Think Storm Surge

Hurricane Sandy reminded mariners once again that it is very often the rise in water, called the "storm surge," that causes the worst destruction, especially to boats. We have all seen the photos of piles of boats washed out of marinas, boats sitting in places where they were never meant to go, and entire marinas just gone. And, most of that destruction was due to the tremendous surge of water brought ashore by the storm. At New York's Battery (the southern tip of Manhattan), the record-setting storm surge was more than 14 feet above mean high water. Boats hauled out of the water on nearby City Island were no longer safe as waves rolled ashore.

My boat was hauled about a week before Sandy, by pure luck, and the surge was only three or four feet  above high water at the boatyard well up Narragansett Bay. If it had been 14 feet of extra water I have no doubt I would probably still be trying to figure out how to retrieve my boat from well inland.

In retrospect, I think being on a mooring is probably the best place for a boat during a hurricane, as long as the boats are spaced widely enough to allow for extra scope. In the past, I have added extra long lines to my mooring, doubled them up, and then also put out anchors on very long scope. My theory being that in the worst case scenario the mooring would act like a giant kellet, or anchor weight, which is what some boaters use to increase holding power when at anchor. This scheme worked well for me during Hurricane Bob and Tropical Storm Irene. Despite being on a mooring, the pull on the anchors was so great that it took the better part of a day to retrieve the anchors, indicating they had done their work.

I use some big Fortress anchors for this purpose as they have enormous holding power for their weight and are relatively easy to handle in the dinghy. I use long lengths of nylon rode--the more the better--with only a six-foot or so length of chain near the anchor. Scopes of 10- or 20-to-one allow for plenty of storm tide rise.

Is there a huge tangle of anchor lines and mooring painters after the storm? Yes! But, I prefer the tangle at the mooring to the problem of untangling my boat from powerlines and trees ashore.

If you don't keep your boat on a mooring, I highly suggest searching for a spot where you can anchor her before a hurricane. Keep around and handy some big Fortress and/or Danforth anchors for this purpose. I know that not everyone can do this, but as Sandy demonstrated many marinas are not designed for hurricane storm surges. I can remember being in the downtown Waterside marina in Norfolk, Virginia, during one fall gale with the fixed docks completely under water and the tops of the pilings only a few feet above that waterline. That would not be a place to stay during a direct hit by a hurricane.

Assuming your boat and marina was not destroyed by Sandy, now might be a good time to go down and measure how much piling is showing at the next moon tide, and then compare that to historic storm surges that have hit your area. I see and visit way too many marinas that would fail this test. In the future I'm also going to pay more attention to how far above high tide my boat is hauled and stored.

Mantus: A Folding Anchor

I received a new 45-pound Mantus anchor in a surprisingly flat and compact box. A single page of instructions, some nuts and bolts, some lock washers, a container of waterproof grease, and the parts of the anchor were all neatly inside. It was quite obvious how everything fits together, so I really didn't need the instructions, but I skimmed them anyway. Obviously, being able to store a very large storm anchor disassembled would be a nice safety feature on a cruising boat.

About the only non-obvious thing was which way the bolts should pass through the anchor. Should the nuts be on the top or the bottom? I opted for the nuts on the top, though I doubt it would make any difference in use once the anchor hits the bottom. Having the nuts on top means a little bit smoother bottomside, making moving it about the boat a bit less likely to ding things up.

Unfortunately, my box had been busted open and some of the nuts, washers, and the grease were missing. The bolts were standard galvanized one-half inch and my neighborhood hardware store had everything I needed. I substituted marine trailer wheel bearing grease.

Assembly took maybe five minutes once all the parts and tools had been gathered on my foredeck. My first impression was that the anchor seems well made and solid, with a heavy galvanized finish. The hoop is held on by just two bolts, but I suppose it wouldn't normally be treated to great strains. The hoop on these so-called "new generation" anchors make them much easier to move around the boat, in comparison to something like a CQR with its hinged plow, or a Danforth or Fortress with flukes that want to snap back on your fingers if you turn the anchor over. The hoop is a perfect handle for carrying the anchor, and it would also be a good spot to tie on an anchor float, if one was needed (I very rarely use one).

The design of the anchor is reminiscent of the Rocna and the Manson Supreme. Many cruisers sing the praises of this type and I am looking forward to seeing if the reality meets the hype.

The shank is pretty long on these things--a lot longer than on my Bulwagga anchor that immediately preceded the Mantus on my bow roller. For now I have to assume the dimensions are such to improve holding, but it is something to keep in mind if you have a tight foredeck, like I do.

Real world anchoring tests will be coming up.

Born to Run

One recurrent theme on many boating forums is which outboard to choose for the dinghy. These threads frequently begin with someone's sob story about the miserable *#??*$ outboard they already own. And, then someone else will almost always chime in and tell a tale of how they love the exact same motor and have had wonderful service out of it. Frankly, I think most contemporary outboards from the major manufacturers are probably excellent motors to begin with, but they do suffer from the neglect that eventually wrecks so many boating systems.

With the demise of the 2-stroke motor modern outboards have changed, mostly for the better, though I am still a great fan of the simple and sturdy 2-stroke. Putting aside the significant environmental advantages, 4-strokes provide two additional pluses: increased fuel economy and no need to mix oil with the gas. However, these two advantages bring with them a couple of possible pitfalls.

First, that tremendous fuel economy we love in a 4-stroke--often burning half as much as a comparable 2-stroke--means that very little gasoline is being burned at idle. Sounds great, right? The problem here is that to meter that tiny bit of gas the slow-speed jet inside the carburetor is really, really, teensy. The inside of this jet, critical for a proper fuel/air mixture, is very easily plugged or fouled by the weensiest bit of crud. And, the typical outboard on a dinghy does not have much of, if any, fuel filter between the tank and the motor.

Inevitably means that if you aren't meticulous in filtering the gas as it goes into your tank, and then meticulous in keeping any crud out of the tank, including water, eventually that low-speed jet will get plugged and/or some other critical passage in the carb. In my experience, this will happen--it is only a matter of how long before it happens. I can almost guarantee that if your newish 4-stroke outboard has become harder and harder to start, and maybe doesn't idle all too well either, it is time to take that carb off and clean it, and it is time to seriously think about putting in a quality inline or fixed mount filter. It is not a crazy idea to consider putting a large, spin-on type of engine filtration set up on your dinghy transom.

However, even with this level of care, we sometimes must leave the boat longer than we would like. Today's gasoline is often laced with 10% ethanol and this gasoline is just not very durable. In my experience you only have about 30 days before it starts to deteriorate. And that's where the second pitfall emerges. The addition of 2-stroke oil in the past actually provided some stabilization of the gasoline mix as well as providing needed lubrication. The way around this is to add some fuel stabilizer to every tank of gas, whether 2- or 4-stroke. I have been using red StaBil for years with good success, but I now use the blue marine-grade StaBil that also claims to be better with ethanol gas. Adding this to your outboard tank will also help prevent phase separation--a condition where you get a layer of ethanol/water mixture with a layer of gasoline over. Once this happens you have to get rid of the whole mess and start over with fresh fuel. It goes without saying that you should be extra careful to keep water and moisture out of your gas, especially when it contains ethanol.

Do these two things and you will find your new 4-stroke outboard will keep running better and longer, but you still must be prepared for the inevitable carburetor cleaning periodically. This should become a routine maintenance item if you have a 4-stroke, and I highly recommend you learn how to do it yourself and that you keep the needed tools and parts onboard.

Get Out of the Box

I frequent some online cruising forums and there are often long discussions about how and where to leave one's boat during hurricane season, or how to cruise hurricane-prone waters during the season. 

The real answer is simple--don't! I was involved in one such online discussion the other day and someone linked to NOAA's online historical database of hurricane tracks. Fascinating stuff! Go over there and play with it a bit to see how your area has made out, but please don't use it to determine whether or not it is "safe" to be in a particular harbor during hurricane season.

Insurers study this stuff for a living, and you can tell what they think about the idea by the dramatically different insurance rates they charge above and below Cape Hatteras during hurricane season. There are slight variations in policies, but generally you can count on your deductible doubling when a named storm is coming, and/or your premium going up for that period. That should tell you all you need to know about the dangers of being in what some folks call "the box."

The box is the region that insurers use to determine what constitutes a special hurricane rate area. Inside the box you pay more. Outside the box you pay less. Stay outside the box and you and your boat are safer during hurricane season.

It doesn't matter how few or how many hurricanes have hit a particular harbor or area. They are inherently unpredictable, even with today's excellent weather services. This unpredictability means that even if the storm is hundreds of miles away you have to make preparations and/or run to your hurricane hole. You don't know if this next one will follow the historical tracks, or be the exception that proves the rule. Sure, you can roll the dice and take your chances, but it is gambling.

Think for Yourself

If you have read some of my previous posts you know that I have been involved in battling anti-anchoring ordinances, mostly in Florida, for many years. It is an ongoing fight, with new regulations now in effect in St. Augustine, and proposed ordinances being considered in Stuart and Martin County, the Florida Keys, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg.

However, don't be discouraged! It is still possible to anchor out in wonderful places all over the world, and even within or near many of the most popular harbors in the world. Even in Florida. Despite the apparent magnetic attraction of other boats, all it takes is a little imagination and research to find thousands of anchorages that nobody is using, or almost nobody.

A few summers ago my wife and I discovered a new and wonderful anchorage in Narragansett Bay, close to Newport, with a beautiful beach, perfect protection for the weather, and we were the only boat there after dark.

How did we do it? There are a few techniques we use. First, we carry onboard just about every chart and cruising guide there is for the area we are in. I don't use one guide over the other--I tend to buy them all, and I keep old guides forever. For example, one of my favorites is Julius Wilensky's cruising guide to Cape Cod (covering the islands too) published in 1976. He reproduces in black & white detailed charts that are long out of print, yet they are much better than anything currently available from the government. Sure, the information on marinas and services is totally out of date, but I'm not interested in that stuff. Instead he talks about all sorts of interesting little anchorages in places like the Elizabeth Islands where you can still be the only boat after nightfall even in July.

Second, we scour the charts for places that few, if any, writers have ever mentioned. There is no reason you can't anchor someplace new, is there? You will notice lots of coves and shallow areas that aren't mentioned in guides, yet some of them can be perfect if the weather cooperates. That's a big caveat in a lot of these unknown anchorages, but in the right season with the right forecast it can be very nice in New England to anchor in some bight where the wind whips across some spit of sand and behind you is nothing but open bay or ocean for miles. We have found places like this in the Caribbean, in Florida, and all up and down the East Coast. Monitor your weather and anchor someplace that maybe wouldn't be a good storm hole, but if there is no bad weather coming, who cares?

Third, you have to develop a mindset of thinking for yourself when cruising. There are some interesting interactive online cruising guides out there, and some of them are touting following the actual routes of folks who uploaded their's. Frankly, that would bore me--who wants to just follow in somebody else's wake? Blaze your own course to someplace new!

Florida Anchoring Battle Continues

In mid-November 2011 the FWC approved St. Augustine's restrictive anchoring ordinance, but didn't allow the 10-day anchoring limit, which was replaced with a 30-day limit. In Stuart/Martin County rules that would have eliminated all anchoring in Manatee Pocket seem to have been shot down. But, both areas continue to move forward with ordinances that will both confuse boaters and law enforcement and limit anchoring opportunities.

St. Augustine has all sorts of set-back rules for how close you are allowed to anchor to maritime infrastructure and channels, while Stuart/Martin County are pushing no anchoring within 300 feet of shore, infrastructure, or the moorings in the St. Lucie River and not within 1000 feet in the Jensen Beach area. In all cases the laws are so poorly worded that even those of us in the know are not sure exactly what they mean, and once they are enacted many anchorers are bound to get caught up in a snarl of red tape. I strongly suspect it will take a court of law to sort it all out, at further cost to the taxpayers and boaters in these areas.

One nice piece of news was the creation of a website [NOTE: Not sure if it still exists in 2018] showing precisely where you can anchor legally in St. Augustine. The site also provides lot of great information for boaters on the area. As these communities write up ever more restrictive ordinances you will find boaters adapting and innovating like this in order to continue to enjoy cruising as we know it, despite official efforts to chase us away.

Over in St. Pete there is no good news. The Vinoy Basin is now closed to anchoring while the mooring field is built there. This will eliminate the only sheltered anchorage convenient to downtown St. Pete, unless the weather cooperates enough to allow you to chance anchoring east of the waterfront out in Tampa Bay. The city is also exploring the idea of limiting or prohibiting anchoring in other nearby anchorages.

The Sarasota mooring field fiasco continues, with something in the nature of $500,000 + already spent on getting permitting, engineering studies, failed mooring experiments, and a pumpout boat. By the time all is said and done the city will have spent close to $1.5 million and will have 35 moorings to show for it. The current plan sounds dubious to this sailor: steel H beams will be driven into the limestone substrate in lieu of the helical screws which can't penetrate the bottom. This will be a very noisy and environmentally dirty project in creation, and I am uncertain what projected longevity it will have. An active group of local sailors is working with the city to try and prevent onerous anchoring ordinances designed to drive boaters onto the pay moorings or away from the city.

Unfortunately, the average taxpayer in these Pilot Program cities and counties has no idea of these machinations and the costs involved, because the entire fiasco is being driven by a few well connected businessmen, some disgruntled waterfront homeowners, and a few others. If these expensive and controversial projects were presented to the voters I am sure they would be soundly rejected, but they won't be. Instead those pushing these laws continue to ram them through despite vocal and strong opposition from boaters, who will be the ones impacted.

Florida Set to Restrict Anchoring

Once again the anchoring war is heating up in Florida. Under the guise of the Anchoring and Mooring Pilot Program, called just the "Pilot Program" by most, five areas in Florida were given permission to come up with regulations on anchoring in conjunction with permitted mooring fields. Sounds harmless enough, right? Wrong!

The first problem came when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) allowed the borders of the five pilot areas to expand vastly. Here's a link to the FWC site. With permitted mooring fields in Key West and Marathon in the Keys, the entire area of Monroe County became a pilot area. This covers most of the Florida Keys! In conjunction with a mooring field in Stuart the FWC allowed Martin County to be included. The cities of St. Augustine, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg round out the five trial areas.

Despite the wording in the statute, which says in part that the program will allow for regulations governing anchoring of non-liveaboard vessels "outside the marked boundaries of public mooring fields," the law is being interpreted to mean almost anywhere within the entire jurisdiction of the permitted cities and counties. In other words, St. Augustine is now pushing for laws to limit anchoring within the entire city limits, and Monroe County is considering anchoring limits in Key Largo, some 40-50 miles from the nearest mooring field. Sarasota, like St. Augustine, is also considering anchoring restrictions everywhere within city limits. Same in St. Pete. Martin County wants to limit anchoring at Jensen Beach, many miles from the moorings at Stuart. Talk about taking a mile when you're given an inch!

Already St. Augustine has drafted ordinances including a 10-day anchoring limit, requirements for boat inspections, and other ordinances that not only infringe on boaters' traditional rights of navigation, but are actually in direct contradiction to the goals stated in the ordinance itself! One of the stated goals of the Pilot Program is to "Promote public access to the waters of this state." It is impossible to see how anchoring restrictions accomplish this goal. 

How will boaters in the future know that anchoring regulations vary from municipality to municipality and from county to county? It will be impossible to put signs all over the waterways indicating the hodge-podge of anchoring zones, time-limit zones, etc. Boaters will inadvertantly break these laws. It will be an enforcement nightmare for authorities and boaters alike.

These new laws are not needed to take care of the derelict, improperly stored, and abandoned vessels cited in the law. Florida's listings of these vessels indicate that the vast majority are not even at anchor. Plus, there are existing laws on the books that if properly enforced can take care of these problem boats. Already jurisdictions around Florida are removing derelict vessels and disposing of them using existing programs. There are existing laws requiring boats to be registered, properly equipped, and using pollution prevention devices. It is already illegal to dump sewage into the waters of Florida.

The Pilot Program has allowed five counties and cities in Florida to create restrictions on anchoring that are not needed due to existing ordinances, will not accomplish the goals of the program, and are going to limit how and where responsible boaters can anchor.

I recommend if you are a member of BoatUS you should write a letter or send an email to their Government Affairs office (govtaffairs@boatus.com) and to their magazine (LettersToEditor@boatus.com), and maybe we can utilize the clout of 650,000 boaters to stop these laws in their tracks.

And here's a link to another great site discussing this issue.

Anchor Connection Wrinkle

With an anchor that only allows me to put the pin of the shackle through the shank, I was forced to use a second shackle in order to connect the anchor chain. This resulted in an awkward set of shackle pins that were oriented at right angles to each other, meaning the heads of one or the other pin would often hang up on the roller, making retrieving the anchor more difficult. In fact, this system meant that 50% of the time there was a good chance that one anchor pin head or the other was going to catch.

I contemplated replacing this awkward linkage with a stainless steel anchor swivel, which is seen on many boats these days. However, having read reports of some failures of these items, particularly under side loading, and being rather wary of putting dissimilar metals together immersed in saltwater, I wanted to stick with tried and true galvanized steel fittings.

The solution that came to me was to purchase a Crosby welded master link, as can be seen here. The 3/8" link matched up nicely with my 3/8" shackles and the working load was higher, so this would not be "the weak link."

As can be seen in the photo, adding this one extra link allows the shackles to lay in the same orientation, with the heads of the pins on the same side. This reduces the chance of one of the pins hanging up on the roller since 3/4 of the four possible orientations are free of catch points.

In practice the new arrangement does come in over the roller very easily and so far (knock on wood) I have lucked out and not had a catch this season. Of course it is still possible for the chain to come in with the pins facing down in the catching position, but in practice I find that the assembly seems to flip onto the flat side very readily, allowing the chain to come in. In the past that first flip often meant it would then hang up on the second shackles pin (at least 50% of the time), which it no longer does.

This is a cheap, simple, strong, and effective improvement to my anchor system.

The Good Ol' Days?

Some would have you believe that anchoring in the old days was a harrowing experience due to the lack of reliable anchors and gear, but that was not the case. Sure, we had different equipment and systems, but we also used it differently and I really don't think we had any more problems than today's cruisers at anchor--in fact, I'm pretty sure there were less issues. The reason? People had to learn the craft and did so because they didn't have push-button windlasses that allow huge, heavy anchors and chain. Without a windlass even boats up to and beyond 40 feet usually relied on muscle power to handle everything, and that often meant a short length of chain, mostly nylon rode, and something like a 20-35-pound Danforth anchor on the end. Having to lower this by hand meant that someone was up on the foredeck carefully lowering the thing over the side, feeling when it touched bottom, and then gradually easing out rode, snubbing the anchor periodically as the boat drifted back. Then, because we didn't have all-chain rode we put out 5:1 or 7:1 scope, checked that the anchor was really well dug in by backing down while feeling the rode and watching, and anyway a Danforth beats any modern anchor for sheer holding power in a straight line according to almost every anchor test ever done.

In short, better technique meant that we used what gear we had to the fullest instead of relying on some miracle design to just work. But, but, what did we do when the wind shifted? We often used two anchors in a Bahamian moor, as was taught by Robert Danforth Ogg in the little booklet that generations of boaters got when they bought their anchors. Pick up a copy of Anchors and Anchoring by R.D. Ogg if you ever find one. There were many generations of this booklet published, but they still provide some of the best basic anchoring advice and information ever published. Plus, Ogg backed up his advice with what is probably the most extensive testing program any anchor design has ever gone through because of the original requirement to create an anchor that would allow landing craft to winch themselves off of beaches. Today, an aluminum Fortress anchor does even better, but it is nothing more than a refined version of the original Danforth made of a different material.

How good were these ol' school anchors? We rode out Hurricane Gloria on two Danforths and a CQR set in a star pattern, and sat in one place while most of the mooring field dragged by and went ashore on Long Island. Two Fortress anchors helped hold our boat on a mooring in Cuttyhunk Pond during Hurricane Bob--it took most of a day to dig those anchors back out of the bottom. Short of something breaking there was no possibility of those anchors dragging. When hit by a tornado in the Chesapeake a CQR and a Fortress held our catamaran in wind estimated to be over 100 mph. The force of the wind took one boat's Avon complete with outboard and blew it through the air and up into a tree ashore, where we later found it. Just anecdotes, but to me they have proven that anchoring technique is more important than having the latest and greatest gear.

It Wasn't a Drag

In the previous post I described how anchoring used to be done with lighter weight gear due to the lack of electric windlasses. I remarked on how we didn't drag back then any more than we do now, but I didn't explain why.

First, let me describe a typical anchoring situation we find in crowded Cuttyhunk harbor every summer. We manage to find a spot in the charted dredged square, but it is short on space and depth, and offers iffy holding in spots due to weed. Towards late afternoon more and more boats pack in, and many of them sport the latest in anchoring gear: all chain rode, electric windlass, and most frequently it seems a Delta anchor, but more and more we see these supposed "new generation" anchors on the higher-end boats, along with plenty of old standbys (probably in the majority) like CQRs or other plows and Bruce anchors. In any case, it doesn't matter too much because the anchoring process is almost universal. Use the windlass to lower the anchor and chain over the side, either by the dog-pile method or by lowering it to the bottom using the machinery. For those not in the know, the dog-pile method, which is quite popular, is to release the windlass brake so that the anchor drops into the water unimpeded followed by a bunch of chain rattling over the side into a big pile on the bottom. Then the engine is thrown into reverse and the mess is straightened out, often resulting in the anchor being dragged over the bottom because nobody has bothered to mark the chain for length and nobody has a clue as to how much scope is out. Besides, they've ordered a huge anchor and all that chain and they've been told it holds great at only 3: 1 scope!

Usually, it really doesn't matter what they do, because the wind in the harbor is less than 20 knots and since the bottom is mostly mud the anchor probably gets a decent bite, but nobody really knows until the frequent midnight or thundersquall wind shift sends half the anchored fleet dragging away to the edges of the dredged square where they go aground long enough to sort out the anchor and using the motor proceed to try again. Needless to say on windy nights nobody sleeps much in Cuttyhunk!

Stay tuned to see how it used to be done.

What Happened to Lightweight Anchoring?

Read any cruising boat forum and the subject of anchors and anchoring will create a lot of heated debate--actually that's just a nice term for arguments! What ties floating boats to the ground is a very important topic because we all know that 90% of cruising is spent in harbor, even on a circumnavigation. And that topic was just as important decades ago, as evidenced by a look back at boating books and magazines. There was Don Street touting his beloved Herreshoff pattern, fisherman-style, traditional anchor, while the Hiscocks, Roths, and Pardeys were all advocates of CQR plow anchors.

And then there were folks like Robert Danforth Ogg, one of the co-creators of the Danforth anchor. He was an advocate of lightweight, high-holding power anchors, combined with mostly nylon rodes and maybe a six-foot piece of chain near the anchor. Ogg famously used two 12-lb. Danforths and mostly nylon rode to routinely anchor his 64-foot powerboat, often with others rafted alongside. Bob Bavier, an editor of Yachting magazine, championed the same system for his heavy cruising sailboat that he took all over the Bahamas and Caribbean.

What happened to this lightweight school of anchoring? Judging from the current recommendations of most manufacturers and the online words of most cruisers you would think it is mostly dead with the exception of Fortress anchors and their champions. However, my non-scientific reading of the current wisdom is that most cruisers recommend you only use a Fortress as a kedge anchor, or maybe a back up, and possibly carry an extra big one for your ultimate storm anchor. The currently in-vogue anchoring system, seemingly recommended by everybody, is to go with an all chain rode, and lots of it, plus a huge primary anchor, at least one or two sizes too big, and in some cases twice the manufacturer's recommended weight. The often-repeated joke is that you know your anchor is the right size when people walking down the dock point and laugh at it because it is so huge. "Size matters," is the current mantra.

I would argue that one of the main reasons for this current love of weight and chain is that it is now possible to think this way due to the wide use of electric windlasses. Back in the '60s it would be rare to find a windlass aboard even 40+ foot cruising sailboats, and in most cases that would have been a slow manual windlass. A typical cruising boat did not have a bow roller either. Lightweight anchors and gear were a necessity when you had to pick the anchor up from its chocks on deck and carry it to the bow, where you had to work it through the bow pulpit and over the side. No roller meant that you had to have nylon rode to run through the bow chocks. That was the exact set up on my 1967 22,000-lb. cruising sailboat that was sailed all over the place from Canada to Antigua, and out to Bermuda more than once.

Did this mean we dragged anchor all the time? No! Why dragging was not a problem will be the subject of my next installment.

Are New Generation Anchors Any Good?

They sure have promise, judging from the many comments I read on the forums. But, I have to caution that I believe there is a strong tendency to want something to be really good once you've spent a fair bit of money on it. It must be worth what you spent, right?

And there are a few questions still out there. As I noted in my last post I have not yet seen enough testing to come to any definite conclusion, especially in comparison to anchors like the Danforth, the Fortress, the CQR, and the Bruce that have not only been through numerous tests over several decades but have also been in continuous use throughout the cruising world by many experienced boaters. Evans and Beth Starzinger did some unusual testing down in Chile where they found that their anchor favorite, the Bruce type, still performed better than the new generation anchors in the rocky shale found in those waters. There have also been some soupy mud tests done by other manufacturers indicating that there might be some doubts about new gen. anchors in those bottoms. Plus, I have witnessed a big boat having trouble with his Spade in a hard-mud-weedy bottom where my Bulwagga bites in fast every time.

Other boats have problems dealing with the roll bar not working properly in their anchor roller set up. Another interesting thing is that the new gen. anchor folks are all quite conservative on their recommended anchor weights. In the past, anchor manufacturers all seemed to compete to claim the crown of lightweight champion, but today everyone seems to be conceding that point to Fortress, which is basically a Danforth design from 1939. I now see anchor weight tables suggesting I add ten pounds or so to what the leading anchor companies suggested 10 years or so ago.

Am I interested in new gen. anchors? You bet! Am I sold yet--No.

New Generation Anchors?

Anchor talk in the boating forums is usually heated and opinionated, and lots of fun too! There is lots of discussion right now about what some are calling the "New Generation" anchors, and how they compare to what I guess we must now call the "old generation" anchors. Putting myself into that old generation, some of us feel a bit defensive about the term--they're not old, just well tested! And that is what sets the old generation from the new. Yes, there have been a few well-publicised anchor tests in recent years that were apparently won by the new generation anchors, but if you take a close look at these tests they have some critical flaws.

The test that got these anchor wars rolling in the U.S.A. was the one conducted by West Marine and SAIL magazine, and published back in the fall of 2006. Results also appeared in Yachting Monthly in Europe, and in other publications, with varying degrees of quality in the reporting. The results have been argued about endlessly on the forums, but the general conclusion was that the new generation anchors, including the Rocna, the Spade, and the Manson Supreme, did significantly better than the old generation, except for the aluminum Fortress anchors, which I include in the old generation because they are closely based on the Danforth design.

However, I would argue that this major test was fatally flawed from the get-go, despite the best intentions of the testers and the organizations involved. For some reason unknown to me they chose a location with a firm, hard sand bottom, that was obviously highly variable based on the results. Now, there is nothing wrong with anchoring over sand, which many have to do while cruising in the tropics and other locations, and sand generally produces the highest holding power of any bottom material.

The problem lies in the difficulty in getting a proper anchor set in sand, particularly the hard kind like the type the test was conducted in. Those of us who have dove on anchors in sandy bottoms in places like the Bahamas, Florida, and the Caribbean know that it can be both the most welcoming bottom and the most problematic. Texture can vary from deep, soft, and accepting, to more like the compacted surface of a sandy airport runway, and practically everything in between. The former will produce outstanding holding with almost any anchor while the latter may not allow even the sharpest anchor to penetrate. Holding becomes more a matter of what you can get one point or another of the anchor hooked into.

I can vividly recall numerous anchor sets in the Bahamas, where the water can be crystal clear, where we could apply full reverse on the anchor, yet when I observed it underwater there was nothing hooked in but the tip of the point. To me that is not good holding, and anchor test results generally come to how sharp the anchor's flukes are compared to the competition, possibly how much weight is on the point, and also how lucky you are with where the anchor ends up on the bottom.

Back on that Bahamas bottom where the anchor was barely hooked in I could snorkel around and find a nice dip that might be filled with soft sand providing an ideal nesting place for the hook, once I dragged it over there. I might then sit out a tremendous blow in total confidence knowing the anchor is in a good spot with good holding, but if the boat next to me dragged I also knew it probably had very little to do with the holding power of the anchor and everything to do with the quality of the bottom and the luck of the drop.

This fatal flaw means that the West/SAIL test is near worthless in telling us anything other than the new generation might have some promise. I will take a look at more of these tests in further installments.

Can You Afford to Go?

During the winter, with my boat laid up ashore in Massachusetts, I tend to read the various sailing blogs and forums where I research gear ideas and try to be helpful to others with my suggestions. Constant refrains include all the questions from newbies and wannabees about various pieces of equipment. I participate in some of these threads, but what often strikes me is how people with very little experience weigh in on the merits or demerits of one piece of gear or another. Anchor selection is always a hot topic, often generating as much heat as light. The "in" anchors are currently the Rocna and the Manson Supreme, and by all accounts they seem to perform very well and have lots of avid followers. But, from what you read you would think that people are risking their boats and maybe their lives if they are using a CQR, a Bruce, or a Delta.

What people have to remember is that others before them, like the Hiscocks, the Pardeys, the Dashews, and the Roths all went around the world and to many places most of us will never visit, and they did not have the option of using a "new generation anchor" because they did not exist. The same can be said for many items that appear to be considered standard equipment by many new cruisers: SSB, GPS, AIS, radar, electronic charting, and even comfort item like refrigeration and DVDs.

I am not saying that this new gear is bad or wrong to have onboard, but that you may be focusing on the wrong questions before you go. For example, anchoring success is not guaranteed if you simply purchase the latest anchor design, electric windlass, and new type of anchor rode. Easily 95% of anchoring success is due to skill, with 5% due to equipment and dumb luck. Someone like Eric Hiscock could safely sail around the world numerous times with a CQR anchor on the bow because he knew how to use it safely, not because it was a CQR. And yet that particular anchor is condemned by many as worthless. Are we no saying that you can't safely sail with a CQR because it has been supplanted by superior anchors? Of course that statement is ridiculous, but you might not get that impression reading some of the forums.

So, do as I say and not as I do, and please read the blogs with a critical eye, and don't believe that just because everyone is doing something that it is the only way of doing it. 

Florida Anchoring and Mooring Law

A new law is being considered in Florida that could have a huge impact on transient boaters who like to anchor out. I am opposed to this law, as it currently stands, for the following reasons:

1. The law allows cities to create mooring fields (the so-called "pilot" program) that drastically reduce, and quite possibly eliminate, anchoring opportunities in these communities. These mooring fields will probably take up all of the best anchoring room, and the law allows cities to enact ordinances prohibiting anchoring outside the mooring fields. Note that the mooring fields in Ft. Myers Beach and Marathon have essentially eliminated all anchoring except for the shallowest draft boats. This law does not protect access for the public, and in particular transient boaters.
2. The law does say that the laws limiting anchoring around mooring fields must be approved by the FWC with proper input, but that is an awfully vague standard. No limits are placed on these laws. This is a huge loophole through which very onerous laws could be enacted. There should be clear-cut criteria on limiting anchoring: not within so many feet of the moorings might make some sense. But to allow communities to dream up any laws, subject only to the approval or disapproval of the FWC, puts total trust in our lawmakers, and provides no protection for boaters.
In any case, this may be a moot point in many harbors (like Ft. Myers Beach and Marathon). If the mooring fields cover all of the good anchoring area, there won't be anyplace to anchor.
3. There are miscellaneous disasters in the law waiting to happen. One that jumped out at me is that counties will be allowed to charge boaters up to half of the regular Florida registration fee for the privilege of being in the county. Every county will look at this as a way to pick up revenue by hounding boaters for their fees and probably requiring some sort of sticker to prove that you've paid.
In short, this law does nothing for transient boaters, and probably will also negatively impact Floridians who wish to cruise the state.

The Recession and Cruising

What does the recession mean to cruisers? I've heard tales of cruisers having to return to the U.S. due to dramatic drops in their retirement funds. I suspect that a lot of these folks will stick out the recession outside of the U.S., but they will probably be flocking in greater numbers to the really cheap areas like Mexico or South America. 

Strangely, in the U.S. I have yet to see much impact on prices for boating equipment or dockage. Marinas seem to be mostly full up, but possibly some folks on waiting lists are finally getting their chance for a space. I did detect many fewer cruisers out in New England waters at the beginning of the summer, but things seemed to pick up towards the fall. 

To compensate for somewhat fewer boaters marine businesses seem to be raising prices to keep profits up. The hardcore, dedicated boaters will still stick with the sport as long as feasible, so maybe prices can be jacked up to compensate for reduced demand, but eventually I think we should begin to see some price drops on dockage and moorings. For example, I noticed mid-week specials in some marinas last summer, something I don't ever recall seeing before in July. 

The current drop in fuel prices may delay some folks getting rid of their gas guzzling powerboats, but obviously there will be another dramatic rise in price if the economy ever picks up again. If you've got some free cash, this might be an ideal time to look for that more fuel-efficient boat, or that sailboat of your dreams. Published prices haven't come down that much, but anecdotal evidence indicates owners are willing to deal. Today I saw a craigslist.com (the best free classifieds for smaller local boats) ad that was begging someone to buy his boat, "Please!" 

My read of the economic tea leaves is that the economy is only going to get worse before it gets better, so I suspect it will be a buyers market right through 2009. The best bargain in cruising right now might just be the U.S. With fuel prices relatively low, the possibility of economic stagnation keeping prices on marinas and food low for awhile, and less crowding on the water will all mean good cruising times. Couple that with the relative safety and lack of crime in the U.S., and we've got it pretty good right here. A U.S. cruise could easily be spiced up with a trip to Canada, the Bahamas, or Alaska without leaving behind most of the advantages of a domestic trip.

Where Have All the Boaters Gone?

No, it wasn't deserted out there this summer, but there are definite signs that the combination of high fuel prices and a collapsing economy have dampened the spirits of cruising boaters. 

We were in Cuttyhunk harbor for the July 4th celebration and there were many empty slips in the marina along with a special discount for mid-week stays--something I can't recall seeing before in crowded New England. We anchored out in the pond as usual, and generally there was plenty of space except for the occasional boater who anchored too close out of inexperience.

All the talk on the docks and the waterfront was about fuel prices, how to save fuel, and where to go close to home. There is even talk amongst powerboaters about switching to sail, something I haven't heard since the Jimmy Carter era. Of course most sailors, me included, motor a lot, but sailboats tend to be rather efficient motorboats when they have to be. Our motorsailor burns around 1 gallon per hour doing six knots, and with a 115 gallon tank that gives us a theoretical range of about 690 miles. If we throttle back to five knots fuel consumption goes way down and our range goes way up. See my article in the October issue of Ocean Navigator magazine for more details.

Range is becoming more important as we are beginning to see an era where there may be fuel shortages. Shortages may result not only from a dearth of the product on the market, but from fewer marinas selling diesel as the market shrinks (less boats going shorter distances), environmental regulations change, and some marine businesses failing. Also, a long range lets you plan your fuel stops for where it is cheapest. In addition, I think jugging fuel from land stations may become more and more necessary, in order to save money or to obtain the necessary stuff. One bright thought, even with $5 per gallon diesel, we could motor the entire ICW from Norfolk to Miami (1090 land miles) for less than $800, which is not an outrageous amount of money.

Equipping Yourself for Cruising

We all read lots of articles about how to best equip our boats for the rigors of the cruising environment. This is important stuff: communications gear, sails, safety equipment, clothing, etc. But what about preparing the most important things aboard: you and the crew?

Along with the check lists of spare parts and new equipment, it is even more important to understand and prepare your mind and body for what can be a very challenging experience. Here is a list of five things to do that are critical to an enjoyable voyage over the horizon: 

1. Learn to fix stuff! I have spoken to many people who have abandoned the cruising dream, and they almost always say it was the breakdowns that did them in. We all joke about fixing our boats in exotic places around the world, but it is literally true. Not a boat arrives in port after a trip of any length without at least some important things on the "to do" list. Boats are not cars. Even production boats differ greatly from unit to unit, and cruising boats soon become modified extensively. There are no shop manuals to go by. There are no standard parts lists. No chains of cheap repair shops. Each repair is a custom job.

You can't simply bring a boat into the shop for a quick fix, no matter where you are cruising and how much money you have. The reality is that you will be at least overseeing repairs, even when there is a shop to bring the boat to. In much of the cruising world there are no shops. You might be hard pressed to find a fuel dock, let alone a repair dock.

In addition to all the spare parts you can carry, you need to be prepared to install the parts. That means bringing the proper tools, knowing how to use them, and understanding the concepts that determine how things work.

How do you acquire this do-it-yourself mentality? I strongly urge anyone contemplating cruising to spend at least several years with your boat prior to taking anything more than a local cruising trip. It is a lot easier to learn these skills if you do it within reach of the Internet, parts stores, and repair shops. Even brand new boats will go through lots of teething troubles. Don't just bring it to the dealer and say fix it. Study the parts, figure out why they don't work, analyze what tools you would need to do the repair yourself, buy the manuals or books you might need, and try to watch over the repair job if someone else is doing the work.

I've never purchased a new boat--in fact every boat I've owned was very old and I needed to fix a lot of stuff. This was great training for cruising. Working your way up from smaller to bigger boats, repairing everything along the way, is perfect practice for the time when you can take off. Tackle every job you can carry tools for onboard--you'll be doing that when you're out cruising. This will likely include repairing sail tears (do you have sail thread, a sewing palm, and replacement sail slides?), replacing rigging (do you have bolt cutters and spare rigging terminals?), rebuilding your alternator (do you have at least one spare alternator and a set of diodes?), fixing a crack in the hull or keel (underwater epoxy?), troubleshooting wiring (spare fuses, wires, bulbs, crimping tool?), fixing your freshwater pump (rebuild kit, spare pump, extra hose clamps?), rebuilding your head (toilet repair kit, or two?). The list is endless.

In general, the rule is if you can't fix it onboard, you must have at least one complete spare. Some things are beyond the skills of all but the most proficient skippers: electronic repairs and fuel injection pumps come to mind. I look at sails as a back up if my engine fails, and most of the sail system is repairable onboard. However, if the GPS goes out there is little I can do, so I carry at least three units, all different so I can't be tripped up by a single Achilles heel.

2. Learn to work with the weather, not against it. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Yet, all too often I see new cruisers set out with a landlubbers mentality toward weather. On land we watch the report on TV and then head out based on a prediction of what the next few hours will be like.

Yes, we have wonderful prediction tools and communications technology onboard to transmit this information, but when cruising you are dealing with periods of days, weeks, or months. All the technology in the world won't save you if you fight the seasons. You have to go with the flow. Heading out unnecessarily into rough conditions has often lead to the final straw that broke the rigging, strained the engine mounts, or banged the crew's head. I don't care how big and strong your boat is, it won't be pleasant out there in bad conditions and there will be extra wear and tear on the boat and crew.

Lack of this skill is probably the number two reason why some give up cruising. I have frequently talked to different folks on different boats, after making the same passage, and their tales of the trip are sometimes diametrically opposed. One boat talks about the wonderful passage and the other talks about sleeping on the floor so they wouldn't be thrown from their bunks. The difference in arrival time is often only a matter of a few days, sometimes just a few hours. 

One boat left when the tide was with the wind, flattening the seas, while the other left with wind against the current building up a rough chop. Or maybe one boat left before dawn to catch the morning light air while the others slept in and dealt with the afternoon blow. Or on passage, one boat sailed across the Gulf Stream fast in order to get out of the maximum current before the big winds arrived, while the other boat smashed along in the Stream making great time but hanging on for dear life.

Sometimes this means changing your destination in the middle of a trip--if the wind and weather make it too hard to get there, go somewhere else. The best trips are the ones that were the most flexible. Bad weather, spend an extra day in port. Unfavorable current, wait until dawn to enter. Change in the wind, head to another port. Cruising that is about getting to points A, B, and C on schedule are almost always fraught with tension and frequently calamity. I'm sorry, but if you are on a strict schedule you aren't cruising. You might get away with following a schedule for awhile, but it just doesn't work in the long run.

You can tell the "real" cruisers. They're talking in terms of seasons, not dates. "We'll be at the Canal before the rainy season." "We're moving north before hurricane season." Very simple tools to get in this mindset are readily available and highly accurate, yet are dismissed by many. Pilot charts for every cruising area provide historical averages of the wind and weather that can be expected in every season. Go with these averages, based on observations since the 19th century, and you will have solved most of your weather prediction problems. Start with the pilot chart for your seasonal planning and only use weather forecasts for your final departure planning. In other words, don't try to sail around the Caribbean during hurricane season or cross the North Atlantic in November. You just won't win those games.

3. Live and let live. I'm serious. Without the right attitude towards this life you won't have fun. If you are the controlling, type A personality, who demands perfection and expects everyone to hop to, you simply won't like cruising. Oh sure, some driven folks like this are out there, but they are generally miserable and making everyone miserable around them. They may last a year or two, but they usually retreat to land where they can control their environment. Items one and two above illustrate how you have to go with the flow or you won't really get anywhere.

When cruising you are at the whim of nature and entropy--the weather changes, and stuff breaks down. That's just the way it is and always will be, no matter what technology or strategy you employ. For one thing, unless you stay awfully close to home, you will be encountering people and environments that are new and different. That is why we go cruising. It might be possible to simply pass from harbor to harbor, never going ashore, but you will still have to deal with local officials, new weather patterns, and political whirlwinds you probably have no control over.

If you don't like people at home because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, their religion, their customs, or the way they do business, you will be really upset when you go cruising. These folks will be coming on your boat to check your passports, selling you food in the market, telling you where to anchor or not anchor, and telling you what their local laws allow and don't allow. 

You will have to change your travel plans to avoid dangerous areas, or to include areas that people are talking about. This can be upsetting to the most easy going person, and if you are not easy going you will be in constant anger at the unpleasantness of it all. And, you cant go around telling everyone how they should be doing things. I loved a bumper sticker I used to see in South Carolina. It said, "Don't tell me how you did it up north." Southerners are proud of the way they do things and I can guarantee you it is the same around the world.

That is not to say you can't help people out when they need it. We always have various small presents onboard for the myriad children you will encounter. Kids everywhere are curious and more open to new things. They may ask to come aboard when their parents remain aloof. Or you might wake up one morning to knocking on the hull by a canoe load of children. Invite them aboard, learn from them, tell them about your home, ask them about their homes. If you are in poor areas you will find that the needs are certainly larger than any gifts you can provide, but small tokens can bridge big divides.

We found that once you've broken ice with the children you will probably soon break ice with the parents. My daughter, Heather, gave a small stuffed animal to a young girl in a canoe. Weeks later we were on an island in the area and a whole gaggle of kids ran up and surrounded us. They had heard of the generous gift and wanted to meet us. Soon the father of the girl insisted we come to his home to meet his family. He proceeded to get us drinking coconuts and we all chatted as best we could.

You have to be open to this type of cultural exchange and unexpected event or you will not enjoy cruising. You can't be rigid in your habits or your plans. Are you a strict vegetarian? You might have a tough time eating in a lot of places. Many areas of the world do not grow or import the wide variety of vegetables we are used to in North America. In the San Blas Islands of Panama we found almost no vegetables available in many stores. You will be invited into homes and asked to join in meals that will include some meat, and people won't understand if you refuse.

Do you always go running each morning? There are lots of places you simply can't do it. I remember going dizzy watching someone run around and around a tiny island that was the only possible place to run for miles. He managed, but there were many other lovely anchorages where this wasn't possible.

Do you have to stay in touch with someone on a regular basis? It might not be possible. Yes, there are satphones, email via SSB and Ham radio, and even satellite Internet, but none of these systems are as fast or as reliable as what we have on land. I can guarantee you that they will fail at some point, and if you absolutely have to reach your stockbroker that will be the day everything breaks down.

On the other hand, the person who delights in seeing and experiencing people and places that are different will be constantly entertained. You need to laugh when the restaurants don't open until after dark. You have to be prepared to do without your accustomed cocktail. You have to delight in seeing someone of a different color wearing different clothes running things differently than you've ever seen before. If you don't like things different, stay at home.

4. Learn about the places you are going. Again, this sounds silly to some, but it is not at all obvious to others. There are modern cruisers who arrive in harbors, fire up the generator, close the hatches, and put on another video, while nearby there are pyramids to explore, different foods to experience, museums to visit, and scenery that you will never see anywhere else.

You need to educate yourself about what there is to see. Buy every guide to the country you can get your hands on, and not just the cruising guides. The tourist publications will alert you to many things that are not in the boating books. This includes studying the local languages, art, music, film, literature, etc. You will find that there are no better stores to buy this stuff than you will find at home. Keep in mind that even if you do find a bookstore in a new area the chances are they won't have books in your native language.

And, studying and learning new languages is extremely helpful too. English is very widely spoken and understood almost everywhere, at least to some extant, but you can gain a lot more if you also know the local language. At the very least you should learn a few simple phrases that can go a long way towards breaking the ice. "Please," "thank you," and "good morning" will work wonders to get by that ornery customs official. Language skills are also necessary when you are inevitably hunting down that part or welding shop, as you will be doing everywhere.

In addition to guidebooks to the area I like to purchase land and road maps so I can find my way around. Every cruising boat should carry a detailed world atlas. Road maps are an exception to the purchase-at-home rule. Often there are local maps that are much better than something you can find at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Even if I can't talk or understand the local language I can usually point out something on a map and get some directions.

Similarly, visual aids are a great way to find historic places or even outboard motor parts--show someone a picture of something and they get the 1000-word idea. In some cases you will find that local nautical charts are also better. Even if the charts use a different language you can often figure out everything you need to know, as most nautical symbols are universal. There may be local cruising guides too. You can never get too much information about a place you are headed or a place you've just arrived. 

The cruiser's grapevine, often in the form of SSB, Ham, or VHF radio nets, is invaluable for advice. And, you can ask questions! Where is the best fuel? What harbors are dangerous? Where can I get some local cash? What are the best harbors? People often ask us if we were worried about security. The boater's grapevine provided security information faster than any news or government service--frequently in real time. When someone up ahead encounters a poorly marked channel they warn everyone behind. When a boat is robbed the whole harbor finds out the next day and takes action. If someone is lost they call for help and several people respond with advice based on their own observations made recently.

Of course the Internet is both a great source of information and a way to get horribly mislead. It is possible to get great information and advice on a country, or to be turned off by one person's bad experience broadcast on some Internet forum. This is no different than what you will hear on the radio, but somehow it carries more weight being in print and on your computer screen. We have seen particular harbors panned that we thought were great, and other harbors praised that we didn't care for. Customs officials routinely come in for criticism, yet your own experience may vary by quite a bit. 

The Internet gives a disgruntled person a wide audience, but it doesn't necessarily provide the context to fully understand a situation. My best advice is to consult as wide a variety of sources as possible. I read Fromer's travel guides, magazines, and cruising guides. I search the Internet, chat on forums, and listen in to the radio nets. Often the best advice comes from someone you know and trust who has been there ahead of you.

5. Be adventurous. Can you train yourself to be adventurous? Yes! Let's say you've got two islands up ahead and you only have time to visit one. Choose the one where you don't know the language. You can always head north to sit out hurricane season, but why not head south instead? Get below 10 degrees latitude in the Caribbean and you're guaranteed a hurricane-free season. Everyone is headed to Barbecue Island--why not head for Isolation Cove instead?

When planning where to go and what to do you need to question every step of the way. Deliberately choose to go against the grain, with the proper planning, from time to time. One problem with all the information we've gathered in item four above is that there is a vast and well-charted conventional wisdom out there. Boaters travel in herds from one favorite haunt to another. This is both good and bad. You can get your fix of cruising friends in the popular harbor, but then you know that if someplace is not well described there will be nobody there.

Some folks go so far as to recommend using the coastal pilots, which often describe harbors of mostly commercial interest, though I have found them of somewhat limited use. In general, purely commercial harbors are dirty, busy, more prone to crime, and often lack interesting and safe things to do ashore. The bottoms of commercial harbors are usually filthy and covered with debris waiting to snag your anchor.

There are exceptions that are worth visiting. New York harbor is intensely industrial, with every negative factor briefly outlined above, but it is also one of the most thrilling places to visit by boat. You will never forget passing by the Statue of Liberty or under the Brooklyn Bridge and up the East River through Hell's Gate. Keep in mind that in this day of heightened terrorist warnings you may find yourself not welcome around commercial places like oil and gas terminals, or freight docks. Commercial harbors will often have traffic control systems that must be followed.

Don't just take the conventional wisdom as your guide. Charts often indicate interesting islands that have no description in the guidebooks. There may be offshore reefs that can be approached safely in calm weather where you can anchor and swim with no land in sight. We have dropped the hook in the Bahamas on offshore banks with no land in sight except for the bottom, seen through 20 feet of crystal clear water.

Being adventurous does not mean being foolhardy or taking unnecessary risks. It means trying things that deliberately get you out of your comfort zone so hopefully you can find a new, expanded comfort zone. Leave harbor before dawn. Maybe sail overnight just for the pleasure of the overnight passage. One of my favorite things is to be out on the ocean with a full moon illuminating the night--weather permitting and well charted hazards all under control.

It doesn't mean ignoring the warnings of local crime problems or diseases. It does mean dodging around the crime-ridden, pestilent harbor to get to the beautiful cove that is infrequently visited.

Being adventurous also means going it alone at times and not just following the herd. Several times I have sat at anchor in Florida, waiting for the proper weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. This is not a trivial matter. The Gulf Stream can get very nasty and dangerous when a strong north wind opposes the northerly current--boats are lost every year trying to fight the stream. However, a group think soon develops in the harbor. Everyone talks about weather, and certain gurus soon take over the bulk of the analysis.

Many grow to depend on the weather prognostications of the few, and finally, hopefully, the day comes when boat A says it is time to go. Everyone goes. Of course, boat A may travel slower or faster than boat B, may have a better or worse motion, or may be able to motor better or worse in calm winds. Other times, the boats don't leave for weeks. Every day has some possible weather scenario that might not be right for one of the boats in the fleet. The weather gurus become more and more cautious as more and more people depend on them to get it right. Some people have sat like this for months waiting for the day. The right weather for one is not the right weather for all. Don't let the group make your decisions for you. Be adventurous.

Go With the Flow

Having spent most of the last two years cruising around the Caribbean, I get a lot of questions from folks about proposed routes and schedules. Unfortunately, a lot of the time I have to shoot down others' ideas on this subject, because winds, currents, and seasons just won't cooperate. 

It may be that someone is on the coast of Venezuela and they get the idea they want to return to Florida by the shortest route, in the middle of the winter (you know who you are!). This just isn't a good idea. Winter winds and seas between Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, and Cuba are just brutal--I'm talking about 30+ knots and 15+ foot seas. That's not my idea of cruising. You might be able to wait and wait and eventually get weather windows, but you might not. It is just not worth it fighting the elements like that. 

On our way south, we were late leaving Florida (May) and had to push south towards Panama quickly in order to beat the start of the hurricane season. As it was, we had a long, slow slog to windward, fighting the Caribbean Current half the way, with thunderstorms harassing us constantly. I would never do that again. The season's first tropical depression formed just after passing over us as a tropical wave--we were lucky to not have worse. 

The best voyaging advice I can give is to buy an old book like a '60s or '70's version of Hart and Stone's Cruising Guide to the Caribbean, written prior to everyone having GPS, SSB, and powerful engines. The winds and currents haven't changed and their advice is the best I've found. Back that up with a full set of pilot charts for the area you're in and don't try to micromanage your weather by squeaking between systems and going against the odds. Have fun!