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Northeast Maritime Exhibition

Mystic Seaport, the museum of America and the sea, is hosting the Northeast Maritime Exhibition from May 14-16.  From the Mystic Seaport website:

Attendees will have the opportunity to view and board beautiful new and brokerage yachts on the Mystic River while strolling through the picturesque Mystic Seaport. Additionally, an array of nautical vendors will be on-site offering everything from the perfect, new GPS to the best foul weather gear. Be among the first boaters to learn about the cutting edge technology of marine electronics and charting for mobile devices all while enjoying the historic atmosphere of Mystic Seaport.

Check out the Mystic Seaport website for more information.

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2010 04 16 editor Boat Shows
Boating Education
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From Joshua Slocum to Jessica Watson

Ever since Joshua Slocum was the first to sail a single-handed circumnavigation of the world, many have followed in his foot steps.  All sorts of records have been set and broken, from doing so without any assistance, being the youngest male, to being the youngest female.

Jessica Watson, aged 16, is looking to break records by being the youngest person to solo around the globe, and she’s not going to stop there.  She also intends on doing so without any assistance.  Her vessel:  a 34′ Sparkman & Stevens named Ella’s Pink Lady.

Jessica Watson departed from Sydney, Australia on 10/18/2009, and is expected to return to Sydney in early May of this year, approximately two months earlier than planned.  Regarding her precise route, from Wikipedia:

Her circumnavigation route is planned to start and end at Sydney and will pass near New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati, Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, South East Cape.[22] In accordance with the definitions set out by the International Sailing Federation World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) for circumnavigations, the equator must be crossed; this was done near Kiritimati.

Jessica Watson’s endeavor has not been without criticism.  During a test sail prior to the beginning of her voyage, she collided with a freighter and was dismasted.  Many claim that this proves her immaturity and inability to handle a feat of such magnitude.

Personally, I find such criticism to be moot.  Jessica Watson is a young hero.  Not only does she exemplify courage and a sense of adventure that so many of us can only dream of, she is performing a feat (and indeed appears set for undoubted success) that most people twice her age would never fathom.  Jessica Watson gives life and sailing the excitement it deserves.

Check out her blog to stay up to date on her travels.

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2010 04 13 editor Record Attempts
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The New and Old

Boating in general, and sailing in particular, has changed drastically even over the past 50 years, but there is more likely 100 years of difference between these two boats above.  All of the obvious luxury aside, the main mast on the ketch is twice the size of the main mast on the old schooner.  It makes the meeting of the two seem awkward at best.

The New and Old

It makes one wonder who or what (or even if) the modern ketch will meet in the next 100 years, and what that will look like.

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2010 03 22 editor Uncategorized Comments (0) Permalink

How to Whip Line

I like to whip a lot of my lines to prevent fraying and unraveling, but needed a brief refresher on how to get the job done. Fortunately, the internet and its infinite resources came to the rescue. If you’re new to whipping lines or, like me, are in need of a quick refresher, I recommend the following video:

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2010 03 16 editor Uncategorized Comments (0) Permalink

International Yacht Restoration School

I had the opportunity to visit the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) a few months ago, and got to tour view the restoration-in-process of the schooner Coronet.  At 133′, it was no small undertaking and quite impressive to behold.  A history of the yacht can be found here.

Besides the restoration of Coronet, the school has a strong reputation within the marine industry for churning out professionals in their three areas of focus:  Boat building / restoration, marine systems, and composite technology.  When I visited the campus, I was impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the solid operations.

It’s never to late to take on a new trade, and the IYRS boasts a diverse range of students with ages from 18 to 60.  If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, head on over the IYRS web site and see what more they have to offer.

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2010 03 15 editor Boating Education
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Tacktick: The Wireless Alternative

Upgrading our instruments is something a lot of us would like to do, but the thought of running new wires throughout the boat is a daunting task.  Some have the money to just pay the boatyard to take care of it, but most do not.

Fortunately, Tacktick makes wireless instruments.  Think about it:  No wires down the mast or in other hard to reach places, no drilling in the boat, and instruments that can be put anywhere.  It’s not just easier, it’s more versatile.

Tacktick offers a complete range of wireless instruments for power boats, racing yachts, cruising yachts, sport boats, dinghies, multihulls, and RIBs.  More importantly, the instruments can be set up in a modular fashion, with configurations that can fit in all budgets.

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2010 03 12 editor Boating Education
New Products
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Teak Oil

As an addendum to yesterday’s post on varnishing, I forgot to mention that many people instead choose to oil their teak using a linseed or tung oil.  The oil will soak into the wood, as opposed to the varnish which is layered on top.  Many people consider this an advantage as it means the oil will not crack or chip.  I have also heard it argued that this better protects the wood from ultraviolet damage.

Like varnish, oiling your teak will require a number of coats to give it an adequate finish and shine.  It is easiest, in my opinion, to apply the oil with a rag, however the location of your teak in proximity to other parts of the boat may necessitate the use of a brush, as a rag could slop into places you’d rather it stayed clear of.  An oil finish will generally fade faster than the varnish alternative, so be prepared to add another coat of oil two times a year.

All of this said, I recommend using varnish as opposed to oil.  Since varnish is coated on top of the wood, it protects it from drying out, splitting, rotting, and will be untouched by any foreign elements.  Teak oil alone cannot protect your wood in the same fashion.

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2010 03 11 editor Boating Education Comments (0) Permalink

Varnishing Teak

Most of us these days don’t have wooden boats, but a lot of boaters do have boats with wood.  Teak toe rails, hand rails, blocks, etc. give a boat a certain attractive look, especially when they have a glossy shine from varnish.  The sad part is, though, that keeping teak looking shiny and new takes time and patience, and I see a lot of boaters neglect their teak accordingly.

It takes many coats of varnish to help teak look its best, and the more you let it go the worse off you’ll become.  My single, best piece of advice is to stay on top of it year after year.  If a fresh coat or two is applied on a yearly basis, not only will your teak continue to look great, but it will save you the trouble of having to strip every layer of varnish off and starting anew.  A coat in time truly saves nine when it comes to varnishing the teak on our boats.

When applying a new coat of varnish, be sure to tape around the perimeter with blue tape.  The blue tape will not leave any sticky residue when you pull it off, and also comes off neat with a resistance to tearing.  Next, start sanding down the top coat until the color of the teak is even throughout the piece.  I recommend using a light grit of sandpaper, but it depends on the condition of the current layer of varnish.  If you wait years between coats, you’ll need to use a rough grit to get down to a suitable base.

Rub down your newly sanded teak with mineral spirits in order to remove any left over particles, and apply another coat of your favorite varnish (I recommend the varnish produced by Pettit).  Be careful to apply evenly and not leave behind any runs or blobs.

If you intend on applying more than one coat this season, I recommend you remove your blue tape once the varnish is dry and reapply another border of tape.  The varnish build up on the tape and the fact that the tape is against the edges of the piece can prevent the varnish from being applied to the corners and edges.

Finally, like I stated previously:  Keep at it!  Maintaining a schedule on a yearly basis of applying a single coat of varnish will save the trouble of stripping or sanding down to bare wood.  And who doesn’t like the look of a boat with shiny teak?

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2010 03 10 editor Wooden Boats Comments (0) Permalink

Garmin GPSMAP 700 Series

Garmin has released their new line of GPS products, and here at yachtSource Online we are particularly excited about the GPSMAP 700 series.  These new devices are the first stand-alone marine chart plotters with touch screen control.

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The biggest advantage, however, is all of the possible configurations.   The 700 series offers full NMEA 2000 compatibility for engine, fuel, wind, and autopilot monitoring.  Radar and sonar functionality can also be added:

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Lastly, a full range of wind gauges have been included:

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With a base price of $1,400, these new chart plotters are a steal!  Head on over to Garmin on the web to check out the rest of their excellent marine electronics.

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2010 03 09 editor New Products
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March Harken Sale at Annapolis Performance Sailing

Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS) is having a March Harken Sale.  Throughout the month of March, APS is offering 10% off all of their Harken hardware.

If you’ve been thinking about replacing a cleat, winch, or block recently, now is the time to act!

Also, if you spend over $100 on Harken gear, you will receive a free gift:

- $100.00 to $249.99: Harken Tote Bag
- $250.00 to $499.99: Roll-Top Wet/Dry Bag
- $500.00+: Medium Squall Bag

Happy shopping!

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2010 03 08 editor Sailboat Hardware
Sales Events
Special Offers
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