The long port tack to Antigua
Practical Boat Owner|March 2021
Hermione Pattison’s family endures a tough passage when they leave the US on a tumultuous 1,600-mile beat to windward
The long port tack to Antigua

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

Esta historia es de la edición March 2021 de Practical Boat Owner.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March 2021 de Practical Boat Owner.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE PRACTICAL BOAT OWNERVer todo
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Practical Boat Owner

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.

time-read
1 min  |
Summer 2024
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
Practical Boat Owner

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.

time-read
2 minutos  |
Summer 2024
Multihull sail work
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
4 minutos  |
Summer 2024
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
10+ minutos  |
Summer 2024
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
10 minutos  |
Summer 2024
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
7 minutos  |
Summer 2024
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
10+ minutos  |
Summer 2024
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
10+ minutos  |
Summer 2024
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
Practical Boat Owner

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

time-read
5 minutos  |
Summer 2024
Playing with coloured sails
Practical Boat Owner

Playing with coloured sails

Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers

time-read
3 minutos  |
Summer 2024