Yachting Monthly February 2025
Starlink Article
Simple Suspension
This solution has probably been worked out and already adopted by many of the people reading this. I will, however, feature it in case it is helpful to anyone. It is often useful to hang a light, or other kit under the sprayhood or other canvas elsewhere on board. Magnetic hooks are readily available on... Continue Reading →
All the gear, but no idea.
It has always seemed a good idea to catch fish from the yacht, why notā¦ but my previous experiences have been mixed, at best. Over the years, I have spent fortunes on fishing gear but my sporadic efforts at fishing have amounted to little, not that I have actually invested much time or energy in... Continue Reading →
Starlink Enterprise.
For my Atlantic crossings in 2015 and 2016, as recommended, I installed the pricey Iridium Satellite communication system, together with special equipment to compress Emails to try to limit the colossal expense of communicating using Iridium. This was all justified, at the time, so I could keep on top of weather forecasts on passage by... Continue Reading →
173 years…
I have followed our unfulfilled attempts to win the Americaās Cup for most of my life and, for those that donāt know, we originally lost it to the Americans over 173 years ago and we have never won it back. In the meantime, it has been won by the Australians, New Zealanders and even the... Continue Reading →
Last Legs
Having returned to Torquay by train, it was prudent to āsit outā the next day while another weather front passed through. I confess to regrets at maligning Torquay in my last blog because, substantial walks contradicted my previous assessment. Initial impressions were tainted by the semi derelict Pavilion building adjacent to the marina which is... Continue Reading →
Geriatrics
Having returned by train to Plymouth, there was only a modest target for the next 5 days, to transfer Hejira from the oversubscribed, QAB Marina in Plymouth, to the sister MDL Marina in Torquay for another period of āfreeā berthing. It was a pleasure to welcome old friends, Peter Hoade and Jem Vercoe as crew... Continue Reading →
Schlep
As one gets older, inevitably, one accrues more experience and certain niceties fall away in favour of expediencies. So it is with sailing, gone are the days when I am prepared to sail close hauled to windward for hours on end, beating into a lumpy sea, tacking back and forth, barely making any progress, getting... Continue Reading →
Sounds like…
Firstly, I have to say that Richardās contribution to the last blog was rather exaggerated and mostly āout of contextā. I didnāt edit it as this would be rather akin to censorship and we are not in Putinās Russia, so it remains as a tribute to the freedom and integrity of the blog, for what... Continue Reading →
Blue Skye ?
Arriving in Stornoway after lunch on a Sunday proved to be Ā something of a challenge when intending to victual. It is a very pleasant place but closed on a Sunday. We did manage to establish that a basic shop, part of a petrol station on the edge of town, would be open until 4pm so... Continue Reading →