I was surfing through the Letters section of an old issue of a California sailing rag awhile back and came across yet another “I’ve got this yacht, can anyone tell me about it” letter. After purchasing the yacht the owner was looking for information on her design, quality, and sailing characteristics; ostensibly weather or not [...]
Continue reading about Some Thoughts on Buying “The Best” Cruising Yacht
For the last few years, we have been “part-time” cruisers, leaving Moonshadow under care in a marina and returning home to New Zealand for the southern hemisphere summer. Our experience with this has been mostly positive as we’ve learned both first and second-hand how best to “mothball” the boat before we leave her for up [...]
At sea, I think it is safe to maintain the assumption that you are not seen by other craft, and then take appropriate measures to give yourself a wide berth from traffic wherever possible. That said, from time to time we may find ourselves a bit too close for comfort and want some assurance that [...]
Continue reading about How do you make sure you are visible at sea?
We’ve just completed our first season of cruising in the Mediterranean Sea and have learned a bit about the local customs and procedures as it relates to anchoring and berthing, and in particular Mediterranean-style mooring, or simply Med-mooring. Here are a few tips and hints for anyone new to the area or who may be [...]
I’ll start off with a brief rundown of our ground tackle, which is pretty basic as we like to keep things simple. We keep just one anchor on the bow because I like to minimize weight at the ends of the boat for better performance. Our primary anchor is the original equipment on Moonshadow, a [...]
The technology available to the cruiser these days is continuing to make it easier to keep in touch with family and friends, to keep abreast of information on what lies ahead, and to share information with those who plan or would like to be out here.
While we’ve not really used Skype much, we think that [...]
Continue reading about Are you using Skype and Wifi to stay in touch?
Sailing across the Indian Ocean was the first time we’d come across large drift net fishing. I suppose that the best way to deal with them is to give them a wide berth, assuming you know where they are located.
The yachties ahead of us reported known positions of drift nets on the daily cruiser’s net, [...]
We’ve just spent a most delightful week in and around Salalah, Oman, and are on the move again. Salalah has been a wonderful introduction to the Middle East - beautiful sights, friendly and helpful people, and excellent food. We explored ancient tombs, rugged mountains, 15th century ruins and saw more camels than one could imagine. [...]
Continue reading about What tactics are you planning to use for transiting “Pirate Alley?”
Someone once said “there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.” I think the key to being comfortable is having the right type of gear for the climate and conditions in which you’re cruising. Here are a few of our thoughts.
What do you use in the tropics?
Nothing! When we’re cruising in the tropics, [...]
We’re often asked by people who are unfamiliar to the cruising lifestyle what we do all day. They envision us spending most of our time sitting in idyllic anchorages, sipping on exotic cocktails while working on our suntans. We do get to do this on the odd occasion, but in reality, cruising involves many different [...]
Continue reading about How to extend a Thai Visa? (or waste an entire day!)
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