Book Review

I feel a little strange offering commentary on a book written by someone who absolutely trounces my sailing experience. It is a bit like a weekend golfer with a 20 handicap critiquing a how-to book written by Tiger Woods. 

So these comments are meant to reflect my inner thoughts and mental processing that are going on after reading Hal Roth's "How to Sail Around the World".

Rather ambitious title isn't it?

While not an encyclopedia of everything you will need to know to toss off the dock lines, it is a VERY good reference that comes from hard won knowledge in the real word of cruising. 

I have now read the entire book, and many section twice. The stand out sections for me where on anchoring. It is hard to write something new and insightful about such an analyzed topic, but I found many sound strategies discussed with extreme care. 

On the other end of the spectrum were the three chapters on storm management. 

I am not saying that these chapters were bad, they just have me seriously scratching my head. Which is probably good, because it means that I am learning even though it hurts. 

My basic problem is the way he treats heaving-to. I want so much to believe in the analysis and tactics put forth in Storm Tactics by Lin and Larry Pardey that I find myself torn. Hal does not see heaving-to as the primary defense mechanism on yachts with more modern underbodies (read: fin keel and spade rudders). 

In the latest edition of Storm Tactics Lin and Larry devote a lot of time relating stories of newer boats successfully using this tactic. 

This troubles me because it is a serious difference of opinion by two sets of people that have obviously been doing this for a awhile...and I won't get a chance to test their experience until my own boat is in peril. That just sucks. 

I think my approach is going to be closer the one in Storm Tactics where heaving-to, instead of running off, is the preferred course of action. Why? It seems to limit the forces at play. I know that I will need much practice to find the balance of my boat in varying conditions, but that is part of the ticket to ride. 

This one conundrum aside, I loved the book. Chapter 25, Nine Ideas, was a great set of tips that while not earth shattering, were thought provoking. And I especially like that Hal promotes hard dinghies and their virtues even while nodding to the few benefits of RIBs. 

So, this is the kind of book that I would recommend people read and absorb. You will be a better person for having thought about all the topics that Hal writes of. 

Boat List

Narrowing down the boat list is going to be tough for me. I have not spent a lot of time sailing on yachts of the type I am looking at and therefor have to rely, at least initially, on my ability to cull through the opinionated ramblings of many owners and non-owners.

My starting point in this endeavor is the following list:

• CSY 44
  
• Perterson 44 Center Cockpit
  
• Ta Chiao CT 44
  
• Liberty 458 CC cutter
  
• Stevens 49
  
• Transpacific 49 (Transpac Marine mk I) 
  
• Cape Dory
  
• Bristol
  
• Endeavor
  
• Morgan Out Island 41
  
• Morgan Classic (newer out island)
  
• Island Trader
  
• Southern Cross 36
  
• Sparkman & Stevens 47    
  

Several of these boats are not really serious contenders, mainly due to keel design...I do not want a full keel.

The Kelly Peterson 44 is the stand out leader right now.

Most center cockpit boats are awkward to look at in my opinion, but this one keeps a low enough profile to be elegant to my eye. For me center cockpit boats are all about the large owners cabin in the stern. I like the ability to have a more secluded space for one of us to go to have some alone time. 

I met a couple that sailed one of these while in the Bay area and saw them again down in San Diego and La Paz.  They spoke highly of the sailing ability of their vessel. This is important to me because I like to sail...not motor around. I also like the added safety of being able to sail well to windward when needed. 

The boats seem to be a good value overall with boats usually listing for 80-120K. 

It is pretty common for people to have problems with the tanks of KP44's so that is one area I am watching closely because it will be a lot of work to get to a few of the tanks for replacement. 

I know that it is self punishment that even a Catholic would shudder at, but my current thought is to buy a boat that needs some pretty good work and spend about a year tearing her down and building her back up. I really want to know the systems inside and out and I found that the time I spent learning a complicated boat done by another person was pretty substantial as well. Besides, I have very specific ideas of the type and quality of systems I want on a boat and I can't imagine finding one setup that already. 

If I do decide to go the 'restoration' route, I plan on taking a 10 month boat building course given at The Landing School. That way I at least have the solid background of skills to deal with even the most involved projects. But that is a whole other post for another day.

Ham Radio

The last time I went cruising I had a marine SSB set up with Sailmail and things worked just fine. But I never really got involved with many of the nets mainly because I was not proficient with the radio.

This time around I want to have access to the HAM bands as well as marine channels. This should give me access to free email (non-business related) and more options as far as nets and the online community. 

So I started the process last month and gained my first level of HAM license (Technician) over the weekend. 

I used this book as my only printed reference. I also liked using this website to take practice exams. Between the two I was more than prepared.

The test was very easy if you have studied the materials and question pool. There is no Morse Code requirement anymore (at any level) so you don't have to fear that. 

I am going to get my General and Extra class licenses here in the coming months so I can have access to more of the HF bands. I think I will just use the standard AARL books and that website mentioned before to prepare. 

Now for the tough part. I want to get a radio to start using my skills and maybe even start to listen into some of the nets that would be useful to me once I get back on the boat. The real problems are:

1. I am in the middle of the country so I wonder about my skill in getting tuned to far reaching signals.
2. I live in a loft in downtown Denver so my antenna options are limited
3. Radios are expensive and I ideally want one I can continue to use once I am on the boat, but will also be useful around land.

My current thought is an ICOM IC-7000. It is a portable form factor that I could use in a car if needed and it has a removable faceplate for more mounting options in a boat. Most of the reviews are very positive on web and the guys at Ham radio Outlet speak pretty well of it also. 

I have also found that there is a very simple mod that will give access to the marine bands on this radio. I know that it is technically illegal to transmit from a non-marine device on marine channels, but that is only under FCC jurisdiction, which I hope to not be under for most of my travels. I also may consider getting another marine radio when the time comes. 

There are similar options is Yaesu, but it seems that ICOM has a slight lead in the marine space...which means that I might be able to get more answers to problems in the community. I also had an ICOM M-710 on my last boat and it performed admirably. Although I will admit that my demands were primarily email oriented. 

What are my priorities?

I know enough about boats to know that everything is a trade off. 

What is one person's dream solution is another person's seventh circle of hell. So these are a few guiding principles that I hope to use over the next few years. I am sure they will drift around a bit, but here goes....

We plan on staying away from marinas for nearly all of our time away.

We are leaning toward a three year circumnavigation, but very open to staging this.

I want to use/store/purchase as little diesel fuel as possible.

Feeling like we are camping day in and day out is not my idea of long term fun.

I am weary of long keeled boats that can't be backed up to save my life. (Owned a Hans Christian 38).

I can't afford a new boat.

I like cutter rigs.

I like some simple things and some complicated things. Foot pumps and manual heads = Good. Lack of abundant fresh water = Bad.

I love classic lines and have a hard time with many modern boats. 

Varnish outside is the devils work and should be kept to a minimum at best.

Both Lea and I too freak'in tall for most berths. (6'5" and 5'11")

Neither one of us sleeps well if we are overly hot.

We love to cook and eat well.

Lea is a freak about exercise and needs it daily...even on passages.

....so as you can see there are many things that run contrary to others. It is this conundrum that I hope to work through over the next couple of years. 

A new beginning

I had written off the idea of ever going cruising again. Not because I didn't enjoy my first foray, but because I didn't have someone else to share in the enthusiasm.

That has sense changed.

Watching Lea explore the skills needed for our tiny team to be safe and comfortable at sea has given me a new drive to find my way back to the ocean.

This blog is intended to chronicle the thoughts and confusions that will make up the next few years as we educate ourselves, figure out a boat and go through all the difficult life transitions needed for extended cruising. 

While I hope that others will find it informative (or at least amusing) my main purpose is to keep my own sanity by trying to put down my thoughts as they occur.