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I came to the virgin islands via a family request for the holiday. What the hell sounds like something different than the same’ol backyard burgers and dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about food,friends, and fbeer. Any reason to get together and laugh count me in. It’s just sometimes you need a different experience…

About a year ago after much frustration in trying to find a good log book for the boat, I decided the only way I was going to get what I wanted was to make it myself! For the last 12 months I’ve been quietly writing my own electronic log book for the boat. Today I…

Yep I got caught up in the eclipse frenzy. This is the third eclipse I’ve been privileged to see in my life time and I have to admit, it never gets old! Here in Texas we did not get the full coverage, but that does not make it any less interesting. The shear magnitude of…

Drat I missed Earth day for this post – better late than never though. Lent 2017 started March first this year and while I’m not catholic or even religious by any stretch of the imagination. The idea of foregoing something for a while to step back and take stock of it’s influence on your life…

This post is both trivial and yet damn important. I’m talking about having a reliable pen on the boat and not paying a pirate’s ransom for it. Let me be clear here, when I say “good pen for the boat” I’m not talking a fancy Mother-of-pearl Mont Blanc engraved with the boat’s name. I’m talking…

I ran across this YouTube video the other day and it got me thinking? “Is this the future of boat repair?” We’ve all seen 3D printers showing up on the market and all the hype. In their current state they’re great for simple low stress projects. However like all technologies it’s on an upward trajectory…

The other day my microwave just up and died. After making progress on my to-do list it was an unexpected kidney punch. At this point I’ll be honest, my serenity goes up and down in relation to that to-do list. It’s the single biggest barometer I have to when I’ll be able to shove off…

Yea I’m doing it a post about beans. (Insert all your jokes here! Any Blazing Saddles fans?) Probably the least interesting topic for a sailing/cruising blog but I’m willing to bet most people have a can or bag of them on their boat right now and never gave them a second thought. To be honest…

Yea I’m a nerd, I can’t help it. I geek out over some the most arcane gizmos. My latest “Holy Crap this is Awesome!” moment was last weekend when I finally got a pressure cooker for the boat. I know what you’re thinking “Todd, your a dork!, it’s just an old-timey pot that no one…

I’ve had this post sitting on the back burner for a few weeks because of other computer and website work I’ve been wrestling with. However after Tim Cook’s open let to the public about the FBI’s security request I thought now was a good time to cover the issue of network security as it pertains…

Over the years we sailors have seen the computer quietly insinuate itself into our boat life. Personally I think it will get even more invasive — off the shelf electronics are less expensive, better connectivity and more advanced software, and better support. Marine instrument manufacturers are even starting to open up their infrastructure to include…

What the hell Todd, Why the complete change to the website? I know change is ofttimes a shock to the system, but there were issues piling up. User experiences, Google analytics, Amazon, and well the old layout just wasn’t as inspiring as I had hoped. Adding all this up, it was obvious my sad little…

This is by far the most bazaar repair advice that I’ve ever found on the internet. At this point everyone knows I’m still land locked and in the process of prepping the boat for the Caribbean sail. So I still need land based transportation, you know for those runs to marine supply store (I wonder…

This morning while I was making breakfast I found water where there wasn’t supposed to be water, on the plates. At first I thought ‘Oh I just didn’t dry them off properly‘. Nope, that was a huge wrong determination, I had a deck leak just above the plate cabinet. Second only to fire, the thing…

This whole thing started when I needed to replace a shirt. My 3 cylinder Westerbeke claimed a shirt when a sleeve snagged on one it’s pointy bits. I went to the closet to get a new shirt and realized my clothes were in pretty bad shape. Other than bad whiskey, nothing haunts my nightmares more…

I have been noticing a lot of chatter on the interwebs and in the media about the fish borne ailment ‘Ciguatera’. I don’t know if it’s data collection improvements, easier information access, media fear mongering, or rising ocean temps, but there seems to be more occurrences of Ciguatera poisoning. At first glance I didn’t think…

It’s no secret Texas has had some crazy rain this year and this got me thinking about lightning protection on the boat. After doing some initial research I came to an ugly truth about lightning protection. If there’s a strike anywhere near my boat, statistically speaking, pretty much all the super cool electronic gadgets that…

Hey Captain! What’s that little book you keep looking at? “It’s my engineering almanac.” well kind of, sort of, it’s not really an almanac like Ben Franklin would print. It’s more like an engineer’s cliff notes. Full of random engineering data like: strength ratings for different grade bolts, forgotten geometry formulas, pulley & gear ratios.…

It’s an extraordinary occasion in the life of a sailor when we find something useful for the boat that’s actually free! Usually it goes something like “Oh! This is for a boat? Hang on I will need to get my big calculator, that will be an arm and leg or your next offspring!” Just because…

I cannot imagine a world without music. I have friends who can drive a car for hours only listening to road noise. ACK! Kill me now! Having music on my boat is just as important as food and water. The sad thing to me is a lot of people take its power for granted and…

Some of you may be asking “What is a rigger’s gauge?” and “Why do I need one?” A rigger’s gauge is a simple graduated metal or plastic plate used to size different round stock on your boat: bolts, wire, standing rigging, stanchions, rope, cordage, lines, etc. As you can see from the picture: it’s a…

A boat’s galley is pretty much the same as any kitchen you will find on land: stove, sink, cupboard, and oven. The major difference is a boat’s galley dances to the rhythm of the sea; a land kitchen is rooted in the Earth’s crust. Taking this into account I have instituted some jurisprudence in the…

My first post on this site is going to be for those readers who are just beginning to look into life aboard a boat. You have a wondrous dream of casting off the lines and gleefully sailing to exciting and exotic destinations. Having this dream is great, I have it myself, but you need to…