George Day

George Day



Welcome to Cruising Compass. The newsletter has been designed with cruisers in mind and offers all who wish to participate a forum for new ideas, personal stories, comments and more. Your contributions are welcome. Whether you sail across your local bay or around the world, Cruising Compass is for you.

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The Log of Mahina Tiare - Surfing Southward through Scandinavia!


(John Neal and Amanda Swan-Neal run Mahina Expeditions aboard their Hallberg-Rassy 46 Mahina Tiare. Last summer they sailed with their expedition crews to Norway's Arctic island of Spitsbergen. We rejoin them as they sail south along Norway's west coast on their way to warmer climes for the winter.)

Upon leaving Alesund at 1600 we planned to sail offshore to Bergen, 180 miles south, but when both Commander's Weather and Leon Shultz (Karolina's husband) suggested making more miles before forecasted southerly gales could thwart progress we reconsidered stopping. The payoff has been surfing at up to 9.5 knots, in (now) sunny skies, well offshore and out of the dangerous wave zones. The winds are forecast to drop from near gale to westerly Force 3-4 tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, before becoming southerly, Force 5 Saturday night. If we keep this speed and the weather holds, we should reach Mandal, the southernmost town in Norway, 170 miles away before the southerly blow. Several of the crew mentioned that heavy weather experience was one of their reasons for selecting this leg. They're not disappointed, and it has been gratifying to see them, now free of seasickness, mastering ocean steering skills in impressive seas!

By the way, Karolina has been a huge help in securing weather information several times a day, from her husband Leon, over the messaging feature on her Nokia GSM phone and has had continuous coverage, even 20 miles offshore. Leon, also a keen sailor and no doubt a concerned husband, has been ringing the forecasters in Denmark and Norway as well as checking their weather websites www.dmi.dk and www.dnmi.no and relaying the info to us.

Now I'd better introduce our intrepid Leg 4 crew!

Karolina Orn, 36 from Ystad, Sweden just finished a three-week sailing holiday aboard her Hallberg-Rassy 31 with Leon and their kids, Jessica age 7 and Jonathan age 5. The kids enjoyed being on the boat so much that they kept living aboard after they returned to their homeport. She and Leon run an ad agency for ship suppliers and dream of crossing oceans under sail, maybe on a HR 39.

Tom Kingston, 50 from Fergus Falls, Minnesota just retired from his wholesale clothing business. His sailing background includes racing Hobie Cats with his wife, Patty and a sailing trip from Denmark to Marstrand, Sweden. Tom is a quick learner and is considering picking up a new X Yacht in Denmark and sailing it back to North America.

Dalton Williams, 55 lives in Vail, Colorado and when not skiing is CIO for a bank. That means he keeps their computers working. Dalton is relatively new to sailing, but plans to retire soon and go offshore cruising for 3-5 years although his kids and friends at work think that is a crazy idea!

John Russell, 48 of Livingston, Montana has been bitten by the sailing bug and is looking for a boat for adventures. He and his wife Corina started www.rockymountaindesign.com, an interior design business 23 years ago. Now that their kids are 18 & 20 and off to college, John and Corina are dreaming of blue water.

Michelle and Joe Bayliss, both 39 and from the San Francisco area aren't dreamers, they are doers! Joe first called me in February with questions regarding the Island Packet 40 they were considering purchasing. Since then they sold their house, quit their jobs in radio and television, their sons moved out on their own, they bought the boat, attended our Weekend Offshore Cruising Seminar, took several intensive sailing courses on the Bay, moved aboard and sailed away to Mexico. Whew! That's a lot of changes in just a few months. They are living aboard in Mexico, but plan on sailing back to San Diego for some last minute outfitting before setting sail for the Marquesas and the South Pacific very soon! Totally into learning everything possible, they don't miss a single sail change and have filled pages of notes during our daily classes. We really enjoy students who are so motivated to learn and since we have many of the charts information on the South Pacific aboard Mahina Tiare now, we are able to help them plan their itinerary, passages and contacts in the different exotic countries they will be sailing to.

We'd like to invite all of you who have been following our adventures through this site to visit us aboard Mahina Tiare and to attend our slide show during the Hallberg-Rassy Open House, August 24-26. For more details, check the Hallberg-Rassy site, www.hallberg-rassy.com.

As we pressed south beyond Bergen our good winds held and only lightened for a few hours in the early morning on Saturday during which we motorsailed to steady the boat. We still could not believe our good fortune when we rounded Lindesness with NW winds and a 1017 barometer, phew, so different from our rounding last year when we had to claw our way around "the Nose of Norway" in day after day of gale force headwinds. While Amanda and I had been saying our hanks to the sea goddess for an easy passage others onboard were experiencing conditions beyond their sailing dreams and we later learnt of these two phone messages that Karolina had hurriedly whisked away in spare moments.

"24 knots of wind, Speed 7.5. Huge Waves. Only water and bread. At helm
steering or berth resting."

On receiving this message her daughter Jessica had exclaimed that while Pippi Longstocking's father was being held prisoner by dreadful pirates, all he got to eat was bread and water. The next message read "Now already 5 nights accumulated at sea. Boat speed 9 knots in 30 knot of gale force winds. 12-14 ft waves. Horrifying Delight!"

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Stay In Touch


Onboard Wireless, offers boaters a way to connect a PC for high power data communications. The Onboard Wireless Connection Kit, starting at $599, is designed to work with GSM technology. GSM is the most advanced cellular network available today, providing service throughout most of North America. Used with the Onboard Wireless system, GSM provides an offshore range of approximately 20 miles.

Staying in touch with family members, physicians and business associates, accessing weather, news, sports and stock quotes, ordering parts or supplies, and having reliable communications on board are some of the advantages of an onboard wireless connection kit. www.onboardwireless.com

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Cruising News
New Facilities in Galle put Sri Lanka back on the cruising route


During their recent stopover in Sri Lanka, The Blue Water Round the World Cruising Rally were the first users of a new pontoon facility within Galle Harbor. The official opening of the pontoons to the Blue Water Rally in January, reinstates Sri Lanka as a stopover for yachtsmen cruising between the Red Sea and Thailand. Due to extensive development of the inner harbor at Galle, yachts over the past 15 months have had to anchor in the sometimes uncomfortable outer harbor. Coupled with high port charges and scant facilities some yachtsmen have recently by-passed Sri Lanka in favor of the Maldives or Cochin in India. With the opening of the pontoons ( themselves only a temporary facility pending the completion of a proper marina in approximately one years time) all this is set to change now that the pontoons offer a comfortable berth in the inner harbor. Security measures established to deter terrorist activity in the port continue to be high and despite the minor inconveniences this causes, yachtsmen may now safely leave their yachts with the reassurance that they are secure from both the effects of weather and access to the general public.

Tony Diment
Blue Water Rallies

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Swan Offshore Sailing Program
Transatlantic: Villefrance-sur-Mer, France - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - St. Martin


Offshore Passage Opportunities is proud to announce the expansion of the Swan Sailing Program to include Trans-Atlantic Passages twice a year. The Swan 76 "Travel" & Swan 65 "Peak" depart France October 27th, the cost is just $3000 per person. Swan 57 "Lucie" and Swan 46 "Adel" depart France November 18th. Leg one is $1250, Leg Two $2250, Both Legs $3250. See pictures of the boats at www.nautorswancharters.com.

Offshore Passage Opportunities has 12 Swans departing Newport Rhode Island participating in the NARC Rally (North American Rally to the Caribbean) October 28. For more information on the Transatlantic Program and the NARC Rally, call Hank Schmidt at Offshore Passage Opportunities 1-800-4PASSAGEe. Or see www.sailopo.com.

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Rally Report
Bermuda or bust!


The West Marine Bermuda Cruising Rally have a pleasant run across the Gulf Steam
At the end of June, as the remnants of tropical storm Allison headed out to sea, the ninth annual West Marine Bermuda Cruising Rally prepared to get underway from Hampton, Va., with its usual briefings and inspections. Start day dawned with beautiful, clear skies and a perfect 15-knot NE breeze to push the fleet toward Bermuda. Organizer Steve Black predicted the nine-boat fleet would take four to six days to cover the distance of 640 miles.

Following a night of fast sailing, the fleet pushed on toward Bermuda in steadily lightening winds, which slowly veered to the east as high pressure built from the eastern seaboard in their direction. Fred and Marcia Reinagel on Troubadour, a Gozzard 44 from Buffalo, N.Y., led the group, which was poised on the edge of the Gulf Stream. They reported clear skies and light easterly breezes.

As high pressure drifted to the east of Bermuda, a series of weak fronts began to form along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. True to the forecast provided by Ken Campbell's team at Commander's Weather, light SE winds, coupled with the Gulf Stream, pushed the fleet to the northwest, carrying them north of the rhumb line to Bermuda. With the longer term outlook offering only light winds, the fleet worked hard at sail trim to optimize boat speed while conserving fuel in case it was needed later.

The second morning's position reports put leader Troubadour again at the head of the fleet with Latitude, Horizon, Misty Maiden and Offline in a neck-and-neck battle for second. White Silence had the honor of bringing up the rear but was doing extremely well for her shorthanded crew of two - Lou and Susie Miller. Horizon and White Silence reported being entertained for a considerable period of time by large schools of porpoises. Fishing was proving a distracting and tasty pastime with the crews of Offline, who caught a large tuna, and Horizon, who caught a good-sized mahi-mahi.

The high pressure continued to slip slowly across the Atlantic and a very weak and stationary area of low pressure formed to the east of Bermuda. With all frontal and low pressure activity on the east coast of North America moving NE, there was little prospect of dramatic change in the weather for the next day or so.

As of the third morning chat on the SSB radio, the fleet extended across a 135 nautical mile track to the NW of fleet leader Troubadour. She reported glassy seas and very light winds of 2-5 knots. Short squalls brought fresh winds that quickly died back to light south-easterlies. To maintain steady progress, the whole fleet motoring most of the third day. Aboard rally leader Troubadour, skipper Fred Reinagel treated his crew to an afternoon Gamba recital.

Finally, day four brought wind. High pressure moving across Newfoundland, Greenland and into the Atlantic followed by a small low-pressure system forming to the west of the fleet began to squeeze the atmosphere and bring light to moderate southerly winds. Skies cleared, and everyone was sailing again. The big news from the morning chat was that Troubadour was just 60 miles from making her landfall.

The rest of the fleet was now strung out over 175 miles to the north and west. Amira and Horizon were again within sight of each other, as were Contessa and Misty Maiden.

Both Latitude and Misty Maiden reported sightings of humpback whales, which - while not completely unusual - are certainly exciting the first time they appear alongside your yacht.

Troubadour was first to cross the finish line off Spit Buoy at 8:33 PM EDT and later was declared first on corrected time, after adjustments for handicap and engine time. She was followed by Ken Thompson aboard Horizon and Marty Silverstein on Latitude , who placed second and third.

The final finisher ghosted through Town Cut into St. George's Harbour after six days and 11 hours at sea. The new arrivals were greeted with festivities that included an around-Bermuda race of streamlined skiffs powered by British Seagull-brand dinghy motors and a day later by harbour races between Bermuda's famous Fitted Dinghies. These massively over-canvassed craft carry a crew of seven, who may in a tight race dive off the transom to propel their boat forward as it approaches a finish.

Before the cruise home, the sailors enjoyed a week of exploring many beautiful parts of Bermuda and attended a party hosted by Gosling's Rum and an awards dinner at the St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club. All boats returned home safely with memories of new friends and the beauty and hospitality of Bermuda.

Next up for blue-water cruising sailors, the Cruising Rally Association will be running a West Marine Passagemaker Seminar on October 26-28, followed by the popular West Marine Caribbean 1500 rally, which is scheduled to depart from Hampton, Va. on November 4 for Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. For entry information and the latest updates, visit www.carib1500.com or call Steve Black (401-848-0302).

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Free Guide to Sailing Adventures


In the July-August issue of Blue Water Sailing, the first annual guide to World Sailing Adventures was published as a free insert. BWS has some of these guides left over and will send you one Free for the asking. The 36-page guide covers bare and crewed boat chartering, sailing schools, offshore sailing expeditions and extreme sailing adventures. All you have to do is e-mail BWS at [email protected]. Please allow two weeks for delivery - and make sure you send your complete address!

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Sailing industry tidbit-- UK. Boat builder Oyster Yachts wins coveted award


Oyster Marine, builder of Oyster Yachts, has won a Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2001 Buckingham Palace announced. This is the second time Oyster has won the coveted award, which is considered Britain's top industrial accolade. The company won the Queens Award for Export in 1990.

Oyster builds a range of deck-saloon cruising boats from 42 to 100 feet which are marketed worldwide from their main office in Ipswich, England, and the North American office in Newport, Rhode Island. Founder and company chairman Richard Matthews commented, "To win a Queen's Award is an achievement, to win it twice is truly outstanding and shows Oyster to be a world-class company. It takes world-class companies to build world-class yachts."

For more information on Oyster Yachts contact Oyster Marine USA, 5 Marina Plaza, Newport RI 02840. Ph: 401-846-7400.

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GET TWO ISSUES OF BLUE WATER SAILING FREE


Are you ready to go cruising to the far ends of the earth or do you like cruising closer to home? Either way, Blue Water Sailing magazine is for you - if you love cruising. Every issue is filled with cruising stories, in-depth reviews of boats, gear and equipment. We offer sound advice on seamanship, navigation and the art and science of sailing a cruising boat. The magazine's regular contributors include circumnavigators Jimmy Cornell, Brian Hancock, Beth Leonard, and Bill Beiwenga - so you know they have the experience to tell it like it is. You can have TWO ISSUES of Blue Water Sailing ABSOLUTELY FREE by logging on to www.bwsailing.com. Look for the 2 FREE ISSUES button.

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