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Spring is Right Around the Corner……

Spring is right around the corner, although there have been a few days that have had us feeling like spring is already here. This amazing winter has moved some people to start preparing earlier rather than later. Not only does one need to prepare the boat and de-winterize the engine, but we shouldn’t forget about…

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Power at Your Fingertips

This is the yacht that leisure off shore sailors have been waiting for. Behold the future of sailing is right around the corner. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq173AXAdkY&w=560&h=315] The Discovery 57 features some of the latest and greatest powered rigging products on the market. This kind of technology isn’t just for mega yachts anymore and is becoming more and more…

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Views From Aloft

Well it has certainly been a while, but today’s excellent weather prompted another segment of “Views From Aloft”. This being the first climb of the year, all things considered, went pretty well. Sean and I argued a bit about who would get to ‘go up’ and how it just isn’t safe to send someone my size up…

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The End is Near…

The Vendee Globe challengers are approaching the end, which may come as early as this weekend. However, the drama has not stopped. Jean-Pierre Dick (still in third but surely to be passed soon),  has broken his keel, but is puttering along at a measly 11 knots. The skipper of Virbac -Paprec 3 has yet to…

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Nordkapp To Stockholm…..

…… in an inflatable 13′ catamaran. That all adds up to approx. 1350 NM and 45 days. I like that every day he ends with setting up camp and sleeping ashore. This might be the only way I could be talked into this…………on second thought, no, I could never be talked into this. Check out…

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The Greatest Sea Story Ever Told

The story of Earnest Shackleton, his 27 men, and the almost 2 year journey they had to endure in Antarctica is truly the most amazing maritime story ever told. Incredible real life footage can be credited to the on board cameraman Frank Hurley, from Australia. Take 30 minutes to watch this 3-part story, as Kevin Spacey narrates this…

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First AC 72 Pitch pole…..

…..and it caused them almost loose more than the rig! [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drgglIebuQY&w=560&h=315] Apparently it is quite the big deal when these things flip, unlike the smaller AC45’s that seem to go over regularly. After extensive hours, efforts and a strong ebb tide, the crew and the boat made it back to shore. The enormous wing however…

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Views From Aloft

Here we had to go aloft to conduct a rigging inspection after a lightning strike. We installed a new 15″ Windex and tang. Spec’d some new Lazy Jack blocks and a new anchor light bulb. ……….. ……nice n’ easy. Okay, can anyone guess where we are? Other than aloft on a sailboat mast of course;-0) It was…

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A 1903 Lawley Built Yacht

When I started in the marine industry, I was fortunate enough to work aboard a truly unique yacht. The name of this yacht was Witchcraft.  The yacht was built in 1903 by the Lawley Ship Yard in Boston, MA and designed by B.B. Crowninshield.  Originally, the boat had a very tall gaff rigged mast which…