equipment – Voilier 'HIR 3'

Strida

An ideal bike to have on board…

04/05/2018 sasaLeave a comment

Bikes and boats go together and it doesn’t get much better than a Strida bike and your boat. It has been on my whishlist for years…

Strida is a portable, belt-driven, folding bicycle with a distinctive ‘A’-shaped collapsible frame, designed by UK engineer and designer Mark Sanders.

One great advantage of Strida is that it can be folded and unfolded very fast, another one is that it has a greaseless kevlar belt that replaces the traditional chain drive to avoid mess, no rust and doesn’t need any maintenance. Once folded, it takes a very small space and you can wheel your Strida anywhere you go.

http://www.strida.com/

Watermaker

Katadyn Survivor 35 – manual watermaker

05/03/2018 sasaLeave a comment

No sailor wants to be caught in a situation where he or she is completely devoid of fresh drinking water, so a Watermaker is a survival must for all ocean boat emergency kits.

Katadyn originally made the Survivor line of desalinators because the U.S. Navy wanted hand-operated, reverse-osmosis watermaker for their 35-person life-rafts.

Katadyn Survivor 35 is the most widely-used emergency desalinator. Produces up to 4.5 litres per hour, it is widely used by US and international military forces, voyagers, sea kayakers, and other adventurers.

To remove dissolved salts from seawater with reverse osmosis, part of the salt water is filtered through a semipermeable membrane. Only 10% of the water passes through the membrane. The remaining 90% flow past the membrane and at the same time cleans the membrane (self-cleaning effect). The small size of the “membrane pores“ ensures extremely pure drinking water, but extremely high pressures must be generated – normally 55 bar.

Jordan Series Drogue

JORDAN SERIES DROGUE is the ultimate survival device for ocean sailors.

08/02/2018 sasaLeave a comment

Designer of the Series Drogue, Don Jordan was a retired aeronautical engineer and spent his career in aircraft and engine development. He has been an enthusiastic sailor all his life and also was a licensed pilot flying small aircraft on wheels and floats. Don had no financial interest in the manufacture or sale of the drogue. He has provided his own funding for the development. He was greatly assisted by the U.S Coast Guard, who made their facilities available for testing and analysis and who tested the final configuration in breaking waves at the Motor Lifeboat School on the Columbia River bar.

Jordan Series Drogue is a safety device designed to prevent the capsize and damage of both monohull and multihull sailing yachts and other vessels operating in the open ocean, in the event of a “worst case” breaking wave strike, as well as improving the motion of the boat in storm waves and to reduce drift.

The drogue consists of a number of small cones (from 100 to 200, 5 inch diameter cones attached) woven into a tapered line with a small weight at the end (15-25 lb. chain). The maximum design load and the number of cones is determined by the displacement of the boat.

The danger with the wind behind is pitchpoling, the Jordan Series Drogue will hold you back, stop you from surfing and prevent that happening. The yacht is still able to accelerate down the face of a wave, but the Drogue will slow it enough for the wave to pass through without dropping into a trough. The drag force is applied softly, allowing gentle acceleration until enough cones bite.

A dangerous breaking wave is formed by the interaction of two or more storm waves. This type of wave has a large mass of water at its crest moving at wave speed (20-30 knots). When a vessel lying ahull is struck by this moving mass of water, a very large force is developed. In a typical event the boat has been successfully riding out the storm for many hours, then, 10 seconds later it lies dismasted and damaged. It is the function of the Drogue to turn the stern into this moving mass of water and pull it safely through. In a dangerous breaking wave strike, moving water may sweep the cockpit and strike the companionway doors. This is unavoidable, and is a necessary corollary to saving the vessel.

The Series Drogue has been at sea for over 25 years. At least 2000 are carried all over the world. The drogue has been deployed through many storms including several hurricanes.

A Jordan Series Drogue can be a lifesaver: LINK

5 low-budget gifts for a sailor

20/11/201720/11/2017 sasaLeave a comment

Sailing equipment is very expensive, but here is a list of Top 5 gifts for a sailor if you are on a budget…

1. Seahorse magazine subscription

A great gift for a sailor is a subscription to a favorite sailing magazine. Seahorse magazine is ideal for a racing sailor.

2. SailGrib Weather Routing

The most important question on a boat is always what the weather is going to do, so a subscription for SailGrib weather routing makes a perfect gift…

3. Hei-Matau

These very stylized hand crafted New Zealand Maori fish hook bone carvings and necklaces represent prosperity, abundance, fertility and strength. Hei-Matau are also seen as good luck charms, particularly for those traveling over water.

4. Rick Tomilson Porfolio Calendar

Every edition of the highly acclaimed Rick Tomlinson Portfolio Calendar features 12 spectacular images from recent assignments around the world. Action and art has always been the Portfolio Calendar theme.

5. Yeti Rambler Colster

Sailors love beer and this keeps your hand from getting cold and your beer from getting warm—what could be better:)? Yeti Rambler Colster is basically a thermos for your can of beer that will keep your brew cold for a very long time. You could also just use it as an insulated tumbler and pour whatever you wanted in there, hot or cold.

Top 10 Sailor’s Drinks

Everything you need in a ship’s bar…

08/09/2017 sasaLeave a comment

It’s important to drink on board to stay hydrated, but to drink well is good for the morale of the crew;)… so here is my Top 10 list of the best sailor’s drinks…

10. Twinings Tea
Tea (with, or without the rum;) is a great boat drink, it goes well at any time of day and it’s perfect for keeping your hands warm during long and cold night watches…

9. Nescafe Cap Colombie
Coffee is a great way to wake up and it keeps you alert during night watches. Nescafe Cap Colombie is easy to make on the boat and it tastes great with 100% Arabica beans from the finest regions in South America and roast them lightly to achieve a medium bodied coffee taste with a wonderful honey finish…. and if you can install a machine on the galley, you can also enjoy a good Nespresso, like Emirates Team New Zealand:)

8. Red Wine
Nearly all scientific researches show the positive medical benefits of red wine consumption… and it is common knowledge that wine tastes better on the boat:)

7. Grey Goose
Grey Goose was named the best-tasting vodka in the world by the Beverage Testing Institute. As advertised, it goes great ‘on the rocks’ after sailing with oysters in the cockpit…

6. Johhnie Walker Blue Label
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is blended to recreate the character and taste of some of the earliest whisky blends created in the 19th century. If it’s good enough for Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini on a Baglietto Sailing Yacht, it’s certainly good enough for me:)

5. Heineken
Beer is great to drink to have while sailing, to celebrate a safe landfall, or when partying on shore and Heineken is the world’s most international premium beer that sponsors a popular St Maarten Heineken Regatta…

4. Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is the flagship Scotch whisky brand with a perfect motto: ‘Live with Chivalry!’ which is encouraging us to live life with honor, loyalty and gallantry. It is stronger than simply an act. It is about staying true to your word and leading by example, standing up for what you believe in no matter what.

3. Captain Morgan
World-famous dark rum named after Captain Henry Morgan, the famous Welsh swashbuckler who became the governor of Jamaica with the best slogan: ‘To Life, Love and Loot’.

2. Beck’s
Beer is always a popular drink on board… and what better brand to have than the one that sponsors a greet tall ship Alexander von Humboldt with green sails!

1. Jameson

Jameson – blended Irish whiskey doesn’t need ice, so it’s not only a perfect ingredient for Irish Coffee, but a great drink for celebrating that perfect moments on board;)

Drink responsibly!

5 cool gadgets to have on a boat

A list of five cool gadgets to have on a boat to make your life more enjoyable;)…

18/04/2017 sasaLeave a comment

Top 5 gadgets:

1. Magic-Mât

Magic-Mât is the simplest and safest solution to climb the mast alone with alternate rungs for easy use and equipment for climbing to ensure absolute safety.

2. Spare Air

The Spare Air is a unique, short-term emergency air system. Designed around an on-demand regulator attached to an ultra lightweight aluminum cylinder, the compact regulator delivers 3 minutes of air and takes only seconds to deploy.

3. GSW Wooden Beer Mug

GSW Mugs are made of carefully chosen wood of very high quality, combined and toughened with stainless steel hoops, rivets, and handles. Every part of mug is hand crafted, carefully combined together in one solid piece, and coated with acrylic polymer. It’s the right way to drink beer! Check it out here…

4. Rite in the Rain Notepad

The Midnight Collection is easy on the eyes, delivering the reliability you have come to expect from Rite in the Rain. Everything from the cover, the paper, the sewn-in pages, even the glue is designed to survive Mother Nature’s wrath.

5. X-Pot

Pots are bulky and cumbersome, but shrinking isn’t the X-Pot’s only talent. The flexible walls are also easy to scrape clean.

Sound of Music

Kigonki Tank Drum handmade specially for HIR3 by Mladen…

23/03/201723/03/2017 sasaLeave a comment

‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.’

My friend Mladen made a Kigonki Tank Drum for HIR3. It is a great instrument that can be played by anyone, even me! It will be good for the morale of the crew a great toy for everyone on the boat;)

Kigonki Tank Drums come in pentatonic scales. The word “pentatonic” comes from the Greek word pent meaning five and tonic meaning tone. It is a musical scale that consists of five notes within one octave. Because of their arrangement, pentatonic scales are often used to introduce beginners to music. There are no wrong notes. You can play any note in any order and the drum will sound great!

Kigonki Tank Drum has been used with much success by licensed music therapists and their patients in many different ways. With no wrong notes to play and a soothing vibrational tone it is easy to interact with and enjoy. Smooth sides and a compact size make it easy to transport. Using mallets or hands one can work on motor skills, memory, communication and mood alteration.

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy interventions have been designed to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation…

Mladen can make a Kigonki like Tank Drum for you too… just drop him a line: vjetarvoda@gmail.com

All I want for Christmas…

20 cool gift ideas for a sailor…

18/11/201618/11/2016 sasaLeave a comment

20 cool gift ideas for a sailor…

1. Wichard knife

Wichard Offshore knife has a serrated blade that can cut through Dyneema, and is available with a combined shackle key/marlinspike.

2. Olaf Scooter

The Olaf Urban combines four products in one: a kick-scooter, a trolley, a backpack and a skateboard. It’s a cool way to ting around in foreign marinas and towns.

3. Free Wheeling

Free Wheeling blends rowing with outboard motors to produce a clever lightweight solution for your tender. It uses a 3:1 gear ratio contained in the collar by the handle, driving a high-pitch propeller to provide a smooth, silent and fuel-less means of manual propulsion in either direction.

4. R.A.W. Pro Head Torch

The RAW Pro Head Torch is a waterproof, light weight, high power white and red beam head torch. Engineered specifically to excel in the harsh marine environment, you can rely on it in any situation.

5. DrSails

DrSails is a fast curing epoxy that can be used on sails plus most materials in virtually all conditions – including underwater – so it can even help patch a hole below the waterline.

5. Safety Lines

Spinlock 2 Clip & 1 Link Safety Line for staying safe on board. Up to 50% lighter and more compact than conventional safety lines.

6. Windstopper Hat

Musto Windstopper Hat is styled in the manner of a traditional woolly hat but with a technical twist, it contains a Windstopper membrane to cut out the windchill and keep you warm while maintaining breathability. Warm and comfortable in the coldest conditions.

7. Leatherman Signal

Stay ready for the expected (and unexpected) no matter where you are with everything you need to stay safe and take your adventure further with a Leatherman Signal.

8. Dubarry boots

Dubarry Crosshaven sailing boots are offering optimum performance out at sea, these waterproof men’s sailing boots have an essential non slip sole and also feature a reinforced toe and heel due to the D-chassis system which adds extra support and protection.

9. iPad with Navionics in a waterproof case

iPad with Navionics in a waterproof case is the ultimate gadget for navigation, but also keeping a logbook, answering e-mails and a lot more…

10. Handheld GPS

Garmin GPSMAP 64s handheld navigator features a 2.6” sunlight-readable screen and a high-sensitivity GPS and GLONASS receiver with a quad helix antenna for superior reception. It’s rugged and waterproof and comes with a barometric altimeter and a 3-axis compass. It wirelessly connects to a smartphone to allow Live Tracking and Smart Notification.

11. GoPro Hero5

GoPro HERO5 Black is the most powerful and easy to use GoPro ever, thanks to its 4K video, voice control, one-button simplicity, touch display and waterproof design.

12. Strida

Strida is the first completely new bicycle geometry in 95 years. Inside a triangular frame, the power is transferred to the rear wheel via a silent clean Kevlar belt. The genius of the triangular frame is that it can quickly fold.

13. SeaPack

SeaPack provides emergency hydration fluids from saltwater sources. Seapack utilizes a passive osmotic process and it is the easiest desalination technology available.

14. Solar Recharging Kit

The most rugged, durable, weatherproof phone and tablet recharger on the market, no rubber plugs needed. Charge up from USB or included solar panel. The Venture 30 packs the power you need to keep those small devices, cameras and tablets charged no matter the elements you may be out battling. With an IPX6 weatherproof rating and 7800mAh the Venture will keep everything running smoothly.

15. Scrubba Wash Bag

The Scrubba Wash Bag is the world’s smallest washing machine, it is a modern take on the old fashioned washboard and twice as effective as hand washing.

16. Petrolux Lapmp by DELITE

The designer Peter Jessen has again proven his ability with this Petrolux DELITE light in which he has combined technical perfection and solid hand-craftsmanship with wonderfully beautiful design. Stainless-steel body and shade, clean satin finish.

17. OMEGA Seamaster Diver ETNZ Limited Edition

In honor of the yachtsmen of Emirates Team New Zealand, OMEGA Seamaster comes in a limited edition of 2,013 pieces and features a regatta start countdown indicator, a matte black ceramic bezel, and a black rubber strap with red detailing throughout.

18. DeLorme inReach Explorer

The DeLorme inReach Explorer would be appreciated by any cruising sailor. This handy device lets the user not only share their location, but also send and receive text messages from anywhere on the globe using the Iridium satellite network.

19. Strahl unbreakable wine glasses

Strahl glasses is made of a high quality polycarbonate, a remarkable material that enables us to produce beverageware products with the clarity and elegance of glass, it doesn’t shatter, making it an ideal and extremely safe alternative to glass.

20. Rudy Project Sunglasses

Rudy Project sailing sunglasses offer protection from falls and knocks thanks to the Safety Project system, lightweight, thanks to the use of innovative materials such as Kynetium, Grilamid, carbon and titanium, protection from the wind and from any kind of shock thanks to the ImpactX technology lenses, guaranteed unbreakable for life. protection from UV rays and excellent vision in all weather conditions thanks to the polarized glasses with photochromic lenses. These, besides automatically adapting to any changes in light, eliminate glare caused by the reflection of rays on the water that fatigue the eye and facilitate reading of the instrument panel.

Something’s missing…

21/06/201621/06/2016 sasa1 Comment

We have been working on the boat for quite some time now, but there is still a lot of expensive equipment that we have to install. Friends and colleagues have been halping me and donating useful things which helped us a lot… THANK YOU ALL!

I decided to make an equipment list in google docs that will be updated constantly as we progress, so if by any chance, you have something useful for us… we would really appreciate it;)

Equipment list: LINK

5 Books for Round the World Sailor

A lot of good books for sailors are out there, but here is my list of the definitive Top 5 books for a round the world sailors…

22/03/2016 sasaLeave a comment

A lot of good books for sailors are out there, but here is my list of the definitive Top 5 books for a round the world sailors:

1. World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell

World Cruising Routes has become one of the best-selling nautical publications in the world. This book is to be found on board every long distance cruising yacht, and provide ocean navigators all the information they need, from the planning stages of a voyage to its successful completion.

2. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual by Nigel Calder

If it’s on a boat and it has screws, wires, or moving parts, it’s covered in Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual (832 pages!). When you leave the dock with this book aboard, you have at your fingertips the best and most comprehensive advice on all on boars systems.

3. Heavy Weather Sailing by Peter Bruce

Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing and motor vessels. The book brings together a wealth of expert advice from many great sailors including fresh accounts of yachts overtaken by extreme weather. This is the definitive book for crews of any size contemplating sea voyages, whether racing or cruising.

4. Marine Diesel Engines by Nigel Calder

Marine Diesel Engines is a bible for do-it-yourself boatowners. Nigel Calder’s bestseller has everything you need to keep your diesel engine running cleanly and efficiently. Marine Diesel Engines explains how to diagnose and repair engine problems, perform routine and annual maintenance and extend the life and improve the efficiency of your engine.

5. Modern Marine Weather by David Burch

A comprehensive text on how to take weather into account for the planning and navigation of voyages, local or global, using the latest technologies as well as the time-honored skills of maritime tradition. It doesn’t just tell you about it; it tells you how to do it.