Category Archives: Yachts

SV Dutch – Sebastiaan Ambtman NED

LONGDISTANCE CRUISING ON BREEHORN 37 – NOW BOREAL 44 Dear Peter, It has been a few years since we were in contact. We used our Windpilot on our Breehorn 37 ‘Pjotter’ (www.pjotterpassages.com) a great deal. We have now bought a … Continue reading

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SV Dutch – Sebastiaan Ambtman NED

BOREAL 44 – TRANSATLANTIC WITH FAMILY YT CHANNEL

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SV Asevao – David Jolivet FRA

GARCIA PASSOA 46 – ARRIVED IN HORTA Hi Peter, between the problems with the COVID and the manufacturing of the custom-made support part for the Windpilot and the Watt&Sea, it took me a long time before I install the Windpilot… … Continue reading

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SV Elane – Eivind Amsrud NOR

ATLANTIC CIRCLE ON JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 43 DS Dear Peter, After 2 years of cruising and crossing the Atlantic both ways, we are now back in our home country, Norway. Just wanted to let you know that we have been … Continue reading

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SV Gannet – Sytze Brandenburg NED

24 YEARS OF USE ON NAJAD 320 AND BREEHORN 37 Dear mr. Förthmann, After more than twenty years of extensive use I would like to overhaul my Windpilot Pacific (version prior to 1998) and replace a number of “plastic” parts … Continue reading

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JSD Drogue

SHANE FREEMAN PRACTISING THE JSD DROGE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC A multi-facted, and complex discussion, where theory and praxis can vary a lot. JSD Drogue

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Considerations about emergency rudders

ORCAS – THE THINKING BEGINS Considerations about Emergency rudders

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The Orcas – again

WISHFUL THINKING ABOUT GOOD BOAT BUILDING TRADITIONS? The riddle of the Orcas

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Gallant 53 – Bestevaer 53

NO SECOND SHIP – OR IS IT? Gallant53+Bestevaer53

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SV Express Crusader – Douwe Gorter NED

FAMOUS EXPRESS CRUSADER USED SAILOMAT, ARIES AND WINDPILOT Hi Peter, Hope this email finds you well! I wanted to give you a short update on the performance of the very old Windpilot that I bought and installed on Ponta Delgada, … Continue reading

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The ideal cruising yacht

CONSEQUENT RETURN The cruising boat

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The yachts by nations

BOATS BY COUNTRY – USA USA

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Rudder = Heart

THE RUDDER – HEART OF THE BOAT Rudder = Heart

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Pocket Cruisers

SMALL SIZE, LONG RANGE Pocket Cruisers

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Golden Globe Race 2018 – emergency rudder

IN EXTREMIS – LOSING THE RUDDER SOS Rudder

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Cardinal sins – the rudder

RUDDER, TILLER, WHEEL STEERING, EMERGENCY TILLER Is overconfidence the order of the day? Have we lost our respect for the forces of nature? Naively succumbed to the marketers’ forked tongue? Is the new really always better than the old? Are … Continue reading

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The importance of a strong rudder

APPEARANCE AND REALITY A tour of European trade fairs and marinas reveals which marketing campaigns and promotions have gained the most traction and highlights the latest trends and developments to have been packaged up, badged (invariably) as important improvements and … Continue reading

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Self steering on catamarans

Relief from manual steering for catamaran crews Catamaran sailors too have the right to close their eyes once in a while. Ocean-going catamarans at sea are almost without exception steered by electric autopilots, with permanently installed inboard autopilot systems generally … Continue reading

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Transom ornaments part #2

BIMINI – PERSONEL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Transom ornaments 2

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Monetizing bluewater advice

BLUEWATER ADVICE NOT FOR SELF CONFESSED IDEALISTS The 40 years I have spent in the windvane business have shaped the way I think and left me with a clear and obvious set of priorities. A self-confessed idealist, I allow myself … Continue reading

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