Category Archives: Human stories

THE STORY OF DAISY – PETER AND I Michael has been busy doing laps with the new love of his life for quite a while now but when he first sent me this little gem in 2012 I was still … Continue reading →

SOLO NONSTOP RTW WESTBOUND – FOURTH TIME LUCKY Bill ended up having to wait until the age of 81 to realise his great ambition. Now he’s done it – and claimed the record as the oldest person ever to achieve … Continue reading →

EXPERIENCES WITH A BRAND NEW HANSE 588 I know Ariana und Jayme Souza since about 9 years, and of course it has been about transom ornaments. Jayme, living and working as surgeon in Salvador at that time and a sailor … Continue reading →

MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT In my (ever more swiftly flowing) life, it is moments of human contact and personal connection that truly touch my soul, warm my heart and provide lifelong pleasure.

Hello Peter, I have now sailed my Koopmans 43, Sea Otter, to the Eastern Caribbean from Texas several times, about 14,000 miles total, always using the Windpilot, and I was always sailing singlehanded. I could not do that without the … Continue reading →

JOINT VENTURE A man who openly admits to a fascination with rear ends runs a very real risk of being misunderstood. So understand me when I confess to my obsession with the hind quarters: I’m talking about work not pleasure … Continue reading →

REFERENZ FÜR 23 JAHRE 150.000 SM SEGELN MIT WINDPILOT I have used a WindPilot Pacific for about 23 years. Have covered about 150,000 miles in that time. The gear has been fitted to our 26′ Warsash One Design for its … Continue reading →

LIVING BIG ON A SMALL BUDGET Iits just a few weeks ago when I have got the following mail: Good Morning Peter, I have had a ‘Pacific’ for many years and it continues to work to perfection. It has, however, … Continue reading →

AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND This time instead of returning to Cape Town ( from the Canaries via Brazil ), I intend to moor in European waters  (maybe La Gomera ). I am returning to Cape Town in two weeks … Continue reading →

16 YEARS and 70.000 Miles Dear Peter, In 1992 I bought from you a Pacific Plus for our Koopmans 43ft.centreboard. My wife and I are back now from a 16 years sailing around the world trip. We have done around … Continue reading →

WINDPILOT – OUR ENGLISH ROOTS The history of Windpilot since the company changed hands in 1976 is quite well-known, largely because of the unusual nature of the transaction: a straight swap, agreed on the spur of the moment while sailing, … Continue reading →

BACK TO EARTH WITH A BUMP – experiences of an owner A blog about motorboats? Are you serious? Why would sailors want to read about stinkboats? We know what they’re like, we know we don’t like them and that, frankly, … Continue reading →

Inga+Vassil married twice – aboard and ashore Inga is a longterm cartoonist on this Windpilot Blog since years. She has illustrated quite a few pages and our friendly relationship is lasting for years – basicly since they contacted me by … Continue reading →

A BEAUTIFUL NEW BOAT DESTROYED WITHIN MINUTES Grenada 14.Juni 2013 Picture gallery by circumnavigator MARK JENSEN, SV Sea Life, on anchor in the Prickle Bay just a hundred meter away from a beautiful new 80 foot Jongert built aluminum boat … Continue reading →

Classic schooner Nina with severn aboard missing off NZ coats on her way to Australia. Continue reading and Continue reading

FAREWELL to INGRID ERKELENZ

December 25th 2012 SV Drifter and Cyclone Evan Since about a week it becomes more and more clear that there is a cyclone developing. We’re in Savusavu, Fiji. It supposes to be a cyclone hole here and it has a … Continue reading →

Dec.24th 2012 Elisabeth+Josef Koch, Russell New Zealand Unsere kleiner Pohutukawa, unser Weihnachtsbaum, wurde erst vor 2 Jahren gepflanzt und blueht das erste Mal. Der Silk Tree ist in voller Bluete. Das Boot ist seit vorgestern erstmal wieder einsatzfaehig, den Besuch … Continue reading →

British yachtsman and his wife rescued after two days stranded at sea on their way from Tonga to New Zealand

Shipwrecked on the reef of Tetiaroa – and getting off by Digger – VIDEO David explains: We were on our way from Moorea to the Tuamotus when we hit the southern reef of Tetiaroa at around 3am local time. It … Continue reading →