Power Voyaging - Ocean Navigator

Lessons learned to spare

The famed Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen once said, “Adventure is just another word for poor planning.” In Amundsen’s time explorers were very much on their own, without the support of a vast electronic safety net and boundless rescue assets, and the best of them did everything in their power to avoid the unexpected; they had “everything in order.” There’s something to be said for this approach, particularly where cruising vessels are concerned. As the manager of a busy boat building and refit yard for more than a decade, and 15 years as a marine systems consultant, I’ve learned many…

Power Tripping

“Jeff, you would be proud of me. I was alone onboard and lost power in the middle of the night. The first thing I thought of was that maybe the onboard shore power breaker tripped. I grabbed a flashlight and looked where you showed me the breaker was located. It was a simple fix to cycle the breaker and restore power, thank you!” (Cindy C. – Selene 53). All of the comforts of home are expected features aboard trawlers. The underlying source that allows us to indulge as if we were ashore is the magic of electricity. You probably don’t…

Managing a power rally to Mexico

Christy Donnelly aboard Varnebank running the med-evac emergency, using three mics – the California Baja ham net frequency and two different VHF channels Christy Steinman-Crawford Donnelly herded a fleet of 30 recreational powerboats on a 1,000-nautical-mile voyage down to Mexico, as communications director for the 2019 Cruise Underway to Baja Rally (CUBAR), a bi-annual cruise from San Diego to La Paz, Baja for 30 to 50 powerboats. It was an odyssey that included one medical evacuation at sea. Of course, that was not her first rodeo. Donnelly has navigated and sailed with the “best of the best.” She navigated…