From Martinique to Grenada, the Windward Islands trace the border of the southern Caribbean Sea. They include four countries, dozens of islands—many of them uninhabited—steady trade winds, and hundreds of miles of navigable coastline. This tropical playground is an ideal sailing destination for seasoned sailors and first-time charterers alike. 

At the northern end of the Windwards is Martinique, the only French territory of the group. With its fine wine, boulangeries and chic Paris fashions, it’s the island where resisting indulgence is ­hardest. It’s also a major yachting destination with skilled technicians, though it’s often the most expensive. Colorful colonial architecture dots the coastline, and cafes and restaurants line the beaches. 

St. Lucia’s mountainous coastline beckons to the south of Martinique, with tourist destinations such as the Pitons bringing well-deserved fame. Diving and snorkeling can provide equally spectacular views underwater. There is no shortage of all-inclusive luxury resorts and romantic retreats, especially in the area around the Pitons.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, by contrast, is where sailors get away from the crowds. The west coast of the St. Vincent mainland is ­rural, secluded and steep, making anchoring and mooring a challenge. Almost no yacht services are available, ­except at the Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina at the southern end of the island. 

From there, sailors can leave the mainland behind and head south to the Grenadines for idyllic turquoise Caribbean water. Sandy, uninhabited islets speckle the horizon. The Tobago Cays are on par with the Pitons as far as cinematic vistas, and are the destination for charter yachts.

Grenada, the southernmost island in the Windwards (just outside the hurricane belt), has a charming, rural, mountainous interior flanked by palm-shaded white-sand beaches. With its abundant boatyards and marine services, Grenada is now a thriving yachting community that many sailors return to season after season.

A consistent 15- to 20-knot breeze, sunny skies and the fact that most islands are within a half day’s sail mean the options are so vast, where to go really depends on what you’re seeking. With that in mind, here are the best anchorages in the Windwards. 

Best for ­Provisioning and Shopping

Le Marin on Martinique is a place where boulangeries and affordable French imports (yes, cheese and wine) abound. Many sailors make the hop from St. Lucia to Martinique just to go shopping. 

Provisioning is made easy by services such as Appro-Zagaya and Appel à Tous, which offer provisioning, knowledgeable advice, and delivery to the dock. Appel à Tous also has an app to place an order and mark the boat’s location for delivery, whether it be on a dock, on a mooring or at anchor. If fashion is what you’re after, anchor in Fort-de-France and explore the boutique-lined streets. A short bus ride away you’ll find La Galleria and Genipa, shopping malls with chic clothing and jewelry.  

Best for Diving and Snorkeling

The Tobago Cays, part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has a shallow, fringing reef that forms a gentle arc between ­sandy islets, dividing the crystalline, turquoise water from the plummeting Atlantic Ocean. Channels of white sand cut through dense reef, where damselfish dart in and out of their coral homes. Inside the reef, the anchorage encompasses a marine protected area frequented by green and hawksbill turtles. Don a mask and fins, and watch the turtles munch on seagrass, or venture out with the dinghy to Horseshoe Reef and tie onto a snorkeling mooring. (Scuba enthusiasts must dive with a local dive shop.) 

Carriacou, which belongs to Grenada, has one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular dives. Sister Rocks is northwest of Tyrell Bay, with black corals, soft gorgonians and ­iridescent-blue sponge vases that spill down the steep, sloping reef. The top 30 feet of ocean is often teeming with schools of baitfish or purple creole wrasse dancing in rays of sunlight. The current sweeps divers around the base of the islands as seabirds nest in craggy cliffs above. Harmless nurse sharks nestle into rocky overhangs below. This is an advanced dive with currents that can be especially strong. 

St. George’s is the capital on Grenada, an island where 15 wreck-dive sites scatter the southern coast. They include the “Titanic of the Caribbean,” the Bianca C. This 600-foot cruise ship sank in 1961. Advanced divers can explore the intact swimming pool at 120 feet deep. For beginners, the Veronica L, in less than 50 feet of water, is a favorite. The site is shallow enough for light to illuminate the coral-encrusted open cargo hold and the intact crane, making for a striking scene. 

Best for Hiking 

Sainte-Anne is a village on Martinique, providing access to more than 100 miles of hiking trails that are mostly well-designed and -marked. Sailors can try everything from an eight-hour round-trip hike up to the summit of Mount Pelée (about 4,580 feet above sea level) to moderate trails that follow the coastline. A trailhead for the nearly 17-mile coastal Trace des Caps is in Anse Caritan, just south of Saint-Anne. The trail links a series of interesting areas to explore, including Etang des Salines, a mangrove lagoon with winding boardwalks, and Savane des Pétrifications, an arid, coastal-desert landscape reminiscent of the moon. 

Soufriere and the Pitons on St. Lucia have terrain that can be moderately to extremely challenging. Gros Piton, despite its name, is the easier of the two pitons to hike, though the second half of the hike consists of steep stairs dug into the hillside. Petit Piton is shorter in elevation, but the climb is significantly steeper, much of it relying on the use of ropes to pull yourself up the cliffside. For less of a challenge and more-rewarding views, trek up Tet Paul, which offers spectacular views of both pitons, the bay below and the coastline on the other side.

Bequia’s deeply ­ingrained ­seafaring heritage is a major draw to the ­island, while ­sailors make the hop to Martinique for ­superb provisioning. 

Grenada’s inland section is lush and mountainous, with trails that cut through ­tropical rainforest, along mountain ridges, and into verdant valleys of cocoa, spice and fruit plantations. There are also 18 waterfalls and a crater lake to explore. Sailors can join the Grenada Hash House Harriers, an informal hiking group that lays a different trail and meets every Saturday afternoon. Upwards of 100 sailors, expats, locals and students gather for a jovial romp through the bush, and there are almost always carpooling options to get to the trailhead. 

Best for Artisans and Handicrafts

Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has a deeply ingrained seafaring heritage that includes whaling. It also has a long history of artisans and handicrafts, which means sailors can find great examples of scrimshaw (intricate carvings on whale bone) and model-boat building. A single boat model can take weeks to produce. Generations of skill go into everything, from selecting and felling the tree and curing the wood to painting and varnishing it, and threading delicate rigging. Most craftspeople set up stalls along the waterfront town of Port Elizabeth, where sailors also can find brightly painted calabash bowls, woven hats and baskets, coconut ­sculptures, and jewelry made from seeds. 

Best for Nightlife

Most islands in the Windwards have annual festivals or carnivals that are worth checking out. Grenada Sailing Week at the end of January is a Caribbean Sailing Association-accredited regatta with prizes, parties and nightly live music. Serious competitors and casual cruisers alike come together for the friendly competition. The Bequia Easter Regatta in April draws an even larger crowd. Traditionally, there are events for yachts and local double-enders, and the island buzzes with newcomers and returning champions. For music lovers, the St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival in May is the place to be. Within the past 30 years, its genres have expanded to include reggae, pop and gospel. An array of international stars take the stage for more than a week of live performances that go on into the wee hours. 

Best for Foodies

Fort-de-France on Martinique is the place to sample foie gras, caviar and escargot. Martinique has the best of the Caribbean’s fine French dining, with contemporary wine pairings and sophisticated presentations. Casual bistros and boulangeries on every corner overflow with fresh pastries. Even the simplest of lunches—a baguette layered with brie and sausage—is of a quality not found on the other Windward Islands. 

Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has restaurants along the waterfront of Port Elizabeth. The Belmont Walkway divides the turquoise bay from bistro tables and barstools. In the Windwards, this is the widest variety of restaurants in one area, including many casual Caribbean Creole options. For a sweet treat, try Marianne’s homemade ice cream in the picturesque waterfront courtyard of the Gingerbread Hotel. 

Best for Solitude

The Windward Anchorage at Mayreau, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has coral heads that dot a small barrier reef off the Atlantic coast. A deep channel runs along the rocky shoreline and opens up into a sandy bay inside the reef. With only the Tobago Cays in the distance, the wind blows unencumbered across the glistening sea. A single restaurant ashore provides the only connection to the outside world, offering the convenience of not cooking if the anchorage gets too rolly. 

Sandy Island is part of Grenada. Not to be confused with Sandy Island in Carriacou, it lies just off Grenada’s northern coast. The island is surrounded by a shallow coral reef. Boats need a shallow draft and skippers need a sharp eye to make it through the narrow, 5-foot-deep channel into this secluded, one-boat anchorage. 

White Island at Carriacou, also part of Grenada, has ­windswept vegetation that spills from a rocky pinnacle overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, tapering to a small ­peninsula of fine white sand. Both this island and its neighbor, Saline Island, are uninhabited, but Saline can be popular and crowded. By contrast, sailors usually have White Island to themselves, perhaps because anchoring can be difficult on the edge of the deep channel between reefs.

Best in a Big Blow

Grenada’s Port Egmont has a deep bay on the Atlantic coast. It takes a dogleg as the ­coastline transitions from rocky scrubland to thick ­mangroves. The entrance to the outer bay is reef-strewn and can be tricky, especially in a swell, but inside, there’s a deep lagoon that provides shelter from the surge. Port Egmont is the best option when offshore hurricanes disrupt the regular trade winds, and the prevailing wind and surge swing to the west. 

Tyrell Bay at Carriacou is a long and winding ­mangrove lagoon that’s one of the best hurricane holes in the Caribbean, especially for shallow-draft vessels that can make it through the ­4-foot-deep bottleneck into the inner bay. A wide, dense perimeter of mangrove forest protects the inner lagoon from heavy winds and surge. The lagoon is part of the Sandy Island/Oyster Bed marine ­protected area, and is accessible only under threat of a named storm.

Le Marin at Martinique is a deep, sprawling bay where mangrove lagoons finger off into 10 to 20 feet of water, deep enough for most yachts to tuck in and ride out a storm. The innermost bay is further protected from the wind by hills on either side. Anchoring in the mangrove lagoons is permitted only under threat of a hurricane, and the lagoons tend to fill up fast, as Le Marin is the yachting capital of Martinique. 

Best for a Last-Minute Haulout

Grenada has three large boatyards and many skilled, affordable technicians. If you’re coming from the north, and if time and distance are a major factor, then Grenada’s sister island of Carriacou is a day’s sail closer and might be the better choice. Carriacou has two haulouts, both in the main anchorage of Tyrell Bay, where most yacht services are located. Though Carriacou’s selection of services isn’t as vast as Grenada’s, parts can often be brought up within a day or two.  

Martinique is an option in the northern end of the Windwards. Le Marin is the island’s center of yachting. Though there is only one yard, it is large and ­well-equipped. Parts and technicians are top-notch, with a price tag to match. The nation’s capital, Fort-de-France, also has a boatyard. It is geared more toward motoryachts, and it’s a good choice for engine or mechanical issues.  

In all of these destinations, the time of year will affect space and availability. At the beginning and end of hurricane season (May and November), many boatyards are booked up months in advance. Some make space for a quick haul and launch in an ­emergency.

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As many a seasoned boat owner can attest, onboard systems are the leading cause of technical issues on boats that have more than a rudimentary electrical system. But most of these problems are preventable. They arise from a failure to abide by core design and installation principles.

To take a deep dive into both design and installation issues, OceanPlanet Energy (OPE) is sponsoring an intensive two-day seminar developed and presented by tech guru Nigel Calder, author of the best-selling Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual.

The seminar is grounded in the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards for safe installations, though it is not an ABYC class because, according to Calder: “You can have a safe installation that nevertheless functions poorly. We will go beyond the standards to explain how to optimize performance.”

Topics include key design criteria for both DC and AC systems; how to keep batteries in a healthy state; newer technologies that are transforming the performance of electrical systems; sizing and installing electric circuits in compliance with ABYC standards; critical safety issues related to AC systems; corrosion; and grounding systems. The course curriculum will highlight commonly seen electrical installation errors, including on new boats, and how to rectify them—including hands-on terminal crimping practice, because “poorly made terminals are the bane of many an otherwise decent electrical installation.”

Calder will showcase a demonstration board that contains core pieces of equipment referenced in the presentation, which, in tandem with related equipment supplied by OPE, will be used to simulate electrical faults and explore multimeter troubleshooting techniques.

“We’ll be covering a lot of ground,” says Calder, who acknowledges the difficulty in absorbing such a volume of information in two days. “While the seminar is designed to be accessible to the inexperienced, that doesn’t mean it will be easy, even for those with prior experience, including some professionals.” 

Class sizes will be limited to maximize interaction with the participants. At a minimum, participants should walk away with the ability to check a boat for common installation mistakes, to understand and be able to do basic wiring and electrical installations, and to be able to safely conduct simple multimeter troubleshooting procedures that will enable most electrical problems to be identified.

“We send everyone home with a to-do list of critical checks for any boat, and a deck of almost 600 slides for future reference. The objective is to raise the confidence levels of boat owners, and to provide professionals with a perspective that goes beyond ABYC standards to optimized functionality.”

OPE will hold the seminars in the spring and fall (April 17-18 and October 29-30, 2024), just outside of the main tourist season, in the newly renovated Hyatt Place hotel in downtown Portland, Maine. The Hyatt is situated in the center of the vibrant old district, surrounded by historic buildings, with excellent restaurants and numerous places of interest within walking distance. The hotel has a free shuttle service to and from the easy-to-transit Portland (Maine) regional airport. Buffet-style breakfast is included in the seminar’s discounted room rate. OPE will provide lunch and refreshments throughout the day. Seminar participants are on their own for dinner.

To take advantage of this unique opportunity to hone your systems skills under the guidance of expert Nigel Calder, participate in a strictly limited and intense marine electrical education opportunity, and enjoy Portland, Maine, in the spring, contact OceanPlanet Energy for more information at seminar@oceanplanetenergy.com.

The post Sharpen Your Knowledge of Boat Electrical Systems appeared first on Cruising World.

I describe my home port of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as the unofficial waterway capital of the world. In fact, many of the boaters with whom I belly up to bars here are fair-weather cruisers like me, quite content hanging around the shallows, where boating tends to be more comfortable, safe and manageable for our children. 

Great pleasure can be had with that type of boating, which is vastly different from the bold offshore endeavors some of our readers undertake. I’m basically playing in the kiddie pool, which is fine, though sometimes it feels like a waste of a perfectly good ocean. Sure, I’ve also enjoyed every drip of some salty offshore legs. They’ve made for some of my most vivid and fulfilling memories on the water. Still, like many of you, I’ve yet to cross an ocean under sail, and a circumnavigation is more a fantasy than a reality. 

Where I’m lucky is that I can embrace my role of helping make the truly adventurous stories come to life within the pages of Cruising World. I can’t imagine the sense of pride and achievement (and relief) that comes with catching that first glimpse of land on the other side of an ocean, or from crossing one’s wake after circling the globe, but I can read and dream about it. 

Cruisers are an adventure-oriented breed. A lust for open water and a healthy respect for Mother Nature run thick in our DNA. Our happy place is any lat/lon where the sea reveals its serene beauty and formidable power. The allure of offshore sailing lies in its ability to transport us to uncharted waters, literally and metaphorically. As we cast off lines and bid farewell to familiar shores, we embark on a transformative journey where self-reliance and resilience become our trusted companions. Each voyage is a unique story, etched with the imprints of challenges overcome, camaraderie forged and dreams realized.

One of the most profound lessons we learn at sea is humility. The vastness of the ocean humbles us, reminding us of our insignificance in the grand scheme of nature. This humility is what drives us to become better sailors, better stewards of the sea. It fuels our thirst for knowledge and our relentless pursuit of skills that can mean the difference between life and death in the unpredictable theater of the deep.

In our sport, safety and preparedness are paramount. We pursue mastery of navigation, where technology and tradition coexist to guide us safely through the labyrinth of currents and weather patterns. We stress the importance of proper maintenance and equipment checks, where vigilant attention to the smallest details can prevent catastrophe. We also learn from stories of survival, where sailors confronted the harshest of conditions and emerged as stronger, wiser mariners. 

Safety at sea is also about the profound connection we share with our fellow sailors. The bonds formed at sea are unique, born out of shared challenges, triumphs and the understanding that we are one another’s lifelines. To that effect, I’m drawn to the stories told by fellow sailors who are out there—many of them way off the grid—facing those challenges and experiencing those triumphs every day. For a shining example of this spirit of camaraderie, look no further than Cruising Club of America member Steve Brown, a venerable skipper who knows a thing or two about heavy weather. Throughout his sailing career, Brown and his wife, Trish, took on a four-year circumnavigation aboard their Oyster 56, Curious, sailed a 30,000-mile circumnavigation of the Americas—sailing north from Camden, Maine, and then an east-to-west transit of the Northwest Passage—and spent more than his fair share of time in the Southern Ocean. 

Brown is up for debating the superlatively inhospitable places on Earth. Along the way, there’s been brash ice and icebergs, rogue waves and drogues, penguins and polar bears. He’s a sailor who’s had the real-life experience of switching from gale-force storm management to survival tactics after conditions transcend control—just the kind of expert you want to lean in to for heavy weather sailing strategies that may save your life. And the recent story about how he managed to lift up a battle-weary crew in the harshest of elements off Antarctica is a must-read.

If you’re like me, perhaps you’ve recently developed an itch to leave the shallows once more, to let your mind wander and wonder about aspiring to that next tier. I’m all for it but with one caveat: Know your limits. With great adventure comes great responsibility.

The post Leaving the Shallows appeared first on Cruising World.

In its annual affair, the Cruising Club of America has announced the recipients of five awards honoring sailors for completing circumnavigations and other rigorous bluewater passages, as well as for exemplary innovation, contribution to the sailing community, and service to the club itself. Headlining this year’s winners list is Kirsten Neuschäfer, who sailed into the record books in her victory in the 2022-23 Golden Globe solo round-the-world race. She became the first woman to complete the Golden Globe Race; the first woman to win it; the first South African sailor to win a nonstop, unassisted round-the-world event; and the first woman to win any round-the-world race, including solo and fully crewed races, nonstop or with stops. The Blue Water Medal winner and other awards for adventurous use of the seas has taken place nearly every year since the CCA was founded in 1923. Here are this year’s award recipients.    

Blue Water Medal: Kirsten Neuschäfer

Kirsten Neuschäfer of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, received the Blue Water Medal for 2023 in recognition of the tremendous effort, determination and skill she exhibited during her 235-day solo circumnavigation in Minnehaha, her Cape George 36 sailboat. Out of 17 starters, she was first among only three finishers of the Golden Globe Race, which is a singlehanded race around the world that limits competitors to using sailboats and technology available when the first race was held in 1968. As one example of her determination, while crossing the Southern Ocean, Neuschäfer spent several hours in the water below her boat, scraping sharp, speed-robbing barnacles off the bottom.   

The Blue Water Medal was originated by the founding members of the Cruising Club of America and first awarded to Alain J. Gerbault 100 years ago. It has been given almost every year since to “reward examples of meritorious seamanship and adventure upon the sea, displayed by amateur sailors of all nationalities…” 

In her comprehensive preparation for the race and determined persistence throughout the eight-month marathon, Neuschäfer clearly demonstrated she belongs on the distinguished list of previous medalists including the two previous Golden Globe winners Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Jean-Luc Van Den Heede. She also takes her place alongside other solo circumnavigators including Sir Francis Chichester and Bernard Moitessier.      

Young Voyager Award: Max Campbell

The CCA named Max Campbell, of Falmouth, UK, as the recipient of the 2023 Young Voyager Award. The award recognizes “a young sailor who has made one or more exceptional voyages.” Campbell set sail eight years ago, at age 20, on a 22-foot wooden sailboat. Today, halfway around the world aboard his 37-foot Swan Elixir, he’s an accomplished sailor, writer and social media star. 

The CCA Young Voyager Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates the spirit of adventure and seamanship. The award is historically given to young sailors who have demonstrated exceptional skills and courage in their voyages. Campbell’s early adventuring took him across the Atlantic twice, singlehanded, and on the first trip he had a galley fire, which he barely survived. In announcing this year’s winner, CCA Commodore Chris Otorowski said, “Max’s achievements are a perfect example of the spirit within the CCA where we find fulfillment in ‘exploring’ the oceans and our own inner limits aboard small boats at sea.”     

Diana Russell Award: Paul Bieker

The CCA named Paul G. Bieker, of Anacortes, Washington, as the recipient of the 2023 Diana Russell Award. The award goes to a club member in recognition of innovation in sailing design, methodology, education, training, safety and the adventurous use of the sea, with a focus on recipients whose accomplishments deserve recognition by the CCA. The award is named for one of the first three women to join the CCA—Diana Russell optimized designs under the IOR handicap rule for Sparkman & Stephens and later became president of the design think tank named WingSystems.   

Bieker is a yacht designer and boatbuilder with a degree in naval architecture. He has 30 boat designs to his credit starting with a series of immediately successful International 14 skiffs. His development of small hydrofoils for the 14s led to being recruited to work on foil design and structures in several America’s Cup campaigns optimizing IACC monohulls, and semi-foiling and foiling multihulls. His efforts helped win two America’s Cups (2010 and 2013), and he is now recognized as one of the world’s foremost foiling-boat designers. Bieker has developed everything from surfboard foils to International Moth and 14 classes, America’s Cup boat structures and foils, Sail GP’s 50-foot foiling cats, and foiling powerboat and foiling ferryboat projects.   

CCA Awards Chairman Steve James, said, “The CCA is proud to recognize our member, Paul Bieker. Paul’s foil designs and developments are the leading edge of our sport. With them he continues to advance sailing and the adventurous use of the sea in remarkable ways.”    

Far Horizons Award: Maxwell Fletcher

The CCA chose Maxwell A. Fletcher, of Orr’s Island, Maine, to be the winner of the club’s premier sailing award for a member for 2023: The Far Horizons Award recognizes the sailing achievements of a member who has embarked upon a cruise or series of cruises that demonstrate the broader objectives of the club including the adventurous use of the sea.   

Fletcher has been sailing with his family since childhood, so he had his eyes set on the horizon from a young age, and with his wife, Lynnie, he has made four Atlantic crossings and cruised throughout Europe. Among many adventurous passages, Fletcher made a 52-day double-handed voyage in 1985 aboard his Westsail 32 when he sailed eastward from New Zealand, around Cape Horn, to the Falkland Islands. The trip included surviving a knockdown well past horizontal and a 60-hour stretch of hand-steering under bare poles, covering 130 miles per day.      

Richard S. Nye Award: Ralph Naranjo

Ralph J. Naranjo, of Annapolis, Maryland, was selected as the recipient of the Richard S. Nye Award for 2023 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the CCA and the international sailing community. The Nye Award, established in honor of the late CCA Commodore, is presented annually to an individual who has “brought distinction to the club by meritorious service, outstanding seamanship, outstanding performance in long distance cruising or racing, or statesmanship in affairs of international yachting…”   
Naranjo is well known in the yachting community for his safety-at-sea and seamanship knowledge, instruction and leadership. He was for many years the Vanderstar Chair, supervising the sailing program for the US Naval Academy midshipmen. He is also a past chair of US Sailing’s Safety and Seamanship Committee and has led countless safety-at-sea seminars. Naranjo earned his credentials in a variety of ways including sailing around the world (and writing a book about it: Wind Shadow West), and managing a full-service boatyard (another book titled Boatyards & Marinas followed). Naranjo’s best-known book, The Art of Seamanship, was published in 2014 and is a go-to reference on the collective skills required of bluewater sailors.

The post Kirsten Neuschäfer Named CCA 2023 Blue Water Medal Winner appeared first on Cruising World.

My old Caribe Hypalon RIB dinghy had started to deflate, so I used a soapy-water spray to test for leaks. The forward-chamber air valve was leaking—not around the perimeter, where they normally do, but instead from inside the valve, indicating that it was not making an airtight seal. 

I tried to clean the inside with a cotton ball and liquid soap, and that did reduce the bubbles a little, but not entirely. I also fitted a second sealing washer on the valve cap and squeezed it tight up to the valve face, but the boat still deflated over a few days. “You’ve got to replace the valve,” someone told me. 

It was not what I wanted to hear, but off I went. I bought a Halkey-Roberts air valve from Amazon. It consists of an inner valve and an outer casing that screw together, clamping the valve to the chamber. I couldn’t loosen the old valve by hand, but I managed it after buying a wrench that fits inside the valve, enabling more turning force. It is best to do this with the boat inflated, which offers more solid support.

After fully deflating the boat, I gripped the inner valve body through the thick Hypalon ­material to prevent it from dropping into the chamber. Then I unscrewed the valve. I had the new part ready to screw back in, but after repeated attempts, it simply would not screw into the old body.

I struggled to hold the valve body with one hand while examining the old and new outer valves. The threads on the new valve were much finer than the threads on the old one. There was no way the new valve would thread into the old body. 

Apparently, there are different types of Halkey-Roberts valves. With cramps setting into my fingers, I finally had to let go of the body. It fell into the depths of the chamber.

I called Halkey-Roberts in St Petersburg, Florida, and learned that they altered the valves more than 10 years ago. I asked if they could sell me an old one. Nope. They said I had to figure out how to fit the new body inside and screw it into the new outer valve.

This is decidedly easier said than done. The hole in the chamber is only 1¾ inches in diameter, and the valve rim is 2½ inches. There is no way the old valve will come out, or the new piece will go back in. The aperture is simply too small.

Looking for help online, I was dismayed to learn that the only way to get the new valve body inside the chamber was to slit a hole big enough to get a hand through, and then hold the body in place while screwing the two halves together. This means that anyone with an older boat that has Halkey-Roberts valves will have to replace a leaking one by slitting and patching the chambers.

 More online research taught me that Hypalon requires a special two-part glue to bond a patch to the material. I bought a glue kit for $48.95, which is the most expensive glue I have ever bought in my life, plus another $38.95 for a 12-inch-square piece of patching material. So, along with $10.23 for the new valve and $9.45 for the wrench, the total came to $107.58.Quite an expensive leak.

I started the operation by donning rubber gloves and using acetone to remove blue paint from the dinghy. The work area was soon back down to the original gray material. Then, feeling like a surgeon about to perform the first incision on a very fat person, I used an X-Acto knife to cut a 6-inch-long slit in the dinghy chamber. My wife, whose arms are thinner than mine, reached in, found the old valve body in the bottom of the chamber, and brought it out. Holding the new valve, I then shoved my hand in, and managed to offer it up to the valve hole just below. I then screwed the two halves together and fastened them as tightly as I could using the special wrench, forming an airtight seal—I hoped. 

I was told not to use any sealant—such as glue or silicone—between them, but instead just to screw them together, dry and tight.

All of this was relatively painless (after making the first incision, that is), but now came the job of patching the slot to make it airtight. The instructions with the glue were precise, with six specific operations. 

The first directive warned that the humidity level should not be above 60 percent. With North Carolina suffering a heat wave that week, I waited, along with the dinghy, which was deflated and forlorn in my garage.

I made the cut in the top of the chamber, and there was nothing to support it inside, so I pressed two strips of duct tape under the cut seam inside the chamber to pull it together temporarily. I then smeared a thin layer of marine Goop glue along the cut and let it dry. This glue is ideal for flexible material because it stays quite flexible itself. I didn’t see any need to remove the Goop because even this weak seal allowed the chamber to inflate slightly, giving me some support as I prepared the patch.

On the first cool, low-­humidity day, I cut a patch out of the piece of Hypalon ­material, making it 1 inch larger all around the slit, and with rounded edges at both ends. 

I prepared the surface of the chamber by roughing it with 80-grit sandpaper, exactly as instructed. I then poured some of the adhesive into a glass container and added the curing agent. This was pretty much guesswork because I had no way to measure the glue. One thing the instructions don’t mention is the type of container to mix the two parts in. Do not use a plastic or styrene cup because the glue will dissolve it. I used an old glass jar, which let me see how much glue was being poured.

Applying the glue is a two-part process. First, a thin layer is applied to the joint and the patch, which I did with a ½-inch-wide, stiff throwaway brush. I then allowed both pieces to dry. Half an hour later, a second coat is applied to both parts. After a few minutes, when the glue is tacky, the patch is glued to the boat. I did this by rolling the patch over the slit from one end to the other to reduce the chance of air pockets. The partially inflated tube allowed me to use enough pressure on the roller to expel any air pockets. 

After an hour, I could feel the excess glue beginning to set, so I inflated the chamber a little more. To my surprise, no air came out of the patch or the new valve. 

The next directive was to let the patch cure for at least 24 hours. I left mine for 48 hours, then inflated it to the recommended pressure of 3 psi. I also couldn’t resist testing the new valve with the soapy water. To my intense relief, it did not bubble at all, nor were there any bubbles around the patch. 

The glue fully cures after six days, but I left my boat for a week before hoisting it back on the davits of my 50-foot schooner, Britannia. As I write this, the RIB has maintained pressure for a month, but it does vary a bit with the weather. It softens a little at night when the air is cooler, and then firms up during warm days. 

This was another job that I had never done before and managed it myself. Not only is success gratifying, but I save a lot of money and learn the intricate workings of my boat, which might someday be a lifesaver at sea.

Roger Hughes is a professional captain, sailing instructor, restorer and happy imbiber.

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We hadn’t really planned on spending New Year’s anchored off an uninhabited island with a glorious white sand beach in the Bahamas. But we got lucky. The original plan was to celebrate a land-based New Year with a large group of friends in Nassau, but once I found out that some cruising friends had anchored their 50-foot cat only a short ride away off Harbour Island, Eleuthera, and that they’d love to spend New Year’s with us, my wife Caroline, our friend Roberta and I jumped at the chance to leave the hustle and bustle of Nassau in our wake. 

Having endured several (rare) chilly days and (not rare) late nights in Nassau, the peace and quiet of a night at anchor off Harbour Island was blissful. The next morning, we hired a local captain to help us navigate the coral-ridden Devil’s Backbone channel between Harbour Island and Spanish Wells. Even with a chart plotter, local knowledge is essential to ensure safe passage through this tricky stretch of water. Our local guy was a particularly colorful character.

A-1 (yes, his name was A-1) hopped aboard with a wide smile and a mental stockpile of more one-liners than David Letterman. 

“Did you grow on Harbour Island?” I asked.

“Does Jimmy Carter like toothpaste?” he quipped. 

[Pointing at a spot on the chart] “Is the fishing any good here?” I probed.

“Is a bullfrog waterproof?” he joshed.

The stand-up routine (along with a healthy dose of island history and other random musings) went on for the entire passage through the coral maze. A-1 seemed to concentrate more on holding court than paying attention to the channel, but he got us through. We had arrived safely at Spanish Wells when A-1 shared his last bit of local knowledge, with a smile and a wink: “Nine times out of two, if you stay in the channel, you’ll be just fine.” And off he went.

We wound our way past the fishing town of Spanish Wells, set our sails in a following breeze, and plotted a course toward a group of tiny islands to the west. Our cruising guide offered little info on the area—and that’s what made it special. We discovered a perfect anchorage off an uninhabited white-sand beach. I’ve been on countless charters and cruises all over the world, but there was something unique about this little piece of Bahamian heaven. We were the only people in sight. It was the last day of the year. The water was crystalline. The sun shone in beams through dissipating cloud cover as the cold front moved out. The beach beaconed.

We swam the short distance to the shoreline where we discovered plenty of dry firewood. It was becoming clear how this impromptu “Bahamas-style” New Year’s Eve would play out. It was certainly a far cry from those swarming streets we’d left back in Nassau. We built a fire on the beach, just as the sun set during the last hours of the year, and we basked in its warmth under a blanket of stars. If the rest of this year is anything like the hours of the last one, it’ll be a very good year indeed.

(Edited original story from 2010)

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Long before Polar Sun, the Stevens 47 we’re cruising in Greenland, reached the Arctic Circle, we had left the night behind. The last darkness we saw was when we left Flowers Cove, in northern Newfoundland, at 2 a.m. to catch the downtide to Mary’s Harbour in Labrador. After that, with the bows pointed north into the Labrador Sea, though the sun would briefly set, the twilight endured until it rose again just a little to the right of where it had gone down.

“The Air Up There” – January/February 2023 issue

Barry and Sue Parkin had already lost one sail. They were really, really hoping that they wouldn’t lose another as they screamed toward the finish line during last year’s Oyster Palma Regatta off Spain’s Balearic Isles. Their No. 3 jib tore straight across and blew apart the second time they took the helm of their recently purchased Oyster 625, Papillon. It was a 2013 build, and the sails that came with it were probably a decade old, with levels of wear and tear that they were still sussing out. If you had asked the couple a few decades ago whether they would likely find themselves aboard that kind of a sailboat, they both likely would have said no. But now that they’re both 58 years old, with three of their four children out of school, they’re starting to think about sailing a lot differently.

“Making the Turn” – March 2023 issue

Quetzal slipped her mooring and steamed into the fog. Our job was to sail to Newfoundland, where our Viking voyage would commence—a northern track eastbound across the Atlantic eliciting parallels to the adventures of early voyagers. However, our first landfall was fabled Sable Island, a crescent of shifting sands 90 miles south of eastern Nova Scotia. It’s notorious as the “graveyard of the Atlantic,” and more than 350 wrecks form a necklace of tragedy. It’s also home to an unlikely herd of 500 wild horses. It’s also not easy to visit, so when Alan arranged a coveted landing permit, we had to stop.

“In the Wake of Vikings” – April 2023 issue

As a fellow cruiser gazed around the torn-up main cabin of our 1982 Stevens 47, Totem, his eyes grew wide. He asked a head-scratcher: “Why?” Why not buy a newer sailboat? Why take on so much work? Why not be anchored at a remote Pacific Island right now instead of dry-docked in a dusty shipyard? Because this boat—our home of 15 years through dozens of countries along a path around Earth, classroom for our three children, magic carpet to unimaginable experiences—is our Totem. This boat has cared for us, and so we cared for it, with a refit centered on its 40th year.

“The 40-Year Refit” – May 2023 issue

We were cruising through one of Desolation Sound’s towering fjords when the wind hit 35 knots. This type of a headwind is to be expected in this part of British Columbia, and it made me glad that I was—for the first time in my life—exploring a region not aboard a sailboat but instead aboard a 53-foot Grand Banks trawler with twin 650 hp engines. The term “powering through” took on a whole new meaning.

“Switching Gears” – August 2023 issue

In the realm of extraordinary adventures, the thrill of a circumnavigation stands tall, offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience by boat some of the most mesmerizing places on the planet—places other people can’t get to in cruise ships; places that are tiny, with no infrastructure, and you get to experience these things that others simply cannot. Combine the allure of such a voyage with the comforts of cruising in a group of like-minded sailors, and you have the Oyster World Rally. Over the course of nearly 16 months, 25 Oyster yachts’ owners and guests traversed approximately 27,000 nautical miles, visiting awe-inspiring destinations, creating cherished memories along the way, and forging bonds to last a lifetime through shared experiences, laughter, and the pursuit of a common dream.

“World Wanderers” – August 2023 issue

“Willie, call me as soon as you can. I bought a boat. I haven’t seen it yet. It’s in the middle of Florida. We have to get it out of the boatyard by Monday.” When I received the voicemail, I was racing a Melges 24 regatta in Miami, and I knew adventure was brewing. My father-in-law, Chris, had started with casual boat browsing online and progressed to the sight-unseen purchase of La Reine, a 23-year-old Beneteau 381. In the process, he had set in motion a journey that would take my wife, Kim, and me on a 50-day, 1,000-nautical-mile shotgun journey into the unknown—starting with getting the boat off the hard for him within three days. Little did we know, delivering this boat would teach us that even the best-laid plans are sometimes no match for fate.

“An Unexpected Adventure” – September 2023 issue

When Kirsten Neuschäfer decided to compete in the 2022-23 Golden Globe Race, she searched for a fast, safe and stable boat. She studied designs with a good ballast-to-weight ratio, and sought out a hull and rig that could withstand a hard beat to windward. She found Minnehaha in Newfoundland and knew that the tough, sturdy Cape George 36 was the one. The quick cutter with a generous sail plan met all of the official requirements—a production boat with a full keel, less than 36 feet long, designed before 1988—and a few requirements she had set for herself. After 235 days at sea, she crossed the line in Les Sables d’Olonne, becoming the first woman to win a round-the-world race.

“Solo Act” – October 2023 issue cover

I’m no Ernest Shackleton. I live in Hawaii, and I love the warm weather and clear blue waters of the tropics. Having done a little high-latitude sailing, I have to admit that freezing weather is not my favorite. My boat doesn’t even have a heater.  Yet here I was with Tracy, a surfing friend from Hawaii, ripping down Puget Sound at 12 knots under spinnaker, in the dead of winter. I had on about 10 layers, two puffy jackets, gloves, boots and a hat. I also had a huge smile on my face.

“A Winter’s Sail” – November/December 2023 issue

Steve Brown knows a thing or two about heavy weather. Throughout his sailing career, Brown and his wife, Trish, took on a four-year circumnavigation aboard their Oyster 56, Curious, sailed a 30,000-mile circumnavigation of the Americas—sailing north from Camden, Maine, and then an east-to-west transit of the Northwest Passage—and spent more than his fair share of time in the Southern Ocean. Brown is up for debating the superlatively inhospitable places on Earth. Along the way, there’s been brash ice and icebergs, rogue waves and drogues, penguins and polar bears. He’s a sailor who’s had the real-life experience of switching from gale-force storm management to survival tactics after conditions transcend control—just the kind of expert you want to lean in to for heavy weather sailing strategies that may save your life.

“Wicked Weather” – November/December 2023 issue

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It’s not every year that the Boat of the Year judging panel has the opportunity to review cool little boats that totally accentuate the pure joy of sailing, and that get a bonus point if they offer simple but functional camper-cruising accommodations. For manufacturers, the all-too-frequent dearth of these boats is a result of Economics 101: Building boats is a tough business, it’s not always easy to make a buck, and the greater profits to be had make a strong case for building larger vessels. 

But at their very core, the BOTY judges are, first and foremost, sailors. So, when not one but a pair of nifty mulithulls received nominations for the 2024 awards, it was a happy occasion indeed. Better yet, once under sail on the Chesapeake, these crafty pocket entries proved to be as much fun to drive as they appeared on the dock. 

Winner: Xquisite 30 Sportcat

The South African brand Xquisite Yachts was familiar to the BOTY panelists; the builder’s fully found X5 range of highly sophisticated cruising cats have earned a pair of awards in the past: Most Innovative in 2017 and Best Cruising Catamaran in 2022. But Xquisite’s latest entry in the contest caught the judges by surprise. It’s a trailerable 30-footer with the most basic of accommodations that bears little resemblance to the other models in the Xquisite quiver. 

Tim Murphy summarized the thinking behind the design: “The Xquisite 30 Sportcat is a vinylester, foam-core-infused structure designed for training, racing and cruising with occasional overnights. The prototype we sailed was built in Poland; the actual production run will be in Portugal. The design was a senior project from noted multihull designer François Perus when he was finishing his mechanical engineering degree in Brest, France. The purpose for this boat is to have two or three available at the Xquisite Yachts base in Freeport, Bahamas. Builder and owner Tamas Hamor recognized that many buyers of the Xquisite X5 or X5 Plus [sophisticated 50-foot cruising cats] might not come with much prior sailing experience. The SportCat would give them direct, sporty feedback of pure sailing in Bahamian waters while they learn to operate their larger cruising cats.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury added: “This was a really fun boat to sail once you got the hang of handling its long tiller extension and crossing back and forth across the nearly 16 feet of beam, hull to hull. The boat is intended, in part, to be a training vessel for Xquisite’s big-boat owners. One thing’s for sure: They’ll get a taste of the pure joy of simply sailing.”

Judge Herb McCormick had his own take: “It’s a niche boat, for sure, and at $250,000, I think that the broader market for it is pretty limited. That said, I’d love to own one. It would be a perfect boat for gunkholing around Narragansett Bay and New England waters. The accommodations are pretty spartan, but there are berths in the hulls, and you could rig a boom tent on the trampolines and have plenty of room to camp. And the joyful experience under sail would make up for the rustic one under the stars.”

Runner-up: Astus 20.5 Sport

The BOTY judging team had a unanimous verdict for this unusual little trimaran: For a compact boat, it has grand ambitions, most of which it meets or exceeds. 

Tim Murphy provided the overview: “This is a 20-foot trimaran sportboat built in Brittany, France, by a company that’s been in business since 2004. Astus builds four trimaran models (14.5, 16.5, 20.5, 22.5); its sole US importer is Red Beard Sailing, a Chesapeake Bay dealer. This boat is designed by VPLP Design, named for founders Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prévost, which now has a staff of some 30 designers who specialize in everything from Lagoon cats to America’s Cup winners to foiling Open 60 IMOCAs. Astus’ goal is to offer multihull sailors a boat in a size range smaller than Corsair offers.” 

Judge Herb McCormick said: “That VPLP connection is huge. They’re a big-name player, and the fact that they’ve put their reputation and blessing on this design is a major positive. The hardware and Selden spar they use is first-rate. They’re not cutting any corners. Under sail, it felt like a good, stable platform. I think it’s a great entry-level boat for someone who wants to get into multihull sailing.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury also gave the Astus his thumbs-up: “The Astus tri is a simple little boat with a high fun factor. We sailed the boat in about 10 knots of breeze, and with four of us aboard, we were probably a bit overloaded. But with the screecher set, we saw lots of speeds over 7 knots, and flirted with 8s in the puffs. And sitting on the tramps watching the waves right under us was a real hoot. The amas are mounted on tubes and can be pulled in and out for docking and sailing. I was aboard as they were being deployed, and the process was pretty simple: Sit on the center hull and push out on each ama with your legs (or step in on the tramp to pull it in) until a set pin can be dropped into place. Engage the pins fore and aft for each ama, and you’re off to the races, simple as that.”

To summarize: easy, fast and fun. Hard to beat that trifecta. 

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For the first time ever in the 29-year history of Boat of the Year, we’re introducing a new class to the proceedings: Performance Trimarans. To make things spicier, the two nominees not only shared the same length overall of 40 feet, but they also came in at the near-identical price point of around $800,000 for the base boat. 

Beyond those two parameters, however, the different approaches from these disparate brands were interesting and exciting. Cruising trimarans, though rare, are nothing new; the well-established Neel line of French-built trimarans has enjoyed plenty of success in previous BOTY contests. With that said, the judging panel was champing at the bit to put these fresh three-hull whizzes through their paces. And once under sail, we were definitely not disappointed. 

Winner: Dragonfly 40

Let’s cut right to the chase: The Dragonfly 40 had judge Tim Murphy swooning straight from hello: “This is an exquisite yacht in every detail. When you step aboard, the new-boat smell was not of styrene but of a wood shop. Built in Denmark by the Quorning family (designer and builder Jens Quorning took us on the test sail), it’s just a beautiful boat to look at from across the water. The wheel steering—no tiller here—was butter-smooth. Thanks to the boat’s extremely fine hulls, on our test sail we hardly felt any jerks or deceleration as we passed through several Severn River boat wakes. There were AGM batteries on this boat, but a lithium-battery system is an option. The kick-up centerboard and rudder are ingenious: Quorning as much as invited us to ground the boat on a shoal. From barber haulers to boom preventers, it’s full of great sailing details.”

Judge Mark Pillsbury was equally impressed: “As we finished up our all-too-brief sea trial aboard the Dragonfly 40, I scribbled ‘Top shelf!!!’ in my notebook. We had the benefit of sailing the boat with its thoroughly detail-oriented builder, who pointed to the seemingly endless features he’d employed to make this maybe the most memorable sailing boat of the year. At one point, I looked down at the GPS speed-over-ground number, which read 6 knots, then glanced at the true wind gauge: 5.2! Faster than the wind! The interior of the Dragonfly was elegant, with the furniture rendered in elm—not a wood we often see. But most impressive was the walk-in aft cabin instead of the crawl-in bunk often found in the narrow confines of a tri’s slender center hull.” 

Judge Herb McCormick was as astonished as his colleagues: “There isn’t a thing on the Dragonfly that Quorning hasn’t thought long and hard about, and then executed to a stellar degree. Take that centerboard arrangement, which is built into the central dining table and is integrated so well into the interior that it’s a functional piece of furniture as well as a foolproof cruising solution. What else can we say? It’s a magnificent freaking boat.”

Runner-up: Rapido Trimarans 40

The design brief for the Rapido 40 is straightforward: fast cruising and racing for a couple or crew; ocean-ready but able to sail and moor in shallow water. Nobody was more psyched to sail the boat than judge Herb McCormick, who was not disappointed. 

“I was first exposed to the brand at a multihull regatta in the Caribbean, where a larger Rapido 50 was in attendance,” he said. “I was on another boat, and we spent a lot of time looking at the Rapido’s transom. Then I stepped aboard the Rapido 40 for our trials and was handed the tiller extension; under the code zero, in about 15 seconds, we were making 14 knots. Whoa!”

Judge Mark Pillsbury said: “From stem to stern, the Rapido 40 came packed with features, including a double-taper carbon rotating mast, a Park Avenue-style boom for easy sail handling, daggerboards for upwind performance, and a very comfy cockpit. There’s an optional all-carbon version of the boat, including the drawers in the galley. The layout, with a comfortable V-berth and raised table in the salon—offering outstanding views of the great outdoors—is cruising-couple friendly.”

Judge Tim Murphy added: “The Rapido 40 is built in Vietnam by Paul Koch, the previous owner of Corsair Marine who started Rapido Trimarans in 2014. Rapido builds three models, all designed by the renowned team of Morrelli & Melvin. Our test boat had the standard infused construction, which is mostly E-glass with vinylester resin and a PVC core. There’s also carbon fiber near the bulkheads where the crossbeams meet. Carbon-fiber C-foils in the amas are intriguing and provide lift in two directions: up (to reduce sailing displacement but not fly) and to windward. Sailing the boat on the raised web seat with the tiller extension is gorgeous. It feels very sporty. Rapido’s latest claim to fame: The YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabonde has taken delivery of a Rapido 60, which will definitely raise the profile of the brand.”

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Over the years that I have owned Britannia, my 50-foot brigantine schooner, I have fitted as many systems as I could afford, all to make handling the 22-ton boat easier. One major addition has been to convert all sails to roller furling and route the control lines back to self-tailing winches on either side of the companionway. Inevitably, this meant a lot of winch winding, so I soon began to think about electric winches—until I looked at the prices.

A considerably cheaper alternative is an electric winch winder, which effectively converts all winches to electric. I now have the latest device on the winch-winder market, the superbly engineered Powerwincher.

The Powerwincher’s significant design advantage is the drive spigot, which is located centrally. The tool “sits” in a winch with a nice, balanced feel. The Powerwincher looks big, but the turning circle is still the same as a manual winch handle, so it doesn’t interfere with anything else in the cockpit.

The battery compartment is forward of this pivot point, giving the Powerwincher a solid, counterbalanced feel when it’s winding. Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This opposite-reaction force can be quite strong when a wincher is winding hard, but on the Powerwincher, you can grip the red battery lid with your free hand, for extra leverage. 

Powerwincher is hefty, but it won’t ever be carried far from one winch to another, and the moment it is popped into a winch, the balanced weight becomes a stabilizing advantage. The reasons for the weight are the solid stainless-steel internal construction and the heavy, powerful electric motor. 

The controls are all clearly marked. A power switch activates the machine, but does not start it turning. The speed control knob adjusts the rotational speed, up to 100 rpm. A toggle gives clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. A large, round knob locks the machine in a winch. 

Most important: The button that makes the Powerwincher come alive is atop the hand lever. Other winders have speed controls built into the handle, and if Newton’s opposite reaction kicks in, it is natural to grip the handle tighter, which can inadvertently increase the speed—exactly when you don’t want it to. Taking your thumb off the start button on the Powerwincher stops it instantly.

Another major advantage is the power pack. Powerwincher is designed to work with a regular 18-volt Milwaukee lithium-ion battery, or with most lookalikes. The machine is sold minus a battery, which is fine for anyone with Milwaukee tools. They can use existing batteries. A Milwaukee battery and charger combo is on the web for around $90, and lookalikes with two batteries and a charger are about $80. Two batteries are advisable for any wincher, because as one runs down, it can be quickly replaced.

Winch-winding devices are primarily intended for use on self-tailing winches, but if an assistant tails the line off a non-self-tailer, the operation is simplicity itself.

Powerwincher will spin a winch faster and for a lot longer than even the strongest crew member can sustain. It’s useful for men, women and children alike. It will haul up any mainsail or jib in a jiffy. If you have roller-furling sails, it will rapidly reef or furl a large main, jib or genoa. 

If you don’t have an anchor windlass, or only have a hand-cranked one, you can run the rode back to a mast winch, or use a rope and chain claw to haul the chain. Now, you have a powerful electric windlass. 

If you hoist your dinghy on davits using winches or tackles, you can forget that slow, twin-hauling torture. Run the hoists to a winch—even if that means extending the hoisting lines to a cockpit winch—and this tool will have the dink up in no time, even with the outboard attached.

Another way to use the Powerwincher is in manual assist mode. When pressing the start button, wind the handle at the same time, like you would with a manual handle. The contra-rotating force will reduce.

When using any winch-winder in a horizontally mounted winch, like on a mast, it is important that the drive spigot locks into the winch, like regular handles. If it is not locked, then the inch-long spigot could slip out of the winch socket. I know this from experience. There is also an eye pad to attach a lanyard as a safety precaution. 

A storage cradle comes with the Powerwincher and can be mounted in the cockpit. You can also transfer this tool from boat to boat. The warranty is for two years.

At time of press, a Powerwincher with cradle is around $1,440 (powerwincher.com) including delivery from Australia. The price without a cradle is $1,350.

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