

Getting some much needed zzz’s

Walking While Underway

Don’t assume that a non-skid deck that works well for you will work well for your furbaby!  Our non-skid deck is more of a skating rink for Roxy and she has a hard time walking around certain corners. She has gotten used to it, but it took waaaaaaaaay longer than I thought it would. I would add that it took probably 6 months before she really felt like this was her new home. In doing research this is not abnormal even for dogs that move from land-based houses to land-based houses. Referring to the deck, some people have chosen to get grippy shoes or socks for their dog or even those nail covers that make it easy for your dog to stand on slippery surfaces. None of those options really worked for us so I’ve resorted to using basic yoga mats or towels to help her walk or lay down in the cockpit. 

Hanging out behind the wheel

Another road bump you might hit is your dog navigating stairs, whether it be the companionway or down into the hulls of a catamaran. These stairs are usually steeper and slicker than what they’re used to and can be difficult if the boat heels! Navigating the stairs may take some training as well. Something else we came across was helping our dog figure out how to turn around mid-stairs as she sometimes wants to climb all the way up, but is not allowed in the cockpit and needs to make her way back down. 

Please let me outside!

First Aid

Regarding safety, we also carry a dog-specific first aid kit equipped with her flea and tick and heartworm medication, tick tongs, mild sedative, antibiotics, spare leash, toothpaste, nail clippers, and a few other things.  This way it’s a quick grab and we don’t confuse it with our human medication. Perhaps read up on basic pet first aid before you push off as well, or get certified!

Dealing With Temperature

Depending on your intended plans, you will want to make sure your dog is comfortable in the temperatures of the places you’ll be visiting. If you’re visiting somewhere with a hotter climate, you may choose to invest in a cooling pad for your pup to lie on. Certainly, make sure there is enough water and perhaps find a way to swim your dog from your boat if a beach is not available. We’ve trained Roxy to jump off the paddleboard and climb back up (with assistance) to help cool her down in the middle of the day. If you find your dog has a hard time cooling off, a good first step is to cool the pads of their paws. You can use water or alcohol, which evaporates quickly and will cool them off. If you’re lucky enough to have ice on board, perhaps give them some to eat or add it to their water bowl. 

Staying cool under the canapy

What about leaving the boat? Do you need to lock the hatches and close the windows in case it rains? We have a canopy system that allows us to keep windows on vent and block the rain, but also block the strong rays of sun from entering the boat. This keeps the boat cool if we need to leave during the day and are unable to bring our girl with us.  Of course, there are some, very few, situations where we have opted not to leave the boat because it is THAT HOT. But usually, we are not eager to leave the boat ourselves if it’s going to be that much of a scorcher. This could be another good reason to invest in a cooling pad. 

What about if it’s cold? Does your boat have a heater? Some toasty warm foulies are available for purchase online or even a variety of dog coats. Try to get something that will keep the water out and the heat in. Perhaps keep a spare coat or sweater in case the original one gets wet. If your pet is not accustomed to the cold or wearing warm clothing, try to get them used to it before you leave. Can’t say this enough. There is so much for them to learn when they first get on the boat, and the easier you can make it for them, the better. 

Bundled up!

Food and Beverage

As far as food goes, a non-skid food and water bowl is a good idea, or even a rubber mat so it’s not going to move around onboard. Choose a designated spot and also consider keeping a water dish inside and outside the boat so they don’t have to go chasing for it. Always make sure they have water before you leave! Storing the dog food is something to think about as well. I try to buy small bags in place of the big ones, but this is a personal preference. 

Regardless of the bag, I break down the food into zip lock baggies to try and keep critters out. You may even choose a hefty bin depending on the type of storage on your boat. However, I would recommend various storage compartments in case you get food that goes bad OR you find a creepy-crawly critter. This way, you’ll have some backup food. Once I found a maggot in some food that must have sat on the shelf for a long time in this tiny grocery store in the Bahamas. I threw the food overboard, but still had plenty left as I had food separated into individual zip locks. 

We are lucky that our dog does not have motion sickness and also does not mind a change in the brand of food. For many dogs, this is an issue. Getting dog food shipped to your location may not be an option. Find a way to prepare for these hurdles you might encounter along the way. 

Be sure to monitor their drinking. Have they been drinking regularly throughout the day? Are they not drinking enough? Are they guzzling their water? Guzzling could lead to some problems too so if they are quite thirsty after some intense playing, perhaps space out some servings of water for them. 

There are two dogs in this picture

Grooming

Grooming my girl is fairly simple. We are lucky to have a short-haired dog on the boat, but that doesn’t stop the hairs from finding their way to the bilge. If I was lucky, I’d have a little hand-held vacuum to sweet it up every day. I currently use a broom and check under the floorboards every once in a while. If you are planning to get a dog to take with you, this is something you may want to consider! You may not mind the shedding hair, but it could be an issue for some of the systems on your boat. 

I’ve also trained my dog since the beginning of adopting her to get her nails clipped by me.  She does really well and I try to choose calm days to do this. A swim platform with a shower hose makes bathing and rinsing saltwater off of them much simpler too. Don’t forget to rinse those private bits to avoid infection!

Gear

I’ve chosen a leak-proof dog bed for her as she loves to swim and sometimes gets wet from the rain. As an older dog, she sometimes has incontinence and the waterproofing works well for that too. 

A harness style life jacket is a good way to go so you can easily pick up your dog from the dinghy or if she is to fall overboard. We use a simple life jacket from West Marine, but there are plenty online to choose from and read reviews about. Some life jackets include a reflective strip so you can find your pup in the dark, whether onboard or onshore. 

Roxy weighs 50 lbs and having a harness style life jacket makes it easy to pick her up or grab onto her while on deck. During rougher conditions when she wants to hang outside, we will also harness her in so that she has limited mobility and has to stay in the cockpit, assuming this is safe of course. Your dog may need some time to get used to this as well. Maybe practice wearing it around the house before you take off!

Harnessed in but still getting some sniffs!

Also, note that many life jackets are NOT breathable for your dog and may make your dog feel hot especially when there’s not a lot of breeze but there IS a lot of sun. You may choose to carry a normal more breathable harness (not life jacket) and lock them into the cockpit with just the harness so they don’t overheat. This is your personal preference, but another reason it’s a good option for doing some day-sails and testing out what works for you and your pup. 

General gear you might consider:

Must haves: life jacket, food and water dishes, probably a dog bed or specific sleeping location

Good ideas to use: Cooling pad or jacket/shirt, doggy sunglasses or goggles, non-skid shoes or towels for navigating the deck, warm blank, coat, waterproof collar, identification tag with boat details

Being out and about

Exercise

Exercise can be another challenge and is different for all types and sizes of dogs. Perhaps you’d prefer a smaller dog that usually needs less exercise? Or maybe a large dog is good for you as you prefer to go for jogs or swims every morning. Regardless of type, your pup is going to need some exercise, which may factor into how you spend your days on the boat. It may shorten a day trip you had planned or it may make it impossible for you to do a side trip off the boat. What about visiting other boats? Many boat owners may not want your dirty dog with their dog hair aboard, especially if they run charters. 

Going for a swim!

So how can you exercise your dog? We play fetch in the salon. We go for walks on the beach or in town if it seems friendly. We will swim with the paddleboard off the boat if the anchorage isn’t too busy. Some people buy specific toys you can fill with treats to help keep their minds occupied. While underway, exercise can be a bit trickier and in general, our pup doesn’t mind snuggling up at her older age of 10. But that still doesn’t slow her down too much! If we want to stretch her legs, we wait for good weather and take her for a walk around on the deck. Sometimes bringing a toy or some treats.

Once again, be aware of how your dog behaves on your dinghy or paddleboard or kayak. Can you have control over your dog as you pull up to the dinghy dock or beach? What if the dock is tall and your dog is too big and heavy to lift that high? What if you have multiple dogs to hold onto while you try and dock? Do you have a swim platform or do they need to be lowered down? Can they jump off your boat of their own free will while you’re working on something else? These are things you’ll have to figure out. Create a routine when it comes to leaving the boat with and without them to help with behavior and also make them more comfortable. 

Curtis and Roxy out for a sunset paddle

Where is your dog allowed and not allowed to go? There are two categories for this. Country regulations and general onshore happenings. 

Country Regulations

Regarding country regulations, each country is different and the biggest impacts are rabies and breed. Are you coming from a rabies-free country? Is your dog a banned breed in that nation? You can read up on this often on the ministry of agriculture websites for each country or just by googling. Websites with tons of info are as follows: 

www.aphis.usda.gov Meant for dogs traveling from the USA but still loads of information on each country. There is a drop-down menu for you to select which country you are interested in going to. 

www.pettravel.com has included lots of good information but may not be kept as regularly up to date. Lots of forms and regulations change on a regular basis and it may be a good idea to check out the country’s specific website or even email the persons in charge to confirm everything you’ll need upon arrival. 

You can also choose private companies like IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transportation Association), to sort out your travel plans and documents for you if you don’t have the time or find it overly complicated. There may even be a few places that require this type of bureaucracy. For example, the Galapagos Islands are well protected and you may have trouble getting your pet checked in there at all.  At the least it will require a lot of planning ahead of time.

Challenges You May Face Taking Your Pet to Shore

When it comes to taking your pet ashore, you’ll want to be aware of the local perception of pets. Even if a breed is allowed, people may feel easily frightened or may approach you in an uncomfortable way. Restaurants or even specific beaches may not allow your dog. Join cruising forums regarding pets and check Active Captain to find out more information on specific places or bays. 

You may need to heighten your awareness of your surroundings when arriving in a new place. You’ll want to be respectful and considerate of cultural norms when it comes to taking your pet ashore. There may not be trash cans scattered about for you to dispose of their droppings. The environmentally conscious person may choose to purchase biodegradable doggy bags. Often found at your local pet store or can be ordered online. In my experience, they often come in the color green. 

Changes in Your Pet

Lastly, can moving your dog on a boat change their personality? I’m referring specifically to dogs that have grown from the puppy stage. Our dog had to gain a whole new appreciation for her balance skills. And it does seem she gets a bit sadder when we leave the boat without her (probably because we are around her all the time). She doesn’t have her dog best friends next door but still enjoys finding and playing with other dogs, but chances like this are fewer and farther in-between. Her life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows as sometimes she gets ignored for the pertinent boat project or long passage at sea. However, she gets to be with her people way more frequent than before and, while we are in the tropics, gets to do a lot more swimming, which she loves. The smells of new land bring excitement to her cute little doggy face. She seems happy and that is the end goal for both parties!

In Summary

This may seem overwhelming and often it is! We lose out of some spontaneity and sometimes struggle to plan a day of adventure around the safety of our pup. Having a dog on board can be very rewarding, but it created many challenges and obstacles that I would prefer to avoid. Do you already have a dog or are you considering adopting one for your new liveaboard lifestyle? There is much to consider and it is best to do your research and choose what is safest and best for both you and your (potential) pet.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Sailing and Cruising with a Dog appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Feel free to bookmark it and check back.

Navigation and Weather Routing Software

Expedition – https://www.expeditionmarine.com/

Used for serious routing and planning of longer passages or races. It is much more complex than other products but gives an advanced user many tools to increase accuracy in both forecasting and polars, as well as tools to improve boat speed and VMC.

Open CPN – https://opencpn.org/

Open Source and Free. We started using this long before cruising but now use it rarely as a backup to Expedition. Chart Plotter and Navigational software program for use underway or as a planning tool. Developed by a team of active sailors using real-world conditions for program testing and refinement.

PredictWind – https://www.predictwind.com/

Used for quick weather looks and routing while underway. Updates via iridium GO fairly quickly and reliably while offshore.

Charts

We regularly consult multiple charts for any given area. Most of our plotting is done via C-Map charts and Expedition for serious navigation. Navionics on an iPad is in use during more day to day ops in known areas.

https://www.c-map.com/

https://www.navionics.com/usa/

https://www.charts.noaa.gov/InteractiveCatalog/nrnc.shtml

Polar File Sources

A polar diagram describes how fast a sailing boat may go at different wind speeds (TWS) and in different angles to the wind (TWA). Every type of boat has its polar diagram (or VPP, velocity prediction program), computed from hull shape, weight, rigging and a sail setup. Below are links to several locations where you may find polar files for your boat. If you can not find polars for your boat, you can build them yourself by logging your own data, or contact one of the worldwide yacht racing and rating agencies, who can provide polars along with a rating certificate at a cost.

https://l-36.com/polar_polars.php

Official Weather Links

Atlantic Hurricane 5 Day: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=5

Atlantic Analysis: https://ocean.weather.gov/Atl_tab.php

Ocean Prediction Center: https://ocean.weather.gov/

Atlantic Weatherfax: https://www.weather.gov/marine/fax_graph

GEOS Caribbean: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector.php?sat=G16&sector=car

GEOS Tropical Atlantic: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector.php?sat=G16&sector=taw

Bahamas Radar: http://smartmet.bahamasweather.org.bs/radarcomposite/

Other Unofficial Forecasters Links

Weather.org: https://www.weather.org/

Mikes Weather Page: https://www.spaghettimodels.com/

Weather Nerds: https://weathernerds.org/

Tropical Tidbits: https://tropicaltidbits.com/

Corporate Weather Links

https://www.sailflow.com/

https://www.wunderground.com/

https://weather.com/

https://www.accuweather.com/

Apps

Predictwind Offshore – offshore weather and cloud based routing via iridiumGO

Windy – iPhone wind and forecast app

Storm – iPhone/iPad radar and forecast app

MyRadar – iPad radar

Sailflow – iPhone and web based wind

Anchor Alarm – iPpad/iPhone anchor alarm, linkable to monitor when away from boat

RD Client – view desktop PC (Expedition) on iPad over WiFi

Link – B&G app for linking MFD to iPad

Weather Model Explanations

GFS

Outlook Range: 16 Days

The Global Forecast System (GFS) is a global numerical weather prediction system containing a global computer model and variational analysis run by the United States’ National Weather Service (NWS).

NAVGEM

Outlook Range: 6 Days

The Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM) is a global numerical weather prediction computer simulation run by the United States Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. This mathematical model is run four times a day and produces weather forecasts. Along with the NWS’s Global Forecast System, which runs out to 16 days, the ECMWF’s Integrated Forecast System (IFS) and the CMC’s Global Environmental Multiscale Model (GEM), both of which run out 10 days, and the UK Met Office’s Unified Model, which runs out to 7 days, it is one of five synoptic scale medium-range models in general use.

The NAVGEM became operational in February 2013, replacing the NOGAPS. It uses the same forecast range as the NOGAPS did (three-hour intervals out 180 hours) but also uses a refurbished dynamic core and improvements to the physics simulations compared to its predecessor.

ECMWF

Outlook Range: 10 Days

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by most of the nations of Europe and is based at Shinfield Park, Reading, United Kingdom. It operates one of the largest supercomputer complexes in Europe and the world’s largest archive of numerical weather prediction data.[1]

ECMWF was established in 1975, in recognition of the need to pool the scientific and technical resources of Europe’s meteorological services and institutions for the production of weather forecasts for medium-range timescales (up to approximately two weeks) and of the economic and social benefits expected from it.

COAMPS

Outlook Range: 3 Days

COAMPS-TC, developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Marine Meteorology Division, is a new version of the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS®) that is tailored specifically for predicting tropical cyclones worldwide (including, but not limited to, Atlantic hurricanes).

ICON

Outlook Range: 8 Days

Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Weather and Climate Model. The ICON modelling framework is a joint project between the German Weather Service and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology for developing a unified next-generation global numerical weather prediction and climate modelling system.

NDFD

Outlook Range: 7 Days

The National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) is a suite of gridded forecasts of sensible weather elements (e.g., cloud cover, maximum temperature). NWS field offices working in collaboration with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) are combined in the NDFD to create a seamless mosaic of digital forecasts. MDL contributed to the development of the NDFD and its companion project, the National Digital Guidance Database (NDGD).

HRRR

Outlook Range: 1 Day

The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh is a NOAA/NCEP operational weather prediction system comprised of a numerical forecast model and an analysis/assimilation system to initialize the model. It is run with a horizontal resolution of 3 km and has 50 vertical levels.

WW3

Outlook Range: 8 Days

WaveWatch III is a third generation wave model developed at NOAA/NCEP in the spirit of the WAM wave model. It is a further development of the model WaveWatch I developed at Delft University of Technology and WaveWatch II, developed at NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center.

NAM

Outlook Range: 3 Days

The North American Mesoscale Forecast System (NAM) is one of the major weather models run by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) for producing weather forecasts. … The NAM generates multiple grids (or domains) of weather forecasts over the North American continent at various horizontal resolutions.

GDAS FNL

Outlook Range: 1 Day

These NCEP FNL (Final) operational global analysis and forecast data are on 0.25-degree by 0.25-degree grids prepared operationally every six hours. This product is from the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS), which continuously collects observational data from the Global Telecommunications System (GTS), and other sources, for many analyses. The FNLs are made with the same model which NCEP uses in the Global Forecast System (GFS), but the FNLs are prepared about an hour or so after the GFS is initialized. The FNLs are delayed so that more observational data can be used.

CMC

Outlook Range: 16 Days

The Canadian Meteorological Center (CMC) produces a global computerized weather forecast model twice daily. The CMC model is global, as opposed to, the GFDL and WRF models which are regional models centered over North America. The CMC model is run through 240 hours.

GLERL

Outlook Range: 3 Days

Great Lakes Only. NOAA GLERL and its partners conduct innovative research on the dynamic environments and ecosystems of the Great Lakes and coastal regions to provide information for resource use and management decisions that lead to safe and sustainable ecosystems, ecosystem services, and human communities.

RTOFS

Outlook Range: 8

RTOFS (Global) is a global ocean forecast system based on the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). … Each run starts with a 2 day hindcast and produces ocean surface forecasts every hour and full volume forecasts every 6 hours from the 0000Z nowcast out to 196 hours.

HYCOM

Outlook Range: 7 Days

The HYCOM consortium is a multi-institutional effort sponsored by the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP), as part of the U. S. Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE), to develop and evaluate a data-assimilative hybrid isopycnal-sigma-pressure (generalized) coordinate ocean model (called HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model or HYCOM).

To D0:

NMEA 0183 and N2k

SSB Channels and Basics

Satellite and iridium links

B&G and 4g radar

Embed quick view recent images

Low bandwidth HTML (no WP) version

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The dreaded sponge. If only the wolf could wash it for me.

Doing the dishes. Everyone has to do it. Is it so jarringly exciting? The sink is smaller, and there’s no dishwasher. The dishwasher has a name and two hands that get pruney three times a day. It’s ok, though. At times it’s exhausting and other times it’s calming. It’s a routine, after all. Sometimes it’s rushed and other times it’s thorough. Sometimes it’s on the transom releasing chunks into the ocean instead of down the drain- for the lack of that grinding that usually helps out the pipes. Sometimes it’s the many licks of a hungry dog’s tongue that gets the sticky syrup off the plates or the ranch dressing out of a bowl. (Dishes are rinsed with soapy water before being used again.) They sit on a towel to dry before they are inevitably used a few hours later. They are not fancy or special, but useful. Letting them build up dirty may attract unwanted flying creatures. Fortunately, that has not been an issue for us. The dishwater usually works really well. The faucet is on and off and on and off at an attempt to conserve freshwater. Cups become plates when the boat is sailing, and moving and balancing becomes a part of mealtime. Doing the dishes is not just doing the dishes. It’s maintaining this vessel.

Laundry. Turns out it’s as essential as bathing. Sometimes we combine the two. Two birds one stone? Quarters and detergent and long pants weigh heavy when the walking distance is no longer down the stairs, but down the street. Colder climates were harder as clothes weigh more. We attempt to wear little and re-wear as much as possible to save our time and efforts on this. There is no laundry machine on the boat. The washer and dryer have a name and two hands. Sometimes four if we work together. Sometimes four dirty paws come along curiously, checking out the wet items and spreading a bit of love via dog hair. Sometimes it’s a fully clothed shower. If it’s warm and a sunny day, this chore is not so bothersome. Can clothes dry in the cold on a clothesline? A special trip was made for a big orange bucket to help when the building up of clothes occurs.

Meals. It’s not exotic, and that’s ok with us. The best is experimenting with how to make something new with the same old ingredients. It’s been a hobby that we enjoy regardless if the outcome is tasty. Many of our “recipes” surprise us. Measuring and ingredient lists are often made up on the fly as we “compete” in our own episodes of “Chopped”. We try to cook quickly to conserve as much propane as possible. We factor cooking time when we buy things at the store. It’s been pushed to the limit with fewer trips to the grocery store since the pandemic. We by no means have a fancy recipe with organic ingredients and everything made from scratch. Our meals are not always complete or even the healthiest. But it is nourishment, and we experience a variety. Sometimes it’s a simple salad with a slew of chopped veggies. Sometimes that salad gets… raisins? Sometimes it’s figuring out a new way to eat a hotdog. Sometimes it’s pizza dough from scratch but with store-bought sauce. Sometimes it’s beans from a can. Sometimes its beans from a can multiple nights in a row. Sometimes it’s fresh fruit for the first time since…??? The fridge space is limited, but sufficient. Snacks are harder. In some places… a bag of chips $10? A jar of peanuts $12? Triscuits $7? Oranges $5 a lb? What will become of the types of snacks we have should we continue?

Sleep? Do you enjoy movement and constant sound while you’re sleeping? There are few calm anchorages with complete stillness and no clanging lines or squawking birds. For me, personally, it’s easier if there is less sound. Most nights are easy when there’s been a long day of work, or we can limit the clanging of lines. Sometimes the rocking is a bit disturbing as you rollover unwillingly. And I am referring to this “at anchorage”, not even moving the boat.

“Moving the boat sleeping” is another thing. I’ve yet to find a real rhythm to sleep at sea between shifts with my partner. He seems to fare better than me at this. Alarms are set for a few hours rest as waves punch the hull and you lock yourself into a space so you don’t unwillingly rollover. You experience cold and hot regardless of the temperature and feel hunger and thirst at odd times, IF you’ve been able to overcome seasickness. The grinding of sails or the rubbing of sheets on rigging echo throughout the vessel. Earplugs are nice if you can decipher your name being called for help or an emergency. When you awake from each shift you stumble to use the bathroom so you don’t need to do it on watch, regardless if you need to go. You inevitably hit your head and nearly fall over putting your foul weather gear on. Moments of calm and stars make it feel worthwhile until your heart races to make sure the wind hasn’t changed. The sails need to be adjusted while also looking at the radar to make sure you don’t hit anything while looking for buoys or looking at the screen to make sure you’re on course. Your brain wanders if your partner is getting their much-needed sleep. You see them still up after an hour off shift to get a snack and sigh to yourself. You feel sleepy yourself and wish they’d close their eyes to get reenergized. When the sun rises a sense of success washes over you and you feel energized for just a moment before you think a nap is already in order. Let’s recheck the weather and run some more routes. This could and will probably be a blog post in it’s own right someday soon.

Vinegar and H2O

Cleaning. A shop vac replaces a standard vacuum. Pipes are sensitive to chemicals as well as windows, and sensitive cleaners become the sanitation of choice. A broom mops up sand, dog hair, and crumbs. Toilets and showers request more attention for some reason. Green grass grows upside down on the hull instead of right side up in the yard. Earplugs are worn to make sure no critters make themselves a new home while the “mowing” takes place. Stainless steel and aluminum polishing become the new leaf raking or gutter cleaning or window spraying of this new home. Wood. We glance around us and wonder when we will decide to refinish the wood.

Waking up. Where am I? Oh, I’m on a boat. It’s calm. It’s noisy from the birds. It’s loud from the boat neighbors. It’s hot. It’s raining. It’s cool. Check the batteries. Is the fridge running? Will we get enough solar to balance out what we used? Check the weather. Look outside. Is it windy? Is it sunny? Did we move? Check the anchor alarm. I’m hungry. What’s for breakfast? Eggs again. Toast. Save the bread for lunch sandwiches. Just eggs. Eggs and bacon on pancakes? Do I have the energy? Do I have internet? Do the worm to crawl off the end of the bed. Don’t trip on the dog. Start a pot of water for the captain to get some coffee.

Going to sleep. Check the batteries. What are the amps? Remember where the batteries are when the sun goes down to see how much energy we burn. Check the anchor alarm. Look outside. Stars? New boat neighbors? Do we need fans tonight? Will it rain, and will we need to close the windows? Does the dog have water? Lock the dinghy. Recheck the batteries. Does the computer have enough battery for a movie? Check the anchor alarm. Is it rolly? Should we adjust the anchor? Am I hungry again? Charge the phones. Oh crap we need to run the water maker. Make water for an hour and prolong sleep. Eat a snack. Fall asleep.

Showering. Turn the water on and get wet. Turn the water off. Soap up. Turn the water on and rinse. End of shower. *Warm climate- Jump off the back of the boat. Climb out onto the boat. Soap up. Jump back in the water. Use the hose at the back of the yacht for a freshwater rinse. (Yes, salt builds up in the hair!)

There are more categories to add and much more about life that is difficult to portray in text or video! I hope this piqued your interest and shared a tiny wee bit about boat life.

The post A Little Bit of Boat Life appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.