We crossed Lake Ontario from Oswego with a minimum of fuss and did a little happy dance when we crossed the border into Canada…that little dotted line on the chart. “Take down the US flag, put up the quarantine flag and lets head for Waupoos Island” shouts the captain (me)!
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1: Blog 31 – Adamant 1...
On a sunny and windless day we led Alicia and another sailboat into New York Harbour. There were lots of cargo ships and navy destroyers coming in, but they had their own deep-water channel so our trip was an easy one.
Did we linger in Norfolk to explore? Nope! After being pounded against the dock pilings by wakes from tugs and ferry boats all night we left in the rain before the sun came up.
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1: Blog 29 – Norfolk to...
Charleston is an amazing city to visit. There is so much to do and enjoy in that beautiful city. You can walk the cobbled streets and gaze at the antebellum houses, visit a plantation or Fort Sumter and for naval enthusiasts there is the Naval and Maritime Museum complete with the USS Yorktown, a WWII era aircraft carrier.
We left Vero Beach on Saturday morning with Alicia, a boat from Sweden, following close behind. The first stop was Titusville, then Easter Sunday we made it to Daytona Beach. I had a big ham on board so we invited the crew of Alicia to join us for dinner.
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1: Blog 27 - Northbound...
After a delightful winter in the Bahamas, we decided at the end of March to head for the US. The weather continued to get hotter and the humidity was climbing daily. It was tough to drop the mooring ball, but we were suddenly excited about starting the trek home.
It has been hot in the Abacos this winter. Whoever said this area was cool this time of year must have visited in a bad year. We have no complaints about the weather. Anyone contemplating a vacation destination should give this area a second look.
Vero Beach, aka Velcro Beach, lived up to its reputation again. Our original plan was to be there for four days, which morphed into a week when we heard high winds were coming in. So we had seven days to visit with friends and finish our provisioning. As it turned out we were there for 17 days.
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1 – Blog 24 – February...
After an autumn in Canada, we arrived back in northern Florida at Adamant 1 on January 3rd and with fingers crossed, we opened the hatch to find no mould, mildew, bugs or critters!
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1 – Blog 23 - Back on...
We are home for Christmas this year. Soon we will be heading back to Adamant 1 for another winter in the Bahamas, but we will celebrate the holidays here with our family first.
Read more: From the Helm of Adamant 1 – Blog 22 - Christmas...
Sarah Douglas - From volunteer to Pan American Gold Medalist
I cross the finish line, heart pumping and barely able to breath from the grueling conditions. I can’t believe that I have just become the 2019 Pan American Champion in the Women’s Dinghy (Laser Radial). I’ve just won the medal race in a windy 25 knots in Paracas, Peru.
I go hug my coach (Ken Dool), hug my competitors and hold the Canadian Flag high as I make my way to shore. My teammates come running into the water to celebrate and I’m overwhelmed. It doesn’t feel real that I’ve won a Gold Medal. Shortly after I’m at the Medal Ceremony, standing on the podium and the Canadian national anthem starts to play.
Read more about Sarah Douglas...............
DIY & How to
Could you lease your new yacht?
By Andy Adams
When I first saw the display at the Toronto International Boat Show saying that you could lease a new yacht, it stopped me dead in my tracks. While I had never considered leasing boats, we are certainly seeing growth in boat rental organizations, so leasing didn’t seem out of line. In fact, I wondered why it had taken this long to see boat leasing come to the market.
However, I have a reasonable understanding of how leasing works compared to financing a purchase and I wondered how the numbers could work for something like a yacht. The sign was in front of a 60 foot Princess Express Cruiser – about $3,000,000
Read more about Leasing a Yacht............
Boat Reviews
J99 - Offshore Shorthanded Speedster
By Katherine Stone
All set to pull out the Code 0 before dousing the jib.
It was a very cold and wet beginning to the summer and we never thought it would arrive in Southern Ontario. Doing a 100 miler race on Lake Ontario (billed as the COOLEST race on the lake) with my 8 layers of thermal clothing, woolen ski toque and ski mittens, along with a neck warmer kept me on the edge all night, just out of frostbite reach. I shouldn’t have complained, as we also had wind!
July and August arrived, and it has certainly warmed up, in fact, its too warm, AND we don’t have wind. We are now counting 5 Wednesday nights in a row without wind to race.
Read more about the J99 Offshore Shorthand Speeder.....................
Wellcraft 242 Fisherman
By Andy Adams
Boat buyers are gravitating to the latest centre console boats for a wide range of reasons but for the Wellcraft 242 Fisherman, you can sum it up by saying it’s about features, style and value.
This great-looking boat is just as capable on a family picnic cruise as it is doing serious blue water fishing. A wide range of options let the buyer tailor the boat for their specific interests, but it’s all there to choose from. Our test boat was well-equipped for that comfortable cruise with easy access via the swim platform and through the transom gate into the cockpit.
Read More about the Wellcraft 242 Fisherman..................
Destinations
Port Severn’s historic Lock 45 presents an idyllic boating experience
Blake Marchand
As the final link between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay, Port Severn’s Lock 45 is the gateway to the beautiful Trent-Severn Waterway. The first and smallest lock to be constructed on the Severn portion, Lock 45 is entrenched in Canadian History and is worth the trip in itself. However, it is the waterway and its idyllic surroundings that will keep you coming back.
The canal connects Lake Ontario and Lake Huron with an eastern terminus in Trenton and a western terminus in Port Severn. Its amazing natural waterways include the Trent River, Otonabee River, The Kawartha Lakes, Lake Simcoe, Lake Couchiching and Severn River.
Read more about Vancouver...........
Marine Products
Kingston Anchors
By Rob MacLeod
In the April 2015 edition of CY magazine, I published an article on anchors and anchoring – Staying Put: I See Myself Anchoring Off …). Much of the article was about upgrading the anchor you currently have on your boat – you know – the one that was there when you bought the boat. What wasn’t covered was the probable need to upgrade the bow roller to accommodate your new anchor.
Read more about the Big Bumper........
