Archives
Thank you Latitude 38 and ‘Lectronic Latitude editor, Monica Grant, for publishing the latest installment of The Resourceful Sailor with a rare hard copy appearance in the August 2024 edition of the magazine. In this piece I give experiential insight on Sampaguita’s solar energy solution while voyaging. I wrote this while at anchor in La Paz, Mexico waiting for the season to head for Marquesas.
This is pretty much what it is, except when it isn’t. The boat goes tick-tock from side to side as the following sea rolls under it. A soundtrack to fall asleep to. A motion to hypnotize you. It just goes on and on. The grey skies make it chilly and moist. Everything salty sucks up the moisture. Foulies keep you dry and warm. And a hot cup of tea……
Beam on and reefed down, charging across the trades. Beam on is wetter, but faster. Also, I was pinned down on the starboard tack, which made the ride more comfortable. Downwind sailing in the trades is a very rolly experience which makes for less predictable motion. I spilled more things going downwind in the trades than I did beam on. Just sayin’.
This is a pretty rare occurrence:
39 days from La Paz, Mexico to Hiva Oa, Marquesas. Thanks to modern GPS navigation, it turns out to be pretty easy to navigate to a small Island in the middle of the ocean. Definitely the most physically and mentally grueling thing I have ever embarked on…so far. It’s a bit masochistic. I can’t say I would recommend it. It’s like a carnival ride (Tilt-a-Whirl?), or a bucking bronco, that never stops. Add… Read More
Thanks to Monica and Latitude 38’s ‘Lectronic Latitude for publishing another Resourceful Sailor installment. This one is about how I keep Sampaguita’s drop boards from coming out if I get knocked down or capsized. Not what you want to think about, but you better. If you have your own version of how to secure your drop boards, feel free to comment at the bottom of the article. Follow the link: https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/resourceful-sailor-drop-boards/
Sailing the windward/leeward buoy races on the foredeck of Corvo with the Port Townsend Sailing Association One-Design Thunderbird Fleet on Wednesday evenings in Port Townsend Bay has made The Resourceful Sailor a better offshore sailor. Naturally, it has made them a better sailor overall, but writing about the nuances of sail trim and their controls, strategy, or rules feels a bit stuffy right now. This is about working the foredeck and managing agility, comfort,… Read More
Well, almost. Sampaguita sits in the Newport Beach, CA anchorage, about as close as she can get by water. She was built by Pacific Seacraft of Fullerton, CA in 1985. Sampaguita had an excellent sail from Santa Catalina Island to arrive in Newport Beach with the rising sun(and dense fog.) We had a fairly steady SE breeze of 5-10 knots crossing the San Pedro Channel which kept us moving on a starboard… Read More
My sister thought Santa Catalina Island was a resort and a little posh. She is correct. But it’s a good refuge here in Cat Harbor and since Sampaguita draws so little water we are able to anchor in the back bay. This is good because the harbor entrance is the only other anchoring choice, and not at all a good one. That, or moorings are $60 per night. $60 for a 24… Read More
sailingwithjosh
Sailing With Josh 