Tag Archives: Tips and Tricks

Prior to our Caribbean adventure, we were clueless as to what we should do or where we should go as hurricane season approached. Early in our research, we found we had to make a choice dictated by time constraints, preference, …

Whistle sound signals at sea come in two varieties, according to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS): a short blast and a prolonged blast. The short blast means a blast of about one second’s duration, while a …

There’s nothing worse than loading friends and family aboard for a great day on the water, only for problems with your vessel to keep everyone shore bound. Routine in-water maintenance is one remedy, yet industry experts say that the longer …

Whichever dinghy you have, it’s the wrong one. If it rows well, it squats and powers poorly. If it is light-in-weight, it flips over in a gust. If it is heavy, it is hard to get on deck. Even its …

In March, Allison and Derek Parkes transited the Panama Canal on their Tayana 47 Arielle. Allison offers no-nonsense advice for those following in their wake. Use an Agent or DIY? That is the key question many cruisers are discussing. Agents’ …

I remember our first grocery provisioning tours as newbie cruisers very well. We were overwhelmed by the prospect of spending weeks away from supermarkets. How much coffee would we need a month? How many pounds of flour to bake bread? We …

So, we drop the hook in the lagoon in St. George’s harbour in Grenada, do a cursory anchor watch, cast off the dinghy and take the ferry to Carriacou for a day of sun and fun. Upon our return early …

Cruising the south coast of Puerto Rico offers something a little different from the usual blue seas and sandy white beaches of the Caribbean. Its coastline is 70-odd miles of historical Spanish lighthouses, small seaside towns, historic towns, mangrove habitat, …

Whether you are hauling out for a short period or planning an extended stay on the hard, living on your boat while it’s on land can be challenging. We have spent many months in various boats yards between Trinidad and …

Oops! You’ve hit a piling and punched a hole in the inflatable. Now you have to repair it. Of course, the easiest way is to take it to a repair shop, but if you are in a rush to use …

At any time during the year and in every ocean, swimmers and divers encounter jellyfish. They come in a variety of shapes and colors, from translucent to vibrant colors like pink, yellow, purple, and even luminescent. They range in size …

Living aboard a sailboat is a life-changing experience with lessons to be learned at every knot. If you are a sailing couple, whether recently together or long time married, the many challenges you face daily will reshape your relationship as …

Topics like sustainable resources and waste disposal are all over the media, the public shows concern and agrees that something should be done in order to save the planet. For many, environmental woes remain somewhat theoretical, distant, brushed aside by …

The idea of abandoning ship at sea is not an appealing one. But if the unthinkable happens then it pays to have a well thought-out grab bag. As the name suggests, a grab bag is a selection of crucial items readily …

When strategies for sailing at night are discussed among cruisers, opinions differ quite a lot. Many cruisers divide the night into watches of varying length to be able to react immediately to wind shifts, reef ahead of squalls, and look …

When we first set out cruising, life in our floating home wasn’t quite as comfy as we’d hoped it would be. Over the years we’ve added gadgets and gear that made life easier while keeping an eye on energy, fuel …

A marine survey can prove invaluable. The key is to know what type of survey you need, how to best prep the boat, the time required and what a survey report can offer. Several accredited marine surveyors throughout the Caribbean can …

When there is no other option but to abandon ship, having selected the right life raft for your vessel, and the type of boating you do, can mean the difference between life and death. Picking the right life raft can …

When you are starting your search for a catamaran, one of the first and most important questions you need to ask yourself in your search for the right catamaran is “What is my budget?” Usually, however, trying to answer this …

  No matter what boat you have there will come a time when you need to replace the batteries on board and with all the choices available today it may not just be a case of swapping like for like. …