Sail Far Live Free

"Go ahead and love your crab crusher full keel boat but don’t try to justify the design on technical terms. Some traditional full keel designs have a lot of subjective, aesthetic appeal. That’s good enough reason to love your boat." -Bob Perry (see below) I share a lot of my own sailing-related experiences and ponderings here on my blog, but occasionally I have the opportunity to share the perspective and experiences of some real experts. Today I'm pleased to welcome Bob Perry back as a guest blogger [Read Bob's prior contributions to SailFarLiveFree about double-enders and  sailboat rigs ]. It seems keels are often debated on sailing blogs and forums, so rather than rehash those stale discussions, I asked Bob if he'd share his unique design perspective on the diversity of keel types available for cruisers. Graciously, he obliged. What follows is a guest blog post and photos Bob provided to me. Keel Design According to Perry , by Bob Perry "Le...

A Nap on the Beach (photo by K. Walters from S. Manitou Island )

"If a man must be obsessed by something, I suppose a boat is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most. A small sailing craft is not only beautiful, it is seductive and full of strange promise and the hint of trouble." -E.B. White from The Sea and the Wind that Blows Beautiful, seductive and full of promise. Those might seem like odd adjectives to attach to a sailboat, but once you feel the power of the wind driving a hull through the waves or spend a few nights bobbing at anchor in a far away harbor, you realize how perfect they are. Besides all that, I'm sure Erin appreciates that my obsession is a sailboat rather than any number of alternatives. And so the next chapter in my obsession began late this summer when we moved up to a bigger sailboat. Based on comments from a few other recent posts, some of you have been eager to hear about the new boat. Those that follow my Instagram account (@SailFarLiveFree) have probably already picked up a few of the ...

I know what it's like to have a dream that burns inside of you. One that is there whether your body is sleeping or awake. I think many sailors and wannabe cruisers know that feeling. Mait Nilson is a dreamer who, I imagine, also sees the globe as an adventure map and reckons to circle it in his own very unique way. On November 2, 2013, Mait plans to start his circumnavigation in Estonia. His initial sea crossing will be of the Strait of Gibraltar and later he'll attempt an Atlantic crossing from Senegal in Africa to Brazil in South America. While none of that may seem all that notable at first glance, Mait's journey becomes much more interesting when you consider his mode of transportation. He'll be using a Toyota Land Cruiser that he has heavily modified for both terrestrial and water use. He's named his dream machine "Amphibear". Check out the pictures below of Mait's Toyota adorned with foldable pontoons and hydraulically powered stern drives. I...

Burning Sundown  by K. Walters (Photo taken on Drummond Island) "Burning sundown, colored autumn trees Mountain rivers, country livers put my mind at ease And to realize such perfect harmonies I'm standing in the dawn Of a new day coming on And I'm looking for no tomorrow" -John Denver (Lyrics from In The Grand Way )

Solar panel technology has moved forward rapidly in last several years.  Not only are today’s panels more efficient and affordable, they’re also more durable and portable. Take for example the series of rollable solar panels from PowerFilm .  PowerFilm markets them as “go anywhere, do anything, stand-up to the toughest punishment, lightest, most flexible, waterproof (including saltwater) solar panels on the planet." That’s a hefty description to live up to. Is PowerFilm exaggerating or are their rollable panels really that good? I recently tried out the R14 model (14 watts) on our sailboat and am pleased with the results. The first thing I noticed was what appears to be excellent build quality. This panel may be flexible, but it doesn’t feel flimsy at all. The main body and edges of the panel feel like a high-grade vinyl, though I’m not sure what the actual material is. The connectors for wiring and accessories are gasketed with rubber o-rings and appear to be of “mari...