Nearly a century after Shackleton’s famous escape from the ice, six men spent 12 days in a living hell to recreate “the greatest small-boat voyage of all time”. Complete article from May Classic Boat (CB299). June issue on sale now. Subscribe here. The 800-mile voyage across the Southern Ocean that Shackleton and five […]
“She’s dry, easy to handle, and she snap-tacks in a jiffy. We couldn’t be more pleased with her performance in choppy weather; when she’s properly set up, she sails herself.”
Competing in the Grenada Classic Yacht Regatta 2008
"This boat is going to change our lives!" I exclaimed as we stepped on board the Tayana 48 that we would put an offer on less than 12 hours later. Scott looked at me with wide eyes, "Um, I think you're putting a lot of pressure on this boat..." he started tentatively. While, yes, I probably was putting an undue amount of weight on the effect of a boat on our life, but I truly stood by what I said and I repeated myself: "Scott, this boat is literally going to change. our. life." He shrugged and shook his head as we continued lifting up floorboards and digging through cupboards. But I knew it: this was the one. I'd been eyeing her on Yachtworld for about five months and looked at the listing no fewer than 200 times, memorizing the specs and committing to memory every square inch of her. She was absolutely beautiful, checked off just about every item on our "wish list" (more on this later) and, gosh darn it, she was going to change life as we knew it. I could feel it. *** The bottom line is this: while Asante was working for us, she wasn't really working for us. Because of our two cabin configuration, and the fact that Isla slept more or less in the main cabin (on a make shift bunk that is smaller than a toddler bed) meant that once bedtime hit at 7:30pm, our boat was in shut-down mode. At anchor this arrangement was better - as our cockpit became a veritable outdoor living room and extension of our home. However, at the dock the cockpit simply does not get utilized as much due to the fact that a) there is a remarkable lack of breeze at our marina and b) being so close to your neighbor doesn't have quite the same appeal as sitting on deck being surrounded by open water. "Something about being in a marina makes a boat feel smaller" my friend Carly wrote as we chatted about it. And I 100% agreed. It most certainly does make a boat feel smaller....And since we will be living aboard at a marina for the foreseeable future, something needed to change. Not being able to cook, converse or do pretty much anything other than whisper and go our separate ways was taking its toll on our life in more ways than one. Scott and I are what I like to call a "perfectly imperfect" pair. Okay, fine, we're downright volatile at times (I mentioned how I'd be honesty bombing you, right?) Don't get me wrong, we are an amazing team in both boating and parenting and we can accomplish a lot more together than alone, but our union is far from perfect which may or may not surprise you. Part of this is due to conflicting personalities and stubborn natures, part of it is simply this "season of life"...The last two years have found us drifting farther and farther apart. With three kids, two of them being twins, and the purchase of a new business, we have both been up to our eyeballs in everything but each other. I tend to the kids and housework, Scott runs our business. For the most part, we pass like ships in the night and can go days without really speaking about anything other than work or kids. We have not had a "date night" in years. What is the point of me telling you all this? Well, we needed a change and we figured, why not buy another boat to fix our problems? Ha! Just kidding, that was not our thought process at all. BUT...we did have some serious discussions about our future, we both made a commitment to work on our marriage by carving out some together time and we both decided that, yes, a bigger boat *might just* give us the space to be a little more comfortable, provide the means for a little more quality time, and allow us more privacy together. Running a business and raising three very boisterous young daughters in a two-bedroom boat was getting tight at best, stressful at worst - and more breathing room was in order. *** "What do you think about flying to the east coast for a day to look at that boat I sent to you earlier?" I asked Scott over Whatsapp one day this summer while we were home at my mom's house. To my great surprise, he replied "Sure" (Scott is for sure the more pragmatic of our duo). And so it was; we had a 48 hour window between us coming home from Michigan and Scott heading back to Tortola to make it happen. It was rushed, it was nuts, but we did it and with Isla in tow (you have never seen a little kid more excited about getting her own "big girl room"!). We covered three states and saw four boats in less than 24 hours. The Tayana 48 - the one that I knew was 'it' and the one I was certain would shine above the others - was last to be seen. When stepped aboard s/v Legato on that gray, overcast day in Connecticut it just felt right. Excitement swelled up in my belly and I took a quick deep breath to keep it at bay. "Don't fall in love, don't fall in love, don't fall in love" I kept telling myself, "Asante could definitely work for one more season if this isn't the one...Do. Not. Fall. In. Love. With. This. Boat." But, as we all know, matters of the heart are simply not controlled with the head (oh, if only it were that easy!) We both knew it, though. I don't dare say she was "perfect" but she was pretty dang close. She felt instantly like 'home'. I found it no coincidence that a copy of one of my all-time favorite books, "Don't Stop the Carnival", happened to be laying on what would soon become my side of the bed. *** The next morning as we were rushing out of our hotel to catch our flight home, I got a call from our broker (and longtime friend), Allen Schiller (best. broker. ever), letting us know that if we wanted the boat, we needed to move fast. One offer had come in and been denied earlier in the week, and another couple had a second viewing right after we did and were most likely putting together an offer as well. My gut told me she was going to go, and she was going to go quickly. I wanted it to be us. After a quick talk with Scott and Isla at our sleepy terminal in Hartford, Connecticut, we agreed to go for it. "Let's do it," I texted Allen, "Let's put in an offer". By the time we landed in Chicago, we were under contract. And thank god for it! Mere hours after we had a deal, another offer came in for 5K more than ours. Hours later! Talk about lucky. Timing truly is everything. Thankfully the owner was a man of good character and continued to honor our deal, but it was pretty incredible to think we were so close to losing this boat that is now our beloved 'home sweet home'. Sometimes, you need to move fast. *** She arrived a week before Christmas (Plug for fantastic human: if you need a delivery captain, look no further than the incredible Andrew Burton! He is not only professional and accomplished, but an awesome person to boot. As if that's not enough, the boat was impeccable when we took her over, he and his crew deep-cleaned her head to toe!) and we began the crazy process of moving from one boat to another. It was... nuts. There's really no other way to describe it. Moving house (or boat, rather) while simultaneously trying to make Christmas "magical" for our three kids was exhausting and stressful. Scott was working all hours trying to finalize the new online booking system for our business (much easier said than done!) and I was doing Christmas crafts, buying presents, and doing all the other stuff necessary to keep our home(s) in order. We pushed on and persisted, and in the end felt very lucky that our situation was about as ideal as could be: our new boat was docked next to Asante, we had plenty of time to move our personal effects from A to B, we purged a LOT of accumulated junk, and so many friends and family came to our aid to help us with the move and with the girls. All in all, we had it pretty awesome. Despite these perks, moving is no fun. Moving with three little kids nipping at your heels? 9th circle of Hell. PERIOD. I digress... So how are we doing in our new boat? In a word: Amazing. We love her. I think I say how much I love her to Scott every single day. She has, indeed, been life-changing, just as I imagined her to be. Her name has a musical connotation and means "in a smooth flowing manner, without breaks between notes." In Italian, Legato means: tied together. I think it's a pretty nice name for a family boat, and we have no plans to change it. Partly because the name is not terrible, mostly because we're lazy. Her perks are great: she is much more roomy than our last boat and the addition of the third cabin has been everything we imagined it would be. WE HAVE THREE BEDROOMS!!! Isla has her own room now and she is positively ecstatic about it. The twins share the bunk room (although, despite having two beds they opt to both sleep together on the top bunk - how adorable is that?) and everyone has their own little space now. The addition of not only one, but TWO stand-up separate showers has also been life-changing; prior to this boat the girls and I would shower off the back deck with a cold water hose, and Scott would have to walk to the marina showers (no where near as often as necessary, mind you!) Not that big of an issue, and at the time it certainly didn't seem like a deal breaker - but being able to take warm showers on our boat and not on-deck has been truly AMAZING. The list of features that we love (centerline queen aft berth, an aft cabin that is large and spacious, a nav station that doubles as a desk...etc.) goes on and on...we love this boat. Love her. *** So what were our other desires when boat shopping this time around? We wanted a monohull under 50 feet, largely for cost reasons but also because if we wanted a ton of space we'd get a condo. We like living "cozy" and we wanted to get the smallest boat that would give our family the space it needed to be comfortable. 48 feet worked out to be just right for us. Small enough to go anywhere and still be manageable, but big enough to give our growing family of five some individual space. We wanted three cabins, an in-boom roller furling main, great sailing performance (she is a dream to sail!) at least one separate stand up shower stall, two heads, an ample aft deck swim step, center cockpit configuration, cutter rig, and not a 'fixer upper'. While this boat has done the Caribbean 1500 a few times, it's not at all set up for long-term live-aboard cruising which actually suited us fine. We are staying local for the next few years and while we eventually plan to cast off again, that's a ways away for us. By the time we get ready to shove off, there will be gear that is even better suited for long-term cruising than there is today. Off-grid systems and electronics get better and more efficient every year, so when our time to go approaches - we'll start adding things like solar power, water maker, davits and whatever else we think we need. For now, we're perfectly set up to be weekend warriors here in the beautiful Virgin Islands. And now, for the picture tour. We will start aft and then work our way up! This is our aft cabin. It is a dream. We love the headroom, the extra storage, and the centerline queen bed. Quite possibly the biggest upgrade of all, the aft head with a separate stand up shower. It is heaven! Looking forward from our bedroom door (we have a door now!) Our saloon. We still need to add some personal touches like family photos and such, but it feels very comfortable and homey. One thing I LOVE about this boat? It's so bright! Natural light is a must for me in a home of any sort, and we love that we get lots of it here. Another big upgrade! A desk! I write here, Scott works here and the chair is extra space for a friend to sit when people come over. Looking aft to our bedroom from the saloon. Our walk-thru galley is a dream. The twins bunk room. Two beds and plenty of space to store their goodies, especially since they both sleep up top together. Scott and I designed the bedrail using L-brackets and starboard. Works like a charm! This is where the twins sleep, together. They sometimes sleep on opposite ends, sometimes snuggled up, but always together up here. Their choice! This is the forward head directly across from the twins' room. Also has a stand up shower. Love!!! Isla's room. This is her little sanctuary. She truly loves it and all three will play up here together in the morning. Books, books and more books! Looking aft from the front end. Our home sweet home!! We love her SO much! Here's the layout of our boat to help further the visual tour. Hope you enjoyed! OUR OLD BOAT, S/V ASANTE (BREWER 44) IS NOW FOR SALE. EMAIL US IF YOUR ARE INTERESTED WINDTRAVELER09 at GMAIL.COM STAY TUNED FOR A FULL LISTING WITH PRICE, PICTURES and SPECS.
The topside focal point of Beneteau's new Oceanis line is the central cockpit arch; it serves as the mainsheet anchor, the dodger and bimini frame, and provides secure handholds. Twin wheels and the award-winning fold-down electric transom are strong features. Several interior options provide style and comfort. The Beneteau Oceanis 48 is part of Cruising World's 2013 New Boat Showcase. Read a review here.
US Inland Navigation Rules, for U.S. Waterways, Great Lakes, Canada
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ONLY. This beautiful painting of a sailboat at sunset captures the beauty of the ocean in a captivating way. The painting is done with water colored pencil and ink and shows a sailboat with its sails billowing in the wind, with the setting sun casting a warm orange glow across the horizon. The colors blend together in a way that makes the painting look almost ethereal, and the detail of the boat and the waves crashing against its hull creates a calming and peaceful atmosphere. The colors and composition create an almost dream-like image, making it perfect for anyone looking to bring a bit of serenity and beauty into their home.
Boasting a powerful hull inspired by the world of sailboat racing, the Sun Odyssey 410 offers an exceptional quality of life on board, "just like home," in interior living spaces just as in the cockpit and on deck.SEANAPPS Technology on board. To learn more, click here.
Fairline makes elegantly designed and considered boats that handle beautifully.
Small bluewater sailboats are a great choice for sailing around the world. Here are our top 5 picks for small cruising sailboats.
US Inland Navigation Rules, for U.S. Waterways, Great Lakes, Canada
Find out what size boat for ocean crossing and other must know info before your cross the ocean in a sailboat.
Subscribe to our newsletter New blog posts, giveaway and so much more, directly to your inbox Subscribe . 1. About the beauty of Ireland. Tag someone you wanna visit Ireland with! Ireland is famous for its picture-perfect scenes with everything from towering heather-covered mountains to magical coastlines with secluded sandy beaches From @ronanhdphotography 2. The season of pink hues in Toronto, Ontario From @jason.kovac 3. Here are 3 epic destinations to visit in 2023 1. Italy: When we say Italy, Pizza, Pasta, Dolomites and the famous Rome come to our mind. Italy is worldwide famous for its Art, culture, food, beautiful location, and architecture🇮🇹 2. Switzerland: When we think of Switzerland, our mind goes to skiing resorts, lakes, chocolate, and cheese. The Alp mountains are the perfect setting for swiss people to grow their livestock of cows and produce cheese and chocolate. They also make great skiing tracks and winter destinations🇨🇭 3. Canada: The expanse of Canada’s natural beauty, from mountains and glaciers to secluded lakes and forests, is almost unparalleled worldwide. But Canada’s allure is not just the great outdoors. Canada has cosmopolitan cities that are clean, safe, friendly, and multicultural From @natyexplora 4. Exploring the beauty of Andermatt village, at Switzerland Andermatt is the beautiful authentic Alpine lifestyle village situated elegantly in the Swiss Alps. Trying to give a distinct picture of Andermatt it is enough to mention that this place is surrounded by a natural meeting point of passes, rivers, and regions throughout Switzerland From @saracalenda 5. Today we taking you guys in an epic journey in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada With its scenic views, mild climate, and friendly people, Vancouver is known around the world as both a popular tourist attraction and one of the best places to live From @scottcbakken 6. Here today we share 5 secrets behind the world’s best airport at Singapore Changi Airport Leading consumer aviation website Skytrax has named Changi International the best airport in the world for seven years running. And it’s easy to see why. Not only does it run efficiently and offer luxurious amenities, but travelers passing through can also gawk at its stunning—and sometimes utterly unreal From @uptin 7. Breathtaking sunset in Mykonos, Greece Mykonos is known for its Cycladic architecture (whitewashed houses, alleyways and chapels), cosmopolitan vibe and luxury accommodation and services, as well as its party scene and beautiful, sandy beaches. Many beaches have internationally-acclaimed restaurants and clubs, attracting celebrity DJs From @sennarelax 8. Evening walks at the Grand Place, Brussels feels like a dream This magnificent Square is located in the centre of the City of Brussels. It is associated with Belgium’s seat of power; the opulent Brussels City Hall and the King’s House, known as Breadhouse From @joe.vancity 9. Here’s one of the most romantic cities in the world, at Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina Mostar has been long known for its old Turkish houses and the Old Bridge – Stari most, an extraordinary technological achievement of bridge construction. The historic part of Mostar is a result of interaction between the natural phenomena and human creativity throughout a long historical period From @sennarelax 10. London is so beautiful in any weather at any time during the day, London is so special From @russogioacchino 11. POV: you live in the best city in the world It is the largest metropolis in the United Kingdom, and it is also the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural centre. In addition to its history, art, and politics, London is a popular tourist destination for its wide variety of museums, shops, restaurants, and sports teams From @dr_difilippo 12. Harrods has really outdone itself with the Christmas decorations this year, this is just unbelievably beautiful don’t you think? From @dr_difilippo 13. The most iconic view in London From @sparrowinlondon 14. One of my favourite buildings in Notting Hill, at Westbourne Grove, London From @sparrowinlondon 15. is London on your bucket list? London is the smallest city in England,That’s right.The megacity that most of us know as London is actually called ‘Greater London’, whilst the City of London itself is a small portion of this sprawling metropolis. It has a population of only 9,123 people, making it the smallest in England From @luke_through_my_lens 16. Bus Spotting in London has become one of my favourite things to do I loved capturing this little moment outside St Paul’s Cathedral, keep watching to see the cheeky taxi photobombing From @luke_through_my_lens 17. Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London From @russogioacchino 18. Nature at its finest. Have you ever been to Mt. Fuji? At Yamanashi, Japan In the Kawaguchiko area you can have magnificent views of Mount Fuji. Especially across the Kawaguchiko lake, one of the five lakes in the surroundings of Mount Fuji area, the mountain is beautifully portrayed on a clear day. It is also one of the easiest accessible places from Tokyo, with direct bus and train connections From @lisainjapan 19. POV: You live in Barcelona In many ways, Barcelona itself is one big attraction. The centre of Catalan culture is one of the most popular destinations on the planet, a shimmering stunner of a city packed with museums, restaurants, famous sights and beautiful people. No matter your preferred form of travel, you’ll find something to love here From @peslka On TT 20. Snowy Kyoto at day From @asa.ques 21. Snowy Kyoto night It snows in Kyoto several times each winter, usually between early December and mid-March. Most of the time, the snow doesn't stick at all, but two to four times a winter, it stays on the ground, though it almost always melts within a few hours From @asa.ques 22. Venice peaceful morning vibes hit different. Have you visited Venice, Italy before? Venice is unique environmentally, architecturally, and historically, and in its days as a republic the city was styled la serenissima (“the most serene” or “sublime”). It remains a major Italian port in the northern Adriatic Sea and is one of the world’s oldest tourist and cultural centres From @mimikandalaft 23. Wait to see a beautiful sunset. Are you planning a trip Iceland soon? Let us know below From @angelaliggs on TT 24. Waking up to this, at Tulum, Mexico This town, found on the Yucatán Peninsula, is not only home to great beaches, but has lush jungles, Mayan ruins, cenotes (caves or sinkholes filled with crystal-clear waters), gorgeous lagoons and upscale nightlife From @lukemcameron
These five tips will put you on a path to competency and confidence which will make you a sailor ready to learn the ropes
Buy art from Manu Toxxic (Free Shipping, Secured direct purchase): Painting titled "coucher de soleil dans la glace"
Wanting to sail around the world is a wonderful plan requires dozens of items and skills. For a clear overview, we have compiled a one-stop-shop article that will push you miles towards your goal. Here are the things necessary to successfully circle the globe on a sailboat - the tangible and the intangible ones.
The 2022 edition of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award attracted submissions from 150 professional photographers representing 29 nations, with the
Den Phillips was at art college and experimenting with black-and-white photography when she started taking photos of the barges she sailed on in races on England’s east coast. A hobby became a career and three decades later she has taken some of the most iconic images of the classic yacht revival. Always shooting in […]
One of the perks of my admittedly cushy job as a freelance writer is that I get to try out a lot of different boats—everything from small rowing dinghies to large sailing yachts. Inevitably, some are more appealing than others, and I have to admit François Vivier’s 15′ 3-1/2″ Minahouët wasn’t one I was particularly excited about sailing. It looked nice enough in the pictures, but my heart wasn’t exactly pounding to get out on it. All that was to change during a two-hour sail on a gusty day off St-Malo on the north coast of Brittany.
It’s probably not a revelation to tell you that Pinterest skews heavily female. 70% in fact, according to a recent study. But what’s more interesting is that men and women use Pinterest for vastly dif
In 1965, 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham set out to sail from California. At the time, he said he just wanted “to be on my own and explore.” But he returned five years and 30,000 miles later, as the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo. His only companion was an ever-changing crew of cats.
Nearly a century after Shackleton’s famous escape from the ice, six men spent 12 days in a living hell to recreate “the greatest small-boat voyage of all time”. Complete article from May Classic Boat (CB299). June issue on sale now. Subscribe here. The 800-mile voyage across the Southern Ocean that Shackleton and five […]
One of the many views awaiting your visit to Hilton Head Island.
If you're thinking of running away to start a life at sea then this is the guide for you!Full of handy tips from a couple who started their own life at sea.
Superyacht owner Kim Vibe-Petersen talks about his 54 metre sailing yacht Parsifal III
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