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Author Archives: TW-Matt
Ambassador 29
Hello again, and welcome back to my continuing adventure along the coast of Brazil. I last wrote in mid-July, after deciding to leave the boat in Fortaleza for a while, waiting for better weather, getting needed spares and making repairs. … Continue reading
Skipper’s Tip, 8/22/11 – Dock Courtesy
Tradewinds has done a great job of developing good relations with the vessel owners on D dock. We can help with the good relations by being courteous. When we roll our carts down to the boat or to unload the … Continue reading
*How to Win the Start*
By Tradewinds Member Eric Pederson 5:05 PM my cell rings. I am in the marina parking lot gathering my gear, the flags are ripping hard in the wind. I am the skipper and scheduled to meet my race crew “around … Continue reading
Skipper’s Tip 8/8/2011 – Outboards
Outboard Motors: Even a well-maintained outboard can be a headache. We just want them to work so we can get out and go sailing, but first we have to get them started. If you’ve ever watched Brandy or Matt, you’ll … Continue reading
Skipper’s Tip, 08/01/11 – Guests need training, too!
Most (if not all) of us take non-sailing guests out on occasion. The temptation is to get to the fun part right away and just “commence to sailing”. When we do, we are doing our guests a disservice. Part of the fun … Continue reading
Skipper’s Tip, 7/25/11 – What’s in YOUR sailing bag?
We asked some of our more experienced members what they carry in their sailing bag. We’ve seen everything from an extra spring line to a spare winch handle, both of which would come in very handy under the right circumstances. … Continue reading
Ambassador 28
It’s official, we are postponed. After much consideration, endless debate, sleeping on it, and then more discussion and weighing of options, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the 2nd half of this trip. The 3 key issues are the … Continue reading
Ambassador 27
We’re in Fortaleza. For repairs. The hydraulic ram on the autopilot has been leaking fluid, and finally failed yesterday afternoon. As we don’t have enough crew to hand-steer all the way to Buenos Aires, we had to stop and try … Continue reading
Ambassador 26
It seems we can’t catch a break. With less than 100 miles to get to Fortaleza, a big harbor of refuge, the wind perked up dramatically this morning, and has been blowing 28-32 knots all day. Right on the nose, … Continue reading
Ambassador 25
Today is another mellow day, with light wind and calm seas and mostly sunny skies. Just a squall or two, but Steve and I don’t worry about those, because they only seem to come when Marianne is on watch. It’s … Continue reading