An interesting podcast, some solar downsides, and maybe the scariest thing I’ve read in a decade… Over breakfast, this morning the subject of bike touring came up and it got me remembering just how little I carried while cycling from Los Angeles to NYC before the Bicentennial. Back in the day, I could put most …
An interesting premise, some missing scientists, and in the “some very interesting history” department… Speaking of Islander 36s for sale, they say a lot about the current used boat market. Every boat for sale has its own story, situational narrative, and concerns that brings it to the marketplace. Their backstory is seldom simple but important. …
The stupid burns, a very big problem, and in the “harder times come soon” department… Voile Magazine has a really good article on the Django 7.70. It’s well worth a read even if you have to use a translation app to do it. It’s the sort of article that American sailing rags just don’t seem …
An interesting fundraising email, some thought fodder, and a link you might need… So yeah, about that CAL 34… Glancing at CAL 34s for sale on the west coast Craigslist, I see eight currently for sale priced from $7.5K to $22K and, anyway you look at it, that’s a lot of boat for the money. …
A timely read, Wendig weighs in, and an album I’d like to hear… Ian, a reader here who knows a lot of boat stuff, pointed out… “I dunno……. I remember the Vancouver 27/28 and Victoria 26/30 as “load up and go” plastic boats off the shelf. Not that I could afford them at the time, …
An episode of Twilight Zone, some Caribbean backstory, and a talk worth listening to… So, getting back to boat stuff, here’s a boat project that makes a lot of sense. Marine et François seem to be way ahead of the crowd on the cool design and build front. They have a lot of good ideas… …
The news so far, some timely history, and in the “there’s always a downside” department… I heard, the other day, that Keith Leitzke’s boat, CAL 20 Magic, had come to grief on the rocks in Hawaii. For those unacquainted with Keith Leitzke or the much traveled Magic, this article has some highlights you should be …
An alternative to doom-scrolling, some scary sense being made, and in the “remember the Peter Principle” department… Way back when, when we were living in a péniche just outside of Paris, I would have jumped at the chance to buy a Dufour T7 and sail it back to the US of A. The T7 is …
Some situational awareness, a needful read, and in the “well, of course they did” department… The new Yachting Monthly has a review of the Bente 28 which is a very interesting and nice boat… However, at a price of over €132,000 the Bente28 is not going to be on any VolksCruiser’s shopping list for sailing …
Some signs of the times, a timely podcast, and Triumph of the Will directed by Homer Simpson… A textbook example of everything you need in 30 feet is the Dufour Arpege… There’s a great article in Voile with some excellent pictures about the Arpege that is well worth reading. The pictures show just how one …
