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* Sailing training videos – secure a cleat hitch at the dock and on the boat

Posted in Sailing, Videos on Feb 6th, 2010

Constant training and upgrading of skills is one of the ways to improve safety and enjoyment sailing. And there are plenty of places to learn about many aspects of sailing.  Obviously, the best place is out on the water. But often that’s not possible right now, or you want to bone up on something in [...]

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* Sailing training videos – bleeding air from the fuel lines

Posted in Sailing, Videos on Jan 22nd, 2010

Constant training and upgrading of skills is one of the ways to improve safety and enjoyment sailing. And there are plenty of places to learn about many aspects of sailing.  Obviously, the best place is out on the water. But often that’s not possible right now, or you want to bone up on something in [...]

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* Lessons learned – a sailor’s cautionary tale about a very routine passage

Posted in Sailing on Jan 21st, 2010

My sailing friend Brian Lumley, who lives aboard his sailboat “Valcor” year-round in Toronto, Canada, has shared a cautionary tale with me about his last sail of the season.  He was on what he thought was going to be a routine and easy passage from the delightful mooring close to downtown (where I was his [...]

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* Report of the Newhaven RNLI into our mayday incident

Posted in Sailboats, Sailing on Jan 3rd, 2010

(Please note: Explanatory notes are in red.) 13th December 2008. “An 11m (metre) sail training vessel with 7 PoB (persons on board)on a Yachtmaster course had left Eastbourne marina bound for Gosport in the morning (correct time was about 2pm) in what may be considered inappropriate weather conditions (SE 45 – 50 knots)(Winds had been [...]

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* Mayday Mayday Mayday

Posted in Sailboats, Sailing on Jan 3rd, 2010

What probably happened is that we hit something hard as we fell off a big wave – maybe a length of stout timber or a log.  We soon realized there was more water in the boat than had come down the companionway and that it was still coming in. We started bailing and looking for a broken hose [...]

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Achieving Personal Success – Triangle of Fire

Posted in Life Skills on Jan 3rd, 2010

Everyone has different notions of what is success for them – money, more “stuff”, skills, status or contribution, etc. – and I don’t dispute the importance of any of them.  What interests me, and maybe you too, is figuring out, firstly what constitutes success to me personally. And secondly, how to achieve it. I suggest [...]

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* The Joys of Dinghy Sailing and Varnish Work

Posted in Kuan Yin, Sailing on Jan 3rd, 2010

My thanks to sailing buddy Arash for sending me this photo of myself and fellow student Len dinghy sailing in the Toronto Outer Harbour in July.  All of us were members of a White Sails III class (Canadian Yachting Association) taught by Anderson, Alex and Oliver at the fun and very sociable Westwood Sailing Club [...]

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