The Sailboat Cruiser

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Newsletter #43 - April 2018

What's in This Issue:

• It Had to Happen
• An Outboard Tip
• Beds On Board?
• An Anchor Ball Incident
• This Month's Mystery Boat;
• Used Sailing Gear & Equipment;
• Used Sailboats;
• More 'Likes' Please!
• Back Issues of The Sailboat Cruiser;

It Had to Happen

Hundreds of boats stored afloat and ashore in St Martin and the Virgin Islands were destroyed or badly damaged.

The view of the insurance companies is that the Caribbean named-storm risk has increased both in terms of frequency of occurence and impact, leaving them with little option but to change their policies.

Generally their new approach is to offer two levels of insurance:

1. A standard policy that does not provide cover for named storms;
2. A second policy that provides cover for named storms.

Not all insurance companies are prepared to offer the named-storm policy at all. Others, such as Alacazam's insurers Pantaenius, will quote for it.

Cruising sailors in these parts will react to the increased cost of named-storm insurance in one of three ways:

• Take a deep breath and pay up, or
• Move their boats away from the Caribbean, or
• Be uninsured for named-storms, and manage the risk as best they can.

Boatyards, as far as I'm aware, insist on boat owners having substantial third party insurance, but named-storm insurance is optional.

It's going to be very interesting to see how it all pans out.

Fortunately for us, we don't have to decide which way to jump for a while, as 'Alacazam's current insurance policy which includes Caribbean Hurricane Insurance is valid until the end of December - well after the traditional end of the hurricane season.

But for next year, we have a big decision to make.

An Outboard Tip

Mary operates the gantry-mounted tackle whilst I guide the 5hp Yamaaha into position from the dinghy. It's a relatively straightforward operation in calm conditions, but when it's rocky and rolly it can get a little more exciting than I would like.

If anything slips at this stage, it's likely to get messy.

It happened the other day. Caught by an unexpected wash from a powerboat that set Alacazam rolling and the dinghy bouncing, the Davis Outboard Hoisting Strap slipped around the motor. I shouted something rude and made a lunge for it. Mary thought I said 'Let go!' which I most definitely didn't. It certainly added a new dimension to the transfer process.

I could see the whole shebang - including me - heading towards where the fishes live. Fortunately that didn't happen, but the event - whilst entertaining for the crew of a boat anchored nearby - would have been avoided entirely had I done what the owner of this outboard had.

It's on my to-do list.

Beds On Board

There are two sides to it:

• If you've got a boat, you can make money from letting it out as holiday accommodation;
• If you haven't got a boat but would like to stay aboard one for a while, you can rent one.

This isn't a charter - you can't go cruising, the boats are static.

Take a look at how the arrangement works at www.BedsOnBoard.com

An Anchor Ball Incident

Neither I nor Brian, for that was his name, felt the need for one - anything that could contrive to unwittingly trip the anchor was best avoided we agreed.

Certainly there are a couple of benefits:

• The skipper of the anchored boat - and other would-be anchorers - always know where the anchor is, even in windless and tideless conditions when your boat may be facing in a different direction entirely;


• If your anchor does get fouled, there's half a chance you can free it by heaving on the ball line;

Dawn revealed all boats in the anchorage had swung to the north - except for the boat anchored nearby which was facing due south. The anchor ball was nowhere to be seen.

The skipper, having donned mask and snorkel, soon found it - it was caught up around the rudder.

Now had there been any strength in the wind, he could have had a night filled with adventure and excitement.

This Month's Mystery Boat

Leonard Webb also was of the opinion that it was a Westsail 32, but they were the only two - so maybe it wasn't so easy.

She looks like one of Steve Dashews designs or a Chuck Paine designed Bourgainvillaea, but an internet search suggests to me that she's something different.

Used Sailing Gear & Equipment

Among other items this month, we have:

• A complete suite of Doyle Sails;
• A pair of Rooster Sailing Boots;
• A Magic Marine Catamaran Harness;

Cruising Boats for Sale

Then take a look at the full list of monohulls for sale here and multihulls for sale here...

Don't forget...

More 'Likes' Please

Clicking the image here will take you right to it, where you can browse through many more posts and articles.

Please take a look, and feel free to make a post - and don't forget to 'Like' us of course...

Thanks!

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And finally...

And this newsletter can be a two-way thing. If you've read anything you'd like to comment on, or perhaps there's an event you'd like to see announced in a future newsletter, then please let me know.

See you next month!