Sailing on the open seas is one of the most exhilarating experiences. Feeling the wind in your hair and the sun on your face while you navigate through the waves cannot be matched. However, learning to sail blue water can be daunting, especially for beginners. It can be challenging to know where to start and[Read More]
Passage Planning
The Reality of Long Passage Sailing
After a weather window opened, Captain Simon and five crew left Hampton, Virginia, and sailed to Bermuda. The reality of long passage sailing isn’t champagne and sunsets! The voyage took four days and started off with rough seas. Four of the crew were seasick but eventually recovered. Some were shocked at the size of the[Read More]
Open Ocean Sailing Passage
What’s it like to experience an open ocean sailing passage? The preparation and first couple of days of sailing are hard work but after that, it’s usually easy-going, relaxing, and non-eventful. Our longest open sailing passage was from Gran Canaria, off the west side of Africa, to St Lucian in the Caribbean. Crossing the Atlantic[Read More]
Long Sailing Passage Preparation Checklist
In this Long Sailing Passage Preparation Checklist, you’ll find action items for safety and medical, communications, passage plans, provisioning, crew briefing/watch schedules/duties, and last-minute preparations. What is a long sailing passage? If you’re going in the open ocean and won’t be close to land I consider that a long passage even if it’s a few[Read More]
Overnight Sailing Trip
One of the initial worries that new sailing cruisers have is tackling their first overnight sailing trip. Our recommendation is to either sign up for a few night sailing experiences or, if you already have a boat, hire a professional skipper that can join you on a long voyage or two. Sailing at night can[Read More]
Passage Planning Using Apps – 7 Easy to Follow Steps
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 we use before we set sail for our next destination. Then, watch our Passage Planning video to get a behind-the-scenes snapshot of what Simon looks at[Read More]
