Boat Heater

We survived with 3 heat sources, but we could have had some better solutions had we intended to stay longer at high latitudes. We could have made it with no heat, especially in the Austral summer, but it would not have been pleasure cruising.

Our primary heat source was a cheap Chinese forced air diesel truck heater. After an installation learning curve, this heater performed flawlessly for us throughout our trip. The 5000 model was enough to keep our boat warm enough inside but was underpowered in below-freezing temps and icy waters.

We also carried two small plug-in electric heaters (one 110v and one 220v), which we used on rare occasions at a dock. Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, Puerto Aguirre, and Puerto Montt, are the only places where plugging in is available, and prepare for unstable power supplies and long cords.

A note on wood heaters. It is possible to use a wood stove. We know of at least one sailboat in this area that does this. This is what heats all of the old fishing boats down south. There is a special type of wood in the fjords that burns when damp, but you will need to be able to identify it, and all the fishermen carry chainsaws. It does add an element of risk of a blowdown fire, which is the #1 reason for house fires in Southern Chile. As romantic as it sounds, we would stick with diesel.

Sleeping Bags

We consider a 0-degree sleeping bag for each crew member a must. We have four on board, two as spares. They are small and light to carry and make for a welcome cocoon on cold nights when it is blowing 40 and hailing outside. We also consider them important for safety. In case of injury, hypothermia, or heater failure.

There are a variety of options on the market to suit all types of different preferences and budgets. Ours are mummy type bags, but keep in mind that though warmer, they do restrict the movement of your feet just a little. Depending on how extreme your cruising will be, you may be able to compromise a bit in this area. No doubt though, a 0 degree sleeping bag of some type on board your boat in this weather is a must!

Jet Boil

You won’t find this in any cruising guide, but we loved making coffee, tea, and ramen noodles without Jet Boil camping stove while sailing in Patagonia.

The gas bottles can be found in Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, and Puerto Montt. It saves on our main stove propane supply, and lugging the larger propane (gas or gaz) for refills.

Most of all it helped keep condensation at bay. We made our coffee in the companionway with the hatch open, allowing the steam to escape the boat out of the open hatch.

Yeti Cups

We aren’t brand loyal here, consider the term Yeti used by us like Xerox for copy machines. We recommend some stainless steel vacuum double-layer mugs with sipping lids. We use these Yeti Rambler Tumbler / Coffee Mugs pretty much every day.

Not only do they stop spills on the boat, but more importantly, they keep the steam in the cups. This keeps it off of your ceiling and from raining back down on you from your through deck fasteners.

They work well for hot drinks, and they are also a stable and spill-free platform to enjoy your Chilean Carmenere red wine on a gusty evening at anchor.

Insulation

Since we touched on the topic of condensation, you are beginning to see how much of a problem it is. Our boat is not insulated (we would highly recommend an insulated boat, or installing boat insulation, if intending to spend many seasons down south) but we did take some steps to control heat loss and minimize condensation.

We used foam mats which we cut to fit our windows and hatches. We also covered two of our windows with foam and shrink-wrap tape. This was a cheap and temporary solution that worked well for us.

We would consider more foam mats inserted above our headliners and against our outer hull, especially in cabinets with little ventilation or clothing.

Most long-term boats had added a second lexan layer to the interior of their hatches and windows, making them essentially double-pane windows. For a one-time pass-through, we would say this is nice but not required. If staying for a while, it would be a good idea to do. Keep in mind though, it is important to be able to open your hatches and ports to ventilate and dry out the boat on the rare nice sunny days.

Ventilation

As one can imagine, a heater, large temperature fluctuations, condensation, and dampness are a nasty combination that can ruin the wood interior of a boat and cause mold growth.

As tempting as it is to load the boat with provisions and spare parts, don’t pack all of your cabinets so full there is no airflow. Make sure there is room for the boat to breathe.

We would encourage vents in damp lockers and bathrooms. The marine solar vents work well, but get the sealable type for extreme conditions.

Dorades are also wonderful. Our boat has 4 huge dorade vents which give the cabin excellent airflow. Don’t forget to vent your anchor locker and aft Lazerettes. This can be done by just opening the hatches on good days.

Our fans we used all the time in the Caribbean, we thought would have little use in the cold high latitude sailing climates. They came in handy to move air around the boat.

If you can’t tell by now, condensation is really the worst enemy of your boat in these parts.

Shore Ties

This may be the first thing most picture when thinking of sailing in this area, and most cruising guides cover this topic in more depth. We originally arrived hoping to buy them in South America….forget about it! Just buy your shore ties before you leave.

Mooring line reels were awesome (we only had one). We suggest buying two or having some fabricated.

Our two primary shorelines were each 100 meters long. These were 3/4 inch 3-strand polypropylene floating ropes. This worked well.

Our secondary lines (we used these for the bow) were 1/2 inch 3 strand polypropylene, each 110 meters long.

This setup worked well and seemed a good compromise of weight and strength for our boat. There were only two anchorages where we wished for more shore ties (6 ties in total) and in those instances we strung together some old Jib sheets and dock lines.

Along with our shorelines we also had 2 cables, looped at each end, for wrapping around rocks, which we used a few times and came in handy. These are easy to source locally and can serve a secondary purpose of a dinghy lock when traveling in more “civilized” areas.

Small Sails & Reefing

We were very glad to have our staysail set on an inner forestay. it was used often here. The third reef in the mainsail is also a must-have in Patagonia. We suggest addressing these items before you leave your home port, as sailmakers are few and far between in these parts.

We also had a 4th reef in our mainsail and carry a storm Jib.

We haven’t had to use each (we used the 4th reef once to test it and set the storm jib to practice and learn), as we are careful with weather routing, but we are happy to have these at the ready. Think, if we do our weather routing jobs correctly, we should never have to use these items, they are an insurance policy.

Our storm jib was made by Andy @ Evolution Sails Chicago, give him a ring and tell him the crew at Sweet Ruca sent you. He has extensive experience discussing our specific needs for high latitude sailing aboard a performance cruising sailboat. Both our 4th reef and our storm jib were sized specifically for our boat, our existing sail plan, and the conditions we would likely have to use them in (real storm conditions).

Keep in mind most “storm” sails on the mass market are normally designed for racing minimum sizes, or for wind conditions the majority of cruisers will see. In the cold air and big storms of the deep south we found things a bit different, we put together a well balanced and usable setup to allow the boat to sail well off a lee shore in sustained winds above 45 knots. https://www.evolutionsails.com/sail-lofts/usa/chicago/

Anchoring

We only used our primary anchor here, and never used a stern anchor in the fjords. We do carry a second spare anchor, just in case. There have been reports of lost anchors due to deep snags in some anchorages.

We chose an oversized Rocna  33kg anchor for our boat (the maximum size recommended by Rocna on their website, which Peter Smith personally confirmed was adequate when he saw it on the bow of our boat). We think any similar modern anchor will fit the bill as well.

Our primary anchor also has 200 feet of 10mm G4 chain, and 200 feet of nylon 5/8” 3 strand rode spliced on the tail. We are prepared to anchor in up to 200 feet of water in an emergency. Twice we anchored out in the big ship anchorages in 90-100 feet of water, and we were very glad to have this ability when needed.

Our secondary anchor is an Aluminium Fortress FX-37 anchor with 50 feet of 10mm chain and 150 feet of 5/8” nylon rode.

Lastly, get yourself a sickle or tree pruning saw to cut away any kelp that comes up on your anchor. We aren’t joking! We had so much kelp on our anchor once, our big Rocna floated in the patch of weeds! We used a small folding saw, locked at a 90 degree angle, and lashed to an extendable boat brush handle, this worked great. We also had a machete on board, which also comes in handy if you need to get through the thick brush on shore.

Jerry Cans

If southbound fuel is less of a concern, but if northbound, against the prevailing wind and current, be prepared to carry more fuel! We bought our extra cans in Uruguay and Puerto Williams, but if buying in South America be prepared for slim pickings, and don’t expect to see a Budget Marine or West Marine! Parts for yachts are hard to find. You can find some cheaper options for jerry cans than those marketed for boats, such as those containers used for bulk oil sales or industrial chemical shipments.

We wished for more built-in fuel capacity (we have 90 gallons of tankage, but would have loved another 30 built-in). Another option we have seen used is fuel bags, dedicated expandable tanks which can be strapped down on deck for extending the yachts range. We opted for standard 20 Liter (5 Gallon) jerry cans, 19 of them to be exact on board our boat! We purchased O rings for our Jerry cans to seal them better and stored them below why sailing (make sure to secure them). We aren’t a fan of cans on the deck while sailing for multiple reasons: better sailing performance, trip hazards, lines, stability.

You will need Jerry cans to shuttle fuel as fuel docks for yachts are difficult here. If you are coming from the USA, make sure not to get the EPA nozzles, as they are a real pain to fill with large boat nozzles (think buying your fuel from the same hoses as huge fishing boats) because of the little plastic piece inside. Once out of the USA, no one cares what color your jugs are.

Navigation & Weather

With the advent of Starlink, this game has changed. It worked for us throughout the fjords, and we were perhaps the first sailing yacht to go through the area with it. We did find that many of the local fisherman were using it as well.

Access to weather information is the key to a safe and fun trip here. Predictwind offshore app worked well and also allowed us to download satellite AIS which was handy.

C-Map charts were junk here, except for in the main shipping channels of the Magellan Straight and Puerto Montt.

We used mostly the iSailor app which was recommended to us by multiple Chilean Armada captains and by the Antarctic charter boat crews. We supplemented this with Navionics and Sat2Chart in OpenCPN. We didn’t touch our paper charts with the exception of Cape Horn, and that was just for nostalgic purposes.

Patagonia Cruising Guides

There is only one you need, the Bible. The Patagonia & Tierra Del Fuego Nautical Guide. Some of the information is a bit dated at this point, but for the most part, all of the anchorage information and depths are pretty spot on (we always used caution and worked slowly in uncharted waters using our depth sounder and suggest you do the same, there are keel crushing sized rocks down there).

The tide and current information was OK, but we never quite found an extremely accurate source of data for this, as even the Navy here acknowledges that the tides running between all of the small islands are too complex to forecast. The data in the two guides though gives you a good overview and we never had any problems timing the tides with a careful eye and a wrist watch.

Any others we consider supplements, many carried the Imray and the RCC guide, which have some details on a few anchorages not covered in the Bible.

Spare Parts

Getting parts in South America is a pain in the bottom! Expect a minimum of 2-3 weeks to receive anything offered online (even if you next-day air it) and sometimes up to 2 months. Just throw out any ideas of ordering what you need and getting it in a few days. Bring what you need from your home port or somewhere like St. Maarten.

Here is a short list of maintenance items to bring:

Water Pumps
Water Filters
Fuel Pump
Fuel Filters
Oil Filters
Engine Fluids (oil, trans, coolant)
Alternator
Exhaust Elbow
Engine Belts
Heater Repair Parts
Head Repair Parts
Hoses
Wire
Wire Connectors
Fuses
Rope Clutch Spares
Winch Rebuild Kit
Furler Repair Items
Mast Cars or Bearings
Sail Repair Kit
Dinghy Repair Kit
Epoxy (We like GFlex in the mixing tube)
Snatch Blocks

We didn’t use most of our spares. We did go through an engine impeller, a set of fuel filters (primary and secondary), and two oil changes (oil and filters).

We would possibly consider adding windlass spares to this list, especially if yours has some miles on it already. We suggest going to Amazon.com and creating a cart or a wishlist, searching for your needed spares, and adding them to your cart or list. Save it for later and you will always have it at hand to quickly go back and order from. This has saved us quite some time over the years.

Safety

Make sure your safety gear is up to snuff. One should have all the offshore gear already on board if venturing to these parts.

The only special item we added for safety while sailing here was immersion suits (some call them Gumby suits). This is true cold-water sailing, and help could be days away in the remote areas of the canals. We didn’t have to use them, but we were happy to have them on board.

Conclusion

As with sailing in any new place, there is always a learning curve. The bottom line is to be prepared. Don’t expect help from others, but do have the ability to help those in need. That is the way we travel and the mantra has done well for us. Safe and fun sailing to all!

Affiliate Links: Links to products in this article may contain affiliate sales links. We do this to pad our cruising kitty so that we can offer this information at no charge. By clicking the links and buying items from Amazon, we earn a small commission. In our opinion, Jeff Bezos’ yacht is plenty big, and we aren’t fans of sending more customers that way, especially over small businesses, but this way we can take a little from his boat fund and put it toward our grocery, diesel, boat maintenance, and web hosting costs we we can keep creating inspiring content for you!

The post 14 Essential Items For Outfitting Your Boat To Sail The Patagonia Fjords appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Well folks, here it is. This is the route we are taking around the world, and why we chose to go this direction.

We are sailing west-about around the world, or from East to West, via Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope. Most people say this is the hard way, or backwards, and it is. There are much faster downwind routes and much warmer mid-latitude routes. We chose our route for a few reasons:

• It is the path less traveled, we like that!
• It follows in the footsteps of great explorers like Magellan, Darwin, and Joshua Slocum.
• Cape Horn is perhaps the ultimate adventure for sailors.
• It takes advantage of prevailing winds and currents.
• It is a difficult challenge, and we like challenges!

The Standard Routes

There are 3 “standard” sailing routes around the word. There are also some not so standard routes to circumnavigate the world, and routes that are not deemed official by whatever sanctioning body. We will stick with discussing the most popular though.

Clipper Route

The first and possibly most well known is the Clipper Route. This is an east-about, mostly tradewind and downwind route around the bottom of the world. Most people know this route from the Whitbread, Volvo Ocean Race, Vendee Globe, and record setting RTW sailing voyages. It is called the Clipper Route because this is the route the old clipper ships would use to get back and forth from the West Indies and back to Europe in record time, taking advantage of following wind and waves in the southern ocean. Vessels choosing this route need to be prepared for heavy air, cold weather, and even ice at high latitudes.

The Coconut Milk Run

The Milk Run or Tradewind Route is the sailing route most recreational circumnavigators choose. It is slightly longer than the Clipper Route, but it is mostly downwind in medium to light air, at low latitudes and warm temperatures. Going west-about, this route also takes sailors through the Panama canal and through areas that are familiar with and offer support to small yachts along the way. It is a very popular route for the various cruising organizations which organize rallies such as the World ARC. The goal of this route is warm water sailing and having an easy cruise, hence the name.

The Magellan Route

The route of the Magellan expedition has great history and is the first to be sailed around the world over 500 years ago. The route is west-about, around the bottom of the world and into the south pacific islands, but not via Cape Horn. Magellan chose to sail through the aptly named Magellan Straight instead of rounding the horn. This route is most similar to the route we chose.

Sweet Ruca’s Circumnavigation Route

We chose to sail around the world our own way, but like the others that have gone before us, we are taking advantage of winds and currents to get the places we want to go. We wanted to take a historical route, one that would take us to places not well traveled and out of the typical charter boat, rally, and vacation sailing areas. Our route is most similar to Magellan’s, however because we have read the amazing stories of the Whitbread race, Cape Horn was on our list. We looked at the books, the wind and current maps, and pilot charts. We then chose timings based on weather and hurricanes. We also knew we wanted to experience the fjords of Chilean Patagonia, the Caribbean and Atlantic Islands, sail, surf, and scuba dive in the South Pacific, and did not want to go through the Red Sea to avoid pirates. We also have a dog on board, so that pretty much ruled out stopping in Australia or New Zealand. This made our route a pretty easy chose, we would go west via the capes!

Leaving from Newport, Rhode Island in the USA, we would first do a shakedown cruise in Maine. Here our plan was to prepare the boat and ourselves for more challenging sailing and work out the kinks in an area with good support for yachts. We learned lots about navigating in big currents, kelp, and huge tides here.

Next we would sail down the USA east coast, through New York City, to Annapolis, Maryland. Sailing past the statute of liberty was a bucket list item, and Annapolis is possibly the capital of all sailing in the United States.

From Annapolis we would sail directly to the Bahamas on our first big offshore excursion. Rounding cape Hatteras in November would be a good prep for Cape Horn in the future. Who doesn’t want to go to the Bahamas?

Next we would sail to the Caribbean, directly from the Bahamas to the US Virgin Islands. We would cruise the Caribbean and wait for the proper season for our first Atlantic crossing.

We sailed from the Caribbean on what most consider a delivery skipper route, partially upwind and battling the Azores high to get to another world famous sailing town, Horta!

Next up was the Canary Islands, from which the original plan was to sail directly to Mar del Plata, Argentina, to provision the boat for southern sailing. We ended up making a pit stop for repairs in Ilhabela and Itajai, Brazil as well as Piriapolis, Uruguay. We are very happy we landed in these places!

From Piriapolis we sailed directly to Puerto Williams, Chile, around Cape Horn, through the Beagle Channel, the western arm of the Straight of Magellan, and then into the icy fjords of Chilean Patagonia to explore the glaciers of Torres del Paine.

We will sail from Puerto Williams to Puerto Montt, Chile, before launching into the Pacific Ocean.

We will cross the South Pacific, stopping in as many islands as we can along the way. Easter Island, Gambiers, Marquesas, Tahiti, and more. We aren’t quite sure yet what our exact timeline will be for this area of the world.

After the South Pacific we will head north a bit through Indonesia, over the top of Austrailia and into the Indian Ocean. Once again, we aren’t quite sure, and only time will tell how much we will explore this area.

We will cross the Indian Ocean to South Africa. We will then likely head north again making some pit stops at places like Ascension Island and St. Helena. From here we will more than likely continue northward, back through the equator, crossing our path around the world, and onward back to the USA via the Caribbean.

Time will tell though. Our plans have been changed a few times already and we are always open minded.

The post Our Sailing Route Around The World appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

We often find ourselves revisiting these sights and smells, day dreaming at the office of when we can next feel the wind in our hair, see the water rush past the hull, and breath in the fresh, salty air from the ocean.

Sailing Sweet Ruca Offshore

When we first step foot onto that unstable surface of the boat, it gives us that feeling of excitement, that we are leaving our life behind for a brief moment and focusing solely on what’s ahead. 

We are boaters because we love that feeling of pride in the vessel that keeps us afloat. We are sailors because we have that feeling of calm when the wind bites at the edges of our eyes and whistles through the rig to our ears. It’s that feeling when the boat rolls up on a wave and straightens back out, sending you flying down the liquid roller coaster, white foam all around you, and a smile forms at the corner of your lips. 

We are explorers because we realize that life is a never ending classroom, with so much to learn. That feeling of reaching a new destination or accomplishing a goal is the reward for all your hard work and effort, studying the weather or tides or sail trim. 

Whether you’re leaving the bay on a Wednesday night after work for a few hours of sailing before sundown, or casting off the dock lines for a circumnavigation around Cape Horn, we all crave #ThatFeeling of being out on the water. 

We are boaters. We are sailors. We are explorers. We support each other like family. It’s #ThatFeeling of community that keeps us going back out there, finding new crew, making new friends for a sundowner, or handing over the wheel to a first-timer. 

When we add fresh paint to the hull and watch her launch for the first time after a lot of hard work, we get #ThatFeeling of gratitude. And for us, it’s a big thanks to Akzonobel and their International paints for providing beautiful coatings that make the boat look great and perform its best. Because of our fresh Galverette, Intergard, Intertuf, and Micron Premium paints on our bottom, we have confidence in the next stage of our journey sailing towards Cape Horn. 

We are out here to find #ThatFeeling of knowing the world on a deeper level. To experience #ThatFeeling of excitement day in and day out. Share with us what #ThatFeeling of boating means to you. 

@Akzonobel @intlyachtpaintap

The post What #ThatFeeling of Sailing Means to Us appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

One of the areas where this book has been incredibly helpful is in navigating the complex anchorages in complete safety. The authors provide detailed descriptions of the anchorages, including the best places to anchor, the type of seabed, and potential hazards. These descriptions have allowed us to approach new anchorages with confidence, knowing exactly what to expect and how to avoid potential dangers.

In addition to navigating the anchorages, the book has been an invaluable resource for learning about weather patterns in the region. The authors provide detailed information on the prevailing winds, tides, and currents, which has allowed us to plan our routes and anchorages more effectively. We have also found the information on local weather patterns to be accurate and up-to-date, allowing us to make informed decisions about when to sail and when to seek shelter.

One of the most significant benefits of this book is its comprehensive coverage of the entire Patagonian region, from the Chilean Fjords to Tierra del Fuego. The authors provide detailed charts and descriptions of the ports, anchorages, and passages, making it an all-encompassing guide for sailors in the region. This comprehensive coverage has allowed us to plan our voyage with greater flexibility, knowing that we have the information we need to navigate different areas of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.

Overall, we highly recommend the “Patagonia & Tierra Del Fuego Nautical Guide” 3rd Edition to anyone planning a sailing trip to this region. Also known as “The Italian Guide” or “The Blue Book” it is almost an essential requirement to have on board your boat if you are thinking of sailing to these remote regions. The accuracy of the information, comprehensive coverage, and language accessibility make it an essential resource for any sailor.

Even if you do not plan to sail here, this book is great to have in a home library or on your coffee table as well. There are so many interesting facts about the local culture and the early sailors and explorers of this area, that it is an interesting read for even non sailors.

By purchasing this book through the affiliate link, https://amzn.to/44jhZHg, you can support our voyage and have access to the same valuable information that has helped us navigate safely through the complex anchorages of Patagonia.

Happy sailing!

The post “The Patagonia Sailing Bible”: A Book Review from Sailors on Sweet Ruca appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Having the right equipment can make all the difference when navigating a sailboat. While traditional chart plotters have been the go-to option for many sailors, Industrial Touch Screen PCs offer a range of benefits that make them a compelling alternative. In this post, we’ll share ten reasons why we chose an Industrial Touch Screen PC for our sailboat navigation computer and explore the pros and cons of this option compared to traditional chartplotters and mini-PCs.

Thinkol 17″ Industrial PC we are using aboard Sweet Ruca

We chose to install a touch screen PC in our boat for many reasons. We have still kept our traditional chart plotters, and will likely always have a chartplotter connected with our instrument system as a redundant backup, but we use the PC for most main navigational tasks at the chart table.

1. Flexibility: An Industrial Touch Screen PC is a versatile solution that can run a range of navigation software and other applications. This flexibility allows us to customize our setup to our specific needs.
2. Customization: Many Industrial Touch Screen PC manufacturers offer customization options, allowing us to select the screen size, processor, RAM, and operating system that best suits our needs. We chose the W5 Pro Mini PC from Vnopn, which features an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor, 4GB of RAM, and runs Windows 10 Home.
3. Connectivity: Industrial Touch Screen PCs often have various connectivity options, including USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and Wi-Fi. This makes it easy to connect to a range of navigation instruments, sensors, and other devices on board.
4. Cost: While Industrial Touch Screen PCs may initially seem more expensive than traditional chartplotters, they often offer more functionality for the price. Additionally, because they can run a range of applications, they can replace other devices on board, further reducing costs.
5. Durability: Industrial Touch Screen PCs are built to withstand harsh environments, including moisture, dust, and vibration. This makes them ideal for use on a sailboat, where conditions can be challenging.
6. Expandability: Industrial Touch Screen PCs can often be expanded with additional peripherals, such as external hard drives, keyboards, and mice. This allows for greater flexibility and functionality.
7. Screen Size: Industrial Touch Screen PCs come in various screen sizes, allowing us to select the size that best suits our needs and available space on the boat. We chose a 7-inch screen from Vnopn, which provides clear and easy-to-read navigation data.
8. Compatibility: Industrial Touch Screen PCs are often compatible with a range of navigation software, including Expedition as well as OpenCPN, a popular and free option. This allows us to use the software we are most comfortable with.
9. Power Supply: Industrial Touch Screen PCs often require a stable and reliable power supply, and we chose the DC-DC 12V Converter Voltage Regulator to ensure this. This device provides a stable 12-volt output, ensuring the Industrial Touch Screen PC receives clean power.
   
10. Future-proofing: Because Industrial Touch Screen PCs can run a range of highly customizable applications, they offer a future-proof solution that can be upgraded and adapted as our needs change.

Pros of Industrial Touch Screen PC vs. Traditional Chartplotter and Mini-PCs:

• Cost effective option
• More flexibility and customization options
• Often more cost-effective for the functionality provided
• Can run a range of navigation software and other applications
• Built to withstand harsh environments
• Expandable with additional peripherals
• Comes in a range of screen sizes
• Compatible with a range of navigation software
• Requires a stable power supply for reliable operation
• Provides a future-proof solution that can be upgraded and adapted over time

Cons of Industrial Touch Screen PC vs Traditional Chartplotter and Mini-PCs:

1. Learning Curve: Switching to an Industrial Touch Screen PC from a traditional chartplotter may require some adjustment and a learning curve, primarily if you are used to a specific type of navigation software or device.
2. Mounting: Mounting an Industrial Touch Screen PC on a sailboat can be more challenging than mounting a traditional chart plotter, as it may require a custom bracket or housing to ensure it is secure and protected from the elements.
3. Power Consumption: Industrial Touch Screen PCs can consume more power than traditional chartplotters, especially if they run other applications besides navigation software. This means you must ensure you have a reliable power supply and monitor power usage to avoid draining your battery.
4. Maintenance: Because Industrial Touch Screen PCs are essentially small computers, they may require more maintenance and troubleshooting than a traditional chartplotter. This includes tasks such as updating software and drivers, managing storage space and ensuring the device stays cool and dry.
5. Technical Support: While many Industrial Touch Screen PC manufacturers offer technical support, it may not be as widely available or accessible as support for traditional chartplotters. This can be an issue if you encounter technical problems at sea.

In conclusion, while there are pros and cons to using an Industrial Touch Screen PC for sailboat navigation, we ultimately chose this option for its flexibility, customization options, durability, and future-proofing. By carefully considering our needs and researching our options, we were able to select a device that meets our needs and provides a reliable and functional solution for navigating our sailboat.

Accessories We Have Found Helpful

• Extended USB Cable: Allows USB connections in different areas of the boat or hidden underneath or inside the nav station.
  
• Wireless Keyboard & Touchpad: Can be hidden away to make a clear chart table, but also brought out to ease text entry and have a stable platform for mouse like actions while underway.
  
• Wireless Mouse: For use in the harbor or more stable conditions.
  
• Networking Equipment: Of course you want to connect your computer to your boats network.
  

Thank you for visiting our website. We do not recommend anything we have not used ourselves on board our boat or others and have had a good experience with. We do use affiliate programs to support our content and our voyage, when clicking the links above and making a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the purchase price. This is a great way to keep our content free to you, and share a little bit of Amazon’s profits with the little guys like us! Thanks for reading and sharing. Fair winds!

The post 10 Reasons Why We Chose a Touch Screen Navigation PC over a Traditional Chartplotter appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Why are there wrinkles in sails?

Some wrinkles in sails are supposed to be there, they are actually designed into the sail and sewn that way, and increase the overall performance of the sail. Some wrinkles are not supposed to be there and can be signs of poor design or wear and stretching of the cloth.

When are wrinkles in sails a good thing?

Speed wrinkles as they are many times called are a good thing. You will most often see these in new sails, and in many racing sails which are trimmed by professional sailors. These wrinkles are supposed to be there.

They are found in the luff (the leading edge or front) of the sail, usually where it attaches to the mast, forestay, or furler.

Surprisingly, the optimal design of a sail is not a perfect triangle. Sailboat masts and forestays are also not perfectly straight, they are designed to bend just a little bit to allow the sailor to make adjustments.

Designed for Adjustability and Performance

For example, in light wind, generally you want more power and a curved shape in your sails. In heavy wind, you want to be able to have your sails make less power and that can be accomplished by making the sail flatter.

Of course, the conditions are not the same each time you go sailing. When you purchase new sails, the sail designer can optimize the sails for the conditions you sail in, so he or she can make them flatter or with more draft (curved shape) depending on your needs.

Most of us, outside of very specific applications like the America’s Cup, get the best value in our sails when they can be adjusted to suit a variety of conditions. This is where the wrinkles come in.

Wrinkles in the genoa, jib, or headsail

This is where most people notice wrinkles in their sails first. It is also how most new sailors are introduced to this concept when learning how to sail.

Most people see wrinkles and think: “they did not raise their sail enough.” Actually, most of the time this means people are sailing in light air, and have lowered or “eased” the headsail halyard just a few inches, taking the tension off of the front of the sail.

Think of a string, when pulled very tight it is perfectly straight (no wrinkles) but when you let go a bit, it curves some, sagging in the middle. This curved shape adds lifting power to the sail, which helps acceleration and increases speed in light air or wavy conditions, but lots of curve in a sail also adds aerodynamic drag, which can slow you down in smooth water or very windy conditions.

What the horizontal wrinkles are doing is allowing the curve in the sail (draft) to be deeper. When the halyard is pulled tighter in your genoa, these wrinkles can be flattened out, and this makes the draft shallower and further forward.

Wrinkles in the mainsail

The exact same concept applies to the mainsail, but sometimes to an even greater extent. In most cases, it is the same. The mainsail halyard can be slackened just a bit to allow for a deeper setting on the sail, creating more power. When it is windy, the halyard can be tightened to make the sail flatter and control the heel angle of the boat.

To a greater extent, some boats have adjustable backstays (some racing-type boats have even more adjustments like check stays, deflectors, runners, and shroud adjustments) and more adjustable points like the outhaul and cunningham. The backstay allows the mast to bend. If the sail had no wrinkles the sail would have a poor shape when the mast was bent more than normal with the backstay.

Another Example of How Wrinkles in the Sail Work

If you have ever flown on a large passenger airplane and sat next to the wings you may have noticed lots of noises, or even the back of the wing moving in and out as the airplane takes off and lands.

What the pilot is doing by moving these flaps in and out is adjusting the draft in his wings, just like you would do for a sail (kind of).

When the airplane is taking off or landing, it is flying much slower. When the airplane is going slow, it needs more lift and drag does not have as great of an impact. Sound familiar? So in this case the extra flaps come out and create more curve or draft in the wings.

When the airplane is up to speed, the extra flaps are retracted to make the wing flatter, with less drag. Think about this like the F-14 Tomcat in the famous movie Top Gun. When going fast, the wings are swept back and smooth! Your boat is just like an airplane, but flying horizontally through the both water (dense, small wings, keel and rudder) and air (less dense, big wings, headsail and mainsail).

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rob Tabor (RELEASED)

Speed Wrinkles are a Good Thing

Of course, sailboats don’t have metal wings with adjustable flaps, so using halyard tension and designing sails with adjustability and wrinkles allows you to accomplish the same thing with your sails (to an extent).

So this means that most of the time when you see small horizontal wrinkles in a genoa, jib, or mainsail in light air conditions this is usually a sign that the sail is designed well and the trimmers have trimmed it properly.

We should rarely see vertical wrinkles in a sail, this means something completely different.

When are Wrinkles in a Sail Bad?

Both horizontal and vertical wrinkles in a sail can also indicate something is wrong, either with the way you have your sail trimmed, the way it is mounted on the boat, how it was furled, how it was stored, or perhaps an error in design or manufacturing.

The wrinkles in this genoa are not coming out!

Vertical Wrinkles in a Non-Furling Sail

Quite often vertical wrinkles in a non-furling sail are a sign the sail has aged and the fabric has stretched past its optimal shape. This is quite common with aged dacron sails, especially if they have been sailed in heavy weather, have lots of miles on them, or were raced hard and often.

When you see this, it is time to talk to your sailmaker about inspecting your sails and possible replacement.

If your new sail has vertical wrinkles, that tells another story altogether. The designer or sailmaker may have a specific reason for this and should be consulted if you have any questions. However, this also means that the stitching of your sail could be less than optimal, essentially there was some binding or uneven stitching while the sail was being sewn.

The bottom line is, when you are seeing lots of vertical wrinkles, it is probably time to talk to a pro about it.

Vertical Wrinkles in Furling Sails

Sometimes you will also see vertical wrinkles in your furling genoa or furling mainsail, often where it meets the furler, and you have the sail partially furled in heavy winds. Usually, this is normal, but not optimal.

The designer can add a foam luff or rope “spacers” in your furling sail to offset this, but often when partially furled a sail will always have some vertical wrinkles near the furling attachment points. This is normal, as remember, we still need that adjustability designed into the sail.

If you have lots of wrinkles at your furling points, it could mean that your sail fabric is starting to stretch, or it could also mean that you need to make some adjustments to your furling technique.

Furling sails will sometimes get wrinkles in the head and tack areas when furled under high tension in a big breeze. It can also happen when furling with too little halyard tension, or not enough backstay tension.

If all of this talk about tension gives you wrinkles on your forehead, it is time to give your local or online sailmaker a call and have him on board your boat to review or send some pictures to discuss. Many times furling related wrinkles can be solved with a few small changes and extend the life of the sail.

Horizontal Wrinkles in New and Stored Sails

Optimally we would always store our sails laid flat or gently rolled, let’s face it though, this is not practical for most boats that are large enough to spend the night on. Most of us have some compromises and at some point have to fold our sails.

Mainsails are normally stored “flaked” or folded on the boom. Over time, continuous “flaking” in the same place will create a fold line or large horizontal wrinkle. Use over time will take these out again, but many of us only use our sail for the day then fold it again and leave it for the week while we go back to work. Wrinkles from flaking or folding a sail are par for the course.

When you receive new sails they usually have to be shipped to you somehow. If your sail needs to go inside of a box, it will likely be “bricked” or folded carefully on itself several times to fit into a box or a delivery van.

In this way, it is completely normal for new sails to have wrinkles, which will start to release over time of normal use.

Should I Use an Iron To Remove Wrinkles from a Sail?

NO. More experienced sailors will likely comment that this should be left unsaid, but no question is stupid if it helps. If you are new to sailing, this may seem like a good option. Unlike your T-shirt or plants, the materials and fibers inside your sail material are all engineered for specific use.

Without going into too much detail, applying lots of heat in some areas of the sail may cause these fibers to interact differently or change shape. This would be a bad thing as your sails are designed to be shaped a certain way for optimal performance. In the case of laminate or membrane sails, you also risk damaging the layers in the sail and completely ruining your expensive assets.

When is it time to buy new sails?

Wrinkles don’t always mean why they say, and they are not a definitive reason why sails are worn, mis-shapen, or need to be replaced. Some “speed wrinkles” are a good thing. Some wrinkles, can mean the sail is worn. If you aren’t sure, our best advice is to call a trusted sailmaker and discuss it with an expert. 

Photos of the situation are always a tremendous help. Sail safe, sail fast (or slow if that is your thing), and have fun!

If you are in need of new sails, we highly recommend you contact our friends at 180 Sails (www.180sails.com) as a long phone discussion with them about our own sails is what inspired this article (we were measuring the mast bend for our mainsail). We use an Evolution Expedition Carbon/Taffeta Genoa on board and we are currently in discussion of a new mainsail from the same material.

The post What Do the Wrinkles in Your Sails Mean? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

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.

1. Chapman’s Piloting

This is the book to start with when learning about boating and navigation. Perhaps it is the best all around resource to have on board to learn about navigation and piloting a recreational powerboat or sailboat.

2. USCG Navigation Rules Handbook

This is a requirement for any US Coast Guard Documented Vessel to have on board. It is a great resource for learning boat navigation light patterns. This is very important for nighttime navigation. It also covers all of the rules of the road, helping you to know what you should do when vessels meet on the ocean.

3. Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Routes

There are over 1000 routes in this book which help you find the right time and place to start and finish your voyages. Following the routes in this book will generally lead to pleasant offshore sailing and avoid major storms and hurricane seasons. We don’t always take sailing routes in this book, as we enjoy challenging conditions which are off the beaten path, but we do consult it regularly.

4. Nigel Calder’s Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual

If there is a name synonymous with DIY boat work it is Nigel Calder. This book will cover everything you possibly need to know to maintain your boats important systems while sailing, especially your engine and electrical system, which may be most sailors biggest challenge. Keeping your boat in top condition is a challenge in harsh saltwater conditions, but it is very important as a working boat is your primary means of transportation and your home.

5. Sir Ben Ainslie’s Complete Sailing Manual

If you want to sail around the world, well, you need to learn to sail. This book covers how to really sail boats big and small, catamarans and monohulls, both fast and slow. Written by national champion and Olympic sailors, you will learn how to sail and trim the proper way to make your boat move through the water. This means more speed, less fuel consumption, a smoother ride, and a happier crew!

6. Bowditch’s American Practical Navigator

Do you want to know everything there is to know? This giant book will teach it to you. This is the book you can find on the bridge of every US Merchant Maritime vessel and is the reference manual for professional seaman. Its over 1200 pages cover meteorology, navigation, oceanography, weather, and contains countless tables, charts, and illustrations.

7. Pardey’s Storm Tactics Handbook

A list of essential around the world Sailing books can not be complete without a how-to book from Lin and Larry Pardey. The number one reason sailors never leave port is fear of bad weather. The number one reason people abandon ship is because of problems when the going gets tough. This book will teach you what you need to know to get through tough storm conditions safely on your sailboat.

8. Dashew’s Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia

Perhaps the original Performance Cruising sailing couple, Steve and Linda Dashew have compiled all of their vast knowledge of sailing and boatbuilding into one book! This book contains all you need: from the time you start thinking about purchasing a boat to sail around the world, to reference items and ideas while en-route.

There are surely lots of other great books, both inspirational and educational on the topic of sailing around the world. These are books we have actually read and find valuable enough to carry aboard with us. We think you will love them also. If there is one we forgot, please drop us a note in the comments below.

Note: We do earn a commission off of the links to Amazon to purchase these books. We think it is a win/win, as we can share some of our knowledge with you and you can support our journey at no additional cost to you when you make purchases.

The post 8 Must Have Books For Sailing Around The World appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Let’s talk safety! When beginning to prepare for cruising on your sailboat it is important to think about safety. We carry many safety items on board. The USCG and many other governments have some specific requirements, most items can be found at marine stores and chandleries, one however can not be and is usually overlooked: a cordless angle grinder.

If you ever have a situation at sea where your mast or standing rigging fail, it is very important to be able to safely remove it from the boat. The rig can damage the hull and be a safety risk to people, especially if there are rough conditions, when, of course it is most likely to fail.

Most carry on board some cable cutters and a hand-saw in their emergency tool kit. This is excellent, and we agree a must have. But….have you ever tried to actually cut through rigging, shackles, or a mast? It is tough.

If you need to remove the rigging, you will likely need to do it fast! That is where the cordless angle grinder comes into its own. Yes it is expensive, but when the mast or boom is possibly going to punch a hole in your hull, it is worth every penny. A good battery powered angle grinder with a metal or all purpose cutting disk will make quick work of almost anything you would possibly need to cut through on deck.

Why You Want a Cordless Angle Grinder On Your Boat

Ok, so we know a cordless angle grinder can improve your safety by jettisoning your rig in an emergency. That is a pretty extremum situation that is hard for most to envision and justify. But here are some other uses for your grinder that will make happy to have it on board.

1. Fiberglass Repair – If you ever need to repair any fiberglass on your boat, you will have the proper tool start the repair properly.
2. Polishing – you need to be careful when using one to polish with, but with the proper skill and pads you can quickly make your bright work shine, especially stainless steel. What would have taken you days will now only take you a few hours at most.
3. DIY Boat Projects – Let’s face it, if you have a boat, you are always doing some project. If you need to cut or trim anything, with the proper disks you can make short work of it, especially popular stainless steel tube for dodgers and biminis.

Which Cordless Angle Grinder is Best For Sailing

Our favorite is the Milwaukee M18 Cordless 4 1/2″ Angle Grinder. It is very powerful, lightweight, has good battery life, and built a little tougher (in our opinion) than some of its competitors. If you look around and see what the professionals are using, you will see a lot of red in their power tool boxes. If the SHTF we want the best tool available for the job.

What Other Equipment Uses the Same Batteries

Now, as a side benefit to having our angle grinder, its charger, and batteries on board there are lots of other useful items we carry that use the same batteries. It is really nice to be able to carry tools that all use the same battery and charger, as space is a premium on board and keeping the boat as light as possible is important for sailing performance.

Vacuum – The Milwaukee M18 Cordless Vacuum is perhaps our favorite item on board which uses the M18 Lithium battery system. As you know, we sail with a dog on our boat, so a vacuum is a must. This shop vac can do much much more though. We use for cleaning, fiberglass work, removing that last bit of water from the bilge, and vacuum bagging clothing and even our spinnaker. It is really powerful and durable. This is one purchase we are over the moon with and is an on-board life changer.

Which Brand Cordless Power Tools Are Best For Cruising

Before leaving land to go cruising for a long time and setting of to foreign ports, make sure you have all of the equipment you need. Sometimes the tools you want become hard to find in far away places. Voltage issues (220 vs 110) will also make it hard for USA visitors to find items they need in the EU, and vice versa. Having all of your tools use the same batteries and chargers is something we would have worked harder at before we left if we could. If you don’t choose Milwaukee, Bosch, Makita, and DeWalt are also reliable and fairly well supported worldwide.

Note: We do use these items on board and by you purchasing the items through the included links, it helps fuel our voyage, blog, and vlog, at no extra cost to you. We think it is a win/win. We help you by sharing our knowledge, mistakes, and victories. We test the products in the real world and let you know what we really think. In turn, you help keep us going! Fair winds and safe sailing!

The post Why You Should Carry a Cordless Angle Grinder on your Sailboat appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Linked Article: https://themirrornewspaper.com/aw-graduate-sails-world-documents-adventures/

We are not living in a row of little boxes with a mortgage, car payment, and regular jobs. This makes us somewhat of a curiosity to others.

Understandably so, we think our lifestyle is pretty cool too. It feels good to have this freedom. We have made it a goal to inspire others to get outside the box and go for their own goals.

We have had to work hard to overcome our nervous feelings about talking to a camera and sharing our thoughts and lifestyle with complete stangers.

Enter a reporter from a small midwestern newspaper. Most people outside of a few hundred mile radius can’t find Whitehouse, Ohio (where Curtis went to High School) on a map. Surely they would never think of reading it’s small local newspaper called The Mirror.

We hope to change that also. Their reporter, Karen Gerhardinger, put together an exellent article which answers all of the questions one should ask.

Many reporters just glaze over topics to create content as quickly as possible. Fill boxes, create keywords, and drive traffic is the goal.

Not Karen, she truly took a deep and holistic dive into our history, sailing, and safety.

Her series of articles about people whom graduated from Anthony Wayne High School have the goal of inspiring others from a small midwestern town to do, see, and be more. Even if you hail from a town far away, they are worth a read.

We hope you enjoy her article: https://themirrornewspaper.com/aw-graduate-sails-world-documents-adventures/

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