I have got some very average binoculars on Wildwood so am in desperate need to upgrade to something decent. Having a pair of binoculars on board is essential to be able to navigate easily, and to be able to identify objects, headlands, other craft etc from afar. I have also heard that you can get…
We recently did a trip up the coast on Wildwood and I downloaded the Navionics app on my iPad. It cost about NZD$50.00 for the app with the Australian and NZ charts on there. I was really disappointed when it didn’t work! My iPad didn’t have the GPS built in, but after chatting to someone…
A ships log is actually a legal document, a record of your journey detailing the course you are steering, weather conditions etc. If there is any kind of incident, the information you have in the log can be used as evidence, so it is important to keep in up to date. I prefer to have a…
Heaving to is a strategy for riding out a storm. Thrashing to windward while going nowhere can be hard on the boat, gear and crew. The trick is to get the yacht to lay around 45 degrees in to the wind and sea. Be aware however that you will make leeway downwind so you will…
Living in the South Island of New Zealand means that we get our fair share of dirty weather tracking up the country so I have got a healthy respect for Mother Nature and her power having been caught out in a storm or two while out sailing. And many more occasions I have spent sitting…
I love learning new things, especially about sailing and boating. Whilst there is no legal requirement in New Zealand for sailors to have a licence or official qualification, the rest of the world does. So I figure that while I am shore based I should learn as much as I can and get as many…
I am currently studying for my Ocean Yachtmaster Certificate. The syllabus requires that we learn about all sorts of different aspects of navigation, safety, boat handling, and much more. So this post is about all I need to know about Radar! For the Ocean Yachtmaster certification, you need to have a general understanding of the…
Astrolabe Sailing 