Dr. Stanley Paris & Kiwi Spirit II

Squalls at sea consist of sudden down pours of torrential rain associated with strong, fresh leading winds and even stronger winds of up to 30 or even 50 knots (35- 56 mph) once the squall hits. They can be seen approaching during the day as their ominous darkness and pelting rain changes the seascape. But at night, when you are sleeping, there is no such warning. Suddenly they strike, the boat heels over a few degrees with the first winds, and then a few seconds later the s

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and thank you for following me - the numbers are surprisingly quite high! My son had packed a small Christmas tree on board and I had some presents in a stocking. At the last minute I had to email my son with instructions to buy a Christmas present for my wife, Catherine. In my focus to get away, provisions, spares, charts, details and more details, I had been so on the project that I forgot to provide thoughts concerning Christmas. Sham

One of the worst events on a sailboat is known as an accidental gybe. This is where in the boat, sailing nearly downwind with sails including the main and its supporting boom out to the one side, gets hit by a wind shift, causing failure of the helmsman or the autopilot to be able to maintain a course. This may "accidentally" turn the boat such, as so the wind now comes on the other side of the main and it’s boom, resulting in the boom slamming across with great velocity, and

Not so many years ago, yachting was principally a wealthy gentleman’s activity. They would dress in their sartorial, elegant white pants, striped jacket and cap, and sail off with the wind abeam or from behind. Not to the weather, for if they did the latter they would be crashing into waves with seas coming aboard and they would be doused, thus destroying any appearance of proper dress and elegance. So gentlemen did not sail to weather. This sailor has no choice. For the past

Today, as I round the north east corner of Brazil and prepare to head south to cross the equator, just two hundred miles away from entering the South Atlantic, I am aware that all of the great navigators of history have passed this way. I have already crossed the path of Columbus, as he journeyed to San Salvador thinking he was in India - hence the West Indies. But now I am crossing the paths of the circumnavigators – Magellan, the first to circumnavigate, although he persona

While I have crossed oceans before and circumnavigated without the assistance of a shore-based team, an undertaking of this magnitude, on this yacht requires a shore-based team. In this blog, I would like to acknowledge them and their roles. First, there is Farr Yacht Design and its president, Patrick Shaughnessy. They designed the boat, the hydraulic keel system and a number of other items that might require some expert advice should they malfunction. Next are the builders o

Yes, it is day 16 since leaving St. Augustine to set a new record as first to circumnavigate from St. Augustine, but day ten of challenging the record set by Dodge Morgan from Bermuda and back non-stop and non-assisted. I got off to a slow start with a weak weather system gaining only 105, 104 and 122 miles on the first three days, whereas Dodge had recorded 175, 175 and 184. He was clearly ahead. But in the last three days I have recorded 212, 217, and 236 miles, whereas Dod

This blog is for sailors, but might be of interest to others. At 4:30 am the winds freshened to 24-26 knots and I prepared to bring in the genoa and put out the jib and then take a first reef in the main. When furling the genoa, the furling line parted at the furling drum. How to get it furled now? Dropping the huge genoa to the deck and placing it below did not seem like a good option in the dark and with those winds - my being alone - not safe. Here is what I did. I tacked

At long last I am getting good winds and have begun to head SE. This morning the wind has been from the SSW at between 17 and 23 knots (about 19 to 25 mph). Seas are heavy. I reduced the sails from big genoa to jib and took the first of three possible reefs in the main. Did not lose any speed, but boat sailed more upright and much more comfortable, proving I had been over powered. From noon yesterday to noon today I have covered 252 miles - a record for the trip thus far. Dod

The past two and a half days have been very disappointing. My average speed is only 4.42 knots and not all of those miles in the right direction. Yesterday for two hours there was a breath of wind. I dropped sails as the slamming and banging of windless sails and halyards was intense and potentially damaging to the gear. But now some wind. The ghost of Dodge Morgan is at 523 miles and I am at 315 miles, and for the first time gaining on him. Cold meals last night, refrigerato