So, what do you do if a storm is on its way and you’re anchored in a harbor? Anchoring in a storm or in high winds is part of the sailing lifestyle. Many storms arrive unannounced and others, although predicted, can turn out to be worse than expected. After reading the steps make sure to[Read More]
How To's
10 Tips for Mosquito Control on a Sailboat
When living on a sailboat or enjoying long sailing vacations, mosquitos become an everyday problem. There are ways and means, however, for mosquito control on a sailboat. Below lists 10 tips for sailors. Note: The video, highlighting everything in this article for the 10 tips for mosquito control on a sailboat is at the bottom[Read More]
Buying a sailboat – prioritizing what matters most!
Buying a sailboat – how do you ensure that you get it right? What priorities do you need to consider when making the final decision? More on this to come, but first, let’s take a step back in time… (Note: the video on buying a sailboat – prioritizing what matters most is at the bottom[Read More]
How to end your delay in living the dream
A few days ago I struck up a conversation with lady who has survived cancer twice, recently had major eye surgery, endured teaching children for over 30 years AND got her captains license. Interestingly, she was now ready for living the dream. Now with her ‘all clear,’ she was deciding whether to get a job[Read More]
Best Anchor for your Sailboat
If you ask ten sailors what the best anchor is, you’ll get ten different answers. Furthermore, what works for one sailboat/one sailor won’t necessarily work for you. A better question to ask regarding the best anchor for your sailboat is this: My boat is a (type of boat), it weighs (weight), has a beam of[Read More]
Preventing Anchor Drag – Lessons Learned
In preparation for Hurricane Irma that struck North America in September 2017, we motored our 56’ sailboat up a river and as far away from the east coast as possible. Unfortunately, the boat dragged so our attempts at preventing anchor drag didn’t work. I think my husband, Simon, and I made a few mistakes so[Read More]
Passage Planning – 7 Steps Checklist
What do you need to consider when passage planning? What websites, software and apps are available to plot a sailing voyage from point A to B? Read the steps that Simon, Captain of Britican, uses before we set sail for our next destination. And then watch our Passage Planning video to get a behind-the-scenes snapshot[Read More]
How to Provision and Prepare your Boat for Passage – Video
After one year of living aboard our boat in a marina the time had finally come to take our sailboat, Britican, back out to sea. The video I created to showcase the lead up to our departure demonstrates how to provision and prepare your boat for passage. There’s information about the jobs we did to[Read More]
How To Install Outboard Stabilizer Fins
Learn how to install outboard stabilizer fins to your outboard motor. Why? Stabilizer fins increase stability, allow for better gas mileage (average of 40%), help the dinghy to quickly plane at lower RPM, increase top-end speed and keep the bow lower at all speeds. (Video at the bottom of article) The only reason I can[Read More]
How to make port window screens
The one thing that drives me absolutely insane about liveaboard life is mosquitoes. After three years of living on our sailboat and over 18,500 miles of sailing my toleration for bug bites is extremely low. Learning how to make port window screens helps reduce the problem. For boaters to avoid getting eaten alive, the first line of defense is[Read More]