A boat toolbox: minor repairs at dock and at sea
Does it happen to you that when you are in a hurry, the light turns invariably red? Or, when you are waiting for a bus for ages, then three of them come at the same time? Or, when you are trying to catch a key…
Charter: legislation and implementation
If you are one of this blog’s readers, is highly probable that you like sailing, and it is even more probable that you think a sailing holiday is the one that best suits you, is in tune with your spirit and regenerates your body. For…
Wintry sailing: the perfect boat
Enjoying a summer cruise, the sun, bathing in a roadstead, having prosecco in the cockpit at sunset is, no doubt, gratifying. However, in my opinion, nothing surpasses the beauty of sailing in winter. Wintry sailing charm is difficult to describe and, above all, not replicable….
Jinle bells: under a sailor’s Christmas tree
This year has been strange, and probably some important dates slipped our mind: a year in which the track of time, of seasons and celebrations was overshadowed by the great blanket that surrounded our lives in the past months. Nevertheless, it is Christmas time, and…
Cooking on board: kitchenware and food-stocks on a cruise
Plainly speaking: I have nothing against restaurants, trattorias, bistrot and taberne scattered over the Mediterranean Sea. And I wouldn’t dream of recommending not to eat there during summer cruise stops. It’s only that, to me, cooking on board – in a roadstead or in a…
Good boating practices: “Maintenance”
Our little journey through Good Practice goes on. Part one was about marinas, part two deals with boat maintenance. Dozens of articles have been written on the subject, most of them very interesting and technically complete. Some of them can be read in this blog,…
Servicing of outboards
Outboards can be divided into two wide families: portable outboards, whose power ranges between 2.5 and 15 hp, and those affixed to the vessel. These latter have higher power and weight and are usually linked to electronic controls. Portable outboards are simpler and are used…
Joys and sorrows of the furler
The furler is no doubt one of the very first pieces of equipment able to give comfort and satisfaction onboard as well as hysteria and trouble in a matter of seconds. Over the last few decades the foresail, be it genoa or jib, has undergone…
The complete racer’s equipment
What to bring and what to leave when facing an offshore race. I’d bet the two most frequent thoughts in the heads of sail-enthusiasts in this period are: “First of all let’s hope the health emergency is soon over” and – immediately after that –…
SAILS: choosing a set of sails
The first thing you notice when talking about sails is, on the one hand the huge quantity of information available everywhere on this topic and, on the other hand, the apparently contradictory lack of information. Confusion reigns supreme among abbreviations and fancy names of materials….
Water on board: what to do?
“Everything on board may break…….and it’s likely that – sooner or later – it will” Who among us does not hardly withhold a talismanic gesture when hearing this old saying? Of course this is not the quintessence of confidence, however, in a pragmatic approach, being…
It’s (almost) time: What is to be expected when back to our boats
It’s settled, more or less. Due to the latest decree of the Italian PM, which came into force some days ago, nautical activities are gradually being resumed. Since May, 4th boats can be taken care of and hopefully soon a full resumption of nautical activities…
