sailor – Voilier 'HIR 3'

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…

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.

10 must have items for a Hipster Sailor

Everyone wants to look cool, so here is a list of top 10 items for a hipster sailor…

13/02/2017 sasaLeave a comment

Proper sailing is not about style & fashion. Often, the best equipped crews are actually the worst… But everyone wants to look cool in a posh marina, so here is a list of a Top 10 must have items for a hipster sailor if money is no object…

1. IWC Schaffhausen Yacht Club Ctonograph

With its beautifully laid-out silver-plated dial and blued hands and indices, the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph“ Ocean Racer” is the perfect watch as it mirrors the elegance of a racing yacht… The tradition behind the Portuguese watch family goes all the way back to the precision nautical instruments used by seafarers to discover the world.

2. Carbon Fibre Wallet

RAGGEDedge Gear Wallet made of strong and lightweight carbon fiber will look cool when you’ll be buying rounds in a local yacht club;)

3. Rudy Project Sunglasses

Spinhawk Sailing sunglasses is synonymous with a timeless success. The broad, extra-comfortable Grilamid frame is made to last. A cutting-edge, stylish accessory for every situation, from post-competition to leisure time and, with Polar3FX Grey laser frames eliminate reflections and reduce vision stress.

4. Sperry Boat Shoes

Sperry has been outfitting men with the sure footing of high-performance, high-style boat shoes for more than 80 years, and that tradition of excellence has evolved into today’s must-have shoes for adventurous spirits. Sperry boat shoes for men come with the promise of innovative comfort features, as well as Sperry’s staple wet/dry traction for non-slip safety in any weather or conditions. From the latest materials like mesh and patterned fabrics, to athletic-inspired designs, to 3-eye styles, men’s deck shoes from Sperry are cutting-edge for the modern adventurer to evoke enduring style at home, at sail and abroad. There is also an America’s Cup Edition…

5. America’s Cup Polo Shirt

A polo shirt from the America’s Cup Event Collection is a real eye-catcher for the summer. It’s not only the stylish event embellishments that make this shirt stand out from the crowd, but also its high-quality cotton fabric that is still comfortable to wear even on hot summer days.

6. Camet Sailing Shorts

Camet R3000 are the best looking, top quality shorts with an option to insert foam pads for comfortable seating on board. These shorts are made of lightweight nylon fabric that has a Durable Water Repellant finish that dries quickly and has a UV rating of 40+. They are reinforced with and abrasion resistant seat pocket.

7. North Salls Cap

If you haven’t yet worn a cap lined with fleece, then you best be buying this one. Made to stretch and move with you, its lining just makes for added insulation and the ultimate in comfort.

8. Murphy&Nye Swim Trunks

Murphy & Nye is one of the top brands for nautical hipsters, so these shorts are perfect for jumping off the boat for a swim while anchored on a posh place;)
9. OLAF Scooter

OLAF Urban is a 4-in-1 unique solution that incorporates removable ergonomically-designed backpack, trolley, a steerable kick-scooter, and a skateboard. It’s extremely versatile and will instantly blend in with your lifestyle. It’s an ideal companion in various settings: shopping, traveling abroad, or just cruising around.
10. Strida Carbon Folding Bike

STRiDA C1 (C = carbon) is something pretty special and unique. Now you don’t have to buy a Ferrari or Lamborghini to get admiring looks in the marina:)

Murphy was a sailor!

Edward A. Murphy must have been a sailor… Only a person who owns a boat could have come up with that. Who else could have written these laws!? :)…

14/01/2017 sasaLeave a comment

Edward A. Murphy must have been a sailor…

Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr. (January 11, 1918 – July 17, 1990) was an American aerospace engineer who worked on safety-critical systems. If anything can go wrong, it will.

Only a person who owns a boat could have come up with that. Who else could have written these laws!? :)…

If anything can go wrong, it will.
If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.
If anything just cannot go wrong, it will anyway.
Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse.
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
Everything takes longer than you think.
Every solution breeds new problems.
A falling object will always land where it can do the most damage.

Only a boat owner can truly relate to his laws… because unfortunately, they are all true! Now, after more than two years of working on a refit of HIR 3, I can really relate to all of them… but all it takes is sailing in a favorable breeze on a sunny day and it’s all worth it!

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.

Top 15 gifts for a sailor this Christmas

All I really want for Christmas this year is to set sail with my crew… but on the more practical side, here is a list of Top 10 Christmas gifts for a sailor this year…

25/11/2015 sasaLeave a comment

I have been working on the boat for a year and a half now and it seems that finally the day when we will be able to set sail is getting close, so I guess that all I want for Christmas this year is to set sail with my crew… but on the more practical side, here is my list of Top 15 gifts for Christmas this year…

1. Dubarry boots

Keeping your feet dry and warm in bad weather is important. Unfortunately, I only have simple rubber boots that are ok, but not great, so I would really love to have the proper Dubarry boots.

2. Leatherman

I’ve had a few multitools so far, but all of them have a tendency to jump overboard, so it would really be nice to have a proper Leatherman again.

3. Windstopper Hat

Warm hat is a must for me in cold weather, so a good, nice and warm and windstopper hat would be great.

4. Musto Hat

During the summer, it’s impossible for me to spend a day on a boat without a hat. I’ve had a few so far, but being constantly exposed to the sun, these wear off quickly, so I’d like a new Musto hat.

5. iPhone Waterproof Case

iPhone is a nice and useful toy on board for checking the weather forecast, navigation software, e-mails… but they don’t mix well with water, so a good waterproof case would be nice to have.

6. Nautical Charts

I would like to start preparing and planning for crossing oceans and for that I need proper nautical charts for passage planning.

7. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

A bottle of fine rum is a must on every boat. My favorite is Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.

8. DSLR Nikon Camera

There are so many beautiful moments that I would like to capture on camera. The one i have on my iPhone is ok, but a proper DSLR Nikon Camera would really make a difference between good and great photos.

9. Carbon Fiber Portfolio

Probably the coolest thing to put your boat documents in is a carbon fiber legal portfolio by RAGGEDedge Gear.

10. Navisafe Headlamp

A good headlamp is a must for night sailing. The best one on the market is Navisafe Headlamp with a red light to preserve night vision, a white floodlight to light the whole sail, and an ultra-powerful distance light shining up to 70 m plus tilt function for exact and comfortable beam positioning.

11. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual

This manual takes both novice and experienced boatowner through minor to major repairs of electrical systems, engines, electronics, steering systems, generators, pumps, cookers, spars and rigging. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual deserves to come standard with every boat.

12. Handheld GPS Garmin Montana 600

A handheld GPS is a must for a sailor these days. Great to use as a backup, or even as a primary navigation aid. Garmin Montana 600 is at the moment the best model. It has big 4′ touchscreen, waterproof and supports multiple mapping options.

13. Spinlock Deckwest 5D 170N Pro Sensor Safety Harness

Safety first! A mandatory equipment for every sailor on offshore passages. Spinlock Deckwest 5D 170N Pro Sensor Safety Harness is very light, comfortable design for use over long periods.

14. Safety Harness