Issue # 296

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 CONFIDENCE BREEDS SUCCESS AND
SUCCESS BREEDS CONFIDENCE.
Successful cruising begins with confidence and that’s why Nordhavn owners have a tremendous track record
of achieving their cruising goals. Whether crossing an ocean or completing the Great Loop, a Nordhavn arms
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 OCEAN
VOYAGER
Annual Handbook of Offshore Sailing

36 Annual 2025— Issue 296

BLUEWATER GEAR FIDDLER’S GREEN

A build-up to voyaging 4 Notable mariners who passed
away in 2024 41
Longer-Range Cat
The DEMEY 60 can cover more
than 2,200 nautical miles at 9 FROM THE TAFFRAIL
knots without refueling. The End of an Era
by Eric Colby 10 By Capt. Dave Abrams 44

Spinning Wheels
From reversible and folding blades to OCEAN ALMANAC
changing pitch with rubber inserts, Offshore safety checklist 6
marine propellers are more versatile
than ever.
Geographic range table 7 30
Internet links 8
By Eric Colby 14
Set & drift calculations 25

OFFSHORE SAFETY
Automatic Identification
System (AIS) 26
4
The Colgates, the First GPS compass adjustment 27
Couple of Sailing 18 Weatherfax stations and
Dinghy Dreaming broadcast schedules 28
Which tender is right for you? Satellite communications
By Andy Cross 24 systems 32
34
14
Radar controls
Prepping for Panama
What goes into planning a
5,200 mile voyage
By Capt. Dave Abrams 30

VOYAGING SKILLS
Sailors in the Vendée Globe
faced multiple challenges includ-
ing icebergs.
By Ann Hoffner 36

Tackling the Northwest Passage

A harrowing firsthand recollection of
sailing from Maine to Alaska on a
boat meant for the Caribbean.
By Ben Zartman 39
18
24
Cover: CAPTION
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10
2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 1
 OCEAN
The Mariner’s VOYAGER
Annual Handbook of Offshore Sailing

Best Mate. PUBLISHER

As a professional mariner, it’s important Dave Abrams
to stay on top of your credentials and time dave@[Link]
at sea. Now the maritime industry finally Kathleen Ford, general manager
has a tool to do just that. kathleen@[Link]

EDITORIAL
EDITOR Eric Colby
ecolby@[Link]

Credential & Sea Time DESIGN/PRODUCTION Kim Goulet Norton

Tracking for Mariners CONTRIBUTING EDITORS John Kettlewell
Twain Braden
Free for Ann Hoffner
Mariners! Nigel Calder
Available Ellen Massey Leonard
for download David Berson
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ADVERTISING/MARKETING

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INTERNATIONAL daniel@[Link]

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2 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 Bluewater
Gear
A build-up
I t was supposed to be a one-year
sailing adventure, but it’s been
12. Sarah and Will Curry bought
their first boat together in Mexico in
2012. They outfitted her for offshore
to voyaging use on a minimal budget and set sail
across the Pacific in March 2013.
After living the South Pacific
dream, they sold the boat in Sydney,
Australia, and a period of boat-less-
ness ensued: No projects, no mainte-
nance, and an easy land-travel life.
It was during those six months that
desperation grew for another cruising
vessel on which to continue the life
aquatic long-term. A Jeanneau 43
Sarah Curry

came up for sale in Nanaimo, B.C.,

Canada, letting Sarah and Will live
aboard and cruise in local waters returned to the boat in San Diego when the twins were seven months
before heading south once again. with two babies (and much more old — before they were mobile.
They sailed down the Wash- luggage). They couldn’t ready them- During the Covid years, the Cur-
ington/Oregon coast in 2017 and selves or Kaiquest in time to sail to rys shared time between land-life in
slowly cruised California city by Mexico with the 2019 Baja Ha-ha, North Vancouver and boat-life in
city, anchorage by anchorage. In but made the journey down to Cabo Mexico. Sailing with toddler twins
2019 they welcomed twin boys and San Lucas in February of 2020 proved challenging, but they were
determined to be a cruising family.
Will spent his teenage years cruising
Mexico, Hawaii, and Brtish Colum-
bia and the positive effect on family
ties has been long lasting.
With growing boys and a wish
for brighter working spaces, the cata-
maran concept became more appeal-
ing. Kaiquest was sold in Puerto
Vallarta and their search began in
the spring of 2022, at the height
of the catamaran craze. With their
In The Section

Above and right,

their 46-foot
Leopard cat is • Longer-Range Cat

the perfect boat
for Sarah and
• Spinning Wheels
Sarah Curry

Will Curry and

their twin boys.

4 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

sights set on a Leopard 46, Sarah
and Will kept finding themselves
as a back-up offer on boats in the
Caribbean. A Leopard 46 was post-
ed privately on Facebook in Greece
and, after one zoom call, they made
an offer to buy it sight unseen; she
was the one.
Cruising in Greece, Turkey, and
across the Mediterranean was more
wonderful than they could have
imagined. In 2024 they joined the
ARC+ rally to sail from Spain’s
Canary Islands to Cape Verde,
and then across the Atlantic to the
Caribbean, arriving in December
2024. The twins aren’t yet fully
trained crew but enjoyed their first
ocean crossing immensely, and didn’t
once ask: “Are we there yet?”
On top of their personal cruis-
ing life, Sarah and Will work for
Hydrovane International Marine,
their family business and manufac-
turer of the Hydrovane windvane
self-steering system.

OV: What inspired you to

go voyaging?

S&WC: Family his-

tory and
gin-and-tonics. On our first
date my now-husband regaled
Sarah Curry

me with stories about his fam-

ily’s offshore sailing adventures
as a teenager and how he had
a dream to sail to the South
Pacific. Despite never having
sailed before, I responded: “I’m
OV: What is it about your
boat that prompted
you to choose it?
larta, Mexico.
A catamaran was on the
mind soon after our twins were
Above and left,
Kaia II’s transom

S&WC:
in” and we started planning for The choice of born in 2019. For our third provides easy
access to
a grand adventure right then first boat was boat, we targeted a Leopard 46,
the water. A
and there. based purely on location and at the height of the catamaran Hydrovane helps
price. We reached our target sav- frenzy in 2022. We placed keep the boat on
ings, looked at available boats on backup offers on three L46s that course during
[Link], viewed a cou- didn’t work out. I joined Face- long passages.
ple, and moved onboard a 1986 book to be part of the Leopard
Beneteau First 405 in Guaymas, 46 Owners’ Group and a post
Mexico, two months later. We in Greece prompted me to reach
sold her in Sydney, Australia for out. We bought Kaia privately,
the same price two years later. sight unseen, from a diligent pre-
Our second boat search was vious owner in August 2022.
focused on newer models with
comfortable cockpits. A 2001
Jeanneau SO 43 came available
near our hometown of North
OV:
boat?
How do you generate
electricity on your

Vancouver, BC. We owned the

S&WC: Our favor-
Sarah Curry

Jeanneau for seven years and ite power

sold her in 2022 in Puerto Val- generation method is solar. Our

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 5

Bluewater Gear

OCEAN ALMANAC first boat had a total of 180 watts of

PILOTING & NAV solar that led to a no-refrigeration
cruise across the South Pacific once we
realized that the output couldn’t keep
Offshore safety checklist up. The biggest drawback was no cold
The following lists contain items that most well-found cruising boats have on beer.
We installed 440 watts of solar
board for extended voyages. Items not considered essential are included in the panels on our second boat, and this
Optional list. kept up with our needs well enough in
the Pacific Northwest, California, and
NAVIGATION EPIRB emergency antenna for Mexico.
sextant fire extinguishers VHF
Both monohulls had high-output
alternators, although we rarely ran the
Nautical Almanac for first aid kit horn engine for power.
current year backup prescription bell Our catamaran came with 2,600
sight reduction tables medications whistles for crew watts of solar. We’ve been fully self-
sufficient in the Mediterranean, and
chronometer spare eyeglasses radio
now Caribbean, including running air
plotting sheets safety harnesses frequency lists conditioning in the late afternoon and
charts for intended route life jackets AIS receiver/transponder cooking with an induction stovetop
ship’s log flashlights OPTIONAL and electric oven. We rarely plug in
to shore power. She also has a 9kW
tide tables knives for each crew sight reduction calculator generator that we’ve run a handful
Light List bungs for seacocks radio direction finder of times in two years. We added a
Coast Pilots and cruising life ring and/or life sling electronic chartplotter or Watt&Sea Hydrogenerator for the
guides storm sails computer
Atlantic crossing, knowing that solar
output at sea and in the trades is great-
pilot charts storm anchor and rode electronic charts ly reduced. Our Parasailor blanketed
radio receiver for time and parachute sea anchor and/ radar the solar panels for much of the trip,
weather or drogue radar detector but the Watt&Sea let us keep up with
at sea power demands — with an out-
radio frequency lists extra chafing gear for lines SSB radio
put of over 25Amps at most times.
binoculars emergency tiller or ham radio
adjusted compass
hand-bearing compass
steering system
backup autopilot or wind
satellite communication
weatherfax OV:
your boat?
What type and capacity of
batteries do you have on
dividers vane parts Navtex
course plotters and tools and repair materials signal flags
parallel rules jumper cables personal strobes and/or
calculator abandon-ship bag EPIRBs
speed and distance log emergency food and water survival suits
depth sounder life raft wet suits or dry suits
GPS and/or loran COMMUNICATIONS solar panel for emergency
spotlight VHF radio charging
EMERGENCY & SAFETY emergency procedures emergency generator
flares card near radio watermaker for life raft
spotlight emergency contact
horn information
smoke flares hand-held VHF radio
radar reflector waterproof case for hand-
signal mirrors held

6 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 OCEAN ALMANAC

PILOTING & NAVIGATION

Geographic
range table
The following table gives the approximate
geographic range of visibility for an object that
may be seen by an observer at sea level. It also
provides the approximate distance to the visible
horizon for various heights of eye. To determine
the geographic range of an object, you must
add the range for the observer’s height of
eye and the range for the object’s height. For
instance, if the object seen is 65 feet, and the
observer’s height of eye is 35 feet above sea
level, then the object will be visible at a distance
of no more than 16.3 miles:
Height of eye: 35 feet Range = 6.9 nm
Object height: 65 feet Range = 9.4 nm

Sarah Curry
Computed geographic range = 16.3 nm
The standard formula is d = 1.17 x square root
of H + 1.17 x square root of h, where d = vis-

S&WC: OV:
ible distance, H = height of the object, and h =
Our first two Do you use satcom? height of eye of the observer.
boats had Trojan Height Distance

S&WC:
(Feet) (Meters) nm
lead acid batteries — banks of about Starlink has 5 1.5 2.6
400 Amp hours. become impor- 10 3.0 3.7
Our current boat has 1,200 amp- tant to us. We used it all the way 15 4.6 4.5
20 6.1 5.2
hours of Lithium Batteries. across the Med and Atlantic. We also 25 7.6 5.9
keep minutes on an Iridium phone as 30 9.1 6.4

OV:
35 10.7 6.9
Do you have a Wi-Fi net- a secondary means for downloading 40 12.2 7.4
work on the boat? weather or making emergency calls. 45 13.7 7.8

S&WC: Yes. Starlink is

our main connec-
tion source in the daytime when the
Finally, we have a Garmin InReach
Mini for tracking, and back up weather
information if needed.
50
55
60
65
15.2
16.8
18.3
19.8
8.3
8.7
9.1
9.4
inverter is on. We also have a 12-volt After 10 years of chasing Wi-Fi or 70 21.3 9.8
75 22.9 10.1
Redbox router. We mostly use this at data connections for work and passage- 80 24.4 10.5
night with a local SIM card for data. making with slow, expensive SatCom 85 25.9 10.8
90 27.4 11.1
methods, Starlink has been the biggest 95 29.0 11.4
game changer for an improved life and 100 30.5 11.7
safety onboard. In the ARC+ we were 110 33.5 12.3
120 36.6 12.8
connected on an active WhatsApp 130 39.6 13.3
group to the 93 other boats around us. 140 42.7 13.8
Will could keep up with work emails 150 45.7 14.3
200 61.0 16.5
while at sea. 250 76.2 18.5
300 91.4 20.3

OV:
350 106.7 21.9
Do you have a HF SSB and 400 121.9 23.4
VHF radios? 450 137.2 24.8

S&WC: We installed a
second-hand SSB
radio on our first boat, days prior to
500
550
600
650
152.4
167.6
182.9
198.1
26.2
27.4
28.7
29.8
crossing the Pacific in 2013. It stopped 700 213.4 31.0
Above, being 800 243.8 33.1
transmitting a week out. Fortunately, 900 274.3 35.1
at sea means
we could still listen to the Pacific 1000 304.8 37.0
experiencing Source: Defense Mapping Agency, The American Practical
unforgettable
Puddle Jump net, which we greatly Navigator (Bowditch); U.S. Coast Guard, Light List.
sights. Left, the enjoyed. We didn’t turn on the SSB
Starlink antenna again after reaching the Marquesas.
Sarah Curry

provides Wi-Fi We have not installed SSB on our sub-

anywhere. sequent boats.

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 7

Bluewater Gear
OCEAN ALMANAC
Yes, we have a VHF radio and an
PILOTING & NAVIGATION AIS Transceiver.

Internet links OV: What type of anchor do

you have?

[Link] topos, aerial photography.

S&WC: We bought Roc-
nas for the first
two boats, and our catamaran came
The mother of all maritime links. Incredible list of links [Link]
with an 85-pound Mantus.
to all things having to do with the water. Seven Seas Cruising Association. Features very lively

OV:
[Link] and open discussion boards and downright scary news What is your auxiliary
National Hurricane Center. Extensive tropical weather flashes. engine?
reports for the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
[Link]
National Data Buoy Center. Get real-time weather
[Link]
Panama Canal. Information on the canal, including
regulations and fees.
S&WC: Our catamaran
came equipped
with a 9KW North Lights generator.
reports from buoys at sea and weather reporting sta- [Link] We are not reliant on it.

OV:
tions. U.S. Coast Guard Office of Marine Safety. Regulations,
[Link] publications and more. What is the most impor-
United States Power Squad­rons. Navigation instruction. [Link]
tant maintenance task you
perform while voyaging?

S&WC:
[Link] The Daily Sail (formerly Mad for Sailing). An excellent
Checking lines
NOAA oceanographic products. Real-time and extended British site covering ocean racing.
for chafe. And
tide predictions, now improved. [Link] keeping the salt off everything.
[Link] U.S. Sailing Association. The major racing organization
U.S. Naval Observatory. Sun and moon rise/set times,
moon phases, eclipses and other data.
[Link]
in the United States.
[Link]
International Sailing Fed­era­tion. Worldwide racing news.
OV:
boat?
What equipment do you
plan to add next to your

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center, the office that

maintains GOS, DGPS and loran. Lots of communica-
[Link]
Offshore Racing Council. Details of multiple racing rules S&WC: We recently
added a Para-
sailor that has proved quite stable and
tions information, local Notices to Mariners and more. and worldwide race calendar.
[Link]/ [Link]
ideal for light-to-moderate tradewinds.
We also added the Watt&Sea Hydro-
dataexplorer Joe Mehaffey and Jack Yeazels’ GPS information web-
generator using a pair of brackets that
NOS Mapfinder. Once you master the complex inter- site. Much useful information about GPS, particularly
attach onto the Hydrovane Shaft, sim-
face, you can download low-resolution (85-dpi) versions Garmin hand-helds. plifying the installation. We mounted
of NOAA charts, aerial photos and more. [Link] the Hydrogenerator the day before we
[Link] U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Boating courses and safety left Las Palmas. Both are products that
NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. Info on ordering charts, checks. we believe in and that we are now deal-
also Chart No. 1 and many downloadable historical [Link] ers for.
charts. An excellent resource for prospective boat owners and We are finished with adding equip-
[Link] for those researching products. The site also offers ment for a while — we hope. The next
The Weather Channel’s Internet site. Offers weather-for- access to the excellent newsletter Scuttlebutt, which big purchase might be a toy for the
dummies-style products, including radar and satellite supplies daily racing news from around the world.
Caribbean; Will has his eyes on a wing
foil.
coverage, and zone forecasts. [Link]

OV:
[Link] Reed’s Nautical Almanac for the UK. Extensive link lists,
What are your future voyag-
The Royal Meteorological Society in the U.K. is a boon cruising guide lists, free tide charts and more. ing plans?
to the weather enthusiast or amateur sailor, providing
links for forecasts, satellite and radar images, and
detailed information on all weather-related activities.
[Link]
History, links and other resources for the celestial
navigator.
S&WC: Our catamaran,
Kaia II of Van-
couver, is currently positioned in Saint
[Link] [Link] Lucia after crossing the Atlantic with
Another handy site for weather-related information News, audio/video and links to Maine boatbuilders. the ARC+ rally in November/Decem-
is the French weather service, Météo France, which [Link] ber. We will keep her in Trinidad
includes an English-language option for Franco-impaired Links to the marine industry in Rhode Island. for hurricane season and spend one
users.
more winter in the Caribbean before
continuing north or west. Follow us
[Link]
on Instagram: [Link]
Maptech’s MapServer. Well-or­gan­ized access to charts,
com/[Link]/ n

8 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

Water, water, everywhere

Optional control panel Modular option for minimum footprint Framed option for easiest installation
for modular installations

Whether you take friends away for short trips or are a full time
cruiser circumnavigating the globe, a Rainman watermaker
provides flexibility and greater enjoyment. It eliminates range
anxiety with an endless supply of fresh water.

Powered by AC electric, gasoline, or 12VDC, we offer watermaker

options for either portable or installed systems. Installations can
be either framed or modular format.

Rainman manufactures to a high build quality, making for a

system with maximum reliability, easy serviceability, and low life
[Link]
cycle cost. Our strong service reputation is backed by over 85
dealers around the world.

PETROL (GASOLINE) AC ELECTRIC 12VDC

 Bluewater
Gear

Longer-Range Cat
The DEMEY
60 can
cover more
than 2,200
nautical
miles at
9 knots
without
refueling.

By Eric Colby
DEMEY Yachts

In addition

S
to having
extended
ailors or couples looking The DEMEY 60 from Nic de speed picks up to 12.7 knots, the
range, the
DEMEY 60 is
to make the transition Mey Yachts is powered by twin range is still an impressive 1,525
self-sufficient
from a sailboat to a pow- 550-hp lightweight Cummins die- nautical miles with the boat burn-
thanks to solar erboat typically look at a trawler- sels and has an estimated range of ing 20.1 gph and 1.56 gpnm.
panels that style displacement boat, but a 2,238 nautical miles at 9.3 knots. Advance the throttles a little
charge the new catamaran from New Zea- That breaks down to 9.77 gallons more to 18 knots and the range
batteries. land gives them another option. per hour and 1.06 gallons per doesn’t drop much to 1,465 nau-
nautical mile. tical miles as the boat consumes
“That’s exactly what it’s tar- 28.27 gph and uses 1.6 gallons to
geted at with not only range but cover a nautical mile. Pick up the
speed,” said Nic de Mey, founder speed to 22 knots and the range
of Nic de Mey Yachts in Mt. is 1,200 nautical miles, burning
Maunganui, New Zealand, during 43.59 gph and 1.98 gpnm. All fig-
a Teams call. “Particularly here ures are based on 90 percent fuel
in New Zealand, there are many capacity. During the DEMEY 60’s
boaters who want to go to Fiji but delivery voyage from New Zealand
haven’t done it or they have to to Sydney, Australia, the yacht
hire a crew and put a bunch of covered the notoriously rough
fuel bladders in the cockpit.” 1,200 nautical-mile passage in 3
DEMEY Yachts

Looking at some other num- days, 3 hours averaging 16 knots.

bers with the DEMEY 60, when Unlike many new models with

10 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

longer range, the DEMEY 60’s designer,
Roger Hill, kept things basic. It’s a semi-
displacement catamaran with straight-
shaft inboards. The propellers are
nestled in prop tunnels to improve effi-
ciency. Because it’s a semi-displacement
design, the boat doesn’t rely on hydrody-
namic lift. As it increases speed, it does
lift somewhat out of the water, but its
long narrow sponsons are designed to
slice through the water. Top speed with
the Cummins 550s is 28 knots.
“There’s nothing special about the
driveline whatsoever,” said de Mey. It’s
really simple.” Veem bronze propellers
are used because they are designed
with plastic strips on the trailing edge
to adjust the pitch. This is helpful if
DEMEY Yachts

you are running the boat light or fully

loaded.
“The boat was designed for 450-hp
Cummins or Yanmars,” de Mey said. rough water. “When could you actu- owns a Riviera yacht that’s built in Aus-
“I chose Cummins because it’s a good ally run foiling speeds,” he asked. “You tralia, but he wanted more range than
brand and they were the lightest engines certainly aren’t going to do it with that vessel can cover.
I could find. The difference between your wife, your kids and grandkids on “He’s in Sydney and it’s quite a
the 450 and 550 here in New Zealand is board.” rough harbor,” de Mey explained.
negligible in weight and price so order- “There’s a cruising ground about (20
ing the 550s was a no brainer.” Consumer Request nautical miles) up the coast called
When designing the boat, semi dis- The DEMEY 60 was built for a Nic Pittwater and it’s just a magical spot; he
placement was preferred over a foiling de Mey Yachts customer who is an ex- goes there quite a bit. He goes to Ham-
catamaran. A foiler would run faster, professional sailor who competed in the ilton Island once a year and he wants to
but the ride could be compromised in America’s Cup and other big events. He go to Fiji and the Great Barrier Reef.”
The owner uses the boat daily, either
as a workspace in the marina or heading
out on the water. He’s been to Brisbane,
which is an 800 nautical mile return
trip. With the torque of the inboard
transmissions with a 1.962:1 gear ratio
and twin Vetus Bowpro thrusters, the
60 Spaceship is quite maneuverable.
Add the ability to walk around the
boat while pulling into a slip and using
a Dockmate remote control and the
owner can pretty much do everything
himself.
The size was kept at 60 feet, but the
catamaran design affords a beam of
22 feet, five inches and that translates
into a large cockpit that connects to the
salon with sliding glass doors.
“A lot of people think it’s a bigger
boat,” said de Mey. “It’s a big boat inside
with 8 feet of headroom in the main
deck area.
DEMEY Yachts

Above, the spacious interior takes advantage of the

catamaran’s 22-foot beam. Left, the stern has a grill
and sink plus stairs for accessing the aft cockpit.

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 11

Bluewater Gear
Below, the helm is centrally positioned and
accommodations include a full-beam master
stateroom plus VIP and guest cabins.

DEMEY Yachts

A Closer Look ran,” de Mey said. “You can get to where issue, we needed to be able to diagnose
The DEMEY 60 is designed with you’re going safely at speed and once the boat online and fix it so he can
three levels, an upper bridge with a you’ve arrived, there are multiple water enjoy his boating,” said de Mey.
lounge area under a hardtop with the toys you can use, you can live comfort- The boat is equipped with a genera-
aft part of the deck able to store water ably on the boat for a long time.” tor, but DEMEY Yachts put effort into
toys, the main deck and accommoda- The modern electrical system con- ensuring it remains silent throughout
tions below. sists of six lithium batteries housed in the night. This means it won’t start up
“We call it an expedition catama- their own monitored and ventilated at 2 a.m. just because the house batter-
environment. There are 12 136-watt ies need charging. “You can go to bed
solar panels on top of the hardtop and at 10 p.m. with the dishwasher running
VESSEL
SPECIFICATIONS
C-Zone digital switching is used in each
area to make it easy to operate systems
and the main deck AC on, then wake
up in the morning, take a shower, blow-
in the galley, salon, staterooms and cock- dry your hair, have a cup of coffee—and
pit. “It’s the backbone of the boat,” said only then will the generator start,” he
de Mey. “It controls everything.” An said.
DEMEY Yacht 60 app called Sentinel lets him check the The boat is built with infused carbon
Length overall: 60 feet (18.3 m) status of batteries, fuel load and more fiber, epoxy resin and foam coring. It
Beam: 22 feet, 5 inches (6.86 m) on a smart phone and includes geofence meets American Bureau of Shipping
alerts that let him know if the boat has rules and the Offshore class for the
Max. Draft: 3 feet, 5 inches
unexpectedly moved. European Union.
(1.07 m) “You need to have a boat the owner Starting at the top and working
Bridge Clearance: 18 feet (5.5 m) can use,” said de Mey. “This customer is down, stairs from the cockpit lead to the
Displacement: 56,317 lbs. highly knowledgeable about boats, but upper deck where there’s a crane to star-
95% of our customers prefer a hassle- board and space for personal watercraft,
(25,545 kg)
free experience — simply stepping on, a sailing dinghy and a paddleboard aft.
Fuel capacity: 2,641 gallons using the boat, and stepping off. We Forward, a lounge to port wraps around
(10,000 L) remain deeply involved with each boat a table and there’s more seating space to
Water capacity: 475 gallons even after it leaves our facility, ensur- starboard. There’s space for another ten-
(1,800 L) ing we understand how it’s being used der in the garage under the cockpit.
and operated. This allows us to provide Working our way down to the main
Engines: 2 550-hp Cummins proper care and refine our future builds. deck, aft there’s a full-width swim plat-
QSB6.7 diesels Sydney, where the owner keeps the form with stairs to the cockpit on each
Transmissions: ZF286A, 1.962:1 boat, is 1,200 nautical miles from the side. There’s storage on the transom to
gear reduction DEMEY Yachts offices. “When he port and a grill and sink to starboard. In
called during Christmas holiday with an the cockpit, there’s a lounge across the

12 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 head. Outboard to port is a cooktop basically sets the layout. But de Mey said
and the forward countertop has copious that the level of fit and finish is above
space for food prep, an oven and lots of that typically found on custom one-off
drawer storage. boats. “With us, you’ll get a boat that
Opposite the galley to starboard looks like there’s been a hundred of
there’s a full-sized refrigerator/freezer them made and it is the next level above
just inside the entry door. Forward a production boat,” he added. “We do a
there’s a small lounge. Cabin stairs lead lot of design work in-house.” He hopes
below in each sponson and create a to build more and get closer to a pro-
separation between the salon and helm. duction schedule because it would help
Forward on the main deck, there are lower the cost to build and sell.
large L-shaped settees to starboard and
port so the captain won’t be alone at the Accommodations Deck
central helm during a long cruise. Stairs to the right of the helm lead
The helm is centrally positioned so to the master stateroom that spans the
an upper station wouldn’t be neces- boat’s beam and has an en-suite head.
sary. The forward-raked windshields The California king-sized berth is on
enhance the boat’s expedition per- the centerline to reduce motion with a
sonality. The DEMEY 60 has three lounge to starboard. The head to port
22-inch Garmin 4K chartplotters with has a separate shower stall in addition to
DEMEY Yachts

a Simrad autopilot and FLIR camera. the usual amenities.

ZF Digital shift and throttle controls The rest of the accommodations are
are to starboard of the high-backed cap- accessible from stairs in the salon. To
aft end, considerable open space and tain’s chair with controls for the bow port is a VIP cabin with a queen berth.
a day head to starboard with a lounge thruster and a full range of control Aft are the laundry room and head. To
wrapping around a table to port. On systems intelligently laid out across the starboard are two guest cabins that mir-
either side of the aft seating are an ice- station. “We really focused on the vis- ror each other with over-under bunks.
maker and refrigerator. There is also a ibility and layout of the helm when we In early February, Hull No. 2 of the
7.1-cubic-foot (200 liter) freezer behind designed the boat,” said de Mey. “The 60 Spaceship was in production and
the starboard day head. boat was going to have a helm upstairs de Mey has received inquiries from
Glass doors open to the salon. Aft to but after consultation with the owner the states from cruisers interested in
port is a galley with windows that open we decided not to have it, having now traveling from New England to Florida
to the cockpit, making it easy to serve used the vessel, we are happy with that including crossing Lake Okeechobee.
guests. The galley has twin stainless-steel decision.” To check out this intriguing expedition
sinks in the aft counters, a dishwasher The boat is considered semi-custom catamaran yourself, go to [Link]
underneath and a microwave oven over- because the structural configuration [Link] n
DEMEY Yachts

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 13

 Bluewater
Gear

Spinning Wheels
AFrom
reversible
t the 2024 METSTRADE
Show in Amsterdam,
GORI Propeller intro-
duced a hybrid folding propeller
for electric and hybrid sailing
improve your boat’s perfor-
mance and fuel efficiency.
AB Marine in Middletown,
R.I., has been focusing on
sailboat propellers for in
and folding yachts that can switch between more than 25 years. reverse that
regeneration and sailing modes. One of the lines you had in forward,
blades to The Danish propeller maker the dealer giving a boat better maneu-
said it has developed an integrat- carries is verability around a dock.
changing ed locking system that keeps the GORI. “With a fixed propeller, it’s
pitch with blades open when regeneration The not efficient to go into reverse,”
is prioritized. Through counter- biggest said Prior. The GORI hybrid is
rubber rotating, the blades will release advan- made of Nibral and will be in
so they fold when the boat is in tage of production this summer. It can
inserts, sailing mode. the new work on any sailboat from 20 to
marine “Using the GORI 3-Blade hybrid propeller 80 feet. While the hybrid propel-
Propeller for regeneration is not is that it locks in the fully open ler is the newest offering, Prior
propellers new, customers have been using position for regeneration. said the most popular current
are more our original propeller for several “If you took a folding propel- prop from GORI is the three-
years now, but it’s not optimized ler and try to use it blade Overdrive. As more boats
versatile for this purpose,” Lars Øster- to regenerate, start going with electric or hybrid
gaard Senior Vice President Sales the blades propulsion, he expects the new
than ever. at GORI Propeller, said in a state- will sit at product to gain market share.
ment. “Extensive a Prior explained that there are
By Eric Colby
testing has been three main types of propellers
conducted in for sailboats and displacement
Haderslev, Den- motoryachts like full-keeled trawl-
mark and with ers. A fixed traditional prop is
a manufacturer of GORI as it sounds with two or three
electric propulsion. We are blades cast in one configuration
delighted with the results, and it’s with a primary function of
time for us to tell the world that pushing a boat forward when
effective regeneration with a fold- 45-degree the transmission shifts in gear. A
ing propeller is possible.” angle to the water feathering propeller works like a
The Gori Hybrid propeller flow,” said Brendan Prior, part- CV joint in a car with blades that
3-blade is available for sailboats ner at AB Marine. The difference twist to align with the water flow.
with inboards and saildrive pro- with the new GORI hybrid is They rotate on an axis to align
pulsion in diameters from 18 to that it is the only folding prop with the water to reduce drag
30 inches. with blades that can lock in the while sailing. Blades on folding
The GORI While the new Gori prop is fully open position for optimized propellers collapse when the boat
3-Blade the first of its kind, there have regeneration. For lack of a better is under sail to reduce drag.
Hybrid’s
been advances with other types of term, they stay vertical and spin In addition to GORI, AB
blades lock
propellers designed for sailboats when the boat is under sail to Marine carries Variprop, Auto-
in the open
position for
and trawlers. Propeller repair provide more efficient regenera- prop and fixed sailboat propellers
more effective techniques and equipment have tion. Because the blades lock in from Michigan Wheel. Variprop
regeneration. also become more precise, so the this open position, GORI is the is good for applications where the
They fold in prospect of getting a propeller only folding propeller that the propeller sits in an aperture like
when the boat custom-tuned to your boat could blades flip through 180 degrees, a keel or has limited clearance
is underway. save money over a new wheel and so you get the same leading edge under the hull bottom. It has

14 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

adjustable pitch so you can tinker with prop in this application because it’s ers. Sales manager Pablo Soto said that
it to try to increase efficiency. self-pitching and provides greater fuel advances in propellers for displacement
The Autoprop is a self-pitching pro- efficiency. boats include increasing the number of
peller that adjusts based on boat speed “When we size props for trawlers, we blades from the traditional three-
and shaft rpm. “It’s always hunting for try to get history and backload from the blade design that was popular in
the most efficient pitch, but it does have owner and how they’re using it and try the 1990s.
the most drag when sailing,” said Prior. to come up with a prop that’s optimized For a trawler, he wants to run
If your boat has a saildrive, you’ll to their speed,” said Prior. a calculation based on the boat’s
want to consider that it has a different AB Marine also carries Hun- displacement, gear reduction,
hub than an inboard prop. Prior also dested Controllable Pitch blades and more. With
said that a saildrive propeller has a maxi- Propeller that are primarily for lower gearing, like a 3:1
mum diameter of 20 inches because of lager yachts. They have con- ratio, you want more
clearance to the hull bottom. trollable pitch design propellers blades to generate thrust.
If a person is trying to find the best that allow the pitch to change while the A higher ratio like 1:1, which is used
propeller for a given boat, AB Marine vessel is underway. A pitch control unit in higher-revving applications like a
has a PropFinder function on its web- mounts on the shaft and adjusts the tournament ski boat, has a smaller
site, [Link]. The dealer devel- pitch based on engine rpm and load. propeller.
oped proprietary software that lets it General Propeller in Bradenton, Another characteristic of propellers
take the performance data from a given Fla., carries inboard propellers from that Soto said is getting more atten-
application and recommend one or Michigan Wheel and Aus- tion for displacement boats is disc-
more propellers. tralia’s Veem for trawl- area ratio. This is the ratio of the
Autoprop
Prior said that most displacement total blade area of the propeller
powerboats like trawlers have a fixed The Autoprop adjusts its pitch based to the area of a circle with the
propeller. An owner could use an Auto- on boat speed and propeller shaft rpm. same diameter as the propeller.

Helping You Find Your Way For 97 Years

[Link]

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 15

Bluewater Gear
OCEAN ALMANAC
“If you have a 60-foot boat, going to current propeller customized. Randy
METEOROLOGY the right blade configuration and disc- Hale is the founder of Hale Propel-
area ratio is going to make a big differ- ler in Old Saybrook, Conn., and the
U.S. Coast Guard HF/ ence,” said Soto. inventor of the Hale MRI (Measure-
MF weather broad- Blue Ribbon Propeller
ment Recording Instrument), a three-
dimensional propeller measurement
casts Another intriguing propeller design device.
The U.S. Coast Guard broadcasts National that has created serious buzz since it was The Hale MRI uses an arm-mount-
Weather Service high-seas forecasts and storm
warnings from six high-seas communication
first introduced in 2012 is the Sharrow ed device that rolls across the face of
stations, most of them remotely operated from Propeller. Greg Sharrow, the founder the blades of a propeller, measuring
master stations on each coast. Transmission and CEO of Sharrow Marine, was work- pitch, rake, track, angular spacing,
range is dependent on operating frequency, time ing in video production and wanted a section face camber and more. Perma-
of day and atmospheric conditions, and it can drone that operated without the hum- nent records of pre- and post-repair
vary from only short distances to several thou-
sand miles. All broadcasts use a synthesized ming blade noise. data are stored in a PC that can be
voice (Perfect Paul), and all frequencies are He came up with a ribbon or loop transferred to another MRI user via
upper single sideband (USB) HF. Carrier frequen- design and then realized that it might email or data storage devices. More
cies shown. ITU channel numbers as follows: have an application in boat propellers. than 250 propeller repair shops world-
4426 (#424), 6501 (#601), 8764 (#816), 13089
(#1205), 17314 (#1625).
It’s called a ribbon or loop because the wide use the MRI.
All times are in UTC. All frequencies are blade looks like the center section has If a propeller doesn’t need repairs,
in kHz. been cut out, creating a loop shape. Hale can customize a propeller for a
Initially, the propellers were boat including a
Chesapeake, Va. / NMN tested on outboards and trawler.
Time Frequency stern drives with notewor- “They’re not look-
03301 4426, 6501, 8764
05152 4426, 6501, 8764 thy results. ing to gain speed,”
0930 1
4426, 6501, 8764 One reason for this is Hale says of his trawler
11152 6501, 8764, 13089 that early Sharrow propel- customers. “It’s usually,
15301 6501, 8764, 13089 lers were custom designed for at 1500 or 2000 rpm, I
17152 8764, 13089, 17314
2130 1
6501, 8764, 13089
each boat and for specific want to burn 2 gallons
23152 6501, 8764, 13089 rpm ranges. This led to per hour and run 10
1
offshore forecast high prices for the pro- knots. It’s all about
2
high-seas forecast peller, but plenty of fuel burn and range.”
Pt. Reyes, Calif. / NMC people decided the invest- Variprop He explains that
Time Frequency ment was they need to start with a sea
0430 4426, 8764, 13089
1030 4426, 8764, 13089 worth trial that includes spending time at
1630 8764, 13089, 17314 it. The Variprop is a full throttle. Many times, a potential
2230 8764, 13089, 17314 propeller that is customer will reveal that he’s never
Honolulu / NMO recommended for
run his boat at wide open. Hale rec-
Time Frequency use where blade
ommends doing so at least twice a
0600 6501, 8764 clearance could
1200 6501, 8764 be limited. Its
year because it can reveal maladies
0005 8764, 13089 pitch can be like a clogged injector or dirty filter.
1800 8764, 13089 Variprop easily adjusted Once he has the baseline data,
Kodiak, Alaska / NOJ with a supplied Hale can use MRI to customize the
Time Frequency wrench. propeller to what the client wants.
0203 6501 He estimates that 50 percent of the
1645 6501
time a boat that comes to him is not
Guam / NRV
Time Frequency propped correctly. “We make the
0330 13089 adjustments to make sure you’re burn-
0930 6501 More recently, Sharrow ing the correct amount of fuel,” said
1530 6501 partnered with Veem to create the Shar- Hale. Veem propellers have plastic
2130 13089
row by Veem propeller. It is targeted for interceptor fins that can be installed
Honolulu, Guam and 25 Coast Guard Group sta-
tions also broadcast offshore forecasts on MF
inboard-powered boats ranging from 33 on a blade to change the pitch mea-
2670 kHz following an announcement on 2182 feet to 98 feet and owners who want to surement.
kHz. Typical range is 50 to 150 nm during the save fuel and experience reduced vibra- The best part is that on a 30-inch
day and 150 to 300 nm at night. For schedules tion. diameter Veem propeller, Hale said
and more information on National Weather Ser- the typical custom work will cost a
vice marine products, visit: [Link]/
marine/uscg_broadcasts.htm. Work With What you Have boat owner between $500 and $1,000.
Another way to improve the per- He gets about $10,000 for a new
formance of your boat is to have its 30-inch Veem wheel. n

16 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 D E M E Y 6 0 — R A N G E AT S P E E D

P A C K Y O U R
P A S S P O R T S

Who knows where the urge might take you?

A distant port, a tropical island, or even another
country. No matter where you choose, the
long-range DEMEY 60 Catamaran can get you
there quickly, comfortably — and economically.

If you’d like a few more stamps in your passport,

call +64 7 281 0078 or office@[Link].
ONFIRE209498

[Link]
 Offshore
Safety
I
n 1967, Doris Buchanan started
working as a secretary to Bob Bavi-
er, the executive vice president of
The Yachting magazine and the winning
skipper of the America’s Cup in 1964.
Colgates, She had come from an advertising
the First agency where Monday morning would wanted to learn more and that’s where at the end of the day and forget
usually be greeted by cranky co-workers I met Steve,” Doris explained. about work for the evening. My
Couple of to start the week. “(At Yachting) At the time, she was married and mind, on the other hand, is still
everybody was really happy on Monday Steve had a girlfriend. The two would whirling from the day’s hustle
Sailing mornings, and I didn’t know why,” chat in the bar at the end of the day and bustle. That makes me mad,”
By Eric Colby
she said. “I learned they were happy while waiting for their significant oth- laughed Doris.
because they had been sailing all week- ers, who were getting ready for the eve-
end, so I decided to learn to sail. The
only place to go was Steve Colgate’s
Sailing School.”
ning. “Both of those people were vain
and spent hours primping,” said Doris.
“I would meet Steve in the bar and we
OV: What are most students
looking for when they
contact the school?

Above, Steve
She went to his school in City
Island, NY, for some initial training,
but didn’t meet Colgate because he
just connected.”
That was in 1968. Doris got a
divorce and Steve left his girlfriend
D&SC: Most people
contact the Off-
shore Sailing School because they
and Doris
Colgate (center)
was competing in America’s Cup trials and Steve and Doris were married in want to learn to cruise and get the
organized flotillas on American Eagle. December 1969. certification to be able to charter
that introduced “In January, I went down to the Today, the two run the Offshore a boat. Some still want to learn
students to Bahamas where Steve had a program Sailing School, which has its headquar- because they want to buy their
offshore sailing. called Sailing Symposiums, because I ters in Fort Myers, Fla., a second loca- own boat. Courses range from the
tion up the west coast of the Sunshine basics, like Learning to Sail and
State in St. Petersburg, and two in the Learning to Cruise to Advanced
British Virgin Islands. Doris is the Sailing Cruising Weekends. Tips
president and chief executive officer, offered include anchoring, dock-
while Steve is the founder, co-owner ing safety and more. Check out
and chairman. the full menu at offshoresailling.
com.

OV:
wife?
What’s it like working
together as husband and
The Offshore Sailing School
is the only sailing instruction

D&SC: “People don’t

understand how
In The Section

a couple can work together, but

we have separate roles,” said Doris. • Dinghy Dreaming
“Steve is the educational side, and 
• Prepping for Panama
Sailing Museum

I’m more of the management and

marketing side. One advantage
that Steve has is he can go home

18 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 sailing a shot in the arm because up on deck and said, tack, tack to
of all the media attention. Now starboard. We were about to run
Steve feels that the foiling, high- aground in the coral reefs.”
tech approach doesn’t appeal to While Doris says she’s not
casual sailors. much of a racer, she joined Steve
The Colgates were so dedicated on their 54-foot Frers, Sleuth, from
to the school and students that 1978 to ’80, winning many tro-
they never had kids. “We had phies including the Antigua Race
instructors and boats,” said Doris. Week and 1979 Fastnet race.
“We ran 70 flotilla cruises for “He took our boat in the ’79
years together. We were able to see Fastnet race, and his mother was
the world under sail by putting with us in England. I had to take
together flotilla cruises and leading her to Plymouth, so I got to miss
them.” that horrible experience,” laughed
Steve collaborated with naval Doris.
architect Jim Taylor to create the
concept for the Colgate 26, a sail-
Offshroe Sailing School

boat that won Cruising World maga-

zine’s Boat of the Year in 1997.
The Offshore Sailing School has a
fleet of 12 Colgates, a Lagoon 40
catamaran, and two Jeanneaus, as
program with courses approved well as a leased Leopard 45 cata-
for continuing education by the maran. The United States Naval
American Council on Education. Academy has 42 Colgate 26s and
Offshore Sailing School graduates, is planning to replace approximate-
many of whom never set foot on ly 30 of them.
a sailboat before taking a course at
Offshore Sailing School, number
more than 160,000.
The school averages between
OV:
ries?
What was one of your
favorite sailing memo-

1,500 and 3,000 bookings in a

year, depending on things like
recessions or worldwide pandem-
D&SC: A memorable
trip was a cruise
to the Whitsunday Islands in Aus-
Offshore Sailing School

ics breaking out. tralia where they sailed together

“That could mean twice as by ourselve for about a week. “That
many people because you’ve got was really special because most of
families,” said Doris. “After 9/11, our time cruising was with our
we found that people always want graduates,” said Doris. “When In 1972, the Colgates started a
their kids with them. We’ve been you’re with your clients, they don’t series of flotillas taking graduates
seeing more families with kids as like to make decisions for them- of their school and other sailors Far left, Steve
young as 7.” selves.” to sail in exotic locations like the and Doris were
She continued, “It’s not ideal Steve also recalled a favorite Caribbean, the Pacific Northwest, both inducted
to have a 7-year-old on a 40- to moment, when he was watch cap- Maine, the French Riviera, the into the National
50-foot cruising boat, but it’s a tain during the Newport to Ber- former Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, Sailing Hall of
Hame. Above,
bonding experience for the family muda Race. “We used to navigate Belize, Tonga and Tahiti on fleets
the couple
— they all learn together.” using dead-reckoning and celestial; of cruising boats. is involved
“Sailing is something you can one of the nice things about being “One of the biggest highlights in many
do all your life. When I raced in a watch captain is you can go was cruising in Tonga,” Doris philanthropic
the Olympics in a 5.5 meter boat, below and get out of the wind and recalled. “It’s like the BVI in terms efforts.
the class was won by a 66-year-old check on the navigator,” said Steve. of the weather with the islands
from Switzerland,” said Steve. “It’s “He looked very concerned and and beautiful water, but the people
quite different now.” all we had was the radio direction were so simple. They didn’t have
He was referring to the high- finder, and it was very unreliable.” electricity. When the kids were
tech foiling boats competing in The crew was losing sunlight hungry, they grabbed a mango off
the America’s Cup races crewed by and then Steve looked at the a tree.”
professional racers. It used to be depth sounder. “All of a sudden, The Colgates also liked sailing
that the America’s Cup would give it went to 12 feet and I rushed in Greece before the area became

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 19

Offshore Safety

Steve and a partner designed the Colgate 26 and

it’s been a cornerstone for teaching sailing at the
school as well as at the Naval Academy.

country to form the National Women’s

Advisory Board on Sailing to focus on
getting more women involved in sailing.
Within a year, she had changed the orga-
nization’s name to the National Women’s
Sailing Association (NWSA), and its
mission was to raise awareness of sailing
among women and to help women build
confidence in their sailing skills and
enhance their lives through sailing. She
added “You Can Sail Escapes,” providing
all-female training programs in conjunc-
tion with the Offshore Sailing School.
For eight years, Doris conducted
multi-day NWSA seminars for women,

Offshore Sailing School

primarily at boat shows. They were called
Take The Helm and the events featured
presentations by panels of women who
had sailed long distances with their fami-
overrun with cruise ships. They’ve written up to the 81-foot Maxi-yacht, Nirvana, lies. At their peak the seminars had as
many books on sailing instruction and where he was principal helmsman. High- many as 800 attendees.
author Herb McCormick, executive edi- lights of his time in the class include a In 1991, Doris and the NWSA board
tor of Cruising World magazine, wrote the visit from King Olaf in Norway, encoun- launched AdventureSail, a mentoring
Colgates’ biography, OFFSHORE High. tering gale-force winds in the Sydney program for at-risk girls. In 1997, she
Hobart Race in Australia and sailing established the Women’s Sailing Founda-

OV:
the years.
Tell us about other endeavors
you have been involved in over
up the Pearl River from Hong Kong to
Guangzhou, China, in 1982.
Steve served as president of the Inter-
tion, a not-for-profit organization dedi-

D&SC: Steve grew up in New

York City. He learned
to sail at the family’s summer home in
national Sailing School Association from
1997 to 2006. The Colgates have served
on the board of Sail America (the official
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., starting at age sailing industry association), and Doris
9. He sailed Atlantic Class sailboats and was a member of that organization’s
Lightnings on Long Island Sound. He marketing committee for many years. As
graduated from Yale University in 1957 members of US Sailing, Steve and Doris
and served two years as an officer in the have each headed the Commercial Sail-
United States Air Force. After spending ing School Committee. Steve led the US
four years at a boat-supply store in New Sailing Training Committee that estab-
York, he launched the Offshore Sailing lished the US Sailing certification system,
School in 1964. served on its National Faculty for many
His racing career spans seven decades years, and was a longtime U.S. Sailing
and includes almost every significant race delegate to the International Sailing Fed-
in the offshore sailing realm. In 1955, he eration, now called World Sailing, where
crewed aboard the Spanish yacht, Mare he was a member of that organization’s
Nostrum, that won the Trans-Atlantic Youth and Development Committee. In
Race from Cuba to Spain. In 1968, Steve the past, the Colgates provided free use
joined the U.S. Olympic team, racing on of their Captiva Island Colgate 26 fleet
the 5.5-meter, Cadenza, in Mexico, spend- for those attending US Sailing’s Annual
ing several years racing in the class. He Meeting.
followed this with stints in two America’s
Offshore Sailing School

Cup trials. In 1967, he was foredeck chief Focusing on Women

on American Eagle, and in 1970, Steve was Making her own indelible mark on
tactician and helmsman on Heritage. the sailing community in 1990, Doris
From the America’s Cup, Steve moved gathered 12 women from across the

20 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

cated to educating women and girls and
providing access to sailing. After 10 years
at the helm of the NWSA and Adven-
tureSail, Doris turned them over to a
board of women who continue to run
the programs.
From 2004 to 2019 the Colgates
supported The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society (LLS) Leukemia Cup Regattas.
To date, Offshore Sailing School has
donated more than $175,000 and
hundreds of in-kind sailing courses that
are auctioned off at Leukemia Cup
Regattas across the U.S. The school
has hosted five Fantasy Sail Weekend
events for top Leukemia Cup Regatta
fundraisers.
Additionally, the Colgates have sup-
ported the American Heart Association
(AHA), Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Offshore Sailing School

Southwest Florida, and numerous arts

Steve and Doris always greet you with a smile.
Right, Doris (center) has championed women in
sailing for decades.

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 21

Offshore Safety

and cultural organizations. Doris has entering in 2022. “Even though we work buzzing around and I had to go forward
been on the board of the Florida Reper- together, we were inducted for differ- and pull the anchor and get out of
tory Theatre in Ft. Myers, Florida for ent reasons and we’re the only couple there,” he told Steve.
more than 10 years. to have been separately inducted,” said

Deserved Accolades
Doris
Among all the memories of his OV: What does the future hold?

During an NWSA event at a 1996

boat show, one of the Offshore Sailing
Schools staff found Doris and dragged
students, Steve recalled one who was
an amateur archaeologist. He bought a
catamaran in Key West and was about
D&SC: We have made a life-
long commitment to
sailing, racing and our sailing school.
her into an auditorium where she and to sail it down to the Yucatan Peninsula. Steve will turn 90 in June and Doris
Steve were announced as the recipients Steve contacted a meteorologist who will be 84 in May. Doris said the couple
of the SAIL magazine Industry Award for said the student would have a 90-percent would love to retire, but the right offer
leadership. “That was a big surprise to chance of encountering a northerly gale needs to come along. “We would love to
us,” said Doris. in January. sell the company, but it’s a strange busi-
In 1994, Doris received the Betty “I said, ‘Joe when you get back from ness,” she said. “You dedicate your life
Cook Memorial Lifetime Achievement the Yucatan, give me a call and let me to it.”
award from Boating magazine and know how it went,’” said Steve. “Months Despite his thoughts on the high-tech
International Women in Boating for her and months later, he called and said, disconnect of the America’s Cup, Steve
work in the recreational boating indus- ‘Your weather guy was right.’” thinks that cruising sailing is in a good
try. Ironically, Cook was a world cham- To escape the weather, the student place. “You can charter boats all over the
pion offshore powerboat racer. had to go near the tip of Cuba into a world and have a vacation where you
Both Colgates were inducted into the deserted bay and drop anchor. He woke only pack and unpack once,” he said.
National Sailing Hall of Fame separately up to a militia member on the on the And you’ll go back to work on Monday
with Steve joining in 2015 and Doris beach shooting at him. “Bullets were with a smile on your face. n

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22 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

JEFF MERRILL YACHT SALES INC. Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.

The Trawler Specialists [Link]

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.
Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.
IT’S YOUR CHOICE: JMYS believes that YOU should select
both the boat you want AND your boat broker. We are your
advocate.
Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.
PERSONAL ATTENTION: Our team provides individualized
service
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yacht broker association with a code of ethics. Delle Marche, Cape Horn, DeFever, Delta, Diesel through Boaters University. We are active on ers, Palm
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marketing plan to differentiate your boat from the please visit: [Link] Instag
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THE JMYS TEAM: Jeff Merrill, John Hoffman, Elle Conwell, Katy Boyle,
JeffRob Piwowarczyk,
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John Hoffman Christopher Bruce Rob Piwowarczy

Jeff Merrill, CPYB John Hoffman Christopher Bruce Rob Piwow

 Offshore
Safety

Dinghy Dreaming
Which
tender is
L ooking down at the din-
ghy from the deck of our
sailboat, I’m not sure it
can hold much more for a fam-
ily of four with two young boys.
right for There’s a collapsible wagon, two
skateboards, two bags of garbage,
you? an empty jerry jug, a football
and flip flops and shoes strewn
By Andy Cross about. Maybe I need to throw
around some Cheerios to make
it look more like the modern
family minivan. Alas, this isn’t
an atypical look for us when
going ashore.
Whatever the contents may
be, for all cruisers, your dinghy is
the equivalent to a “car,” wheth-
er you’re out for a weekend or
years of cruising. As such, the
Andy Cross

task of picking out and purchas-

ing a new tender to complement
your boat and cruising aspira-
tions shouldn’t be taken lightly. harbor. From another informal Storage space, price, practicality,
It can also be a much different survey of tenders moored at efficiency and weight are all fac-
task for each boater, because you these docks, the range of size tors in what puts the sweet spot
need to know what your specific is predominantly from 9 to 12 of dinghy sizes and type into a
constraints and needs are. Here feet and aluminum hulls seem narrow category. But what’s right
are some things to consider to be more popular now than for the masses might not be right
when making the big dinghy fiberglass. Also gaining in popu- for your boat and crew. Sure,
purchase. larity are the various types of there are outliers in the size
rigid-hulled dinghies that have range of dinghies for those who
What’s Common padding around the sides instead have much larger or smaller ves-
I’m currently writing this of inflatable tubes. I’ve only sels, but let’s take a closer look
from the nav desk of my Grand noticed a few slatted floor, roll- at what the majority of cruisers
Soleil 39, Yahtzee, swinging on up type dinghies that have inflat- are going to be looking for when
anchor in Falmouth Harbour, able hulls and tubes. Also, there choosing a new tender.
Antigua, a picturesque anchor- aren’t many center-console RIBs
age in the Eastern Caribbean coming from the average couple’s What’s it Made Of?
that’s chalked full of cruising or family’s cruising boat. Most of When purchasing an inflat-
There are boats. An informal survey of the them are from larger yachts run able dinghy, you’re going to have
myriad choices boats around me finds that the by professional crews. two choices in the material of
in the tender/ vast majority are sailboats; most In my two decades of cruis- the tubes: PVC and Hypalon.
dinghy realm.
are in the 35- to 50-foot range. ing in various places, this cross The most basic differences
Choosing the
Catamarans probably slightly section of dinghies in Antigua between the two materials are
right one can
make all the
outnumber the monohulls. and around the Caribbean is cost and durability. Hypalon is
difference. Dinghies come and go pretty much spot on for many a synthetic rubber that’s more
at nearly all hours to several other locales — and the reasons resistant to punctures, tears and
designated docks around the aren’t that difficult to decipher. weathering compared to PVC,

24 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

which makes it more expensive. In gen- or in a lazarette. Boats have a big share of this market,
eral, PVC is a better choice for casual From there we move into rigid- but there are certainly a number of
cruisers who might only be using their hulled inflatable tenders that come other brands from which to choose,
dinghy seasonally and not in harsh in size ranges from 6-feet 6-inches up including Walker Bay, 3D Tender, and
climates for long periods of time. If to about 13 feet. Over the years, this West Marine. Each has its own key
you’re planning to cruise in the tropics has been the go-to choice for many features, so do your homework when
for most months of the year, Hypalon cruisers because of their versatility, shopping.
significantly outperforms PVC when and it still is. These boats come with For those looking to venture out-
exposed to prolonged sunlight. Choos- either fiberglass or aluminum hulls, side the well-worn path of inflatables,
ing between the two really comes down and aluminum-hulled dinghies have there are more rigid tender options
to your budget and how and where you increasingly gained in popularity over available than ever before. Designed
plan to use your tender. the past decade. The main reason for and built in New Zealand, OC Ten-
After the type of material, it’s now this is that aluminum is lighter than ders makes a range of dinghies that is
time to start thinking about hull types fiberglass and is more durable; and the constructed of carbon reinforced fiber-
and size. Starting on the smaller end of price point is about the same. Com- glass (or full carbon, if chosen) with
the spectrum, where space is at a pre- panies like AB Inflatables and 10mm PVC foam sandwich composite.
mium, you’ll find inflatable dinghies Highfield They have a foam fender rub rail and
that have a rigid transom, inflatable are relatively light
“hull,” and a hard-slatted floor made of for their size.
aluminum or wood. There are several Similarly, Aspen
companies that make these, including Powercatamarans
Zodiac, West Marine, and Highfield. Highfie
from Burlington,
You aren’t going to be able to put a ld Boa
ts Wash., has recent-
large horsepower outboard on them, ly introduced a line
but they’re inexpensive and can be This aluminum-hulle tender has a reinforced of high-tech carbon fiber
deflated, rolled up, and stowed on deck transom that will support a portable outboard motor. composite “Carbon Cats” that have an

OCEAN ALMANAC

PILOTING & NAVIGATION

the drift is 1.5 knots. swing the other end until it intersects
Set & drift calculations In other words, a line plotted the desired course line. Mark that spot
Current may slow a vessel, increase position (A) using navigation aids, between where you thought you were (E), and draw a line from D to E.
its speed and/or throw it off course. visual bearings or electronics. Then and where you actually are is the The direction D to E is your CTS. So
Here’s a way to determine a course proceed on your desired course for tidal current vector. Additionally, a D to E is the vector of your boat mov-
to steer (CTS) to compensate for a specific time, plotting this course line plotted from where you started ing through the water for one hour,
current. You need four values: the and distance on the chart (B, a DR to where you actually are, A to C, is while C to D is the current moving your
desired course, the set (direction) of position). Now determine your actual a vector of your actual movement, boat for one hour. The sum of the vec-
the current, the drift (speed) of the position (C) and compare it to B. The indicating course over ground (COG) tors, C to E, is the COG that your boat
current and the boat’s speed through direction from B to C is the set of and speed over ground (SOG). should actually move during that hour
Now that you have plotted the set (unless the current changes!). Hence,
and drift, you’re ready to determine the distance from C to E will be your
what CTS will make good the desired boat’s actual speed.
COG. First plot a new desired course The value of using waypoints with
from your present position. Then a GPS is that the unit can then do
extend the current vector for an hour this sort of calculation continuously,
the water. the current. The distance in nautical to point D (this technique is known as delivering updated CTS as conditions
Current set and drift may be taken miles between B and C, divided by the one-hour vector method). Then change. It’s highly advisable to plot
from current charts or tables, or may the time in hours, will yield the drift. measure with dividers the distance both these waypoints and connect-
be observed, but you will likely get the Thus, if the time between A and B your boat can travel in one hour from ing courses to better visualize where
most accurate information by measur- is 0.2 hours (12 minutes), and the the latitude scale on the chart. Place a route takes you and as a check
ing it yourself. First, fix the vessel’s distance from B to C is 0.3 nm, then one point of the dividers on D and against what you’ve input to the GPS.

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 25

Offshore Safety

efficient hull design, which creates a pack away, and store on your boat or anchor, you’re going to have a tough
stable, smooth ride. Apart from these in a car. A dinghy that bridges the gap time hoisting it without some sort of
modern rigid dinghies, there are also between stowability while still having a assistance. If you don’t have davits
stalwarts on the market including the rigid bottom is the F-RIB. Coming in and are storing it on the foredeck dur-
Portland Pudgy, PortaBote, and several a variety of sizes, these rigid inflatables ing longer passages, it needs to be the
traditional rowing and sailing options have several different rigid sections correct length and width to fit while
from Gig Harbor Boat Works. that lock together and then the tubes still allowing crew to walk around it
If all of that isn’t enough from are inflated. When you want to stow on deck. Also, how easy will it be to
which to choose, you’ll find several it, simply deflate the tubes, unlock the hoist the dinghy onto the foredeck
other notable dinghy designs new to sections, and then fold it. with a halyard and then swing it over
the market. Williams Jet Tenders has the lifelines? Now think about doing
several dinghy options that could be Size it Up that in a rolly anchorage.
enticing to cruisers, including its Mini- Other major factors to consider Along with storage, weight matters
Jet 280, which is a 9-foot 2-inch center when choosing a dinghy are size, when you go to beach your dinghy,
console dinghy that has a low profile weight and storage. Do you have which you’ll inevitably be doing while
and is quick and responsive davits on the stern of your boat to out cruising. If it’s too heavy for two
under power. hoist the dinghy? And if so, are you people to drag up on a beach with rel-
Takacat hoisting it electrically or manually? If ative ease, you’re quickly going to find
dinghies the dinghy is too heavy when it burdensome. Also, consider how the
offer a it’s fully outfitted task of bringing it in through breaking
unique with an out- waves — and then relaunching it — will
lightweight board, gas go for you and your partner or crew.
catamaran tank, and On a beach in Mexico, I watched
style boat with a couple fight with a heavy center
an aerodynamic console rib trying to get it onto shore.
tapered bow and high The dinghy ended up flipping in the
pressure air deck that cre- waves and nearly rolled over one of
ates a rigid platform to keep Wi Williams tenders have jet them because it was too difficult to
llia
passengers and cargo steady. They’re ms
Je
tT
propulsion instead of a handle. That’s not a situation you
nd
also designed to be easy to deflate, er
propeller. want to find yourself in.

OCEAN ALMANAC

PILOTING & NAV

Automatic Identification System (AIS)

AIS is a shipboard broadcast system communications. all US navigable waters. tons or more;
that functions like a transponder AIS Update: At present, you are The Coast Guard’s comment • Vessels other than passenger ves-
operating in the VHF maritime band. required to have an AIS unit if your boat period on the new rules closed April sels or tankers of 50,000 gross tons
Its primary function aboard a ship is over 65 feet in length and goes on 15, 2009. Some 120 comments were or more; and
is vessel identification and collision international voyages or operates in received. • Vessels other than passenger ves-
avoidance. With AIS, every ship within a vessel traffic service area, or if you Class-B AIS devices will be accept- sels or tankers of 300 gross tons
radio range can be identified for com- carry 150 passengers or more for hire. able, though the Coast Guard prefers or more but less than 50,000 gross
munication purposes (including vessel (Towboats at least 26 feet long and that Class-A models (SOLAS compli- tons.
name, classification, call sign and over 600 hp are also included). ant) be used on high-speed boats or International Maritime Organiza­tion AIS
registration number) and for maneuver- Proposed US Coast Guard changes boats that operate in high traffic areas. Carriage Requirements
ing information, such as course and to AIS regulations call for adding boats US Coast Guard AIS All vessels of 300 gross tons and
speed, closest point of approach (CPA) with 50 or more passengers for hire, Carriage Requirements upwards engaged in international voy-
and time to closest point of approach high-speed boats (30 knots or faster) • Self-propelled vessels of 65 feet or ages, cargo ships of 500 gross tons
(TCPA). When integrating AIS with that carry 12 or more passengers for more in length, other than passenger and upwards not engaged in interna-
radar, a navigator can now plot the hire, dredges or floating plants operat- and fishing vessels, in commercial tional voyages, and all passenger ships
target vessel’s course, speed and rate ing near channels, and vessels that service and on an international voy- irrespective of size.
of turn, along with an identity profile of haul hazardous cargo. Plus, the VTS- age;
the ship, simplifying bridge-to-bridge area re­quire­ment is being expanded for • Passenger vessels of 150 gross

26 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 BRANDS
MENTIONED

Highfield Boats
AB Inflatables
Zodiac
A catamaran is West Marine
typically wider
F-RIB Boats
than a monohull
and could be 3D Tender
good for hauling
Williams Jet Tenders
Takacat

heavy gear.
OC Tenders
Pony Power When it comes to gas outboards, UP Boats
Once you’ve got your dinghy cho- you need to decide if you want to get
sen, it’s time to think about how you’re your dinghy on plane or not. If this Aspen Carbon Cats
going to power it. Just like dinghies, isn’t a priority, choosing a lower horse- Portland Pudgy
you have a plethora of options when it power, less expensive engine is fine.
PortaBote
comes to outboard engines. For small- If it’s a priority, you’re likely going to
er, lighter weight tenders, you’re going need at least an 8-hp outboard, but you Takacat
to be confined to an engine rated at can go up to the max rating for your Gig Harbor Boat Works
less than 5 hp. This is also the segment boat. For moderate to larger-size din-
EP Carry
of boats where electric outboards have ghies, you can’t go wrong with motors
become popular. Torqeedo, EP Carry, from Yamaha, Suzuki, Tohatsu, or Mer- Torqeedo
ePropulsion, Temo and others all have cury. From my experience, Yamaha and ePropulsion
units to adequately power a variety of Tohatsu seem to have the most dealers
dinghy sizes. and service providers in countries Temo

OCEAN ALMANAC

PILOTING & NAV

GPS compass adjustment

The following method is useful for quick display to correct your compass. The screw on the compass to eliminate this what the remaining deviation is. A card
compass adjustments. The services of course made good is calculated based amount of error. Half the error is correct- can be created noting the deviation on
a professional compass adjuster should on rapid changes in position measured ed for on each run since it is assumed various headings. At a minimum, it’s
be secured to obtain the best accuracy. every second or two, making it much the errors on reciprocal courses will be good to record deviations at 000, 045,
On a calm day in an area with no cur- less accurate than a calculated bearing about equal to each other. 090, 135, 180, 225, 270 and 315. A com-
rent, proceed to an area with several to a distant waypoint. Turn around the boat in a tight circle and pass adjuster would probably measure
miles of maneuvering room. For best Head to the center of an open body of steer a compass course of 270 back to the deviation every 15 degrees.
accuracy, use a GPS unit receiving cor- water. Record a GPS waypoint (#1), then the vicinity of waypoint #1. Note the GPS If errors of more than 3 degrees remain
rections from a DGPS receiver. If you are proceed on a course of 090, as meas- bearing to waypoint #2, which should be on any heading, you should contact a
not using DGPS, each course segment ured on the main steering compass, close to 090. Again, correct for half the professional compass adjuster. Unusual
should be at least several miles long to for at least one mile when using DGPS difference between 090 and the bearing deviations are found due to the proximity
minimize bearing errors. In any case, (more than two miles without DGPS). to waypoint #2. Follow the same proce- of magnetic material, including eyeglass
the longer the runs between waypoints, Record a GPS waypoint (#2). Now note dure for courses at 000 and 180. frames, radios, winch handles, large piles
the greater the accuracy of the GPS the GPS bearing to the first waypoint Always compensate for half the error. of anchor chain under the floorboards,
bearings. An autopilot can be used to saved. It should be close to the recipro- Once you have done all the cardinal etc. Every effort should be made to
minimize steering errors. cal of 090, or around 270. While holding points, the compass should be about keep such items well away from the
GPS bearings are accurate, especially at your steady easterly course, take half the as close to compensated as it’s going compass.
distances greater than two miles. How- difference between the GPS bearing and to get. However, it is a good idea to run
ever, don’t use the course-made-good 270, and turn the east/west adjusting through the procedure again to measure

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 27

Offshore Safety
OCEAN ALMANAC

METEOROLOGY

Weatherfax stations
and broadcast schedules
Radiofax, also known as HF FAX,
radiofacsimile or weatherfax, is a means
of broadcasting graphic weather maps
and other graphic images via HF radio. HF
radiofax is also known as WEFAX, although
this term is generally used to refer to the
reception of weather charts and imagery via
Carbon Cat

satellite. Maps are received using a dedicated

A Carbon Cat tender will require a garage because it doesn’t fold or shrink.
radiofax receiver or a single sideband
shortwave receiver connected to an external outside of the U.S., but whichever you task that takes time, effort, and plan-
facsimile recorder or PC equipped with a choose, reliability is an absolute must. ning. Make a list of the features that
radiofax interface and application software. There’s nothing worse than having a are important or necessary for your
finicky outboard. specific use of the dinghy, including
Boston Another consideration with your those that would be nice but aren’t a
Call sign Frequencies Broadcast
times
outboard engine is where it’s stored. must. When you start sifting through
NMF 4235 kHz 0230–1039 If your boat has davits, it’s likely that the many options that are available to
6340.5 kHz Continuous you’ll keep the outboard mounted on you, it’s likely that a couple different
9110 kHz Continuous the dinghy most of the time. If not, or boats will rise to the top. Also, if you
12750 kHz 1400–2239 if you want to remove it during longer have time, attending one of the major
passages, then you’ll need an engine boat shows throughout the country
New Orleans
mount on the stern rail and then some will allow you to kick some tires and
Call sign Frequencies Broadcast
times way of hoisting it up. Again, this is talk to the various brand reps about
NMG 4317.9 kHz Continuous where weight comes into consideration. their products.
8503.9 kHz Continuous If the engine is too heavy, it’s going to I can assure you, though, that all
12789.9 kHz Continuous be difficult for one or two people to the effort you put into finding the
17146.4 kHz 1200–2045 easily hoist it on and off the transom ideal tender for your adventures will
of the dinghy. Two stroke, four stroke, be worth it. Imagine sitting on a beach
Pt. Reyes, Calif.
Call sign Frequencies Broadcast
and electric engines are all going to watching the sunset then puttering
times come in at different weights, so make back to your boat as the last light of
NMC 4346 kHz 0140-1608 sure to check that before the big pur- the day fades away, or relaxing in the
8682 kHz Continuous chase. cockpit while your dinghy swings gen-
12786 kHz Continuous tly behind your boat in an anchorage
17151.2 kHz Continuous Bon Voyage with gin clear water. At that point, I’m
22527 kHz 1840-2356
Just like when purchasing a new car, pretty sure you’ll feel like you’ve made
Kodiak, Alaska shopping for your “cruising car” is a the right decision. Happy shopping. n
Call sign Frequencies Broadcast
times
NOJ 2054 kHz Continuous
4298 kHz Continuous
8459 kHz Continuous
12410.6 kHz Continuous

Honolulu
Call sign Frequencies Broadcast
times
KVM70 9982.5 kHz 0519–1556
11090 kHz Continuous
16135 kHz 1719–0356

All broadcast times are UTC

Source: NOAA, National Weather Service
Andy Cross

28 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 Offshore
Safety

Prepping for Panama

I
’ve had a love of the sea for as taught me about the power of the trawler and went cruising. I loved
long as I can remember. I did ocean, and that weather forecasts it. The first big trip lasted about
What goes not have a boat growing up, but are not always accurate, especially two months up in the Pacific
I had enough friends and extend- back then. My second tour on a Northwest, followed by a cruise
into ed family with boats that I spent merchant tanker out of San Diego down the coast to Mexico, and
planning a time on the water every year as a gave me the opportunity to cruise then successive cruises from San
kid, even if it was just a rowboat. the Pacific Ocean coast from the Diego to the Sea of Cortez and
5,200 mile I joined the Navy through the Columbia River down to San mainland Mexico leading the
voyage Reserve Officer Training Corps Diego, and during that time I CUBAR rally. Part of CUBAR is
(ROTC) scholarship program bought my first boat, a 20’ Pacific teaching fellow cruisers how to pre-
and made my first ocean crossing Seacraft Flicka, dreaming of cruis- pare for a two- to three-week trip,
By Capt. from Pearl Harbor to San Diego ing off on my own. with 200-plus mile legs between
Dave Abrams as a midshipman. The ocean cast Out of the Navy and three stops and limited support services
a spell on me. I spent almost 3 boats later, I had only done local- for 750 miles down the Baja coast.
years after my commissioning on ized cruising, and never more I’ve cruised from Maine to the
a guided missile destroyer, USS than a week at a time. About to Bahamas and Alaska to Mexico.
Paul Johansen is
a 75-foot search
Kidd (DDG-993), cruising mostly turn 50, I decided that I needed So now deciding to move my new
and rescue ship up and down the east coast and to either do some serious cruis- boat from Virginia to San Diego,
that was converted Caribbean. ing, or just shut that dream down a 5,200 mile journey through the
to a pleasure An encounter with Hurricane for good. So I “retired” (briefly), Panama Canal, I am ready for my
yacht. Hugo off Cape Hatteras in 1989 bought a 58-foot Cape Horn steel longest passage to date.

Maritime Training Institue

30 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

The Vessel through “the ditch”, then head north to
My new (to me) vessel is a 1970 for- a few stops in Costa Rica. From Costa
mer Norwegian Society for Search & Rica, we will make a straight run to
Rescue (NSSR) vessel that was converted Mexico, bypassing Nicaragua, Honduras
to a yacht. M/V Paul Johansen, or PJ for and Guatemala, mostly because of draft
short, is a 75-foot, 140-ton trawler style restrictions and time limitations. Once
yacht, with .4-inch (10mm) Norwegian in Mexico, we will check in at Chiapas,
steel hull plating. She was built ice rated then head north to Zihuatanejo, Man-
and designed for operations in the zanillo, and Puerto Vallarta (La Cruz)
North Sea. The yacht conversion added before crossing over to the Baja Penin-
modern accommodations, electronics, sula. After a stop in San Jose del Cabo,
and stabilizers. The twin Detroit 8V71 we’ll continue “the Baja bash” up the
engines and Tenfjord rotary steering coast to San Diego, with planned stops
gear are about the only original pieces of in Bahia De Magdalena (Mag Bay), Bahia
equipment left on board. I’ve cruised PJ Tortugas (Turtle Bay) and Ensenada.

PredictWind is one
of many weather
information
providers that
PredictWind

Abrams will use

during the journey.

through 40-knot sustained winds and 8- Weather

to 10-foot short seas (off Cape Hatteras Over the years I’ve become some-
again, with an incorrect weather forecast) what of a weather geek when I am
without any issue. PJ can take much on the boat. We all have our favorite
more than the crew and I can handle, sources of information – I use Predict-
as is the case with most well founded Wind, Windy, Passage Weather and
vessels. Buoyweather. I compare all my sources,
and when I can get them to mostly
The Trip agree, I’m happy.
The first half of the voyage, from For long passages of more than a
Norfolk to Panama, will be a “delivery few days, I like to have a little expert
trip,” with stops only for provisions and help, so I engage a professional
rest periods. I’ve done the trip down weather router to help guide my trip.
the coast several times, and with draft Weather routers are great for helping
restrictions (PJ draws 10.5 feet), there are to choose among alternate routes using
few places that can take us that I want to many years of compiled weather data
see again. The planned route will take us for any time of year. Additionally, hav-
from Norfolk to Charleston, S.C., (con- ing an expert following your track and
tingent stop) to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. We providing real time updates on poten-
will re-provision in Ft. Lauderdale, then tial weather issues provides piece of
down to Key West (contingent stop), mind for a nominal cost.
Grand Cayman (contingent stop) and There are many great weather rout-
direct to Colon, Panama. By contingent ers out there. I’ve used the good folks
stops, I mean that we will only stop if at Weather Routing Inc. (WRI) for
needed for crew rest, maintenance or many voyages over the past 5 years,
weather. Otherwise, we just keep going. and like any relationship, as we get to
The second half of the trip will know each other better, the informa-
be a little more enjoyable. We plan to tion that is shared is more tailored
cruise the San Blas Islands before going to my personal needs. I was on a trip

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 31

Offshore Safety

from New York to Norfolk when and anchor chain. While I don’t want Fire: A fixed fire extinguishing
WRI called me up to alert us to a to do anything that will inhibit a system in the engine room. Portable
developing storm system that had not rapid deployment of the anchor in an extinguishers are in every occupied
been forecast for the area we were emergency, I don’t want to rely on just space and there’s a fire blanket in the
in at that time. That call helped me the windlass/brake to make sure the galley. We also happen to have fire
avoid anchoring in Sandy Hook that ground tackle doesn’t deploy when I hoses on PJ, but most boats are not set
subsequently got hit with sea spouts don’t want it to. A pelican hook with up for these.
and lightning strikes at the time that a through bolt and backing nut or Flooding: I carry a damage-control
I would have been there. That’s the welded connection to the deck is the kit that includes hose clamps of vari-
value of a weather router. best, but a strong line from the anchor ous sizes, rubber sheet, wooden plugs,
to a cleat will generally do the trick. silicone Rescue Tape, and Splash Zone
Securing for Sea underwater epoxy with mixing and
The leg from Norfolk to Charleston Emergency Supplies application tools. A mallet (for pound-
is likely to be lumpy with a chance Benjamin Franklin said, “If you ing in the plugs), socket and
of getting worse, so we make sure to are failing to prepare, you are prepar- wrench
secure for the sea. If it can become a ing to fail.” Captain Ron said, “If it’s (for tightening
projectile, it gets stowed or strapped going to happen, it’s going to happen the hose
down. Museum Wax works well for out there.” Emergency preparedness clamps),
small items on a shelf. For larger items, falls under six categories for me: Fire, and cutting
I’ve learned not to trust “buckle” Flooding, Medical, Personnel Recov- shears (for
type straps, and prefer ratchet straps, ery, Rescue & Survival. the rub-
especially for heavy items. The legs Here is what I carry for each cat- ber mat)
going north from Panama will be all egory: complete
head seas, so particular attention is the kit.
paid to things that can be impacted Any long-range vessel should have a variety of Dewater-
by vertical acceleration, like anchors wooden plugs on board to plug unexpected holes. West Marine ing systems

OCEAN ALMANAC

COMMUNICATIONS
Satellite communications systems
Starlink Iridium GO! Inmarsat Iridium Inmarsat fleet Iridium certus KVH V30
Hand-held Hand-held One-global

Voice Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Email/Internet Yes/Yes Yes/No No Yes/No Yes/Yes Yes/Yes Yes/Yes
Data speed 200x25 Mbps 2.4 kbps 2.4 kbps 2.4 kbps 150 kbps 750 kbps 6 x 2 Mpbs
Receive weather charts Yes Yes w/grib SW No Yes w/grib SW Yes via Internet Yes via Internet Yes via Internet
Street price $5,000 $1,225 $739 $1,650 $3,500 $8,000 $8,800
Monthly fees $250 $178 $74.95 (100 min.) $60 + $50 + $130 + $109 +
Voice $0.00 $0.65 - $1 $0.65 - $0.99 $1 - $1.25 $0.65 $0.58 $0.59
Data $.0014/mB $1/min. $0.65/min. $1/min. $6/min. $1 - $20/mB $0.50/mB
Prepaid No Yes Yes Yes No No No
Coverage 70° N to 70° S Global 50° N to 50° S Global 70° N to 70° S Global 70° N to 70° S

Iridium GO and Inmarsat Fleet One feature unlimited data plans for recreational use, with Iridium GO also providing unlimited SMS-Texts.
Airtime pricing for both voice and data decreases with committed service, larger packages, and annual contracts.
The systems above feature smaller antennas and are relatively inexpensive. For larger vessels VSAT (Ku or Ka band) is recommended.
It is best to source your satellite communications equipment and installation through an NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) certified dealer.
Source: Dave Brengelmann ([Link]@[Link]) has been working with satcoms for three decades and is a satellite communications expert at
Network Innovations ([Link]). Brengelmann sails a Beneteau 411 from Vancouver Island.

32 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

on board include high capacity bilge Medical kits should be reviewed at in a hard shell case, and an emer-
pumps (fixed hydraulic and electric) least annually because many items in gency safety ladder by Plastimo that
along with portable submersible pumps the kit have expiration dates. The kits is attached to a rail and lets people
with hose. A 1-inch hole in the boat also include step by step instructions in the water deploy it by themselves.
3 feet below the water line will let in for treating many com- Many people focus just on
34 gallons per minute, or more than mon ailments, but a systems to aid in finding
2,000 gallons per hour. Ocean Naviga- good medical first aid someone who has fallen
tor published a still-relevant article book would be a great overboard. But if the
about bilge pump selection and sizing: companion. For things 100-pound wife can’t get
[Link] that require hospital her 200-pound husband
and-priorities/ care, having evacuation with hypothermia back on
Medical: When cruising offshore, insurance or medical board the vessel by herself,
help can be many hours if not days insurance that covers just finding him may not
away. So whether it’s dealing with you outside of your nor- be enough. A Life Sling can
sea sickness, lacerations, contusions, mal networks could be be connected to a crane or
burns or rashes, you must be prepared. a literal life saver. I have boom/winch for lifting. A
There are several companies that offer a DAN (Diver’s Alert Jason’s Cradle is another
great medical kits for offshore cruising. Network) policy that cov- option, especially for an
I use a customized kit from Seaside ers me and my family in unconscious victim.
Marine in San Pedro, Calif. The com- the event of an emergency Life Sling Survival Systems: We
pany will tailor a kit to your specific for both medical care and have two life rafts and two
cruising needs and can write prescrip- emergency evacuation.
tions to the vessel itself, and has been Personnel Recovery: I carry a Life A Life Sling must be readily accessible and crew
doing so for more than 100 years. Sling man-overboard recovery system members should know how to use it.

With a Cape George Cutter Specialty Yacht Insurance

for Blue Water Sailing & Living Aboard

Photo courtesy Golden Globe Race 2022

Our Jackline Insurance Solutions protect
A Tradition of Swift Seaworthy Designs since 1973 you, your yacht, and your crew with the
insurance coverage needed to live aboard
Derived from William Atkin’s 1930’s classic,
and cruise the globe.
refined over the decades in sizes to suit any offshore mission:
31’, 34’, 36’, 38’, 40, 45’ Photo Credit: Chris Rabil

Risk Strategies. A Specialist Approach to Risk.

[Link]/jackline | jacklinegowrie@[Link]

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 33

Offshore Safety
OCEAN ALMANAC
tenders on the upper deck in the
COMMUNICATIONS event of an abandon-ship situation.
Underway, the ignition keys remain
Radar controls reducing the clutter of echoes
generated by wave tops. Like
other vessel’s true speed and
course, sometimes important to
in the tenders so we are not searching
for those in an emergency. With life
Many of the following imaging rain clutter, it can hide real understanding the Rules of the rafts, check the manufacturer’s servic-
controls are automated on targets and should be adjusted Road situation and to making ing interval, which is usually every 1
modern radar sets, but it is still carefully and shut off when not wise course or speed changes. to 3 years. We also carry immersion
useful to understand how they needed. There are several modern or survival suits (known affectionately
work for those times when the There are numerous other aids to target tracking. One is as “gumby suits”) for every person
automation needs adjustment or radar controls you should tracks, or wakes, which is on board. They do come in different
you ship out with an older set. understand, and they often have simply the ability of the display sizes from youth through large adult.
Tuning This control adjusts associated acronyms to simplify to keep showing old target ech- Survival suits are like a personal life
the radar receiver to match screen displays. oes, usually in a lighter shade or raft with excellent flotation but also
exactly the frequencies of the Range is the most basic different color. The result is that help prevent hypothermia when worn
signals being transmitted. The control, determining the dis- fixed targets show straight-back
inside a life raft. It is important to
normal routine is to turn off rain tance covered by the bird’s-eye tracks (actually plotting your
practice trying on immersion suits and
life jackets before you need them.
and sea clutter, reduce gain and radar display, sometimes called motion), while moving targets
Rescue Systems: We
adjust tune for a known target. the PPI (plan position indicator). show tracks that are the vector
carry two ACR EPIRBS
This is generally done only when If the range is set to one mile, sum of your motion and theirs,
and a Garmin In Reach. I
starting the set and is now fully the distance from the center aka relative motion.
am looking at Personal
automated on some machines. of the scope to the edge is one Radar sets integrated with
Locator Beacons (PLB)
Gain This adjusts the mile. Shorter ranges usually heading and speed instruments by either ACR or
sensitivity of the entire screen. offer higher resolution, meaning can often perform MARPA Ocean Signal, again as
If the gain is too high, the entire smaller targets can be identified (mini automatic radar plotting that “belt and suspend-
screen will be covered with closer to the boat; however, aid), able to lock onto user- ers” approach. I favor
noise return. If the gain is too longer ranges are often useful selected targets and show each the In Reach over the
low, radar returns won’t show up for navigation and spotting large one’s true or relative forward- PLB because of the
on the screen at all. Generally, ships at a safe distance. Conse- motion track and a data window ability to communicate
ACR
the gain should be set so there quently, operators often change with CPA, TCPA, true speed and via text, but if someone
is a faint bit of clutter showing. ranges frequently. true course. Nowadays, many from the crew gets separated
Gain often has to be lowered Traditionally, a navigator vessels also have some level of from those with the
when switching from longer to compares the radar image to integration between radar and EPIRB or In Reach,
shorter ranges. the active chart to determine chartplotter. Waypoints may the PLB would be invalu-
Rain clutter, or fast time which targets are fixed and to appear on the radar screen as able. With all emer-
constant (FTC). This control corroborate the DR. lollipops and/or radar cursor gency equipment, it
helps remove weak returns Range rings help with the position may appear on the is important to
from longer ranges, usually cross referencing, and EBLs plotter as a TLL (target latitude/ practice using
caused by rain or snow. These (electronic bearing lines), VRMs longitude).
the gear to be
(variable range markers) and/or There are other radar func-
familiar with
weak returns can obscure the
how it operates
stronger return from a ship or a screen cursor can be used to tions that an operator should
before you need
landmass. The higher the set- plot identified land features or learn, like IR (interference
it and to conduct
ting, the stronger the return that aids to navigation relative to the rejection), which is the ability of
briefings/drills
is eliminated, so it is sometimes vessel or vice versa. a receiver to reject the distinc-
with every new
prudent to adjust the control fre- EBLs and VRMs are also tive swirly jamming caused by crew member
quently during squally weather. useful for plotting moving another radar unit sweeping in so everyone Garmin

When the rain ends, turn it off. targets. Plotted on a paper its vicinity. Some users leave knows how to stay calm and deal with
Note that some units have both maneuvering board, you can this off to help warn them of an the problem. I have a laminated set of
a rain control for close-in rain determine how close the other active vessel. IR and other clut- emergency procedures that I go over
and snow, and FTC for farther- vessel will get, termed the clos- ter filters can sometimes mask with everyone that gets underway, so I
away precipitation. est point of approach (CPA), racons (special aids to naviga- don’t skip anything and everyone gets
Sea clutter, or sensitivity and when, the T (time) CPA. tion that electronically respond
time control (STC). This lowers With a little vector work on the to a radar echo). An EPIRB is typically used to alert rescuers if a
gain for nearby targets, thus board, you can calculate the vessel is in distress while the Garmin InReach goes
off if an individual is wearing it.

34 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

the same briefing. nents that are most likely to fail and and preparation limitations. I gener-
Spare Parts: I have a general phi- render the system worthless. It is best ally let people fend for themselves
losophy about boat systems. “Two is to check with the manufacturer of for breakfast and lunch, and then we
one, and one is none.” If you have each piece of equipment for recom- rotate dinner preparation and galley
two of something on board, one can mended spares. Having the spares clean up. It’s a good idea to have
break and you are still OK. If you is only half the battle – knowing some meals that can just be heated
have one of something, and it breaks, where you stowed them is the other up quickly or without any prepara-
it can make for a bad day, espe- half. Tearing apart the boat to find tion when the seas get a little too
cially if it is a critical component. So that solenoid for the shifter in dark bouncy. Protein bars, plain crackers
what’s critical? Propulsion, electrical stormy weather (because things usu- and Gatorade are good to have on
generation systems, steering, com- ally break at the worst possible time) hand when someone is dealing with
munication, navigation, water, sew- can be dangerous, especially if time is seasickness.
age treatment, refrigeration, cooking not on your side. Keeping an up-to- This is by no means an all-
and ground tackle are all systems date spares list that has the locations inclusive list of things to consider
that can end a voyage if you lose is critical. So is checking that spares when preparing for a long offshore
those capabilities. And each of those list before departure (physical verifi- passage, but hopefully provides
systems has subsystems that require cation) to make sure you didn’t forget a starting point as you plan your
redundant capability, like fuel pumps to replace something after you last own adventure. Most of the lessons
for propulsion and water pumps for dipped into the spare parts bins. learned here apply to every coastal
water systems. Provisioning: Keeping crew well cruiser, regardless of vessel size. Once
Because it is not always practical fed is key to keeping everyone happy. your boat is ready for its first long
to carry two of everything (think of I get a preferences list for everyone offshore passage, every trip after that
a single screw boat), I at least carry on board and try to accommodate gets easier. So have fun out there,
spare parts for all the major compo- as many things as I can given space and safe voyages. n

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 35

 Voyaging
Skills
A
n iceberg greeted Eric Bel-
lion on the first day of
Sailors in 2025. This was not good
news; he was not on a cruise ship
the Vendée bringing tourists to the Antarctic —
Globe faced but alone in the Southern Ocean
— on Stand As One, a high-per-
multiple formance 60-foot sailboat weighing
only around 8 tons, racing home to
challenges France via Cape Horn.
including The Vendée Globe is a round- exclusion zone is drawn as far south course and disfavor anyone still
the-world, solo, non-stop, without- as possible to still minimize the coming up. In this case, the lead-
icebergs. assistance race that’s been held every risk of collision with icebergs. Race ers were already heading north up
four years or so since 1989. Ice is a instructions call for penalties for boats the South Atlantic and CLS could
By Ann Hoffner real threat for any boat that heads that stray into the zone and fail to cor- only monitor the ice, spotted at
into the Southern Ocean, but before rect their course. around 54 degrees, and give out
Bellion it had not been seen on the constant warnings and updates
race course since Samantha Davies
encountered it in 2008. OV: What was it like to see
an iceberg in the middle
of the ocean?
of its position to Bellion and two
other racers who saw the iceberg
on the same day.
Eric Bellion: A 100-meter-long
block that CLS had been moni-
toring had now drifted out of
OV: When did you pick up
ice on Tut Gut’s radar:
Oliver Heel: It was at sunset on
the exclusion zone west of Cape January 8. It was quite a cool expe-
Horn. It was as big as a cargo ship. rience. Not many people experi-
I called it a “little gift from the ence sailing past an iceberg in the
Pacific Ocean.” Southern Ocean.
Icebergs in the Southern
Ocean are bits off the great Close Encounters
ice sheets that extend into the Ice is never a welcome sight for
ocean from Antarctica. Initially sailors. Racers, of course, want to
they’re picked up by the Antarctic use the circumpolar current and
Coastal Current and taken west, the westerly winds to drive their
Vendee Globe

then north, where some of them boats toward Cape Horn, setting
join the Antarctic Circumpolar up for inevitable encounters. And,
Current driven eastward by the all round-the-world sailing races
This is largely because the Ven- relentless west wind. The northern have ice exclusion zones.
Ice and icebergs dée Globe team and CLS (Collecte border of the current, roughly
are a concern Localisation Satellites), a French corresponding to the delineation
for competitors organization that tracks ice with between the Pacific and Southern
In This Section

in the Vendee satellites and a digital oceanographic oceans in Bellion’s neighborhood,

Globe single-
model, establish an Antarctic Exclu- is around 55° S latitude.
handed race
sion Zone designed to keep boats When ice is sighted by CLS, • Tackling the
that started
from France.
north of the region of icebergs. In a the race team can alter the exclu- Northwest Passage
round-the-world race, skippers want sion zone but not if the lead boat
to sail as close to the Antarctic coast would benefit from changes to the
to reduce the distance sailed and the theoretical minimal length of the

36 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 OV: How close did you come
to ice?
Sébastien Marsset: I was sailing
Foussier and was warned by the race
committee of a possible iceberg
whose calculated drift placed it
to the north of my position. My
radar alarm went off and I had an
echo four miles ahead. I stuck my
head out, and straight away I saw
the iceberg. There it was, all hands
on deck, because I was at 17 knots
under small gennaker.

Not Built for Contact

Marsset’s boat was tearing

Derek Oyen/Unsplash
along in the Southern Ocean at 17
knots at the time because Foussier
is a foiler; a boat, like the present
America’s Cup racers, that has
appendages that act as hydrofoils
For the highly competitive it was unclear how many bergs and lift the hull off the water
development class boats that race there were, which way they were surface in the way that air flow-
the Vendée Globe, it’s a particular moving, and whether any were ing over an airplane wing lifts the
problem. With composite (carbon) false positives. The berg he did plane or how a sail sends a boat
hulls, IMOCA 60s are an open encounter was two miles away, forward.
design class managed by the Inter- close enough to see spray from The America’s Cup AC75s
national Monohull Open Class waves breaking onto its flanks. have vee-shaped hulls with no keel
Association. All IMOCA 60s must The ice showed up on his radar and are so radically designed as to
measure between 59 and 60 feet screen, but he worried about lose the sense of being a boat. It’s
long with a maximum draught of growlers and bergy bits that often hard to tell which tack they’re on
15 feet. Sailors and designers are run in front of the big one and because the sails are always sheeted
Below, race
free to innovate within the limits, are difficult to spot. “If you hit any- in tight, and they can sail up to
organizers
but IMOCA design rules are thing out here, it’s game over.” three times faster than the wind. create an ice
intended to control costs, ensure When he checked his radar They’re designed to sail windward/ excursion zone
safety, and create some degree of again, the ice was gone from the leeward courses around marks and it’s up to
sporting equity for older designs screen. As the video ends, he said, and have been known to make 40 the sailors to
of the yachts. The Ocean Race “Now I’m going to sheet on and knots upwind in around 17 knots avoid it.
also sails around the world on get the hell out of here.” of wind. American Magic once
IMOCAs but the boats are fully
crewed, not single-handed.
Bellion says of his close
encounter, “I remind you that my
hull is 3.6 mm (.14 inch) thick, I
can’t afford to hit that. Icebergs are
beautiful with expedition boats
equipped with steel hulls but not
with our carbon racing boats.”
Further behind on New Year’s
Day, Conrad Colman on Amlin
saw an iceberg as the sun was start-
ing to set after the race committee
contacted him about “targets” he
might want to avoid, telling him,
“Here are their positions, good
luck. Try to avoid them.”
Vendee Globe

In a video posted to the race

website the same day, Colman said

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER

 Voyaging Skillls

recorded going 53.31 knots. At 48°52S 123°23W its closest neighbors,

By contrast, the IMOCA 60 foilers near Pitcairn, Easter Island, and Antarctica,
are designed for deep-ocean sailing and are 1451 nm away. None of these is inhab-
must be able to maintain high speeds and ited. The area is outside the shipping lanes,
perform well in the differing wind and sea no helicopters fly that distance and a rescue
conditions and points of sail encountered boat would take 15 days to arrive. The
in a round-the-world race, especially off the closest habitation is often the international
wind. Their hulls are essentially monohull space station, and a sailor in distress would
sleds, they have long canting keels with most likely be rescued by a fellow racer.
bulbs, two rudders and two foils that can Point Nemo is a dumping ground for
be extended or retracted into the hull. The global space programs since the 1970s.
latest IMOCAs weigh just between 17,637 When the international space station is
and 19,842 lbs. (My fiberglass Peterson 44 retired, NASA plans to program its descent
weighed about 30,000 lbs. and cruised at 6 to join the almost 300 craft already on the
to 7 knots.) ocean’s floor.
Similar to early carbon-fiber boat con- Because of its remoteness, the sea at
struction being rethought after the disas- Point Nemo is relatively lifeless, lacking
trous Fastnet Race in which many failed, nutrients supplied by land. It’s also pretty
early IMOCA 60 overdesigning was reined much guaranteed to see very little human
in. Considering the low rate of failure traffic, making a plunge less dangerous.
in the Vendée Globe, the class seems to The lifeless sea is supposed to mean that
have reached an acceptable compromise the space debris (after using up its fuel)
between reliability and performance. won’t pollute, but experts debate this.
Certain components like the mast and Ironically, the Vendée Globe is heir
keel canting system are “one design.” The to The Sunday Times of London’s Golden
C-shaped foils add to stability as well as Globe Race, the first non-stop single-
Split Lead speed, keeping the boat’s motion more handed round-the-world sailboat race. Of
regular as the hull lifts out of the water nine boats that set out in 1968, the single
SSB Antenna and offering righting moment and acting boat to cross the finish line after 313 days
as a kind of daggerboard. In 2023 Malizia- did so in a highly traditional hull. When
– GAM/McKIM – Seaexplorer, sailed by Boris Herrmann, set a the race concept was revived 20 years
record for the class, covering 641.13 miles later under the name Vendée Globe by
in 24 hours on the transatlantic leg of The yachtsman Philippe Jeantot, it attracted
Press Fits Over Ocean Race for an average speed of 26.71 visionaries in design and became known as
Backstay knots. the Everest of the seas; of 200 contenders
M In a peculiar synchronicity of circum- to take the start previously, only 114 ever
stances, Marsset and Bellion, along with managed to cross the finish line.
Guirec Soudée on [Link], encoun- Charlie Dalin on Macif Santé Prévoyance
tered their ice alarmingly near Point won the 2024-25 edition of the Vendée
Nemo, an imaginary spot determined by Globe, completing his circumnavigation
• NO NEED FOR BACKSTAY INSULATORS
mathematical calculation to be the furthest in less than 65 days — 9 days and 8 hours
point from any land and named after the off the previous record — over a course of
• EASY INSTALLATION
submarine captain from Jules Verne’s Twen- 27,668 nautical miles. He did it at an aver-
• NO SWAGING, NO CUTTING
ty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. age speed of 17.8 knots.
• TOUGH, WATERPROOF – REUSABLE!!
Bellion abandoned his race in the
• STIFF 34’ LDPE HOUSING SECURES FIRMLY TO
BACKSTAY
Danger Zone South Atlantic when his J2 forestay attach-
• TUNABLE ACROSS THE HF BAND
During a previous ocean voyage in ment broke, one of 6 out of 40 original
a steel boat, Soudée hit ice going 4 to 5 starters to retire early. Despite losing his foil
GAM Electronics
knots; he was not eager to do so with his (only to find the break a clean one and not
PO Box 305 Harrison, ME 04040
Phone: (207) 583-4670
carbon boat. Any object in the water can dangerous to his hull), Sébastien Simon
[Link]
be worrisome for the 60s, as Sébastien went on to place third, which is quite an
sales@[Link] Simon found out on a different section of accomplishment considering the loss could
the course when an OANI, abbreviation of potentially cost him 30% of his speed on
a French term for “unidentified object or the port tack. He crossed the finish line less
animal,” broke his starboard foil. At Point than three days after Dalin and seven days
Nemo such a collision could be disastrous. ahead of the next racer. n

38 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 Voyaging
Skills

Ben Zartman

Tackling the Northwest Passage

T
here are certain things in Even “long” falls short of straight across the Labrador Sea
life for which no amount description. We did a late-season for Greenland. A harrowing
of research can prepare you mad dash along the north coast of There were surprisingly few
— ventures of such breathtaking Alaska, around Point Barrow, and bergs as we crossed the Davis Strait
firsthand
vastness, that when compared to south toward the Bering Sea. And toward Nuuk, Greenland: one as recollection
any previous experience, the spirit even though the greatest danger — Labrador fell off astern, and one
would quail knowing what the pack ice — was never closer than as we neared land on the other of sailing
mind can’t fathom. 20 miles offshore, a wind shift to side. At Aasiaat, on the south edge from Maine
For me the biggest of these the northwest could have easily of Disko Bay, iceberg frequency
was the transit of the Northwest fetched it down to close off the increased, and the bay itself was a to Alaska on
Passage, from Maine to Alaska in inhospitable coast. wonderland of ice.
an ’80s vintage fiberglass cruising We’d seen enough ice to avoid There had been some ques- a boat meant
boat, Polar Sun. It had no insula- messing around near it in dark- tion about whether the Northwest for the
tion, paltry tankage, and a thread- ness. For the previous months, as Passage should be attempted with-
bare canvas enclosure barely cling- we sailed from Maine to Green- out a metal boat. Having built, Caribbean.
ing to its frame, limiting access to land to the Arctic Archipelago, repaired, and cruised plenty of
winches and visibility. our ice encounters had happened fiberglass boats, I had no concerns By Ben Zartman
After I returned, people would in daylight. The first bergs we saw about a solid laminate in ice. In
ask, “Well, how was it?,” as if a were at the far end of the Straits of the end it didn’t matter — Polar
6,000-mile voyage from one ocean Belle Isle near the Labrador coast. Sun was our boat for the trip.
to another across the frozen top of Iceberg charts give the number It’s inevitable to shoulder aside
When the ice
the world could be described in a of bergs in each square degree, and small “bergy bits” and brash ice
charts read
sentence or two. if the number is, say, two or four, as you wind through the ice bar- “9/10”, you
Finally I settled on answering, the chances of meeting one as you rier on the approach to Ilulissat, tie to an ice
“It was long.” After all, by the time pass through that degree are slim. situated next to the “Icefjord” floe and wait
we wearily tied Polar Sun to a dock Further up the Labrador coast, from which most of Greenland’s for a break to
in Nome, Alaska, we’d been away there were numbers like 25. That icebergs proceed. In anticipation continue sailing.
for 112 days. made it an easy choice to head of that I had made some ice poles

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 39

Voyaging Skillls

for the trip: 10-foot laminated Doug clear further south a little earlier. We to anchor was ticklish. Then the com-
fir handles with a spike cut from some had hoped for a fast and ice-free crossing pass, sluggish already since crossing the
leftover bronze plate stock. They came in of Baffin Bay but our projected four-day Arctic Circle, becomes useless near the
handy when a man on the bow shoved crossing turned into seven when we had Baffin Coast, and only gradually returns
aside bigger bits of ice that couldn’t be to go far north. A headwind sprang up to duty in the Beaufort Sea. Finally, the
avoided. just as Polar Sun rounded the icepack, perpetual daylight precludes star and
Icebergs are relatively easy to deal forcing us to fall off to the southwest, planet shots with the sextant.
with: they usually paint a good radar tar- and fetch the Baffin coast, a day’s sail I kept a decent running fix during
get and are visible from afar. The debris south of Pond Inlet. most of the trip, using sextant shots and
they slough off can be counted on to There was more pack ice blocking the bearings. When the magnetic compass
drift away to leeward. The pack ice we coast, sparse enough to motor through became unreliable, had a chance to prac-
encountered on the crossing from Ilu- without resorting to poles, dense enough tice with a pelorus. I wanted to use it to
lisaat to Baffin Island is far more sinister. to dampen the heavy swell that was find True North. This involved reducing
For a few weeks before the crossing we’d running from the north. Pack ice can a sextant shot of the sun, extracting the
azimuth, and sighting the sun with the
pelorus set to the azimuth.
We wound up trapped in pack ice for
nine days inside of Pasley Bay. When we
finally managed to battle out of the bay,
we nearly got trapped again by a narrow,
dense tongue of ice drifting out from
the Victoria Strait toward the Boothia
Peninsula.
That nine days in Pasley Bay made the
season late. Even if we pushed nonstop
The crew had to work
and conditions were perfect, we still had
vigilantly to make 2,000 miles to cover. Several crew had to
sure Polar Sun didn’t leave and we were down to two aboard
get trapped in the for the 600 miles from Cambridge Bay to
ice. Many sections of Tuktoyaktuk, where a relief crew arrived.
Ben Zartman

the ice were strong We got around Point Barrow, Alaska’s

enough to walk on. north-most point, with a lucky east wind
been watching the daily NASA satellite in just the nick of time; a week after we
photos and the ice charts published rounded, it froze solid. After sheltering
by the Canadian ice service. The latter in the lee of Point Hope while Typhoon
express ice coverage and density by means Merbok’s remains wreaked havoc just
of shapeless colored blobs, with a lettered south of us, we got clobbered approach-
code to a key giving more details. Even as ing the Bering Strait.
we left Greenland behind there was still If it wasn’t for Nome, Alaska, we’d
a red blob, signifying 9/10ths coverage, have had nowhere to go. The Bering Sea
extending as far as 73 ½° North. Skirting is notorious for bad weather all year, and
the edge of it as close as possible, we had more so as autumn advances. After being
our first look at this new danger. thoroughly scrubbed by the typhoon, we
The ice pack appears as a loose had one day of calm before a southerly
Ben Zartman

jumble of floes, the newer bits cleaner gale piped up to slam the coast again.
and flatter, the older bits eroded into There probably isn’t a good time to
humps and scoops. The ice charts code cross the Bering Sea, but there are worse
the density in tenths, with anything up sneak up on a boat quickly. It gives no times, and this would have been one
to 5/10ths passable by a cruising boat. significant radar return and forward- of them. Grateful that we could leave
Anything from there to 9/10ths effectiv- looking sonar (FLS) can’t detect it. We the boat in Nome, we flaked the sails,
ley halts progress. were among the first floes, doing 8 knots moused out the halyards, and headed
We were surprised to find the ice while we thought we still had plenty of home.
pack so far north in early August. His- time to strike sail and get the engine on. People ask, “Are you glad you did it?,”
torically the “Whaler’s Route,” much Ice aside, there were also navigational after I struggle to briefly describe the
further north into Melville Bay, then difficulties. Things aren’t thoroughly most dangerous voyage I’ve ever been
west into Lancaster Sound, was the only charted and many potential anchorages on. And I can honestly answer that I am
possible way across, but the trend of the and shortcuts are inaccessible. Even with glad — the Northwest Passage was worth
last decade or so has been for the ice to the FLS, approaching a rock-bound coast it — but I don’t ever need to do it again.n

40 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

 Fiddler’s “Hylas Yachts chose

Green Torrid’s Explorer Series

marine water heaters
because Torrid has a long-
standing reputation for
Sally Helme Helme also helped create delivering reliable, Yacht
Elizabeth “Sally” and sponsor the National Quality comfort, ideal for
Snowden Ely Helme of Women’s Sailing Associa- our offshore sailing yachts.
Middletown, R.I., beloved tion’s “Take the Helm” series
Even with four or six
daughter, sister, aunt, niece, of women’s educational
and networking events. She guests on board on a long
cousin and dog mom passed
away unexpectedly on March was a past president of Sail passage, we’ve NEVER run
20, 2024, at 70. America, and a former vice out of hot water or had
In her younger years her president of Marine Market- to say, ‘Please conserve
family summered on Shelter ers of America. the hot water.’ And that’s
Island, N.Y., where Helme Helme previously served
on the boards of Sail New- while running off the 24-
developed her skills and pas-
sion for sailing and boating. port and US Sailing and volt element powered by
She sailed one-design boats, was a board member of the solar! We are extremely
Woodpussy and Comet, at Sailing Hall of Fame in New- proud to partner with
Shelter Island Yacht Club port, R.I. and Imtra Cor- Torrid Marine.”
(SIYC) on the east end of poration in New Bedford,
Long Island for multiple Mass. She also served on the David Crafa
regattas. She later moved up communications committee Onboard Systems Designer
to sail large handicap boats at the New York Yacht Club. Hylas & HyLyfe Yachts
Throughout her career, MVS18 Explorer Series
as crew and occasional skip-
per of the family’s Bristol Helme received many acco-
34 Typhoon. She was SIYC’s lades. Always humble, she [Link]
first female sailing director. downplayed these achieve-
Helme’s involvement with ments and often her family
the club extended into her didn’t know until after the
adult years, when she was award had been presented.
appointed as a trustee, the “I have also always valued
first female to hold that posi- what sailing can bring to our
tion. lives — providing a wonderful
Helme devoted her nearly escape, instilling a sense of
50-year career to recreational confidence and self-reliance,
sailing. Starting as a sum- and simply offering cher-
mer sailing instructor for ished time on the water with
SIYC in the ’70s, she went friends and family,” said
on to work for numerous Helme.
employers McMichael Yachts,
Greenport, N.Y; C & C Bruce Kessler
Yachts, Portsmouth, R.I.; Bruce Kessler, an adven-
Lewmar Winches, UK and turer who left his mark as
Guilford, Conn.; and The a professional automobile
Yacht sailing magazine as a racer, a Hollywood director
founding member. Her most and one of the first Ameri-
recent and final post was as cans to circumnavigate the
publisher (emeritus) for Sail- globe on a motoryacht, died
ing World and Cruising World April 4 at the age of 88.
magazines where she served Kessler was born in
for more than two decades. Seattle, lived most of his life
Helme was the first female in California, and died in
publisher in the sailing Marina del Rey, his longtime
industry. home. It could be said that
Helme was also recog- he was never more at home
nized as a champion for than when he was at sea.
women sailors and was a Over his lifetime, he logged
founding member of Inter- more than 100,000 nautical
national Women in Boating. miles on his cruising boats.

2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 41

 Fiddler’s
Green
At 16 Kessler began com- Delta Marine, a renowned their homeport. honors from the North-
peting in Sports Car Club of American manufacturer of Over his lifetime, Kessler western University Dental
America events driving his commercial fishing vessels, logged more than 100,000 School. During her time at
mom’s Jaguar XK120. He to build a long-range trawler nautical miles (and 25,000 the university, she met and
rose quickly as one of Amer- yacht for him. They showed hours) underway. He was a fell in love with Wisconsin
ica’s top drivers, moving up no interest. Eventually Delta recipient of the Motorsports yachtsman Harry C. “Buddy”
to a custom Scarab built built the 70 feet vessel with Hall of Fame of America’s Melges, Jr. After a strong
by his close friend Lance a 20-foot beam, 10-foot draft Spirit of Competition Award start to their relationship,
Reventlow. and displacement of 116 and a Lifetime Achievement Buddy went to serve in the
Surviving mulitiple tons. Zopilote was a big boat. Award from PassageMaker Korean War. They main-
crashes, he retired from rac- At the time, no one had magazine. He was a member tained their bond through
ing and made his first film, any idea what a groundbreak- of the Directors Guild of exchanging letters while he
a short subject called “The ing trawler yacht she would America and the Academy was away.
Sound of Speed,” featuring become. In the world of off- of Motion Picture Arts and Upon his return, Buddy
Reventlow testing his 1960 shore cruising boats Zopilote Sciences. In 2001 he was the proposed and he and Gloria
Formula 1 Scarab at River- proved to be a game-changer. first powerboater elected to were married soon after.
side International Raceway. Delta ceased building fishing membership in the Cruising During their 69-year mar-
The film was the U.S. entry boats and shifted to yachts Club of America. riage, they had three chil-
in its category at the 1962 and eventually superyachts. Kessler was also a mem- dren, Laura, Harry III and
Cannes International Film In 1990, almost five years ber of the Ocean Cruising Hans. Throughout their time
Festival. That was his entrée after the boat was launched, Club, a longtime member of together, Gloria always sup-
into the Hollywood film and Kessler and his wife, actress the Del Rey Yacht Club, the ported Buddy’s sailing career
television industry. Joan Freeman departed Southwestern Yacht Club on and off the water.
“The Sound of Speed will California, bound for the (San Digeo), the Marlin Gloria also forged her
probably be the most remem- South Pacific on what would Club (San Diego), and the own legacy, starting with
bered film of my career,” he play out as a 35,000-mile cir- Tuna Club (Avalon, Catalina being the first female com-
later told a friend, “because cumnavigation. When they Island), and an Honorary modore of the Lake Geneva
of its honesty and the arrived in Fort Lauderdale Commodore of the Seven Yacht Club in Wisconsin.
groundbreaking techniques from Europe after their final Seas Cruising Association. She was a crew member in
for when it was made.” It leg in 1993, Zopilote became In 2007 Kessler founded Classes A, E and C, a race
was the first film to use car- the sixth powerboat in his- the FUBAR (Fleet Underway committee member and Prin-
mounted cameras to show tory to complete a circum- to Baja Rally), a 980-mile cipal Race Officer for Lake
the driver’s point of view. navigation. powerboat flotilla cruise Geneva Yacht Club fleets.
Film making became Kessler became a popular from San Diego around the She also participated in
Kessler’s vocation, but boats speaker at TrawlerFests, boat tip of the Baja peninsula to national events including the
were never far from his shows, yacht clubs, and other La Paz, Mexico, as a continu- Star Class World Champion-
mind. His first boat was a boating gatherings. He also ing fundraiser for junior sail- ship, Pan American Games
26-foot sport fisherman in helped create and promote ing at Del Rey Yacht Club. and the America’s Cup.
1960, but he soon found powerboat rallies, including FUBAR later changed its Gloria was honored as
that he wanted to fish farther the FUBAR Rally and the name to CUBAR (Cruise the first recipient of the
and farther from home, and historic Nordhavn Atlantic Underway to Baja Rally) and Huse Inland Lake Yachting
his sportfishers grew in size, Rally. is now run every two years by Association Sportsmanship
topping out at 48 feet. By For all her glory, Zopilote the San Diego Yacht Club. Trophy in November 2019.
then he was roaming deep met a tragic end, striking an She earned accolades as a
into Baja, Mexico, far from underwater ledge in Alaska Gloria Melges U.S. Sailing Senior Race
his San Diego homeport. “At and sinking in minutes in Longtime member of the Officer and an Inland Lakes
that point I realized trawlers 1994. Kessler and his crew of sailing community Gloria Sailing Association Senior
had become a logical pro- four escaped to a liferaft with Melges passed away on July Race Officer. Gloria’s contri-
gression for me,” he told a no one lost or injured. 20, 2024. Born in New Jersey butions to sailing were fur-
friend. “Range and sea-keep- Kessler built a new on May 27, 1931, she spent ther acknowledged with the
ing abilities were paramount Seaton-designed 64-foot pas- her summers aboard a Great Ed Malone Judges Trophy as
in my mind.” sagemaker, Spirit of Zopilote. Lakes cruising sailboat out Inland Lake Yachting Associ-
He turned to naval Over the next 27 years Bruce of Chicago, where her father ation Race Committee/Judge
architect Steve Seaton, and Joan lived and cruised served as commodore of the of the Year and the Bilge
for the design of his next aboard the boat. They chose Columbia Yacht Club. Pullers Cannon as Outstand-
boat. Then he approached Maine’s Southwest Harbor as Gloria graduated with ing Inland Lake Yachting

42 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

Association Race Manage- Gloria and Buddy will be Lesser Antilles, published bilge pumps. After another
ment Corps Volunteer. Two held this fall. in 1966, opened the east- sailor died of seasickness,
times, she also received the ern Caribbean to cruising he was quick to share his
Dr. and Mrs. Will F. Lyon Donald Street Jr. yachtsmen and made char- remedy.
Award for Outstanding Race Donald Street, Jr., 93, tering possible. It’s worth Street grew up learning
Committee Service from the died April 30, 2024, in noting that he did most sailing from likes of Jack
Lake Geneva Yacht Club. County Cork, Ireland. He of this aboard his 46-foot Sutphen, Arthur Knapp,
Many sailors considered spent his final day working engineless yawl, Iolaire, built and his sisters. He served
Gloria a “second mom” on the 92-year-old Gypsy,Created in 1905. He has made 12
for Mariners
on submarines during the
because she cultivated a readying her to be the first by Mariners.
trans-Atlantic crossings, all Korean war and quit a New
warm and welcoming sailing dragon launched for the of which were hand steered York City banking career to
community throughout the season. with no autopilot. go sailing in the Caribbean.
world. One of her favorite Street spent most of the He was a frequent Sail- His most recent passion
activities was hosting inter- 1950s and 1960s cruising ing Scuttlebut commenta- has been racing his dragon
national competitors at the the Caribbean — before tor, often sharing stories boat in Glandore, with a
Melges’ home on Geneva the guidebooks, mooring from his early years growing predominantly teenage crew
Lake. She and Buddy created balls and the amenities. up in Manhasset Bay on that he trained.
an environment in which He wrote many books and New York’s Long Island. He is survived by his
young sailors thrived, learn drew charts that led the He had little tolerance for wife Trich and children
and develop a love for the way to making the Carib- boats being abandoned at Dory, Donald, Richard,
sport. bean so accessible today. sea and was known for his and Mark (Ted), and nine
A celebration of life for His Cruising Guide to the contempt of inadequate grandchildren. n

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2025 OCEAN VOYAGER 43

 From the
Taffrail

The End of an Era

Dear Readers,
It is with much sadness that I must inform you that this will be the last edition of Ocean
Navigator and Ocean Voyager. Since I acquired the rights to the publication in 2021, my team
has worked hard to bring you great content, which I hope you found valuable. The publica-
tion was funded mostly by advertisers, and with all the new outlets that those advertisers have
for promoting their products, traditional media has suffered. Over the past couple of years,
fewer and fewer advertisers were able to support us, while costs continued to rise. I am very
grateful to those advertisers that did support us, and gave us the opportunity to serve you,
our readers. I hope you will consider supporting all of the advertisers that you see in this
issue.
Looking in our wake, I am proud of the work we have done. As an avid cruiser, I have
learned from all of our contributors. There was not a single issue where I did not discover
something new, which I believe is the point of the magazine. Ocean Navigator was not a life-
style magazine like so many other cruising publications. Ours was a technical magazine; “A
Voyagers Resource” as we say. I hope we helped you prepare better for your cruising adven-
tures.
Thank you to my great team for all of your efforts to put together a high quality publica-
tion. I am also thankful to you, our readers, for supporting us through your subscriptions.
I wish you all safe voyages. Fair winds and following seas.

Dave Abrams, Publisher

Maritime Publishing

44 OCEAN VOYAGER 2025

10" 13" 16" 22" 24"

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