Category Archives: Sailing

Feb11

LEARN to SAIL the HARD WAY

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LEARN to SAIL the HARD WAY

A Book Review:

LEARN to SAIL the HARD WAY!

               -written by Don Watmough

                     -illustrations by Dave Alavoine

 

Anyone who is a boater will get a kick out of Evergreen Pacific’s latest release. The book is a chaotic and hilarious tale of a novice sailor who bungles his way through purchasing the perfect boat (NOT!), learning to sail it through numerous mishaps, while simultaneously entertaining the “sea gods” above with the mayhem in his wake. Dave Alavoine’s illustrations, (the cartoonist for Pacific Yachting Magazine’s, COCKPIT CONFESSIONS), capture the humor of the nautical follies experienced by Skip and his mate, Muffy. The final part of LEARN to SAIL the HARD WAY addresses the mistakes made by rookie … Read the rest

May17

Sail Past … KNOT!

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Sail Past … KNOT!

It’s spring and sailing is in the air! The “CAPTAIN“ has been preoccupied with preparations for a sailing trip circumnavigating Vancouver Island. Of course he has!  The pristine 40 foot Beneteau that he and two other “CAPTAINS” will sail at month’s end takes priority. Needless to say, our adequate 28 foot Catalina has been left somewhat neglected in the wake of all the prepping and planning frenzy.

When you belong to a YACHT CLUB, there is always an annual SAIL PAST.  For all of you non-boaters, this means that yacht club members board their boats and do a SAIL PAST to salute their club’s COMMODORE bobbing in her vessel out on the ocean.  … Read the rest

Oct16

Cruising Omens

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Cruising Omens

                     Image

Have you ever been tempted to book a Re-Positioning Cruise? We were, after hearing from others about the great deals to be had at the end of the season.  We booked a 6 day jaunt from Vancouver, B.C. to San Diego, on a whim. It was a trial run, really, to see how we’d like it. The boat was scheduled to depart Vancouver on a Sunday evening at the end of September and arrive in San Diego early Saturday.

 Living on Vancouver Island meant a ferry trip over to the mainland to board the cruise ship. Naturally, hearty sailors like ourselves, it never occurred to us to check the forecast. Once settled on the ferry, it became obvious that there … Read the rest

Jan28

MEET the AUTHOR: Mary Laudien

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MEET the AUTHOR: Mary Laudien

photoFrenchie X2 Author PhotoMary's visit

After reading the article entitled Meet the Agent- Barbara Lowenstein in Writer’s Digest (Feb., 2013), it occurred to me it might be helpful for my blog readers to know more about Mary Laudien, the Middle Grade Author. I decided to follow Kara Gebhart’s simplified format to provide this info to my blog followers (All 3 of you, but I know there are many more of you who were just waiting for an invite to subscribe!). If you seek more detailed information, you can always go to my website: http://www.twocandobooks.com

Who is Mary Laudien? 

  • a retired innovative educator  (Known for successfully transforming the public schools she was principal of into International Baccalaureate World Schools)
  • a newly appointed International Baccalaureate
… Read the rest
Jul30

Better Hat than Woman Overboard

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Better Hat than Woman Overboard

Sailing along the Pacific Coast, means donning a Scala hat, especially at the age where brown spots magically appear daily. Wearing a broad brimmed hat on the water is mandatory, regardless of its lack of a fashionista appeal. Movies and TV ads never show the woman aboard a sailboat in an ugly hat or flattened hat hair.  Oh no, they look gorgeous, nautical, tanned and relaxed.  Reality, the Scala hat can’t just be any cap, no, it has to be full-on with a wide brim for maximum sun protection.

It’s bad enough you have to wear the thing, but it’s never discussed how trying it is to keep the ugly hat on one’s head out in the wailing winds.  No … Read the rest