Posted in Books/Language, Sailing on Sep 4th, 2010
Many people dream of sailing around the world in a small boat – and many more who have no desire whatever to actually go to sea enjoy the vicarious pleasures of a voyage through other people’s books.
Thankfully this has created a steady demand for books about nautical adventures that run the full spectrum from solo [...]
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Posted in Labrador, Life skills, Sailing on Sep 2nd, 2010
Savouring a small personal achievement.
With good reason, rounding Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America is still regarded as a major accomplishment for any sailor. Storms (one category above mere gales!) can rage for days with waves reaching 80 – 100 feet high. Numerous ships and countless sailors have lost their lives in [...]
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Posted in Labrador, Sailing on Aug 19th, 2010
Every sailor has a destination or a crossing that marks for them both a challenge and, if they make it, an accomplishment. While doing the Yachtmaster course in England two winters ago, it was crossing the English Channel. Now, on my way east to Labrador, it was the 28-mile crossing of the St. Lawrence from [...]
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Posted in Labrador, Sailing, Uncategorized on Aug 16th, 2010
I’m still trying to get over my shock and disappointment to receive a big, new and extra bill from the marina in Rimouski almost two weeks after paying the bill, checking twice that everything was paid and leaving. This extra billing has happened before at the marina (see below) but I’m trying not to let [...]
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Posted in Labrador, Sailing on Jul 17th, 2010
All’s well that ends well, to repeat Shakespeare. After grinding off the paint and some fairing in about 40 patches all over the hull on both sides, the hull was tested with an ultrasound machine to test the thickness of steel. The good news is that there were no problems at all! The less brilliant [...]
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Posted in Labrador, Sailing on Jul 1st, 2010
Just minutes before covering the hull of Kuan Yin with three layers of anti-foul paint (to discourage barnacles and marine growth), I was making a last minute inspection when I discovered a small spot of rust that I hadn’t noticed before. All the other spots I’d ground off and coated with two layers of special [...]
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Posted in Sailing on Jun 22nd, 2010
Another “bulletproof” sailboat of dreams. This Tahitiana was built in 1984 and was listed for sale in Buddina, Queensland, Australia in January 2010. See the photo gallery.
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Posted in Sailing on Jun 2nd, 2010
This is my own boat, bought four years ago, and she is now almost completely refitted and ready for her voyage to Labrador and Ungava Bay. I bought the boat in Penetanguishene, in Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, Ontario, from David Perry, a master sailor and schoolteacher. He’d sailed “Barbarick” (as she was known at [...]
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Posted in Sailing on May 24th, 2010
The sight of a boat under full sail still thrills me. Take a look at this one of Wisp. See the photo gallery.
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Posted in Reportage/Stories, Sailing on May 18th, 2010
Here’s a shocking report on AFP that speaks for itself.:
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Oceans’ Fish Could Disappear in 40 Years: UN
By AFP
May 17, 2010 “AFP” — NEW YORK (AFP) – The world faces [...]
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