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A penny-pincher’s guide to fitting out

March 2010 Bob Pingel Feature

We break down the budget to get your boat sailing this spring and tell you what can be put off until next year

More than ever, sailing is a crucial part of a sound mental health plan. At the same time, many boat owners find themselves with a significantly reduced budget for the sailing season. The good news is that there are some corners that can be cut at fitting out time, but the trick is know what they are and how long you can put them off.

A good place to start is with the engine and running gear. I recommend that the engine oil be changed, so just do a quick check to see that the oil is topped off. It is a good idea to consider changing the raw water impeller every season as good insurance, but impellers are expensive. This year, it would be OK to just remove the impeller and check that it is in good shape, with the intention to replace it next season. Finish off the engine by giving a quick inspection to look for any loose bolts, linkages or wires, and do a check on all the hoses. I like to clean up the engine and engine room with a little spray cleaner, it makes the engine look nice and helps find any leaks and belt wear as the season progresses.

Sailing with your Best Friend

January 2010 Jessica Westleigh Feature

There’s no need to leave your four-legged crew behind when you leave the dock

While sitting aboard the plane on our maiden voyage to lands unknown to us, both my partner Matthew and I sat dreaming of two very different things. Visions of classic sailboats, visually dynamic spinnakers and dreams of taking the tiller on an effortless tack across the Caribbean danced through his head while thoughts of “I wonder if the dogs will cope with the heat,” and “I hope there are dog-friendly beaches in Puerto Rico” wandered through my own. Within a very short time of arriving at the tropical island that was to be our home for an undetermined length of time, it became as crystal clear as the blue waters that surrounded us that we were going to have to do some serious strategizing to combine our two loves: his of the sea and mine of the dogs.

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We began our planning with my priority being the health, safety and comfort of the dogs while Matthew got right down to the technical brass tacks of having a four-legged crew and what that meant for a captain who would be in charge of getting his crew to dry land for “potty breaks.”

Health and safety go hand-in-hand (or should I say paw-in-paw). Just as you need to carry a first-aid kit for yourself, you need to have a well-stocked first-aid kit for your canine friends while sailing. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you are well prepared for anything that may come your way in terms of your dogs’ well-being while at sea.

Suddenly Alone

December 2009 David Liscio Feature

What to do when the skipper falls overboard

Capt. Sue Kilborn looks out at the boat show audience and asks the unthinkable question. “What about Fred? Do you know what to do if he falls overboard or is knocked unconscious or is badly bleeding and unable to handle the boat?”

There are looks of concern and dismay among those who are the obvious first mates aboard their boats. Kilborn, who since 1990 with her husband, Rick, has run the Boatwise school for wannabe professional captains, understands all too well these feelings of inadequacy and sheer terror at the thought of being left suddenly alone.

No reason to fear, but definitely time to prepare, she says, offering basic advice on what to do if the skipper is no longer in command. Her emphasis isn’t on docking and maneuvering or being able to tie a perfect bowline. It’s about survival and common sense and the ability to get the boat home if the captain becomes incapacitated.

10 green places to sail now

November 2009 Heather Steinberger Feature

When planning SAILING Magazine’s first green issue, the editors and I thought it would be fun to highlight 10 of the greenest sailing destinations around the world. Then we ran into a problem. No one defines green quite the same way.

“Eco-friendly” implies ecotourism and established sustainability practices, “pristine” can limit choices to wilderness areas and national parks, and simply “green” evokes visions of gadgets, products and processes that support Leave No Trace ethics. What about opportunities to view threatened and endangered species? What about places that have faced environmental challenges with varying degrees of success? Surely we need to share those stories as well.

The Family that Sails Together…

October 2009 Erin Schanen Feature

Author Nick Hayes attempts to figure out why fewer people are sailing and how to reverse the trend, one family at a time

Author Nick Hayes is spilling the beans on one of sailing’s big secrets: Sailing is not easy.

To a certain extent, we all know it, and the sailing industry goes to great lengths to convince would-be sailors of exactly the opposite, but Hayes isn’t afraid to put it out there. Sailing’s not easy, but that’s why it is so important.

In his new book, Saving Sailing, Hayes discusses the importance of the sport, which has a lot less to do with physical fitness or winning races than it does with family, and why now more than ever it’s worth saving. He writes about “life past times,” those activities that we engage in for most of our lives that rise beyond the level of a mere hobby, and help up identify who we are and what we’re about. It is what Hayes calls a “complex, learned activity” and is something we do within a group that defines us throughout our lives. “Very clearly, sailing falls into this category,” he said.