Back when I was a kid, cruising was not about buying stuff, keeping up with the Joneses, or being cool. It was mostly about being there and doing it. Most everyone out cruising was on a budget, no one had fan clubs or followers, and companies were not handing out gear to Influencers. To tell …
Back during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria with nothing better to do, I painted “So It Goes” while at anchor in the mangroves. The paint I chose was Rust-Oleum aluminum paint. My thinking at the time was that it was something Phil Bolger mused would make a good boat paint, it was dirt cheap ($13 …
Minimal boat, minimal systems. Just about as seaworthy as you can get.
I’m not a big fan of bureaucracy but living or cruising on a sailboat it’s just part of the same old same. The best way, in my personal opinion, of dealing with the beast is to simply know what is required and follow the rules. Sure, I know many of those rules are dumb or …
It was seventy-two frelling degrees this morning! Since I have the Simpson Lawrence Anchorman aboard (SHINY!), it’s now time to remove the Vetus manual windlass and put it up for sale to get it (and its weight) off the boat. I had planned to take it down to bare metal then give it a new …
Now that we’ve finally sorted out the various Yanmar issues, pretty much got the boat livable, and no longer seem to be sitting around waiting for parts, it’s time to finally get around to the fun stuff. Which translates to tweaking the rig and installing some needful stuff. As far as the rig goes, the …
I recently bought a pair of Toughbuilt sawhorses from Lowes as they had a two for $50 price and free shipping to the USVI. Such a deal. Looking at them now that they finally got here (it took a month) I’m quite impressed and thinking since the two for $50 is still active buying another …
What with the push for induction stoves for boats, the current news that gas stoves may be less than healthy, and the fact that I’d love to lessen the amount of fossil fuels aboard. So, hardly surprising I’ve found myself thinking about the various alternatives to propane lately. The main issue with going electric is …
It’s funny how many times I’ve heard the term ‘comfort’ when folks explain to me why they need a boat bigger than they need and more expensive than they can afford. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.” —Will Rogers Now, don’t …
Most late 60s and early 70s classic plastic sailboats of the 34-foot variety are actually pretty good boats but exceptionally challenged in the cruising stowage department. It’s not that they are too small but that the long-term cruising stowage was just not part of the design brief. So if you’re looking at buying a …
