Will crime reports keep you from

Will crime reports keep you from cruising in certain places?

( ) Yes- why risk it?
( ) No- crime can happen anywhere
( ) Maybe...

Sept. 20, 2007 - Issue 60

Welcome to Cruising Compass, your weekly fix of news, notes and tips for cruisers and sailors.

New to Cruising Compass? Check out all of the archives in the scroll-down menu on the right-hand side of the page and see what you've been missing!

And as always, we love receiving your cruising news and photos. Have something to share? Send it to comments@cruisingcompass.com

Cruising Shot of the Week

Thanks to Ken Nelson, who sent in this week's cruising shot!

"Here's a picture of the beautiful anchorage at the South Benjamin Islands in Lake Huron's North Channel from our summer cruise in a 38-foot Hunter. Great sailing and wonderful scenery."

Show off where you've been! Send your cool cruising shot to comments@cruisingcompass.com for a chance to be featured as the Cruising Shot of the Week!

Dock Talk

They’re off!

Major racing action took place this week with the start of the 07-08 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia 2007, also known as the Mini Transat.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race features 10 identical 68-foot racers, each with a non-professional crew who have signed up to do the entire race, or just a leg. The boats headed out of Liverpool, England, on September 16th and made their way across the English Channel to the first stopover in La Rochelle, France. From here they will head across the Atlantic to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. The crews of the Clipper boats are a multinational bunch representing 27 nations. No previous sailing experience is necessary, and each crew receives thorough training. Follow the race at http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

After a 2-day delay for bad weather, the Mini Transat left La Rochelle on September 19. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this unique, singlehanded event. Unique due to the fact that the fleet of 84 boats are Minis, which are 21-foot, Open-class race boats. The fleet, which includes nine female skippers, will have a stopover on the Portuguese island of Madeira and then head off for Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. You can follow this exciting race at http://www.transat650.org/en/.

Cast your vote

If you are a member of US Sailing, consider participating in their annual election of the Board of Directors. Last year was the first time that members were able to vote directly for the board candidates. US Sailing would like to increase the voter turnout, thereby building ownership in the organization and selecting the best people to lead the sport in the United States. The online poll is open now through October 19th. To cast your vote or learn more, visit www.ussailing.org/BOD/election/default.aspx

Sail Vicarious!

If you would love to sail around the world, but plans to do so aren’t in your immediate future, now you have a chance to sail vicariously through a couple from North Carolina. Spencer and Kathleen were dismayed with the lack of DVDs about cruising, so they decided to make one (actually an entire series). Volume 1 follows them through research, the boat selection process, refit and a shakedown cruise. Their boat, a Fisher 37, is aptly named Vicarious, and they plan to show viewers what it is really like to sail around the world—the good and not-so-good parts. Check it out at http://www.sailvicarious.com/. They also keep an updated blog and photo gallery on the site.

20% off Horizon Charters for Nov 1 - Dec 17 plus Free Cocktails

Come enjoy Horizon Yacht Charters in Grenada—located at True Blue Bay Resort & Marina on the delightful south coast of the Spice Island, the perfect place to start your Grenadines charter in style and comfort. And for a limited time, enjoy chartering in Grenada and the Grenadines at a 20% discount. Mention you are a reader of Blue Water Sailing magazine and Cruising Compass and get a round of cocktails on the house at the Dodgy Dock Bar, True Blue Bay Resort & Marina when you arrive.

E-mail us at horizonyachts@spiceisle.com for charter availability or check out our website at http://www.horizonyachtcharters.com/

Cool Things to Do

Adventures in the Caribbean

Earn your advanced American Sailing Association (ASA) qualifications while sailing through the Caribbean with Modern Sailing Academy’s John Connelly. This trip will be aboard a Dufour GibSea 51 and will wind through St. Lucia, Martinique, the Grenadines and more. Leg one is from December 11 – 21, and leg two is from December 24 – January 3. For more info about this and other Adventure Sailing classes, visit http://www.modernsailing.com/

US Sailboat Show

If you love sailboats, make a plan to attend the largest all-sailboat show in the U.S. in Annapolis, Md., October 4 – 8. This huge show features hundreds of booths, boats and seminars and is truly a must-see. Check it out at www.usboat.com/us_sailboat_show.html

While at the show, say hello to the Blue Water Sailing crew at booth R4!

Trawler Fest

If trawlers are more your thing, then check out Trawler Fest, going on next week (September 27 – 29) in Solomons, Md. Here you will be able to see many different trawlers and meet vendors and trawler owners too. Learn more at http://www.trawlerfest.com/

Life raft demonstrations could save your life

Last year many boaters used their life rafts because they encountered partly submerged items or had to deal with a fire. If you've never seen your life raft then you should call Life Raft and Survival Equipment (LRSE) for a product demonstration. We offer the opportunity for you to learn how to operate your life raft before you need it. If you are interested in a complimentary demonstration prior to us servicing your life raft, call LRSE at 401-683-0307. Since you need to service it anyway, now is the perfect time to learn how to use it. http://www.lrse.com/.

Boat Rat's Tip of the Week

Cool new bags for sailors

The old sailor’s duffel bag is still nearly the best way to carry your personal gear on and off a boat since the duffel can be collapsed and stowed away easily when your clothes have been put away in your cabin’s drawers and lockers. But keeping your clothes dry and, in particular, keeping your cell phone, portable GPS and laptop computer dry is another matter. Most duffels and backpacks simply aren’t waterproof.

Here’s a solution we came across lately from the folks at Ocean Racing. They have developed a series of useful bags that are built to keep the water out and keep your stuff dry no matter how wet your dinghy ride to the boat may be. All of the bags are built out of UV-resistant, polyurethane impregnated nylon fabric and have welded panels and stitching and taped seams.

The Offshore Duffel bag measures 24 by 14 by 12 inches and has a large central compartment for your foul weather gear, sea boots and sou’wester rain hat. At each end, mesh webbing pockets are built in for wet gear and inside there are zipper pockets for valuables. The bag seals with a roll of cloth at the top and then is clipped shut. Water can’t get in.

The Offshore Backpack may be even more useful since it has a waterproof laptop computer compartment that is both padded and can be completely sealed. The backpack measures 19 by 14 by 12 inches and has enough volume for clothes, laptop and sailing gear. The padded shoulder straps will be easy on your back and the backpack also has a large carrying handle. This is an attractive piece of boat gear—dark blue and black—so you will want to use it all the time.

The One Design Duffle is smaller than the Offshore duffle and intended for day trips or day races. It measures 23 by 10 by 10 inches and has the same roll top as the larger bag.

These bags are very well built and will last a long time even with regular use. Also, they are a bit on the pricy side, but you get what you par for. For more information log on to their website at http://www.oceanracing.com/

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Cruising Community

From Rob Rafson regarding last week’s Boat Rat’s Tip of the Week:

“While I agree that chafe gear is extremely important, I’m not sure that plastic tubing is the right choice. The problem with plastic tubing is that the nylon stretches causing heat; leather will allow heat to dissipate while the tubing will hold the heat in. This can cause the nylon to lose strength and fail. I guess it’s damned if you do damned if you don’t.

On our boat we have a limited amount of distance from the chalk to the lead off the boat, limiting the length of chafe protection needed.”

Peace and Quiet

Definitely one of the best parts of cruising! Here is another shot of South Benjamin Islands from this week's cruising shot photographer, Ken Nelson.

VNS 9—Nobeltec's all-in-one navigation solution

Visual Navigation Suite (VNS) 9, the world’s most popular navigation software, adds GRIB weather support, a hand panning tool, one NavInfo panel for easy display of important data, strip charts (a histogram for quick analysis of incoming data), and a GPS/Trip Navbar to monitor GPS signal strength and track distance traveled.

VNS also comes with 3D Navigator and the newest version of Tides & Currents 3.5 software, updated for the 2007 Daylight Saving Change. When integrated with VNS, tides & tidal currents can be viewed right on top of charts. Visit http://nobeltec.com/products/prod_suite.asp to learn more about the latest release of Version 9.1.

For the Hungry Crew...

What could be better than a big bowl of chili to warm you up after a brisk sail? This recipe may not be the meaty chili that you are used to, but it’s a delicious, staisfying and healthy cruising meal. Feel free to substitute different types of beans and use whatever veggies you have. You can also easily stretch this by serving it on top of rice or pasta.

Veggie chili

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water, divided
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add 3 cups water and next 8 ingredients (through cannellini beans), stirring to combine.

Combine remaining cup of water and tomato paste in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir tomato paste mixture into bean mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cheese, if desired.

Website of the Week

Panbo

In the market for some cool new electronic gadgets for your boat? Get the real scoop on Panbo! Panbo is the name of a marine electronics blog by Ben Ellison, who has been on and around boats in Camden, Maine, for more than 30 years. Researching and writing about marine electronics is his full-time job, and his blog is loaded with cool information. There are archives on the site back to February 2004, as well. Check it out at http://www.panbo.com/

Boat of the Week

LaFitte 44 Cutter

Hard to find heavy cruising cutter by Bob Perry. This 44-footer has had great maintenance and has spent most of its life cruising New England. Recent sails and loaded with “Blue Water” gear she is ready to do a circumnavigation. Call Bob Leslie, CPYB at Northrop and Johnson, 978-921-6600 or bob@njyachting.com

Mindbender

Clouds that tell a story

You are in the Northern Hemisphere and have had lovely weather, westerly winds and fluffy white clouds for three days in a row. Today, you notice high cirrus clouds streaming in from the southwest. What are the clouds telling you? What is probably going to happen?

Send your answers to comments@cruisingcompass.com. A winner, who will receive a Blue Water Sailing hat, will be selected at random from all of the correct answers.

Congrats to Rocky Bucci, who will be receiving a cool new BWS hat for his solution for storing extra anchor chain:

“Install a 4” PVC pipe leading from the chain locker to the bilge (further aft and deeper). Stow the excess chain aft. It'll be a hassle returning it to the aft stowage but, as you said it won't be used often.”

Cruising Compass
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Blue Water Sailing, LLC
http://www.bwsailing.com/

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