07 Friday Jan 2022
Posted in Navigation, Planning, Provisioning, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Voyaging
Once we got the FlexOFold prop dialed in I finally managed some time to take the Far Reach out on a four days cruise. We motored down the ICW from the Neuse River to Beaufort NC–about 28 miles. The engine worked perfectly. Then we beat out the inlet 8 miles to the Bight at the Cape Lookout Seashore.
Continue reading13 Tuesday Aug 2019
Posted in Equipment, Modifications, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Upgrades
Tags
Blue water sailing, Cape Dory sailboat, engine free sailing, Engineless Sailing, Lin and Larry Pardey, sailboat restoration, sculling a displacement sailboat, Sculling oar
During the six year rebuild of the Far Reach I decided to remove and sell the original Perkins 4-108 50 hp diesel engine (you can read more about the decision process to ditch the engine here). We initially relied on a sculling oar to propel and maneuver the boat for the first year after the launch which included 3,500nm of sailing and a voyage to the Virgin Islands and back to North Carolina.
Continue reading11 Thursday Jul 2019
Posted in Navigation, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging
With a reasonable weather forecast I slipped the mooring in Elephant Bay at 0800 on 10 June and sailed the Far Reach through the mooring field past all my live-aboard friends. I let loose on the conch horn I was given by my friend Ali Baba with as long a wailing trumpet blast as I could manage. With the wind out of the east about 15-20 kts I ran west along the south coast of St Thomas. My phone was buzzing with texts from my friends I had made during my time in the VI wishing me a safe trip home. I had a lump in my throat. While ready to get home I already missed my friends and the wonderful time I had in the Virgin Islands. But I needed to get focused on the voyage that lay before me. Once clear of the west end of St Thomas I turned the Far Reach NW leaving Savannah Island to starboard and then headed out into the Atlantic. In short order I had the whisker pole up and the jib winged out and started what would be days of downwind sailing wing and wing.
Continue reading02 Sunday Jun 2019
Posted in Local Sailing, Modifications, Planning, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Upgrades, Voyaging
The wind in the SW North Atlantic north of the Caribbean remains elusive. I discussed it with Chris Parker of Marine Weather Center last week. Together we came up with three options:
01 Saturday Jun 2019
Posted in Modifications, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging
I was having morning coffee and lounging in the cockpit chatting on the phone with Gayle. I could see the rain coming…a lot of rain. I signed off and sure enough it was a real gullywasher.
27 Monday May 2019
Posted in Navigation, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Voyaging
The day before yesterday the stars were finally back out at dusk. I was able to shoot Sirius and Procyon from the fantail of the Far Reach. I recorded the precise time for each shot.
23 Thursday May 2019
Posted in Modifications, Musings, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging
My good friend Colonel Steve Davis USMC was the first person I ever heard say “the main thing….” He was a terrific leader and had a unique gift for preventing his unit from getting distracted. He never lost sight of the mission and knew how to keep the team focused like a laser-beam.
21 Tuesday May 2019
Posted in Navigation, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized
I learned celestial nav a long long long time ago, as in way before anyone ever heard of satnav. But I was a youngster and never got proficient. And though we don’t have a chart plotter on the Far Reach, I, like most of the modern world, have come to rely on GPS because it’s quick, simple, and accurate. But…using GPS always leaves me feeling…unsatisfied. Like I cheated. It’s just too easy. There is no reward.
01 Wednesday May 2019
Posted in Maintenance, Musings, People, Repairs, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging
Deep into Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific.
It was a sad day to see Gayle fly home. We had a great time together. But the kids have to declare their college selection by 1 May. She needed to assist them with another round of campus visits so they can make a wise choice. So we divided our combat power into two elements, each with missions to accomplish.
25 Thursday Apr 2019
Posted in Boats, People, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging
We had a great cruise. The Far Reach performed wonderfully in a wide variety of conditions.
With fresh provisions on board we slipped the mooring in Elephant Bay, St Thomas on 12 March with only a basic plan—sail towards St John and proceed somewhere from there.
Far Reach Voyages 