Sometimes we get the opportunity to sit at the hand of the master and hear first hand what is the best way to do something. This is one of those moments.  This episode I read the Appendix of Capt. Voss’ book ’Venturesome Voyages’ and if that leaves you feeling a little less than interested, don’t worry, it’s just because you don’t’ know who Capt. Voss is. I’ve got you covered on that too. If you would like to listen to fantastic stories of sailors in small vessels taking on the ocean in...

Sometimes we get the opportunity to sit at the hand of the master and hear first hand what is the best way to do something. This is one of those moments.  This episode I read the Appendix of Capt. Voss’ book ’Venturesome Voyages’ and if that leaves you feeling a little less than interested, don’t worry, it’s just because you don’t’ know who Capt. Voss is. I’ve got you covered on that too.

Questions and Tangents #14 and this episode we continue down the rabbit hole regarding buying a used race boat. Recap Last time we discussed this I said, ’Don’t do it - unless you REALLY want/ need to do it.’ But as you did it anyway... (which I knew you would...) This time I’m saying- ’Since you can’t take simple advice-;) here’s 2 further hours of things to bear in mind.’ I guess #3 (Owing a Race Boat Long Term) is coming soon...

So, after all your best efforts to prevent a Man Overboard Situation now your crew are in the water, and they are relying solely on you to not only come and find them; but also to do it in heavy seas, high winds and at night.  Shit. Let’s explore the options when all hope appears lost, when only brute strength and the spark of ingenuity may be all you have to get the job done.

We’ve all done it, taken a quick nip onto the foredeck just do ’ that thing’ and suddenly we find ourselves realizing one wrong move and we are toast.  This episode looks to try to reconcile that kind of risk-taking to the garbage can and promote instead a deep instinctual suspicion that the sea does not actually care about you, is in no way impressed or ’wow’d’ by your skill set and will take every opportunity you give it, to wipe you off the deck of you boat if it can and off the face of...

Today is the day of the solar eclipse across North America, the only one that will touch the continent until 2024 (when only three states will experience totality) therefore: Happy Solar Eclipse Day! I thought I would put a few thoughts down relating to the historical and scientific history of solar eclipses to give you Dad’s EVEN more to amaze and thrill your kids with.... as you always do..... Once I push the button on this I am off outside to watch the partial eclipse we will experience...

If you would like to listen to fantastic stories of sailors in small vessels taking on the ocean in the last 150 years, all selected & read by Chris, check out the ’Mariner’s Library’. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mariners-library/id1710666955 If you would like to check out The Mariner Youtube Channel - we have gear reviews, how to videos, seamanship training videos and on the water reports. Remember to dock your finger carefully on the subscribe...

Losing the mast, rudder or even a single hatch cover at sea in heavy weather can be catastrophic, unless you have been playing the ’what if’ game for a while and already have the equipment, procedures and mental capacity developed to deal with the problem, concisely & precisely. If you would like to listen to fantastic stories of sailors in small vessels taking on the ocean in the last 150 years, all selected & read by Chris, check out the ’Mariner’s...

Whenever anyone meets me and hears I am a sailor, the first question is always ’have you been in a big storm?’ Well, the answer unsurprisingly is yes, so here in concert with Keith Colwell’s excellent ’RYA Sea Survival Handbook’, let me lay out some of the ways to avoid becoming a statistic, when the volume on the weather gets cranked to eleven.

This episode we discuss ketches, yawls and schooners as part of the ABC of sailing, and I explore what are the pitfalls and joys of owning and operating such vessels, through the lens of my own experiences, running open ketch expeditions in Asia. If you would like to listen to fantastic stories of sailors in small vessels taking on the ocean in the last 150 years, all selected & read by me, check out the ’Mariner’s Library’...

Another instalment of my review & expansion of the RYA Sea Survival Handbook, by Keith Colwell. This episode I spend an hour just going through all the things to prep onboard, before heavy weather comes in. An hour! As I point out in the podcast- whatever it is that you need to do on your boat is realistically going to take you longer than that, so FYI maybe best to listen in and find out what’s on that preparatory to-do list now, because once the wind starts to blow, it’s already...

This episode I continue this series, following the excellent RYA Sea Survival Handbook, by Keith Colwell. Today we look at interpreting the specifics of incoming weather forecasts & the importance of ’aids to navigation’ in fog. Jeepers... that reads bad, no wonder Robert Redford died in that movie. Look it’s not bad- It’s interesting.. I tell stories & stuff. Honestly, if you like boats - it’s kinda ok If you would like to listen to fantastic stories of sailors in...

This time I answer the one burning question every sailor needs to know the answer to: Is there some way buying an old race boat is a good idea. My take? It can be.... BUT ... like getting a tattoo on your face.. you need to be REALLY certain before you commit. If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by CSM, check out the Mariner’s Library Podcast; available on all podcast...

AI wrote this description. It added the word ’hypothetical’ FYI. Embrace the unexpected as Chris jests about how sailboats can serve as ideal bug-out vehicles, taking on an interesting twist as he discusses fleeing a hypothetical AI-backed zombie apocalypse. Hear his personal accounts of challenging sailing voyages and learn lessons about readiness and continuous vigilance for potential hazards. If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by CSM, check...

This episode dives once more into the seldom-explored realm of life rafts, highlighting the importance of visibility, stability, and utility in survival scenarios. The discussion includes a thorough examination of rescue measures, the practical usage of survival tools, and alternatives to traditional life rafts. This episode also discusses the importance of emotional management amidst rescue operations, underlining the importance of staying composed and making practical decisions for the...

This episode we wrap up our look at surviving in a life raft.  What is plainly apparent from this six episode deep dive on the life raft is that there is LOADS of information to know, to give yourself and your crew mates a decent chance of survival. If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by CSM, check out the Mariner’s Library Podcast; available on all podcast platforms. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mariners-library/id1710666955 If you...

Episode 100 and a new bight-sized (!) format to increase the subjects I can get too and allw me to speak about things that maybe somewhat off topic in a pure sailing show... This week:  1. Did Josh Slocum die when they said he did? 2. Heaving-to in a race boat. 3. Connecting with sailors from history through their accounts. 4. The podcasts numbers get a hearty increase. 5. Sailing boats as bug-out vehicles. If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by...

Water, water everywhere: and not a drop to drink. When there are only a few pints of water to drink in the life raft and no indication of immediate rescue, it is essential for the life raft leader (who is not also necessarily the captain of the lost vessel) to immediately become extremely smart about water usage, water collection and the problems inherent in limiting humans access to water. And all that, BEFORE dehydration robs all of the survivors of the mental and physical capacity to...

This episode we continue our in-depth look at chapter 7 of Keith Colwell’s Sea Survival Handbook, specifically entering a liferaft and the vast amount of actions there are to remember and take to make the most out of the meagre opportunity such a craft offers survivors. If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by CSM, check out the Mariner’s Library Podcast; available on all podcast...

In this episode I continue the ABC of sailing, with the letter J. and ’J is for Jargon’ This time I look at the history, benefits and disadvantages of all the jargon used in sailing and take a look at the entries in the J section of the 1952 volume, ’Mariner’s Dictionary’ that help to underline just how dense, granular and historically-rooted many of the words used in sailing really are, and how nonsensical it is to make language a barrier to teamwork on a vessel at sea. If you would like...

In this episode we discuss Youtube viewer questions relating to: 1. Over rides on winches, how do they happen, how to avoid them and how to deal with them when they appear anways. 2. Operating winches on boats with awkwardly mounted equipment  (Swans!) 3. Finding gloves that keep you warm and dry. (Hint- the answer is NOT gloves!) If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea, selected and read by CSM, check out the Mariner’s Library Podcast; available on all podcast...

Continuing with the lunchtime recording sessions (while my two year old is having his nap (!), this time we are looking at what happens after you have made the decision to leave the vessel due to fire, sinking, collision etc. This begins with getting into the liferaft of course, but quickly escalates into a whole new kind of seamanship, as you and the other people in the raft have to start to work together to get other survivors out of the water, stay alert to external threats that may...

In this episode we continue the brilliant RYA Sea Survival Handbook by Keith Colwell This time we are looking at Abandoning Ship!, words that should drive an icy spear into any good skippers heart! This section of the book will take a few days to cover and I am doing this while snowed in (with a two year old) during the worst winter storm in Nova Scotia in 20 years .. So, apologies if the audio is not as engineered as normal! If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea,...

In this episode we continue the brilliant RYA Sea Survival Handbook by Keith Colwell This time we are looking at Abandoning Ship!, words that should drive an icy spear into any good skippers heart! This section of the book will take a few days to cover and I am doing this while snowed in (with a two year old) during the worst winter storm in Nova Scotia in 20 years .. So, apologies if the audio is not as engineered as normal! If you would like to listen to serialized stories of the sea,...