Home Page Hero - Ocean Navigator

16 Sep

New trophy named for first (real) circumnavigator

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Ocean Voyaging

The question of who was the first to sail around the world is usually answered: Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese captain and navigator who led a Spanish fleet west from Spain in 1519. The rub here, of course, is that while the Spanish effort Magellan commanded did complete the first circumnavigation of the earth, Magellan himself was not there for the awards ceremony. He was killed in the Philippines by local warriors led by Chief Lapulapu in the Battle of Mactan. It was the Spanish captain Juan Sebastian Elcano who completed the first circumnavigation in September 1522 after taking command of…

16 Aug

What’s the share price on that sloop?

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Industry & Company News, Ocean Voyaging

The advantages of owning a yacht come with some obvious costs and responsibilities, too. When you're the sole owner, it's up to you to handle everything that comes your way. One solution to what can be a substantial burden for some people is co-own a vessel and spread the costs and responsibilities around. Sometimes, however, one member of the group takes on a larger share of the work. This inequality of effort can be okay for a time but sometimes it can raise its head as an issue in the partnership. A new product being offered by Dream Yachts Sales…

13 Jul

Transpac Ocean Navigator class winner

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Ocean VoyagingJ 125, Ocean Navigator class, Transpac 2023

With only few boats still to finish, the results of the 2023 Transpac are largely set. This year's race had 52 entries in 9 divisions. As a co-sponsor of the race, Ocean Navigator magazine was honored to have our own named class. And the winner in the Ocean Navigator class was Nereid, a J 125 owned and skippered by Standish Fleming and based in San Diego (also the headquarters for Maritime Publishing, ON's parent company). Fleming and his crew of Bill Blazer, Damian Craig, Jeremy Davidson, Richard Graef and Charlie Jenkins not only finished first in class on corrected time…

07 Jul

Transpac racers close in on Hawaii

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Ocean Voyaging

The Transpac race fleet (Ocean Navigator is a co-sponsor of the race) is hurtling downwind, closing in on Hawaii. As this is posted, according to YB tracking, one multihull, the Mod 70 trimaran Orion owned and skippered by Justin Shaffer, has finished. The bulk of the fleet is still on the ocean, though, doing their best to sail well and win or finish as high as they can in their class. Race tracking is a great way to see what's happening with boat position, boat speed, current rank in class, distance to finish and more. Also, the wind overlays from PredictWind…

29 Jun

First Transpac fleet starters on their way

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Ocean Voyaging

Los Angeles, CA -- Under clear Southern California skies, 6 to 10 knots of wind, and just a hint of fog out on the western horizon, the first wave of the 2023 Transpac fleet is on their way towards Hawaii. Nine entries in Boatswains Locker Division 7 and six in smithREgroup Division 8 crossed the start line today. One Hawaiian-based entry in the latter class – Russ Johnson’s Jeanneau 52.2 Blue Moon – only arrived last night and received permission to delay their start until the next group sets off on Thursday. A team who is taking on this race…

02 Jun

Ocean Navigator photo contest sponsored by Icom

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Ocean VoyagingON

With high quality phone cameras in every pocket and on every boat, there’s no excuse for not taking some great photos. The ON Photo Contest will be awarding a handheld radio (provided by Icom) to each of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, and will announce the winners in the Jan/Feb ’24 issue. Send your photo (high res and one entry only please) and a brief description to tim@maritimepublishing.com. To be considered for the photo contest your email must have the subject line “ON photo contest.” Get clicking! The Icom M94D DSC VHF has built-in GPS and AIS. …

30 May

Sailboat rescued by sailing ship

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Ocean VoyagingGotheborg, offshore tow

Nothing like seeing a square-rigger hove over the horizon and ask if you'd like a tow! If you missed it, this is a great story about a sailboat given a tow off the French coast by Götheborg, a reproduction of an 18th century sailing ship. "Imagine losing your rudder out at sea and sending out a distress call. And then the largest ocean-going wooden sailing ship in the world comes to your rescue. Or in the words of the sailors on the sailing boat: "This moment was very strange, and we wondered if we were dreaming. Where were we? What time…

19 Apr

A rare sailing machine

Tim QueeneyCrew's Picks, Home Page Hero, Ocean Voyaging

In 2005 Harley and Jennifer Earl were sailing around the world in their Hans Christian 41T, Manu Kai, when they stopped at Cocos (Keeling) Island in the Indian Ocean. While there they saw a voyaging sailboat at anchor that Harley said “looked fast just sitting still.” It was a Deerfoot 62 named Emma, one of the series of light displacement boats designed by Steve Dashew. For the Earls, the die was cast. When they returned to Sausalito, Calif., they sold Manu Kai and began a search for their own Deerfoot. According to Harley, there were only about 14 Deerfoots in…

11 Apr

2023 Hurricane Names

Ocean NavigatorHome Page Hero, Ocean Voyaging, Weather

One of the ways that we know a storm is a serious weather event is whether it attains the status of a “named storm.” Hurricanes, being the most energetic of storms in the North Atlantic and the eastern North Pacific, are given names to ease in identification and to speed communications. The National Weather Service actually maintains names for six years into the future. Here are the names on the list for 2023: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, Whitney. How are the names decided…

15 Mar

Useful diesel buying guide

Tim QueeneyHome Page Hero, Industry & Company Newsdiesel, diesel buying guide, diesel engines, diesel parts, marine diesels

The next issue of Ocean Navigator will have a special section on diesel engines for voyagers. These marine engines are essential workhorses that few mariners could do without, both for propulsion use but also for generating the electrical power modern vessels require to power their many systems. It turns out that Diesel Pro Power, which is a marine diesel parts and supplies provider, has a useful diesel engine guide on its website called Marine Diesel Engine Comparisons, that can assist mariners in making buying decisions. The guide is designed to assist mariners with info that will allow them to keep…