Streamlining for re-entry to the cruising life
I’m going to say straight away here that sailboats sitting at the dock are no fun. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are. I’ve essentially known this fact since I was I kid, but recently have been forcing my nomadic,…
Dancing the move-aboard two-step
Writing this from our friend’s log cabin in the woods outside of Seward, another fresh dusting of snow has just fallen. The days are getting longer in what seems to be leaps and bounds, and while winter activities like…
Living 40-feet at a time in the new year
Sitting on the floor of our rental cabin tucked in the woods outside of Seward, I talked Porter through the steps of splicing Dyneema loops and inserting low friction rings. Ever my studious rigging assistant, he then helped…
A splendid return to winter cruising
Thin sheets of ice cracked and popped on either side of Yahtzee’s bow while nosing out of the marina towards open water. The sound was cringeworthy but worth it to be free again: Free from the ice and harbor. Free from the…
Road to Re-power: The journey begins with wax and paint
Have you ever re-powered a sailboat? No? Well, me either. There is a first time for everything, though, and I'm enthusiastically diving into this massive project with sleeves rolled and an open mind.
Busting misconceptions and charting a path forward
After all the hugs were given and the usual, "It's not goodbye, but until next time's" were said, we parted ways with the family and crew of five from SV Arctic Monkey. Our families — with five kids ranging from 3 to 11 —…
Tranny Troubles: Out with the old, in with the new
Outbound and nearing the end of the Seward breakwater, we needed to get the mainsail up quick. With a 15-knot southerly breeze on the nose and a building chop, Yahtzee limped along at under two knots, yearning to get out of…
Home is where the boat is
I awoke to the sound of small feet pitter-pattering their way toward my bunk. Jill had left an hour earlier for work and I knew who was coming. Soon, Magnus crawled up to port of me and I threw the warm blankets over him as…
A dinghy decision made easy
An inevitable purchase finally happened for the crew of Yahtzee. After owning our beloved home for over six years and doing a substantial amount of cruising, we finally got two things we've never had before: a rigid-hulled…