Home for the Holidays
Over the years, 48° North has decked the hulls with a variety of boating related yuletide joy. Since it's that season again, we're digging into the vault with some stories of holiday's past to help get you in the spirit. As…
Lessons to Re-Learn: When Cruisers Return to Land
This article was originally published in the August 2021 issue of 48° North. Unfamiliar features have entered everyday life for the Totem crew. The galley is now called a kitchen; it includes a countertop box you put food…
Lessons Learned from Power Cruisers
This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of 48° North. For many cruisers, us included, sailing our vessels from one port to another is in our bones. Or is it? Being driven by the wind isn’t essential to…
Lessons Learned: Flush With Options, Spring Cruising Starts
By the time the rhodies peak, Puget Sound sailors are deep into plans or actions for spring commissioning and anticipating the sailing season ahead. Here in Mexico, springtime is when crews typically make plans to set sail…
Ode to the Iron Genny
Lessons Learned Cruising From the February 2021 issue of 48° North. Sailboats! Most of our cruising boats come equipped with noisemakers below deck: the so-called “Iron Genny” comes into service at times when it’s impossible…
Worn Out: Active Cruising and Gear Lifespan
Lessons learned from years of cruising about onboard gear and how it runs its natural course. What do galley stoves, outboard engines, and winch handles have in common? They’re all sold at boat shows, and they all sink if…
Insider ideas: Totem’s 2020 gift guide
Every year we put a holiday gift guide together, to help pick out something special for the cruisers and cruisers-to-be on your list. This year, the suggestions have a new source. We send an occasional newsletter to coaching…
Weather Routing for Passages
Unicorns and Dragons: confessions of an amateur weather router The post Weather Routing for Passages appeared first on Sailing Totem. Jamie will be the first to tell you he’s not a weather router. But weather advice has…
Unicorns and Dragons: Confessions of an Amateur Weather Router
Lessons Learned Cruising: Jamie Gifford shares his experience helping east coast cruisers with weather routing On this day, I have two boats galloping north at 10 knots. The sailing is nice, boosted by 3 knots of Gulf Stream…
Totem Bears Witness: An Environmental Photo Essay from Around the World
Immersing our family in the realities of the natural world is a meaningful part of our cruising dream When we set off from the Pacific Northwest aboard Totem over a decade ago, we anticipated the rewards of living with a…