We love these seminars and all the new friends we have made doing them. In fact, I love the seminars so much I am packing up my bags and leaving the boat in beautiful Eleuthera, Bahamas (with sand in my shoes) to fly to the Oakland show.  When we’re not giving seminars we will be hanging out at the Author’s Corner. I will be selling my French for Cruisers and Spanish for Cruisers books plus a new audio. Come by and talk cruising! We look forward to seeing you there!

Blue Water Sailing is the Presenting Sponsor of the Seminar Series.  The one-hour seminars are FREE with your paid show admission. Attendees will receive two issues of Blue Water Sailing and a complimentary subscription to Cruising Compass.

Women and Cruising

by Kathy Parsons, Pam Wall, Gwen Hamlin

Kathy Parsons, Pam Wall and Gwen Hamlin  team up to share experiences and answer all your questions about preparing for cruising and life aboard: from the skills you need to cruise, to outfitting and provisioning, to seasickness, staying healthy, finances, long passages, safety and the fears and the rewards of cruising.

Attendees will receive a Women and Cruising Resource List to supplement the information covered in the seminar.

Dates:

• Friday, April 15, 2011 – 11:45am
• Saturday, April 16, 2011 – 4:45pm

What Works: Tips and techniques for long-distance cruising.

by Kathy Parsons, Pam Wall, Gwen Hamlin

Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference. With decades of cruising and tens of thousands of miles under their keels, cruisers Pam Wall, Gwen Hamlin and Kathy Parsons have learned lots of little things that make cruising safer, more comfortable, more successful.

In this quick-paced seminar, they will share some of their favorite tips, techniques and gear. They will cover the full gamut of cruising: from passage-making, boat-handling, anchoring, line-handling, provisioning, stowage and boat systems, safety, communications, finances. You are bound to learn new ideas to improve your cruising.

Dates:

• Thursday, April 14, 2011 – 11:45am
• Sunday, April 17, 2011 – 10:30am

Cruising the French and Spanish-speaking Caribbean

by Kathy Parsons

The French and Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean provide rich and varied cruising opportunities: from Martinique and Guadeloupe’s French creole cuisines, to inland travel through Central and South America, to the music and beauty of Cuba. Yet boaters often hesitate, faced with language and cultural differences.

With photos, hand-outs and personal stories from over a decade of travel throughout the Caribbean, author and cruiser Kathy Parsons shows how and why to fully explore these areas. You will leave this seminar with a list of Caribbean destinations that you won’t want to miss and practical tips that will reduce cultural misunderstandings and make your travel more safe and enjoyable.

Date:

• Thursday, April 14, 2011 – 03:30pm

Spanish for Cruising Mexico

by Kathy Parsons

To make the most of your cruise to Mexico, you’ll want to be able to communicate with the people you meet – from port officials to repairmen, market vendors and fishermen.

In this seminar, Kathy Parsons, will give you techniques and strategies that help you communicate with everyone you meet ashore and on the water. Participants will learn techniques that ease communication, will learn to avoid common cultural mistakes and receive hand-outs covering Spanish for provisioning, clearing in, conversation, and other essentials of Mexican cruising.”

Date:

• Saturday, April 16, 2011 – 11:45am

Outfitting Part One – On Deck

by Pam Wall

Pam Wall will give sensible and practical ideas on how to make your boat more seaworthy, safer, more efficient, and more fun. The systems and equipment that she and her husband, Andy, have on their boat came from years of practical sailing.

From bow to stern Pam will show you what she found made her boat a better blue water cruising boat. Be ready to take notes on what works and what does not work in this informative seminar on proper deck hardware and systems. All this leads to having a better time aboard your boat.

Date:

• Thursday, April 14, 2011 – 1:00pm

Outfitting Part Two – Below Deck

by Pam Wall

Once again Pam Wall will show you ideas on how to make your boat more comfortable and more efficient down below where your living quarters make all the difference to your comfort and safety! See the many ideas Pam has put into use to make the interior of her boat functional and safe. Again, be prepared to take a lot of notes on the good ideas presented in this seminar.

Date:

• Thursday, April 14, 2011 – 2:15pm

Cruising the Bahamas

by Pam Wall

I don’t have to sail around the world to be in Paradise! Pam Wall has sailed around the world, but her most favorite place of all is in her back yard!

The Bahamas are Pam’s favorite cruising grounds, and she takes you there with a flair! See the beauty of these magnificent islands, so near, yet so far. This slide presentation will have you jumping into the clear water before you know it.

Date:

• Friday, April 15, 2011 – 3:30pm

How to be your own Maintenance Captain

by Pam Wall

Pam Wall will take you from bow to stern, on deck and down below, to help you check out what you need to know to maintain your vessel without the help of trained professionals. This type of basic knowledge of maintenance and how to keep everything in good running order will give you the confidence to know your own boat and all its systems. Pam will suggest easy programs to keep all you have aboard in good condition making your cruising more successful without any breakdowns. Learn from Pam how a woman can contribute to the maintenance schedule to keep your boat in top condition. All this will allow you to have a happy time aboard and give you the basic knowledge of how to eliminate most annoying failures!

Date:

• Saturday, April 16, 2011 – 1:00pm

Cool Products No One Knows About

by Pam Wall

Pam Wall has been working for West Marine for twenty years. She sees and tries many new and lots of old products that are available to the yachtsmen around the world. Let her show you many really great products that very few people know about. The secrets of great things will be revealed so you can take advantage of a lifetime of finding cool products that few have ever tried. Pam has her favorites that she will share with you, and you will come away with many great ideas for your own boat.

Date:

• Sunday, April 17, 2011 – 1:00pm

Severe Weather Preparation

by Pam Wall

Many of you may have attended Pam’s Hurricane Preparation seminars in the past. This year Pam will take you through the steps to be prepared for severe weather while at sea! The list of what you should have aboard, how you should prepare yourself, and how you should handle your boat are all given to you by someone who has lived through many a severe weather situation in her years of sailing. This is a seminar everyone should attend to be prepared and therefore be able to handle any situation with severe weather

Date:

• Sunday, April 17, 2011 – 3:30pm

More info

• About Kathy Parsons, Pam Wall and Gwen Hamlin
• Visit the Strictly Sail Pacific website
• Download the complete seminars schedule

In September of 2009, Debbie Leisure wrote here on the Women and Cruising Blog about how she learned to single-hand her boat after the death of her husband. At the end of the post Debbie said that she planned to sail to the Bahamas this winter. So we recently asked Debbie to update readers – sharing what she has learned on this trip while it is fresh in her mind. Thanks, Debbie!

Yes, I’m sure I learned a lot his winter, my first solo trip to the Bahamas.

I’m also sure that I knew some of these things before setting out for the Bahamas, but I now REMEMBER that I knew them.

Lessons along the ICW

The learning experience did not take long to begin.

I left Oriental, North Carolina in October heading south along the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) and on my second morning out I ran aground.

What did I learn?

That I have to pay very close attention to currents, and I learned that TowBoat US towing insurance is a wonderful thing to have.

Also, that I can call TowBoat US before I run aground when in unfamiliar waters, and they will advise me and give me the local knowledge that I need.

Day three and another lesson.

I’m still not real sure exactly what the lesson was that day. But I did learn that you can call TowBoat US two days in a row and they keep coming to help!

What actually happened was that my anchor became fouled on something on the bottom.

After much maneuvering on my part, and advice from my buddy boat that was circling around, I could not release the anchor from the bottom. Thus, Towboat US.

Unfortunately, they also couldn’t retrieve my anchor and I had to cut the anchor chain leaving behind 30 feet of chain and a perfectly good anchor.

The area I was in was not such that I could dive on the anchor, and the cost of hiring a diver would not have offset the loss of the chain and anchor.

So, I guess what I learned was: Always have a spare anchor, which I did have.

Most of the rest of the trip down the ICW from North Carolina to Florida was uneventful. I managed to anchor, pick up moorings and dock alone without mishap.

My new chartplotter

The entire trip taught me that the new chartplotter I had added last year was an excellent addition to the equipment.

The chartplotter made all navigation easier, both in the ICW and in the Bahamas.

It was especially useful in the ICW on the day I got caught in the fog.

In the Bahamas

I can navigate through the narrow passes in the cays of the Bahamas with confidence and the chartplotter makes it so much easier.

When the anchor chain was wrapped around a coral head in a beautiful anchorage, I learned that I needed assistance.

And that’s okay, because friends and fellow cruisers are always ready to help anyone in need.

It’s a comfortable feeling, knowing that that support group is always there should you ever need it.

I learned that I will run aground and, no, there may not be a towboat handy. I learned that I can get myself off the sand and handle the boat and myself in uncomfortable situations.

I have learned that I can evaluate the weather predictions and choose safe anchorages for the weather conditions.

Do I always get it perfect? No.

But I learn each time and survived the less than perfect anchorages and each time I get better at making those anchorage decisions.

I learned that the Bahamas are beautiful, that the weather is not always perfect, that cruisers everywhere are wonderful, and each successful day adds to my feeling of self-confidence.

See you next year in the Bahamas.

About Debbie Leisure

Debbie Leisure sails her 29′ Island Packet, Illusions single-handed. Originally from Missouri, she sailed the Eastern Caribbean for five years. The island of Carriacou holds a special place in her heart.

Recently, Oriental North Carolina has been her home base. She spent this winter in the Bahamas (Abacos, Exumas and Eleuthera), and when she leaves the Bahamas this Spring she plans to sail back to North Carolina for hurricane season.

Related articles (on this website)

• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed
• Single Women Sailing – Part 1 (Admiral’s Angle column #27)
• Single Women Sailing – Part 2 (Admiral’s Angle column #28)
• What Debbie Leisure likes most about cruising
• The Need to Know: Sheri Schneider is on her own in the Pacific after her husband is evacuated (Admiral’s Angle column #17)
• Doubt and the Thrill Zone (Admiral’s Angle column #7)

What have you learned lately?

Let us know. Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

Details of Pam’s Seminars:

Sea Cloud

Come and join the Trans Atlantic Passage of the lovely and historical yacht SEA CLOUD.  This beautiful 367 foot private yacht was built for Marjorie Merryweather Post and is now a charter yacht that works the Caribbean in the winter and the Mediterranean in the summer.

Pam Wall just recently sailed from the Canary Islands to Antigua and wants to share this wonderful 16 day passage aboard the bark SEA CLOUD.  Come and see what it is like to cross the Atlantic with the trade winds and enjoy the life aboard a square rigged sailing ship.

Family Sailing Around the World

Join Pam and Andy Wall and their two small children as they sail their 39 foot sloop around the world. This wonderful sailing family adventure took six years. Enjoy the entertaining stories, and learn from the thrilling experiences of a family seeing the world from their own home, their boat KANDARIK.

Cruising the Bahamas

Pam has been cruising the Bahamas for over 30 years. Come join Pam in a cruise around the Abacos in the Bahamas.

Get all kinds of good information on what to see, where to sail, and what to do in the lovely Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas.

Outfitting for Blue Water Cruising

Pam Wall has years of sailing and cruising experience. In this seminar she shares many good ideas on how to make your boat safer, more efficient, and therefore more fun. See the many photos of good ideas on how to sail your boat efficiently, be safer, and a lot more.

Get info about the Strictly Sail Chicago Boat Show and view the complete Seminar Schedule.

If you want to contact Pam, her e-mail address is: PamW@westmarine.com.

Related articles

• Pam Wall’s Advice on Outfitting Your Boat for Cruising in Cruising Compass/Blue Water Sailing
• What Pam Wall likes Most about Cruising
  
• Galley Advice from Pam Wall
  

Bev Feiges wrote the following for us after reading Galley Advice from 18 Cruising Women on the Women and Cruising website. In that article, we asked 18 cruising women to describe their galley for us, and tell us what they considered essential aboard. Although several of the 18 women participating in our article have generators aboard, and a number have some electrical appliances, none have a truly “electrical galley” as Bev does aboard her power boat. Thanks, Bev, for sharing your experience with us. – Kathy Parsons

I just read most of the interviews of the 18 women and their galleys, and I was so surprised not to hear one person, including the woman on the 68 foot motor boat, speak up for an electric galley, or having a generator. You may not want to hear the other side of the story, but I feel someone should make the case.

We started our cruising life aboard my parent’s sports fish, cruising, and fishing the Florida Keys, and the Bahamas. I can’t think of a boat of this type that isn’t equipped with a generator, because they will have freezers and refrigeration, (necessary to keep the bait and the fish you are going to bring home with you) and in those climates, where you spend your time in marinas, even air conditioning is essential.

We would get to the marina, fuel up – they burn a lot of fuel- go to the dock and plug in, so we could turn the generator off, and also connect the hose, since the whole boat was scrubbed down every night. Being in a marina in the tropics was usually hot and buggy, so the air conditioning was also turned on, and we ate, and slept in comfort.

This certainly had its impact on our want list when we finally decided to buy our first cruising sail boat in 1977. We knew we wanted air conditioning, which would necessitate a generator, we knew we wanted a freezer, (freezing food is my husband’s business), and with a family of five kids, I didn’t want to have to eat canned foods while sitting in remote anchorages, with no grocery around.

We bought a Cal-46-3, and it came with all these things. It had a microwave, a propane gimbaled stove, a single sink with a large stainless drainboard, a combination chest-type frig and freezer. All of this fitted into the passageway leading to our back cabin. No worry about being thrown anyplace. We immediately put a port above the sink, so we could pass food up to someone sitting in the cockpit, and dirty dishes could be passed down to the man at the sink. Shortly thereafter, we made a separate freezer, twice the size of the original.

In 1989 we brought the boat back from the Caribbean to Florida, and “geriatricized” her. Included in the changes was removing the old microwave, which took up all the space to the left of the sink, and the gimbaled stove, which burned the bottom of everything baked in the oven before it would bake the top half, and was impossible to clean behind. Instead, we put in a two burner electric cooktop, gaining all the space below for a garbage pail cupboard and a tray cupboard and a drawer for utensils. Above the burners we put a combination microwave/convection oven, and where the old microwave was I gained another cupboard and a lot more counter space.

That galley worked great, and we never missed searching for, and lugging back propane bottles, in out of the way places. This worked for the next ten years, and we repeated the formula, when we outfitted our much smaller live-in horse trailer, except we went back to propane for the cook top, since everything, including the generator and refrigerator ran off propane. But then we had two very large bottles, that we drove to the fill up places.

When we bought our second boat, a 60 foot motor boat, it came with household appliances from Sears, stove, microwave/convection oven, toaster oven that can bake or broil, dishwasher,  trash compactor, and disposal, and of course, they were all electric.

We have a large refrigerator/freezer, (16 cu. ft.) in the galley, and another freezer in the saloon, (6 cu. ft.), where the former owner had an ice maker and a compartment he hoped would stay at freezing from the spill over. The idea didn’t work; we turned it into a total freezer.

Because of our inverter, we can run everything except the stove, one appliance at a time, and if we don’t want to start the generator to use the cooktop, we have a single electric plate, that Dave says someday he will mount in one of the four burners on the stove top, since I never use all four. It’s against my work ethic.

All the refrigeration runs off the batteries, and only consumes about 100 amps a day. We are able to run all of this, along with all the other electrical items we are used to having in a our homes ashore, by running the generator between two and three hours a day. We spend about 95 percent of our time at anchor.

Have we had trouble keeping it all going? Like everything in the cruising life, if you have the skills to “fix” things, there is no problem. In 32 years of cruising, we had two days without the generator in our first year, and half a day with the second boat.

For Dave, who never really liked walking beaches, looking for shells, fixing things was his passion. Once he said to me, after weeks of nothing going wrong, “If something doesn’t break pretty soon, I’m going to be bored to death.”

Our galley, note the size of the fridge and freezer, designed for people who live in the mountains off the grid. On the other side of the galley you can’t see, is a table and L shaped settee, where we can easily sit six, and we have crowded in 8. We can sit 8 to ten in the salon, where the table pictured flips open to seat 8 to 10, and on the back deck is another table that nicely seats six. We are equipped for lots of entertaining, and we do it.

So please, don’t scare every would be cruiser into thinking they must give up life as they know it, if they can afford to do otherwise.

In a small boat, a combi microwave convection oven still takes up less space than any kind of full stove, and can be run off an inverter. I use my microwave more than any other method of cooking.

You also made no mention of things like slow cookers, or the old electric fry pan, which again can be run with an inverter off the batteries, which can be charged with wind or sun if you don’t want a generator.

Even generator technology has improved so there are very small, very quiet ones, that almost anyone can fit on a boat. There are just so many things happening right now in the technology field, that even we are old fashioned, but to me, reading about the galleys you featured was like stepping back in time, a time before even our first boat came on the market.

About Bev

After a quarter century of sailing and racing fast, mostly Inland Lakes Scows we switched to a Cal-46-3 sail boat in 1977, what you might call a life defining moment. And what a life it was.

We sailed for 21 years, never letting grass grow on our keel, until I said one day, “Life on the slant isn’t fun anymore.”

I was just too creaky in the joints to continue to enjoy it, but remove the slant, make it more comfortable, (you might think of it as an old folks home for cruisers) and we were able to continue doing the parts we loved.

We moved aboard our second cruising boat, a 61 foot custom Krogen design, and we have been living full time aboard since 2002. We have no other home than the boat, and so far, it is still as good as it gets.

I would put ourselves in the category of “coastal cruisers”, which allowed us to cover the entire eastern seaboard from Grand Manan, Canada, to half the western coast of Florida, all of the Caribbean excluding Cuba, from Hispaniola, (both coasts of the Dominican Republic) through all the islands and the coast of Venezuela as far west as Bonaire, and Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico in the western Caribbean.

Since I am a coastal cruiser, and want to see it all, and since my motto has been, “Never, never sail at night, always keep the land in sight,” we have probably anchored more times that most people who have circumnavigated.

We covered a lot of the Med, from the Balearics to Turkey, and south along the coast to Egypt, through the Suez Canal, as far south as Abu Tieg. We spent five summers and three winters in the Med, but of course, Dockwise took care of the ocean crossings.

Now that I am older and much lazier, and not experiencing the joys of sailing, I find it easier to do some of those longer jumps, say 36 to 48 hours, rather than plowing up the ICW, but I am very careful about the sea conditions when passage planning. I saw the injuries our older sailing friends had, from that instability we all have happen as we age, and I am doing my best not to let it happen to me, or Dave.

Bev and Dave Feiges
Aboard Cloverleaf
Chesapeake Bay

Read also on this website

• Galley Advice from 18 Cruising Women
  
• Bev’s contribution to our article “Refitting the Galley: 12 Experiences”
• To Have or Have Not? (Admiral’s Angle column #31)
  Equipping your boat with an eye to striking a balance between simplicity and complexity
• The Cruising Galley ((Admiral’s Angle column #35)
  When cruising, meals suddenly matter again, and, for many, cooking becomes a pleasurable adventure rather than a stereotypical chore.

More info

• Read Bev Feiges’s blog, “Cruising with Cloverleaf“