Some ARC rally news, an interesting read, and something I really need to add to my laptop…
Every day someone tells me I need boat stuff I cannot live without but have somehow never missed.
- Self-tailing winches
- Electric windlass
- All electric galley
- Starlink
- Liferaft
- Mainsail furling
- “Proper” foul weather gear
- A big outboard
- A RIB
- Underwater mood lights
Maybe worth discussing in the comments if you care to.
I don’t even have jib furling, but no underwater mood lights? That’s crazy talk!
We can well live without “marconi” rigs and deck stepped masts with attendant wires everywhere. Junk rig rules!!!!! Perhaps we can toss in, gasp, GPS as well.
The ARC fleet seem to get more and more “kitted” every event. They will find out sooner or later that the latest expensive “stuff” does not equate seamanship (can we still use that word?) and also cause a lot of cruising down time when it breaks/malfuctions. Bless them, some people have to support the marine industry.
The evening before I was to leave Ensenada and head south for Cabo with my wife and kids, a dock mate gave me a stern talking to for not having radar. Made me feel like an irresponsible, neglectful, reckless father. We left anyway. It’s always nice to leave the marina…😂