SavvySalt

Cruising Maine :)

Watch this story by TJ on Instagram before it disappears. 286 Followers, 148 Following, 127 Posts

See the comments for the details of the washing machine...

Remember the forecast for 50 foot waves? The NOAA buoy located about 125 miles east of Cape Hatteras came really close. That buoy recorded 44.5 seas and 85 mph winds early this morning. The eye passed nearly 100 miles east of that buoy, so there were likely higher wave heights.

Footage of the tsunami hitting Midway Atoll! I would not want to be on anchor in that lagoon!!!

Tsunami on midway !! 😱

Looking for HELP figuring out the right gear/technique for going up my mast solo.

Last weekend I went up my mast solo. Only to the spreaders as it was windy and wakey and I only needed to tape up a spreader guard.

I used a climbing harness inside an ATN mastclimber. It was not great. The mastclimber bosun’s chair did not fit right so I had to use it backward (back rest in front).

I really didn’t like the way you ascend using the mastclimber. When you basically stand up to slide up the seat attachment point everything in the seat goes slack and then when you sit back down you are just hoping it all goes back where you need it and doesn’t hurt. Also it’s annoying to have to attach it to the deck pretty sturdily; luckily the tape was only needed on one spreader but it would be great to be able to swing to the other once I was up top instead of having to descend and do it all again.

Ascending with the mastclimber hardware with just the climbing harness felt better. But without the bosun’s chair it’s implausible to spend much time aloft. And although the climbing harness moves a lot less when it’s slack it only takes a small bit of shift in a climbing harness to sit on the family jewels which is no bueno.

So I did a bunch of research. So far of all the things I’ve seen this is my favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKsz6RB0R4M

I did a little experiment and even without blocks (so lots of friction) and 3-to-1 is pretty easy to haul myself up 5’ (I was experimenting with a 15’ length of line so that was the limit). Less effort, less banging around (both legs free to control my position) and definitely felt safer.

I am thinking I should get a dedicated line from a climbing store for my block and tackle system but I don’t know anything about climbing lines so I’d love any help there. I am also definitely getting some gloves.

I am not sure if I should try to find a more comfortable climbing harness or if I should figure out a better bosun’s chair. What do you use that you like? What do you recommend?

Any and all suggestions welcome and appreciated!

Climb Sailboat Mast Easy How to easily climb up a sailboat mast on your own, solo.Sailing stories at sailing.fgood.org

My first singlehanded cruise on my Bristol 45.5. Focused mostly on the how-to (or really the how I) of the singlehanded sailing

Video: My First Singlehanded Cruise My first singlehanded cruise on my Bristol 45.5. Focused mostly on the how-to of the singlehanded sailing

Helene is headed right at this buoy. I think it will spend some time in the eye...



https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42036

Ughh. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this the next time I consider a dip offshore...

Tourist dies after losing her leg in shark attack while sailing off Canary Islands The German tourist was sailing in a British catamaran in the Atlantic when the shark struck.

This is a new hazard to navigation near the St Pete pier

(: indeed!

While checking the deck before the second sunset of the the sail I felt… clumsy. I made a mental note to research whether sleep deprivation leads to diminished coordination...

Lessons from my First Singlehanded Sail Requiring Sleep While checking the deck before the second sunset of the the sail I felt… clumsy. I made a mental note to research whether sleep deprivation leads to diminished coordination