Category: Uncategorized
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Swell Hell
Three days towards Tortola and about 350 miles. The low pressure forecast seems to have slipped north of us as planned, as we stayed a more southerly course to duck under it. But now the wind has dropped and we are feeling the effects of the low with the gift…
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Alchemy has Set Sail
It’s been an intense and challenging few days. Only fours days before the start of the Caribbean 1500 rally to Tortola, BVI, we discovered a fracture in our headstay chainplate. Somewhat important, as it keeps the mast up. After heroic efforts by the crew, Scott, Jere, Rick and Jim, we…
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Halfway to the Caribbean
After some nine weeks of travels and trials, we have made it to what I consider is our halfway point to the Caribbean, Portsmouth VA. This is the staging and departure point of the Caribbean 1500, our rally to the BVI. It’s been pretty crazy. I had this idea that…
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Fun With Your Sat Phone
Less than two weeks away from the Caribbean 1500, and I have been working hard to get things ready. One important tool is our satellite phone, used to get our weather forecasts. Of course as well as getting the weather, it’s possible to use your email to post to Facebook…
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Fun With MacENC Navigation Software
After (roughly) 392 nautical miles miles of sailing, halfway down the US East Coast, the deepest we have been in has been in the first few minutes of the trip. Who-da-thunk? What am I talking about? After considerable effort, I have my navigation instruments talking to my laptop. We have…
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Installing an Atlantic Tower’s Arch
Alchemy has a really nice rear end, er, stern. But this leads to a problem in that we have all sorts of stuff hanging off it. MOM module, Lifesling, stern anchor, GPS, VHF, outboard mount, etc. The problem is that Alchemy’s skinny butt means that there is not enough room…
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Zero to Internet with WaveWiFi Rogue
This week has been a pretty frustrating one. We are about T – 10 days to move aboard our boat, and I am desperately trying to get her ready. One thing I am learning is that anything on a boat is two steps forward and one step back, or sometimes…
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Why Do a Rally? – The Caribbean 1500
Why do a rally and why the Caribbean 1500? I was recently asked this by the website All At Sea Southeast magazine (www.allatsea.net). Here is what I came up with! 1. How did you get interested in sailing as part of a rally? And, in sailing with kids? You have…
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Installing Air-Only Ventilators
The Tartan 41 is known as an offshore racer, and as such, its design doesn’t feature many holes in the deck, to make sure its secure from green water. For most cruisers at anchor however, these holes in the deck are otherwise known as ventilation. Despite her racing heritage, Alchemy…
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Going Feral
With just a few months to go before we leave, I’ll admit to sometimes lying awake in the middle of the night anxious about some aspect of our year in the Caribbean. In no particular order, things that have caused night time sweats include: going offshore for the first time,…
Compass Designs 