The phrase ‘never trust the brochure’ seems incredibly appropriate for our crewmember Mike, who has just stepped off Alisara, our Moody 47, after a 1,600-mile passage from Virginia to Antigua.
I had back surgery a few months ago so my husband, Douglas, and I decided to recruit an additional crewmember for the voyage with our children Alice (7) and Arthur (9). This proved to be a wonderful decision.
Participating in the Salty Dawg rally was another good idea. To get back to the Caribbean this year has required a great deal of planning and paperwork. This volunteer-run organisation compiled the ever-changing information and offered us support to ensure smooth entry into Antigua. Looking at their crew list was overwhelming, but Mike Draper caught our eye and after one FaceTime call from the other side of the US we decided that he’d be a good fit. The main challenge was to find someone who was able to live in close quarters with two young children, be physically fit, and have the time to do the necessary quarantines. The up-side (I said in my sales pitch) was that he’d have his own double cabin, own heads/ bathroom and be well fed!
After a three week haul-out in Virginia and a huge amount of boat work, Alisara was in great shape. Spotless inside and out, she was ready for this trip. Provisioning done, we waited for the weather and finally our very chilly and itchy feet left the dock in Hampton at 7pm on Monday 2 November.
The strategy
この記事は Practical Boat Owner の March 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Practical Boat Owner の March 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Spain's maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, has reported that a 15m (49ft) yacht sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar following interaction with a pod of orca.
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
A kill cord and lifejacket are useless unless worn-that's the warning from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), following its investigation into a powerboat crash that killed a 32-year-old woman and five-year-old girl on 2 October 2022.
Multihull sail work
Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to spinnaker handling, tacking and gybing
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Jake Kavanagh talks to Sea Start marine engineer Nick Eales about how to avoid the five major causes of an engine breakdown at sea
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Would you sail across the Atlantic with someone you've just met? Ali Wood meets the cruising crews who've done just that
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Rupert Holmes sails an innovative catamaran design intended to widen participation in sailing among those with little time to get on the water in more conventional craft
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
From tall ships to small dinghies, you needn't own a boat to sail. Ali Wood looks at the options, and how skippers can also find crew
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-35ft sail and power boats to look for when aiming to undertake a restoration on a budget
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
For low cost traditionally-styled GRP trailer-sailers, consider the Foreland and the Otter available at bargain basement prices
Playing with coloured sails
Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers