Originally published in Maine, Boats, Homes & Harbors Magazine, January 2015 ast summer I was teaching an Outward Bound course in a pulling boat off the coast of Maine when the students lost their way in the thick fog. My co-instructor and I told them to stop sailing, drop the anchor, and figure out where they were. We sat quietly …
I had the opportunity to speak on the women sailors panel moderated by Pam Wall at the Chicago Boat Show. A question was asked of the panel, “As a woman, what is it that scares you while sailing?” I was thankful that I was the last to respond to the question. While everyone else shared their answers I wracked my …
By understanding how your eyes work in low-light conditions, you can ensure that your vision doesn’t fail you when you most need it. The sun is just about to touch the horizon and you’ve spent the last hour setting up extra safety precautions for night sailing. You’ve connected a strobe light to your MOB ring. Every crew member on deck …
Solo sailing has always been a significant part of my sailing education. No other type of sailing even compares to the growth and challenge provided by long-distance solo sailing. When I sold Daphne my biggest concern was that I would lose the skills and perspective that I had developed while on my two-year solo voyage. Benji shared the same concern …
The first time I met J was at Blue Ocean Film Festival in 2012. He was speaking at a dinner and presented a clear blue marble to a person who he felt positively influenced his love for water. He asked us all to pick up our blue marble and hold it to our heart, then our head, then peer through …
UPDATE!! Several people asked two great questions: Q: What is a “sailing resume?” Q: If you don’t offer a certification, do your courses offer something to verify the experience and skills gained? I answered YOUR questions at the bottom! Thanks for asking! Ben and I have over 25 years of combined sail training experience. I began teaching sailing professionally at …
What is the value of stuff? When Ben and I flew to Panama to pick up our new boat, we carefully selected each item we would bring with us. Because we were flying we were limited by size and weight. Each tool, article of clothing, pot and pan was carefully chosen from all our belongings. Each bag was weighed, stuff …
One of the criteria that Ben and I had for boat shopping, was that the new vessel had to be big enough to take passengers aboard yet still small enough so that we can solo sail. Ben and I both solo sailed our pocket cruisers side-by-side for several years. When I compare that experience to all the other sailing I’ve …