sail pack for sailboat

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and many sailmakers now offer variations on the StackPack invented by Doyle Sails.

The problem of the flogging mainsail was solved in 1989, when Robbie Doyle delivered his first StackPacks – a fully battened sail installed in a StackPack, that is designed to last for cruising sailors.

For Cruising Sailors, being able to control the sail easily and efficiently is one priority, protecting the sail from UV damage is another – the solution to both is a Doyle Sails StackPack.

StackPack is a mainsail handling system comprised of a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered.

Cruising sailors are often faced with the dilemma of whether to sacrifice sail shape and quality for convenience. The StackPack is the solution for sailors wanting convenience without giving up performance or sail shape.

The StackPack also delivers a beautiful finished product that will look great on any boat. When the sail is up the cover is held tightly against the sail to maintain the sail's aerodynamics.

You will never again have to lower your sail and attach a sail cover. the StackPack is the most innovative, best performing and best looking Mainsail handling system available.

STACKPACK FEATURES

Integrated cover with secured zipper tail Sunbrella cover Neatly Flakes the sail above the boom Reef lines pass through the sail cover Cover attaches to the foot of the sail Brummel hooks are used to connect the lazy jacks Existing mains can be used as a base sail Easily raise, lower and cover your sail when single-handed

STACKPACK BENEFITS

Enables quick and easy covering of the sail without the need for sail ties

Extends the life of a sail. Wide selection of colors. Customizable with logo or text

Improved visibility

Easy reefing with no need to tie sail to boom

The cover and sail can be removed as one for winter storage

Lazy jacks never need to be retied. Simplifies installation and removal

No need to replace your main to install a StackPack

Take the hassle out of dousing your main and enjoy your boat more

NO NEED FOR SAIL TIES

StackPack is a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered. The cover and lazy jack system neatly flakes and holds the sail as it is lowered or reefed. The folds at the foot of a reefed mainsail also lie neatly in the StackPack cover, eliminating the need to tie off the excess fabric with ties.

EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR MAIN

With the sail completely stowed, the StackPack system presents a neat appearance and automatically protects the sail from harmful UV rays. While sailing, the integral cover lies flat against the foot of the sail for a clean aerodynamic effect.

MAINTAIN SPEED AND SHAPE

Cruising sailors are often faced with the dilemma of whether to sacrifice sail shape and quality for convenience. The StackPack is a solution for sailors wanting convenience without sacrificing speed and shape.

The StackPack also delivers a beautifully finished product that will look great on any boat. While designed principally as a mainsail furling system, StackPack works equally well with mizzens, staysails and other club-footed headsails.

This product may be ordered through your local rep or a class expert.

• Availability: In stock

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Mainsail Pack

$550.00 up to 10 ft  (305 cm)

Add $37.50 per foot over 10 ft

A mainsail pack (also known as Stack Pack*, Lazy Pack, Mack Pack*) is popular with boats that use a lazy jack system. Simply drop the sail into the pack and zipper to close.  The mainsail pack cover is integrated with a lazy jack system (not included) to support the top of the sail pack and guide the sail neatly into place inside the cover. At the foot of the cover there is 2" wide webbing every 12" with twist lock closures to either go between sail slugs (if you have slugs on the sail foot) for packs to sit avove the boom, OR the 2" webbing to go under the boom.  Any questions please feel free to call (800)516-2703 or email me at [email protected]  (Not include: Lazy Jacks and #40 PVC 3/4" pipe)

YKK #10 marine zipper and DOT twistlocks

Removable mast boot

2 - 3 week turn around

( Click here to complete online form   ) so we can send you a sample.Once you see it we are confident it will become your fabric of choice

Extraordinary Sailmakers

The Mack Pack is a semi-automatic mainsail cover and lazy jack combination

How to Use and What to Expect

Setting the mainsail has never been easier..

The Mack Pack has a zipper closure running along the top length of it, connected to a continuous line running to the mast. To set the sail pull on the line to open the cover. Then attach the halyard to the headboard. Now it’s a bit tough to be fast enough to raise the sail up through lazy jacks without catching a batten on one of the lines, so reach back about three feet to the cleat on the boom holding the leeward control line.

Make a permanent mark on the line at the cleat so you will know where to re-cleat it after setting the sail–because the boom will be slightly higher when sailing than when at rest.

Then raise the sail, right out of the Mack Pack.

Very simple.

• Go to the mast
• Unzip the cover
• Attach the halyard
• Slack the leeward jack
• Raise the sail
• Re-cleat the jack line

When sailing,

we often leave the front of the cover fully attached to the mast. If we’re going on an open water passage, or if the wind is up, we unhook it and roll the front of each side down to the ties provided. When we need to reef we lower the sail to the luff cringle, hook it, retention the luff of the sail–then, (we have external reefing lines to a winch on the boom), we hook the cover back up to the mast so it cannot get caught in the outhaul reefing line–then we crank the new clew out tight, re-tie the cover down and off we go. The lazy jacks contain the bunt of the sail, so there’s no need to tie off the individual reef pendants.

When sailing is done,

we more or less reverse the procedure, leaving the top of the starboard side of the cover down so we can jam the slides and battens all the way down, then hook it back up. Our new and firmer Spectra/Mylar mainsail is a bit tough so we have to help the excess sail into the cover in a few places before we can zip it closed, but this is a small inconvenience compared with having to furl the thing, find the gaskets and tie them off, dig out the cover and try to install it over a 9′ x 9′ Bimini top, etc., etc. Note: You should be head -to-wind when dropping the sail or, lazy jacks or not, the sail will be all over the place.

There’s another benefit to the Mack Pack not to be overlooked.

We cruise the Bahamas almost every summer for about a month. Like many sailors, we have been less than religious about installing the sail cover after a day’s sail to another island, or wherever, and sometimes several days in between. With the Mack Pack the sail is covered anytime it is not in use. Depending on one’s boat use, a Year’s worth of UV exposure can easily be saved over the life of the sail.

We unconditionally warranty the Mack Pack for 18 months.

We recommend, for ocean crossing voyages, that the cover be rolled down tightly to the boom and the lazy jacks led forward to avoid chafe. The cover is sewn in UV resistant GORE® TENARA® thread and the zipper is buried in the hem for least exposure to UV. We will replace the zipper and refurbish the cover for $150, incl. UPS back, to anywhere in USA. This offer good for 6 yrs.—useful life in 12-month use: 8 to 10 years.

The Mack Pack is not part of the sail. It is completely separate from the sail and is best described as a glorified sail cover — with integrated lazy jacks.

How to measure video, instructions & form.

Attach tape measure firmly to topping lift at a point 12″ above the boom. From there measure forward to the top of the mainsail at the sail track, then forward to the tack of the mainsail at the intersection of top of boom and the back of the mast. DO NOT PULL, DEFLECT, BEND the topping lift forward when you do this or your dimension (and the cover) will end up too short. Best to super tighten the mainsheet to load up the topping lift before measuring.

Now measure from top of the boom, at the mast, to the top of furled sail, at the mast. DO NOT ADD ANYTHING—we will add to your measurement to make room at the top.

If you want a really nice installation, or don’t have a topping lift, we offer a stand-up bracket that mounts at the end of the boom. The cover is tied to this instead of the topping lift. Standard bracket is $150, Tall bracket is $160.

We will add a flap to the length dimension so that it will install just onto the mast by about two to three inches. we assume there is no obstruction in this area.

If your slide does not appear in the form below, don’t worry – just give us a call at 772.283.2306

Email Address

Approximate Mainsail hoist (P dimension)

OR name and size of stock boat and rig (std, tall, etc.)

Measurements: A

Measurements: B

Measurements: C

Measurements: D

How is Main attached to boom? How is Main attached to boom? Foot Slides Bolt Rope Loose Foot

If it is a flat slide, measure the width and then choose option below: If it is a flat slide, measure the width and then choose option below: Flat 5/8 Flat 3/4 Flat 7/8 Not Here

If it is round slide, measure the width and then choose option below: If it is round slide, measure the width and then choose option below: R 7/16 R 3/8 R 5/16 Not Here

Sunbrella color:(Pacific Blue, Forest Green, Navy, etc.)

Tap image to Download

Installation

You should have a topping lift. If not, you can rig an auxiliary main halyard (good idea anyhow) and lead it to the end of the boom. If you have a rigid vang and do not wish to rig a lift, then we offer this devise to fasten to the end of your boom–to hold up the back end of the Mack Pack — Standard bracket is $150, Tall bracket is $160, or you may contrive your own.

Not compatible with roller reefing booms. If you wish to roller reef, the Mack Pack is not for you.

The Mack Pack is compatible with mains with loose foot, bolt rope or foot slides, you just need to let us know what configuration you have.

Comes only with our lazy jacks. We cannot accommodate previously installed lazy jacks.

In use, the Mack Pack is open on its top, back and bottom so it will not interfere with most jiffy reefing systems.

Open bottom design allows for good drainage of rainwater and better ventilation.

MACK PAck Pricing

Prices complete ready to install with all fasteners and instructions.

10-12′ BOOMS $1080

13-15′ BOOMS $1160

16-18′ BOOMS $1240

OVER 18′ ADD $45 per FOOT

ADD BOOM END BRACKET $150

(Price includes up to 48″ for ‘A’ dimension. Measurements above 48″ luff, add $8 per foot to the price.)

We will measure and install locally, Vero Beach to West Palm Beach area — $400 additional.

Florida residents add sales tax.

About our Mack Jacks

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Custom Stack Pack  3 products

Stack Pack - Mack Pack

CUSTOM TWO-PART STACK PACK > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper with UV-resistant flaps> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy Jacks...

Classic Stack Pack

CUSTOM STACK PACK > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper with UV-resistant flaps> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy Jacks included>...

Stack Pack With Cockpit Awnings

CUSTOM STACK PACK WITH COCKPIT AWNINGS > Sunbrella®/MasAcril® 340g UV-resistant acrylic fabric> Waterproof and breathable - extra durability> Great range of colours> UV resistant thread and seams> Removable cockpit awnings> Suitable for loose or rope footed mainsail> Sail bag Zipper> 4 Lazy-Jacks attachment points per side> Lazy...

Mainsail  Stackpack / Mack Pack / Lazy Pack / Sail Pack

Custom-made Stack Pack and Lazy Jack to fit every type of sail boat. Drop and zip sail bags perfect for short-handed crews. Simply drop the sail into the pack and your mainsail is in place, safe and well protected from the weather. Horizon Sails makes two parts Sail Bags: mainsail bag inserted into the boom groove and a mast hood with zipper that completely protect your mailsail. W aterproof and breathable acrylic fabric MasAcril or Sunbrella in a wide selection of colours. This material lets moisture out and prevents mildew. Top quality UV resistant thread and seams. Zip on the top, along the entire length. The rigidity is ensured by 2 battens. 3 or 4 attachment points per side for the lazy-jacks. Mast bag (removable part around the mast) with zipper. Mainsail packs are built to last and protect your sail from dirt and harmful UV rays. The covers are individually cut and sewn with triple-layered seams and double stitching. The wear areas are reinforced. The Stack Pack is designed to raise, lower or reef any type of mainsail, classic fitted or full batten. Our simple to fit stackpack is manufactured using the best UV resistant acrylic and comes complete with lazy jacks to be fitted to the mast. We also make stack pack with cockpit awnings.

World Renowned Reputation - The UK's Premier Boat Cover Maker

WORLD RENOWNED REPUTATION THE UK’S PREMIER BOAT COVER MAKER

Stackpacks enable easy furling and stowage of a Mainsail. They are becoming increasingly popular these days, rivalling  Sail Covers  due to ease of use. Stackpacks usually attach to the boom by one of two methods and the most appropriate method depends on the foot of your Mainsail.

Types of Sail Stackpacks

If your Mainsail is loose-footed, the Stackpack will either have a bolt rope sewn into its bottom edge and slide into the boom groove or make use of sail slides to attach to the boom. If the Mainsail attaches to the boom with a bolt rope, the stack pack will have a tape sewn into its bottom edge and slide into the boom groove under the Mainsail bolt rope.

We supply our Mainsail Stackpacks without Lazyjacks as these are best configured on the boat and are usually installed by a rigger. The Lazyjacks attach to the stack pack by webbing loop, which is sewn onto the sides of the Stackpack. Reefing lines are accommodated for by either zipped access when the mainsail is not loose-footed.

With a loose-footed main, the reefing lines are accessed through the bottom of the Stackpack with access openings incorporated.

Other Benefits of Sailboat Stackpacks

Another advantage of a Stackpack is that the sail stays furled within its protective cover on ‘top’ of the boom, not draped over the boom. This increases headroom and avoids a Sail Cover, which hangs below the boom and chafes on the  Sprayhood.

It also increases headroom in the Cockpit, which is impeded to a certain degree when a Sail Cover hangs down below the boom. Our Stackpacks will usually incorporate a separate ‘boot section’ to cover the mast and head section of the sail; this part can be removed when sailing.

So why a Tecsew Stackpack?

In our opinion, a Stackpack is often subject to rough use being left attached to the boom when sailing. That’s why we ensure our Stackpacks will most often have an additional Lazyjack point each side while, in comparison, our competitors don’t go as far as to provide this. This means less strain on each attachment point, better support for the Stackpack from the Lazyjack system and much better furling and packing away of the main.

All Lazyjack attachment points are fully reinforced and we use Jackstay webbing with a 2-ton breaking strain for the attachment points. The rear and forward ends are fully reinforced and we use a fully turned tabling reinforcing for all main edges.

Contact us  today on 02392 556548 to learn more about our Stackpack Sail Covers and to discuss the creation of a Stackpack most suited to your boat. Alternatively, get in touch with us by filling out an enquiry form below.

Stackpacks Gallery

Bavaria Cruiser 33, 2013 Stackpack

Bavaria Cruiser 37 Stackpack, 2013

Beneteau Oceanis 50 Stackpack

Cheoy Lee Offshore 41 Stackpack, ref 10099

Hanse 388 Stackpack

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349 Stackpack, ref 5821

Maxi 33 Stackpack, ref 5154

Moody 35 Stackpack, ref 10384

Moody S38 Stackpack, ref 0577

Southerly 47 Number 5 Stackpack

Have a question we are happy to help.

02392 556 548

[email protected]

Tecsew Ltd, Unit E3 Eagle Building Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants, PO13 9FX

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Sailing with lazy jacks and stack packs.

What are lazy jacks and stack packs? 

Lazy jacks are networks of lines that are rigged along each side of the mainsail from multiple points on the boom or a stack pack to a point on the mast just above the spreaders, at about 60% the mast's height. Their purpose is to hold the mainsail on top of the boom when it is lowered.

Typically, lines called "legs" are joined with single lines called "risers" to form two upside-down Y shapes. However, lazy jack legs and risers can be rigged in a variety of configurations. Also, the legs can be joined to the risers with blocks, rings, or even tied together. The space between the two sets of lazy jacks on either side of the sail is known as the "pocket."

The stack pack (sometimes called a lazy pack or lazy bag) is a modern type of a sail cover. It is secured to the boom and zips closed at the top to protect the sail from sun damage when it's not in use.

Lazy jacks can be set up with or without a stack pack. When a stack pack is present, the lazy jacks are tied to the stack pack to support it. With no stack pack, the lazy jacks are rigged directly to the  boom.

lazy jacks and stack pack system image.jpg

Nine yachts in the Modern Sailing School & Club fleet are equipped with lazy jack systems. Only one of these has lazy jacks with no stack pack.

• Fiore Italia  (Beneteau Oceanis 31)
• Kokomo   (Catalina 320) - lazy jacks only, no stack pack
• Traharta (Beneteau Oceanis 35)
• Auriah  (Beneteau Oceanis 37)
• Sijambo  (Beneteau Oceanis 423)
• Ry Whitt (Jeanneau 409)
• Coho II (Spencer 1330)
• Vela Mare  (Seawind 1160 Catamaran)
• Kanaloa  (Fontaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 Catamaran)

Advantages 

• On larger boats, a mainsail can be very heavy and unweildy to handle, especially in high winds. When dousing, lazy jacks guide the mainsail into the stack pack and keep it neatly flaked on top of the boom - instead of flopping all over the deck. In San Francisco Bay, lazy jacks and stack packs are particularly useful, even on smaller boats.
• Since a stack pack remains on the boom even while sailing, there's no separate sail cover to wrestle with and no need to fiddle with snaps or clasps at the bottom. After dousing the mainsail, simply zip up the stack pack and you're done!
• When hoisting the mainsail, batten ends can get snagged on the lazy jacks. It takes a bit of caution and precision steering to raise the main without snagging it.
• A stack pack adds windage that can detrimentally affect sailing performance to some degree. For many leisure sailors and cruisers, this is not a major concern.
• Lazy jacks are not intended to replace the topping lift as support for the boom. Never loosen the topping lift to the point that the lazy jacks bear the boom's weight.

How To Hoist a Mainsail with Lazy Jacks

Your goal is raise the mainsail without snagging the battens on the lazy jacks. The trick is for the helmsman to watch the sail as it goes up, steer carefully, and use the breeze to help keep the mainsail in the pocket between the lazy jacks. 

• Steer the boat to head the bow into the wind. Keep the boat pointed as straight into the wind as possible. 
• Loosen the mainsheet and begin hoisting the mainsail.
• As the mainsail approaches the point where the legs join the risers, keep a close eye on the sail. If the wind is pushing the sail into one of the legs, steer towards the wind until the sail is luffing evenly between the lazy jacks (in the pocket) on both sides again. 
• If a batten gets snagged on the lazy jack, immediately instruct your crew to stop hoisting, then lower the sail until the batten is clear of the line. Steer the boat towards the wind just until the wind pushes the sail back into the pocket.

Additional Tips

• In "Hurricane Alley" (the entrance to Richardson Bay, the Sausalito arm of San Francisco Bay), winds often blow in a circular or erratic pattern, which can complicate hoisting a mainsail with battens and lazy jacks. Before hoisting the mainsail, check the masthead windex frequently to determine if wind direction is steady. If not, consider motoring to a location such as Racoon Straights or The Slot where the wind direction may be more steady. Note that heavy winds will luff the mainsail more vigorously, increasing the odds that you'll experience a snag. (Wind conditions and directions on the Bay may vary by season and weather.)  
• Never force a stuck sail by grinding hard on a winch. Excessive force could damage the sail, lazy jacks, or other components.

How To Douse the Mainsail

Hoisting the mainsail may require attention and skill, but dousing is a breeze - and the best part of sailing with lazy jacks!

• If conditions and crew size permit, send a crew member forward to stand in front of the mast and evenly flake the luff of the sail as it comes down. 
• Steer to point the boat's bow into the wind and loosen the mainsheet.
• If a crew member is at the mast to flake the sail, ease the main halyard in a controlled manner to facilitate flaking. Otherwise, simply douse the sail and let it fall into the stack pack.
• Zip the stack pack closed. That's it!

Additional Tip

If the mainsail didn't flake evenly into the stack pack as it was doused, the stack pack may be difficult (or impossible) to zip closed. If conditions at the dock permit, hoist and douse the sail again and stand at the mast to flake it evenly as it comes down. Also, it helps to tug the leech to straighten out the sail, if necessary.

Coho II mainsail lazy jacks and stack pack.jpg

Article by Mary Elkins on February 6, 2020

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Modern Sailing School & Club

Sausalito Location 2310 Marinship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

Berkeley Location 1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

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Stackpacks & Sailcovers

We can offer single or two part stackpacks depending on your requirements and the stack height of your boat. Our standard stackpack design is a single section product, which starts behind the mast, and has a gusset sewn in at the front to protect the mainsail from the elements. We would highly recommend this over the two part version, however are happy to work to your requirements.

The below features are standard on all of our stackpacks:

• The main/central zip is covered with a binding on each side to protect it from UV damage, as well as helping to prevent water ingress
• Mesh base to prevent the build up of water and facilitate drainage
• Reef zips instead of slots cut into the stackpack
• Roll up clips for club racing or extended cruising to reduce chafe on lazyjacks
• Extra stiff ocean racer batten
• Integral batten pockets
• Re-enforced lazyjack take off points
• Removable/integral awnings upgrades available

Standard stackpacks

Stackpacks with side awnings.

To help with sun and rain protection in the cockpit we can include either removable or integral side awnings.

For those customers who do not require a stackpack we can produce a sail cover to suit. These covers include a mast collar, vertical zip down the front of the mast and webbing/clips to seal the cover under the boom.

Tenara Thread

• UV and weather-resistant
• Unaffected by sunlight UV(ultraviolet) radiation
• Unaffected by weather including water or saltwater
• Will not rot or decay

Sailing ship

Essential genoa cover, comfort sail pack, classic sail pack, simplify your maneuvers with a custom-made lazy bag, easy bag, or lazy jack..

The lazy bag, the easy bag and the lazy jack are essential accessories for any sailboat because they make it easier to manage maneuvers such as lowering and furling the mainsail without interfering with the reefing. They improve the handling of the mainsail and increase the comfort and safety of navigation.

Do you want to equip your sailboat with a tailor-made lazy bag and lazy jack? SNA, a specialist in nautical upholstery and sail protection, designs and manufactures a tailor-made lazy bag for your boat in just a few days.

What is the purpose of a lazy bag ?

The lazy bag, also called easy bag, is a mainsail cover that remains attached to the boom, even when you are sailing. It allows you to lower and protect your mainsail quickly and easily, without having to store it. The lazy jack, on the other hand, is a system of ropes and rings or pulleys that are attached to each side of the lazy bag or boom and to the masthead. It guides the descent of the mainsail in line with the boom, improving control when taking risks or lowering.

Make the right choice, find the perfect lazy bag for your sailboat

At SNA, we offer you two lazy bag models to choose from depending on two main situations: Do you have difficulty reaching the top of the lazy bag? If so, choose the Comfort model whose zipper is located on the port side and second situation: Are you sailing in an area where the sun is very hot?, also choose the Comfort model, because the zipper is protected under the fabric. Otherwise, the classic lazy bag is enough. Since then, our two lazy bags are reinforced for excellent resistance to wear due to friction.

Sailing Gear Essentials: the Ultimate Packing List (and PDF)

When I first started, I wish I had an overview of what I need right now, and might possibly want in the future. So here's the list with all sailing essentials.

What gear do I need for sailing? You need clothes that dry quickly, deck shoes with good grip that don't leave marks, and multiple layers of clothing. You also want to bring water and sunscreen. Depending on your type of sailing and your role onboard, you need different kinds of specialty gear.

It really matters what sort of trip you're planning. Also, if you're the skipper, you're responsible for bringing a lot of additional skipper & boat gear. I've specified the complete list below for all different conditions and roles.

I've also made a printable checklist that you can download for free.

Download free sailing gear packing list

Interactive Sailing Packing List

On this page:

Gear essentials: quick summary, essential sailing clothes, skipper gear, gear you need if you own a boat, related questions.

What you need to bring depends on the sort of trip, the trip length, and your role.

I categorize gear into four types of gear:

Clothing - There are some basic rules for clothing, which I'll explain below. But the best way to know what kind of clothes to wear is asking the skipper or sailors that are regulars in the area. Weather conditions on the water are very different from land.

Crew gear - All other personal things like paperwork and toiletries. Only applies for trips of multiple days or international journeys.

Boat gear - Navigation equipment, electronics, and safety gear. Boat gear is always the responsibility of the skipper, so if you're joining as crew, you don't have to worry about this.

Supplies - You always need supplies, and with long trips, this can really add up. But with one-day trips, you don't really need to worry beyond water, since there will probably be restaurants and stores around. However, you never know: a simple trip around the lake can end up in spending the night there. Mechanical breakdown happens all the time, so perhaps you want to bring at least some food and extra water.

Below I'll go into more detail for each of the different gear categories. You'll also find all of these items on the downloadable checklist. But first, let's quickly take a look at the packing list for beginner day-sailors.

What you need to bring as crew on a 1-day sailing trip:

If you're tagging along for a short trip as (beginner) crew, you don't need to bring much. You need to wear appropriate clothes and bring a bottle of water and sunscreen. Appropriate clothes are:

• multiple base layers of clothing that are comfortable and dry quickly
• non-marking deck shoes that provide a good grip like sneakers or boat shoes
• sweater and (sailing) jacket
• sun protection, like a hat or cap, and long sleeve shirts

I'll go into multiple day trips below, but first I want to take a look at the stuff each skipper needs to consider when planning a trip.

Factors that determine the supplies and boat and crew gear

If you're the skipper, you're responsible for the boat gear and any necessary supplies. You need to decide what navigation equipment you need, and how much fuel, food, and what safety gear to bring. To make planning easier, I've created a system for myself.

There are basically three kinds of trips that determine what safety and boat gear I need to bring:

• freshwater trips - not a lot needed besides basic navigation tools
• coastal and offshore trips - more safety gear required by the USCG
• ocean passages - besides more safety gear, also more supplies and tools needed

Freshwater trips - Freshwater trips are the easiest to plan. There isn't a lot of safety gear required by the Coast Guard, and you don't need a lot of supplies or fuel, because there's always a gas station nearby. So no worries here. You just need to bring your basic navigation tools. Something like a compass and marine chart will do fine, or perhaps a chartplotter.

Coastal and offshore trips - For coastal and offshore trips you need to bring a lot more safety gear, especially on larger boats. You'll also want more navigation gear, and you'll need more anchors.

Ocean passages - Ocean passages are the ultimate planning challenge. Besides all safety gear, navigation, and so on, you also need to think about your supplies and bring extra tools. Once you're out there, you're on your own, so you need to be able to do minor repairs yourself.

Make sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to Required Safety Equipment on a Boat . There you'll find a USCG safety gear checklist for all different hull lengths.

Trip length

The second factor that determines required gear is the trip length. Obviously, the longer your trip, the more you'll need to bring.

• short trips (1-2 days)
• extended trips (2 - 14 days)
• ocean passage (multiple weeks)

I mention ocean passage again here because it's usually the longest kind of trip, but it also requires special planning. You need to bring a lot more fuel than on an ordinary two-week trip along the coast because chances are you won't find any gas stations in the middle of the Atlantic.

Also, you need to bring a lot more water onboard, and spare parts for minor engine and sail repairs. With long trips along the coast, you can always find a safe harbor with a store, or request Coast Guard assistance. They will probably be there within a couple of hours at most. But in the middle of the Atlantic, chances are nobody will come for at least a couple of days.

What you need to wear depends on your role and ambitions. If you're just tagging along as crew or a curious landlubber on a sailing yacht, you need to take a good look at your clothes, but you don't need to worry as much about specialty gear. If you're a pro sailor (or want to become one), you need special sailing gloves and wetsuits. And then there are foul weather clothes for heavy weather.

For sailing clothes, the rules of thumb are:

• you want to wear clothes that are appropriate to the climate
• you want to wear multiple layers because the temperature on the water can change quickly
• you always want to bring dry clothing
• wear clothes that dry quickly; neoprene and polyester are great for cold weather, linen is great for warm weather
• wear clothes that can't be caught in lines or winh; no scarfs or shawls, rather a large blanket or a thick coat for when you get cold

Beginner sailing outfit

• in cold weather, wear heavy, thick undergarments made from water repellant materials. Neoprene sailing socks are great, but wool works as well. Always bring plenty of spares.

Professional sailing clothes

• sailing gloves
• boat shoes or sailing boots
• water shoes
• polaroid sunglasses with croakies
• sailing hat, helmsman hat, or cap with retainer clip
• high-quality sailing jacket (inshore, coastal, and offshore jackets all have different linings)
• sailing trousers - this can be a polyester legging, made from wetsuit material, or a UV protective, water-repellent chino
• canvas sailing belt - works than a leather belt in wet conditions
• drysuit for cold weather

Foul weather/offshore clothes

• foulies (heavy weather rain suit)
• ocean trousers or salopettes

Crew gear is stuff every crew member needs to have, including the skipper. The safety gear is the responsibility of the skipper, the rest is up to you.

Safety gear

Each crew member should wear the following safety gear:

• life jacket - also called a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) - if you go sailing regularly, you might want to consider buying your own
• whistle for signaling when you go overboard
• waterproof headlamp for signaling when you go overboard
• For coastal and offshore sailing: harness and tether - clips you to a fixed padeye onboard to stay within reach when you go overboard

Toiletries (for multiple-day trips)

If you're going out for multiple days on end, be sure to bring your the following toiletries:

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• medications and perhaps medication for seasickness
• dry shampoo

If applicable, make sure to bring:

• passport for international trips
• diving certificate
• drivers license
• dry bag - to protect your precious gear
• swimming/snorkeling/diving gear
• fishing gear

Additional gear for multiple-day trips

• sleeping bag
• cellphone and charger
• electronics like an e-reader, tablet, laptop, camera, and chargers
• 12V to DC adapters
• power banks and spare batteries for all electronic equipment
• outlet travel multi-adapters for international trips

As skipper, you need to carry some tools to ensure a safe boat and the general safety:

• Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to transmit location in case of emergency
• utility knife and marlin spike, or:
• mariners knife (has a marlin spike) - used to work on the rigging, splitting lines, and so on
• sailing watch - A digital sailing watch has at least an alarm, which you need for reminding you to do check-ups on the course, weather conditions, and so on. Most sailing watches also have a digital compass and barometer, which is great as a backup.
• captains log if you use one
• marine binoculars (with rangefinder)

The skipper needs some additional paperwork:

• International Certificate of Competence (ICC) - for international trips only
• USCG skipper's license
• VHF certificate
• sailing guides on the area
• legal paperwork for the boat and captain - like boat registration document, and a photo ID like a driver's license

Boat gear consists of cockpit gear, navigation, communication, and safety gear. For short inland trips, you only need some of that gear. You don't need a lot of navigation equipment since the waters are well mapped and finding your way isn't very difficult. First I'll give you the bare minimum, and then I'll specify each category for longer trips.

The bare essentials:

• boat compass
• marine chart
• required safety gear
• first aid kit
• small tool kit or multitool
• working anchor and rode

Cockpit equipment:

• wind vane and/or handheld wind meter
• Cockpit Mayday procedure card
• compass deviation card
• boat maintenance log

Navigation equipment:

Bring at least one (but preferably two) the following:

• handheld compass
• chartplotter - make sure you bring updated charts
• backup chartplotter - this can also be a laptop, tablet, or even smartphone
• sextant & up-to-date navigation almanac
• marine charts

I always want to bring at least two means of navigation. My favorites are the compass (by far) and the GPS since these are very reliable. I also plan to dive into celestial navigation, since this is a great backup, and it's more accurate than you might think.

You can get a cheap but reliable chartplotter and compass for less than $500 - in total. If you want to learn more, head over to the recommended gear section:

• Click here for my recommended chartplotter
• Click here for my recommended compass

For a complete overview of types of marine navigation, I recommend to check out my in-depth article about it .

Communication equipment:

• satellite phone
• marine VHF radio
• handheld depth sounder
• signaling flags for international waters

Safety gear:

• air horn or whistle
• bosun's chair for rig work
• radar reflector
• flares or LED signaling light
• emergency weather radio
• first aid kit - needs to contain at least
• fire extinguisher(s)
• life raft for offshore sailing

Other gear:

• 1 anchor for inshore
• at least 2 anchors for offshore (preferably 3 - 2 storm anchors)
• tool kit for minor repairs on rigging, sails, and engine
• multimeter for checking the wiring
• full tank of fuel
• spare parts (plugs, fuses, etc.)
• heaving line 50’-70’

Supplies start to get important with longer (offshore) trips. But it's especially important with ocean passages. These kinds of trips tend to take longer than expected. The most important supplies are food, water, and fuel.

Water - Fresh drinking water is your number one priority when at sea. If you'll be on the open sea for multiple days or even weeks, you should bring PLENTY of water.

Food - Make sure to bring plenty of canned foods. A fishing rod is also a great way to ensure food, in case you run out.

Fuel - For ocean passages you ideally want to carry at least 400 - 500 NM worth of motoring range in fuel. That's roughly 125 - 160 gallons of fuel. So make sure to install additional fuel tanks if you don't have the capacity.

If you want to know more about how to plan fuel consumption: I've written an article on it. Make sure to check my article on how much fuel different engine sizes burn here .

If you're the owner of the boat, you need to have some gear to properly maintain it.

If your boat can be hauled out onto a trailer, you probably want a trailer. A trailer is, however, not always the easiest way to transport a sailboat. You have to take down the mast and rigging, which is a lot of work.

You also need some basic maintenance gear to take care of your hull, engine, and sails.

You want an electrical toolbox that contains:

• wire cutters
• wire stripper
• needle-nose and vice-grip pliers

For engine maintenance, you need a basic wrench set.

You also need:

• a good selection of screwdrivers
• nut drivers for hose clamps
• large and small channel-locks

Sailing can require a lot of gear, but you can also do with the bare essentials - especially in the early stages of sailing when you're practicing on inland lakes for example. Remember, if you're the skipper, you are responsible for the bulk of the gear, and people depend on your planning skills. Don't take it lightly. But with this resource, I hope I've made it a lot easier on you.

If you're looking for quality sailing gear, I have a section on my website with in-depth information on all kinds of gear. If you want, you can check it out here .

What should I pack for a day boat trip? You want to wear multiple layers of clothes that dry quickly. Also, you want to bring sun protection, like sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. A sailing jacket is recommended. Always bring dry clothes and water. Besides the essentials, you probably want to bring your swimsuit, towels, water shoes, and insect repellant.

What should I pack for an overnight boat trip? Bring a pillow, sleeping bag, and toiletries. Wear clothes in multiple layers, and bring dry clothes. Always bring sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat). It gets cold on the water: bring a warm sailing jacket and gloves. Neoprene socks stay warm, even when wet. Insect repellant and Dramamine are also recommended.

What to wear when sailing in cold weather? Wear a reliable outer layer. Most quality sailing gear is water repellant and will keep you dry. Wear warm base layers, and bring spares in a dry bag. Warm your hands and toes using neoprene gloves and socks and bring spares. Wear neck and face protection, and cover your eyes using goggles. Also, wear a helmsman hat.

Hello, Shawn! It’s fantastic that you’re sharing such useful information with others. These items are necessary for any sailing trip, whether it is for a day, two days, a week, or a month. I’d like to add one or two items that are also necessary if you’re sailing with children, particularly, children can rapidly become bored and require entertainment. That is why you should bring a variety of activities to keep your child occupied. Also, keep in mind that children are naturally curious and will want to explore the boat. They can, however, become careless, so you must take precautions.

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You may also like, 41 sailboat cruising essentials for long trips.

In this post I list the items you are unlikely to have if you have never done bluewater or long-term cruising before. There are some essential safety product and …

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Home Built Stack Pack

• Thread starter Ward H
• Start date Jun 9, 2023
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

We have a Lietch & McBride version of the stack pack idea.. what I really like about this one (our first) is that if you can ease the lazy jacks, there are snap buckles that allow you to gather all that cloth and tie it snug to the boom. This avoids all that cloth slapping around and presents a much cleaner look under sail. Perhaps they are all like this, but I see a lot of boats sailing with the 'pack' hanging there like a billboard. Either it's not a standard feature or some people just can't be bothered.... We have a spinnaker pole track and car that we no longer use; the lazy jacks are tied to the pole ring so it's a simple action to lower, stow, and unsnap and re-raise the pack by simply moving the car to pre-determined positions.  

Ward H said: I thought I’d share an upgrade recently made to Sun Dog, our C30. Along with a new main sail and Tides Marine Strong Track we built and installed a Stack Pack. I've heard and read good things about the Strong Track and Stack Pack combination including in posts and in chat with @Tally Ho so I thought I’d give it a try. I've also read @Hayden Watson’s post on building his version of a stack pack and I asked him many questions about his design. He shared ideas with me on his stack pack build and even sent photos, the build instructions his wife Sue put together and diagrams of the layouts for cutting the materials. @jssailem had put me in touch with Hayden a few years back after seeing firsthand how well Hayden set up his C30. With Hayden's help I've copied many of his ideas as I tweaked Sun Dog's sail controls. Many thanks to Hayden. I also studied the Sailrite video on building a stack pack. They offer a kit but I chose to buy the parts piecemeal as I already had a supply of hardware. My wife Debbie used her skills in applying the boat name using heat transfer vinyl. I still have some tweaking to do on the lazy jacks and a few other minor things but so far it is working well. Here's a couple of photos. View attachment 216671 View attachment 216673 Click to expand

Hollyberry said: We have a Lietch & McBride version of the stack pack idea.. what I really like about this one (our first) is that if you can ease the lazy jacks, there are snap buckles that allow you to gather all that cloth and tie it snug to the boom. This avoids all that cloth slapping around and presents a much cleaner look under sail. Perhaps they are all like this, but I see a lot of boats sailing with the 'pack' hanging there like a billboard. Either it's not a standard feature or some people just can't be bothered.... We have a spinnaker pole track and car that we no longer use; the lazy jacks are tied to the pole ring so it's a simple action to lower, stow, and unsnap and re-raise the pack by simply moving the car to pre-determined positions. Click to expand

Yep, following Hayden’s design, we can lower the stack and use sail ties to roll it up and secure on boom. we can also lower one side from the cockpit if we wish to prevent the battens from catching the LJs. Thanks Greg! ward  

Tally Ho said: That sound really convenient. Can you share a photo? Greg Click to expand

That looks like a super pro job.....impressive!  

Hayden Watson

Here are the rest of the photos I sent Ward to help with his build  

Attachments

Looks very nice, and functional. thanks for sharing the photos. Greg  

Tally Ho said: Looks very nice, and functional. thanks for sharing the photos. Greg Click to expand

We mostly day sail on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey and in recent years have lost too much sailing time due to multiple heat waves. >90* temps plus high humidity just suck the strength out of me so we decided to look for ways to conserve energy when we go sailing. We feel the stack pack will do that. Let loose the dock lines, leave the slip, unzip the pack and raise the main. When we're ready to douse the main just let loose the halyard and when we get back to the slip stuff the remaining bits of sail into the pack and zip up. Easy enough so we can go out for a few hours, come back to the AC for a few hours and then back out for an evening sail. I'll still have fun trimming the sails when the pack is up but on those days when conditions favor a nice long day of sailing or if we'll be cruising, I'll move the LJs forward, roll the pack to the boom and have fun getting the most out of our sails.  

Ward H said: We mostly day sail on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey and in recent years have lost too much sailing time due to multiple heat waves. >90* temps plus high humidity just suck the strength out of me so we decided to look for ways to conserve energy when we go sailing. We feel the stack pack will do that. Let loose the dock lines, leave the slip, unzip the pack and raise the main. When we're ready to douse the main just let loose the halyard and when we get back to the slip stuff the remaining bits of sail into the pack and zip up. Easy enough so we can go out for a few hours, come back to the AC for a few hours and then back out for an evening sail. I'll still have fun trimming the sails when the pack is up but on those days when conditions favor a nice long day of sailing or if we'll be cruising, I'll move the LJs forward, roll the pack to the boom and have fun getting the most out of our sails. Click to expand

Nice!  

Tally Ho said: .... What I REALLY like is that upon return, I can drop the sail in the pack, give it a few tucks here and there, and head into the marina. Under AP, I can remove the halyard and secure it, finish getting the sail tucked in the pack, zip it closed, get the halyard and sheets all coiled and stowed before I get into the marina… ... Click to expand

On my modification I get all of those benefits plus I am able to get the jack lines out of the way when hoisting the sail. I also don't have the pac interfering with the loose footed sail trim. I also have built-in sail tires that will hold the main on top of the boom with the pack lowered Win, win, win!  

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

Hayden Watson said: sail tires Click to expand

jssailem said: Radials? How’s the mileage? Click to expand

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Beneteau Introduces the New First 30… the Planing Cruiser

Beneteau has introduced the new First 30, a sailboat designed to offer a fresh approach to small-boat sailing with the concept of a planing cruiser. This model aims to make the experience of planing—when a boat lifts from the water and moves at higher speeds—more accessible to a wider range of sailors.

A New Category: The Planing Cruiser

The First 30 introduces the idea of a “planing cruiser,” a sailboat designed for both ease of use and performance. Andraz Mihelin, CEO of Seascape, notes that today’s sailors are looking for a different experience than in the past. “Sailing today is less about racing and more about connecting with nature and enjoying time with others,” he explains. In response to this shift, Beneteau and Seascape have worked together to create a new type of sailboat that balances performance with comfort and simplicity.

Building on a Legacy

The First 30 builds on Beneteau’s history, marking an important development for the company’s 140th anniversary. This model was designed with input from a team of experienced designers and engineers to create a boat that responds to the needs of modern sailors.

The First 30 is designed to get up to planing speeds quickly and is easy to manage with a simple rig and a clean, uncluttered cockpit. This makes it a practical choice for a variety of sailors, whether sailing with a small crew or with family. The boat is designed to perform well under different conditions, with an emphasis on ease of handling and safety.

Affordability and Accessibility

One of the key aspects of the First 30 is its accessible price point. With a base price of €100,000 (excluding VAT) and various financial options, Beneteau aims to open up the planing cruiser category to a broad range of sailors.

Comfortable Interior Design

The interior of the First 30 is designed with comfort in mind, offering accommodation for up to four people in two cabins. The saloon features a 1.85-meter headroom, and the boat includes a functional galley with a stove and fridge, a marine head, and well-planned storage options. Sustainable materials such as cork flooring and magnetic doors reflect a thoughtful approach to design.

For those looking for more interior features, Beneteau offers an optional ‘premium pack’ that includes upgraded upholstery, a saloon backrest, and customizable lighting and materials.

Thoughtful Deck and Cockpit Layout

The deck and cockpit of the First 30 have been designed to offer both comfort and functionality. The cockpit can be set up in two different configurations, one for day sailing and cruising, and another for racing. Both layouts focus on keeping the space uncluttered, with easy access to controls. The cruising layout is designed to be manageable with minimal effort, while the racing layout provides additional trim controls for those who are looking for more performance-focused sailing.

A New Offering for a Changing Market

The Beneteau First 30 is positioned as a versatile sailboat that brings together the enjoyment of planing with practical features for both performance and leisure sailing. It will officially launch at Boot Düsseldorf in January 2025.

Grand Soleil 52 Performance: New Life to the Myth

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

The 6 preparation rules you should follow for sailing across oceans

• Toby Heppell
• September 10, 2024

What really matters when it comes to preparing for an offshore adventure? Andy Schell distils it down to six golden rules

I completed my eighth and most recent Atlantic crossing in February, sailing from Mindelo, Cape Verde, to Barbados aboard our Farr 65 Falken with 10 crew. The 2,200-mile passage took just under 11 days — fast, comfortable and dreamy, exactly as you hope for a tradewind crossing in the tropics.

I have never, ever said ocean sailing is boring, but I had more free time on that trip than in any in recent memory. Time to get out the sextant and teach some celestial navigation, time to read, to fly the drone and mess around taking photos; time to do whatever I fancied!

To me, that’s the goal of a well-planned and executed ocean crossing: to have the time to truly enjoy it. But with so many things to think about in the preparation stage, where do you start?

What really matters?

My wife, Mia, and I hosted a 59° North small group workshop on just this topic in Annapolis this spring. The group spent the first morning brainstorming what ‘matters’ offshore versus what doesn’t. Where and how should you focus your energy?

Our group of eight sailors were all yacht owners with varying backgrounds and boats, from sailing an old-school Allied Seawind 32, to building a new performance cruiser Xp 50. Yet some common themes emerged. Each person’s ‘mission’ was to make safe, comfortable ocean cruising passages and have the knowledge and confidence to adapt to situations as they developed.

In our workshop, what stood out on the ‘matters’ list included both serious and humorous items. Coffee was high on the list, right behind understanding the weather. Boat condition (ie maintenance), comms and self-steering made it to the ‘matters’ list, while some surprising items like boat design and electronics didn’t.

Coffee features high on many offshore sailors’ must-have lists! Photo: 59° North Sailing

Perhaps the most important thing on the ‘matters’ list won’t be covered in this article as it’s such a big topic: medical. Keeping the crew healthy and managing the situation in the event of a medical emergency matters more than anything else, yet invariably most sailors leave those preparations until the last minute. Don’t.

For this article I’ve chosen a few things from the ‘matters’ list to do a deeper dive on. Plus we’ll touch on some things left off the list and why they don’t matter as much as you might think. Here I’ve tried to distil an entire weekend’s discussions into just a few key points to help you plan and prioritise.

What doesn’t matter

Several topics that seem to dominate armchair sailor discussions ended up on our ‘doesn’t matter’ list. Take boat design for example – there are so many different types of boats plying the oceans that it’s impossible to say what is ‘best’ for passagemaking. I often refer to my friend Matt Rutherford’s epic Around the Americas voyage, a solo, nonstop passage through the Northwest Passage and around Cape Horn that took him 309 days.

He did it in a 1970s 27ft Albin Vega which he refitted by diving around the boatyard skips of Annapolis. Nobody would argue that’s an ideal boat for that mission, but he did it anyway. The more skilled and prepared the sailor, the less that boat design matters. So really it’s knowledge and preparation that truly matter.

Article continues below…

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A number of systems we spend way too much time debating didn’t make the list. Who cares what kind of battery system you’ve installed, the material in the sails, or what type of engine the boat has? What matters is less the choice of equipment but how it’s designed, installed and maintained. Any system fit for purpose and properly maintained will serve the mission, so don’t get too bogged down in brand choices and technical specs.

Sailors have been crossing oceans for thousands of years and even an average boat today is light years safer and better performing than what we’ve had for most of human history. Forget the stuff that doesn’t matter and focus on what does.

high on the list of what matters are the boat’s steering and self-steering systems. Photo: Tor Johnson

‘The more you know, the less you need,’ is one of my favourite quotes, attributed to Yvon Choinard, founder of iconic clothing brand Patagonia, himself an avid climber and outdoorsman.

I often preach that seamanship is both ‘learned’ and ‘earned’. You don’t need to have thousands of ocean miles under your keel to successfully cross the Atlantic, but you should have a wide array of accumulated knowledge. You can be the most book-smart sailor, but at some point you need to apply that knowledge in the real world by going to sea. Likewise, you can have vast amounts of experience and still not know how to be a good leader.

The more practised you are at handling a boat under sail, working in tight spaces on maintenance and repairs, reading and interpreting weather forecasts, understanding radar plots and the myriad other skills needed to safely cross an ocean, the easier it’s going to be when you actually get out there.

Understanding navigation is one of the fundamentals for a bluewater adventure. Photo: 59° North Sailing

If seamanship is all about anticipation, what matters most is understanding and anticipating the weather. With modern comms, computerised weather models, forecasting tools and mobile-based weather-routing software, a sailor should never be ‘caught out’ by a change in the weather. The ability to predict the next 24-48 hours of any given passage provides a huge advantage when it comes to positioning your boat relative to weather systems on the larger scale, and your sail plan relative to conditions on a local scale.

Understand the difference between weather ‘forecasting’ and weather ‘routing’: the former gives information while the latter provides guidance. Weather routing, whether by a human service ashore or by software on board, is an essential tool, but it’s worthless if you don’t understand both its limitations and the big-picture forecast behind it.

When we teach weather, we always start by zooming right out to what creates wind in the first place (a difference in atmospheric pressure), and what the typical seasonal weather patterns are in the ocean in which we’re sailing. As I write this, Falken is a day or two out from making landfall in Horta, Azores. The boat departed Bermuda and has been traversing the top of the Azores High, the dominant weather feature in the North Atlantic which, in conjunction with the jet stream aloft, helps to steer the depression track as they march from west to east.

Stay south of the low centres and you can expect ‘free’ winds from the westerly quadrant as the lows, spinning counterclockwise, pass to the north. Well-developed lows will have associated cold fronts, and those cold fronts will have distinct patterns as they pass over the boat – increasing south-westerly winds, unsettled, squally weather, followed by a (sometimes violent) wind shift to the west-northwest and clearing skies. On a given Bermuda-Azores crossing you can expect three or four of these lows and associated fronts to overtake you on a typical 10-14 day crossing.

Understanding weather should be one of the highest priorities. Photo: 59° North Sailing

This is where anticipation comes in. Modern GRIB models have a pretty high degree of certainty in a 72-hour timeframe, so we can predict, at least within 12 hours, when an approaching front is going to overtake us, and can set the boat up accordingly.

As the front approaches, the wind will build from the south-west. The course from Bermuda to the Azores is east-northeast, so we’d typically be sailing on a run on starboard tack, with the jib poled out to windward and the mainsail off to port.

However, were the wind to shift abruptly to the west-northwest – if we missed anticipating the frontal passage – we’d have to gybe through this wind shift, a tricky and dangerous manoeuvre in unsettled weather. Instead, we can gybe well ahead of the frontal passage and sail on a more northerly heading on port tack, continuing to shorten sail as the south-westerly increases.

When the wind shifts, the only manoeuvre required is to bear away and follow the shift, eventually coming back onto a run but on port tack as the skies clear and the wind fills in from the north-west as the low moves off to our north and east. Yes, we may have sailed 60 miles out of our way to the north, but we made a much safer and more comfortable sail out of it.

My point is that with modern weather models you’ll always know the coming trend over a 1-3 day window with a very high degree of certainty, and you can use that trend to make decisions. Is the wind lifting or heading us? Is the weather changing in our favour or against us? Is it easing off, allowing me to shake some reefs, or is it forecast to increase and might I want to reef down before dark?

What’s most interesting to us as offshore sailors is the degree of certainty in the forecast. I typically use both the GFS model, provided by NOAA in the USA, and the ECMWF (aka ‘Euro’) model. People will argue about which model is ‘better’, but that’s missing the point. All models do some things better than others and some things worse.

Photo: 59° North Sailing

What’s useful in looking at both models is how they diverge over time – if both appear more or less the same after 3-5 days, I can infer a high degree of certainty in the models and therefore make more confident routing decisions. If, conversely, they diverge significantly in the 1-4 day range, that tells me there’s a high degree of uncertainty in the models and I’d better make more conservative routing decisions.

I’ll always do a ‘manual’ route by analysing a few models myself and looking at which side of the rhumb line is favoured to give me the best sailing angles. Remember, in cruising, we’re trying to optimise for safe, comfortable passages, not outright speed.

That means playing the wind angles, not necessarily getting from A to B as quickly as possible. Then I’ll let the computer run a route for me and see if it aligns with my own assumptions. Usually it does and I’m confident. In the odd cases the computer and I disagree, that tells me I’ve missed something in my analysis and I’ll go back to the drawing board, or often, call in the experts and actually speak to a meteorologist.

By doing this kind of weather analysis during the planning stages of a passage, right before departure, and usually daily at sea, I can confidently meet the ‘anticipation’ part of seamanship because I should never not know what’s over the horizon weather-wise, and have the boat setup accordingly.

Choose a light weather downwind sail – and know how to use it. Photo: Tor Johnson

3 Sail Plan

High on our ‘what matters’ list was sail inventory. You can be the best at weather forecasting, but that’s of little help if you can’t adapt your sail plan to the changing conditions.

I think a good seagoing sail inventory, for monohull and multihull ocean-going cruising boats alike, should look like this:

• Bluewater mainsail: 3 reefs, external reef fairleads on the leech, full battens.
• All-purpose jib/genoa: ‘reefable’ on a furler, the sail you’ll use 90% of the time.
• Second, smaller/flatter upwind jib: when you really need to point high or in case your all-purpose sail fails.
• Storm jib/staysail: ideally on a removable inner forestay.
• Light weather downwind sail: gennaker, asymmetric or symmetric kite, your choice. Know how to rig your downwind sail and how to sail with it.
• Pole for wing-on-wing: modern boats almost all have bowsprits these days for flying asymmetric kites, but for real tradewinds voyaging you still need to carry a pole for sheeting headsails to windward when running, especially as the wind and sea state gets up.

Sail material matters less, but certain materials are definitely more durable and forgiving than others.

Avoid flogging your sails offshore, and take care to keep them from chafing. Just have ‘enough’ sails to deal with changing conditions, with some redundancy in case of failures, make sure they’re in good shape, and know how to use them.

Keep abreast of long- and short-range weather forecasts. Photo:Tor Johnson

4 Communications

You can’t get good weather information without good communications on board, and I feel pretty strongly about what constitutes a ‘good’ comms set up.

Starlink is ubiquitous now. As much as I hate the way it’s changing offshore sailing philosophically, it’s hard to argue against it for the ease of access to higher resolution weather data, and for connecting with doctors ashore in the event of a medical emergency. For 59° North, we’re considering installing Starlink to better be able to communicate with staff between passages when the boat is in remote harbours where it’s hard to access good wifi or a local SIM card (Starlink will be turned off at sea on our boats, except in an emergency).

But Starlink is not enough for emergency comms. It’s an integrated system on the boat, and not something you can take with you in the liferaft in a real worst-case scenario. I said the same thing years ago about Iridium Go! – that was (and is) a great tool for sending emails and downloading weather, and we use them on our boats too, but it’s not a replacement for a robust and reliable Iridium handset, kept in a waterproof case with a spare battery always charged.

Test the phone before every passage and make sure you keep the SIM active and the minutes topped up. We’ve had the same Iridium handset technology since our first transatlantic back in 2011 – it’s tried and true and won’t fail you when you need it most.

Hearty food keeps a crew happy and fuelled up for staying on watch during a long passage. Photo: Tor Johnson

5 Provisions & Water

This one seems like a no-brainer, but I recall a pretty stupid situation from an ARC rally I worked on back in the late 2000s that prompts me to mention it. One of the boats had lost electricity and with it, their fridge and freezer (see below on ‘decoupling’ systems).

They’d planned all of their meals around fresh or frozen food, taking for granted that they’d have a working fridge for the duration of the Atlantic crossing and not packing enough dry stores for contingencies. So with a week still to sail towards St Lucia, they sent a message to Rally Control asking for assistance with provisions. Not long after a nearby boat rendezvoused and passed over food to get them home. Needless to say this was a major planning oversight by the crew.

The same applies to cooking gas – would you have enough food that doesn’t need to be cooked to complete a passage in the event your propane runs out?

Most boats have watermakers these days, and with 10-11 crew sailing on Falken we literally couldn’t complete our longest passages without one. We run our watermaker each night during dishwashing after dinner, always ending the day with full tanks. If the watermaker fails beyond repair, we can then start rationing from a full supply. And we carry emergency rations in plastic gallon cans in the bilge.

A well-maintained boat will always do better on the ocean than a new but poorly looked-after yacht. Photo: 59° North Sailing

6 Maintenance

If boat design and systems choices matter little, then maintenance does. A poorly designed but well maintained boat will do much better on an ocean passage than a perfectly designed but poorly maintained one.

When it comes to tools we follow a simple axiom – if you need a tool once, borrow it; if you need it twice, buy it. There’s nothing worse than facing a relatively easy fix at sea but not having the right tool for the job. Spend a lot of time figuring out what tools you’ll need; buy the highest quality you can afford (and take care of them); test them to make sure they work for the intended purpose; and keep them organised and inventoried on the boat.

We discovered, thankfully in port, that Falken required a custom-welded impeller puller to change the impeller on the engine’s cooling water pump, thanks to the secondary alternator mount interfering. What should be a five-minute job turned into a three day bonanza, but now, through much trial and error, we have the right tool.

Maintenance has to be prioritised into ‘mission critical’ systems versus ‘luxury’ systems, and you have to be honest about what makes up the two lists. Hull, keel, rudder and sails are ‘mission critical’; cosmetic repairs, many electronics and instruments, even the engine in some cases, aren’t.

At the outfitting and planning stage of a voyage, think about what systems are ‘coupled’ – ie co-dependent to function – and try to uncouple them. A modern problem is that more and more boats have converted to lithium batteries which can power induction hobs and electric ovens. These are wonderful conveniences and absolutely increase the joy of life aboard. However, you’ve now coupled your hot meals with a working electrical system, which itself is already coupled to a working charging system. Should the charging or electrical systems fail, you’ve lost the ability to make a hot meal on top of it.

Make sure PLBs or other devices are correctly registered and check Iridium phone is active and charged. Photo: Tor Johnson

You might decide it’s worth the risk, and put more effort into making sure the electrical and charging systems are properly maintained as the stakes are higher. But these decisions should be made consciously and ahead of time.

Think also about what needs maintaining at sea versus what can wait until after a passage. Any watch system will work so long as it’s adhered to and everyone is able to get rest. But when the crew is working overtime on maintenance items at sea, the watch schedule breaks down and a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation begins. The less sleep each watch gets, the more likelihood for mistakes.

There’s a fine line between making small improvements to the boat at sea and wrecking the watch system. Splicing strops, whipping rope ends, even servicing the odd winch are great activities on watch on a sunny day.

But this becomes a problem when a non-mission critical item is confused for a critical repair, and too much time and energy is spent at sea trying to fix it. Marine electronics are a favourite culprit, and one I’m guilty of spending too much time fiddling with.

We get so used to having all the data at our fingertips – wind and boat speed, digital compass, AWA, XTE, etc – that we sometimes forget we can sail without them. And networked electronics are notoriously fussy. One bad connection in a NMEA2000 backbone can wreak havoc across the entire network, and you can spend hours tracing wires trying to get it back online when a paper chart and handheld GPS would navigate you across any ocean quite happily.

Back at the planning stage we can mitigate the risk of losing a mission critical system by installing redundancies. Two alternators on the engine for charging, for example, or even an ‘A’ and ‘B’ N2K backbone if instruments are critical to your passage. But once you set off, really think hard about what systems you will deal with while on passage, and which can wait until landfall.

The rewards

After that tradewind crossing on Falken, my first mate Manot and I had 10 days to kill in Barbados. The boat, after a thorough cleaning, was in tip-top shape and beyond the normal rig checks and routine maintenance, we didn’t have any issues to fix so could enjoy island life.

This is how a good ocean crossing can be – mellow and philosophical at sea, with time for adventures on landfall. Keep things simple and make conscious decisions about how you fit out your boat and execute a voyage to focus on what really matters.

If you enjoyed this….

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Annapolis Sailboat Show: The Biggest Sailing Party of the Year

The Annapolis Sailboat Show is a place to connect with sailors from all over.

Nestled on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis has long been a pilgrimage site for sailors. Dubbed America’s Sailing Capital, the city’s narrow streets are steeped with a maritime legacy that spans over three centuries. Its skyline has a unique dynamism, typified by an ever-renewing assortment of masts and the domes of the Naval Academy Chapel and State House.

The Annapolis Sailboat Show (October 10-14, 2024) was born out of this nautical fervor more than 50 years ago. Today, it stands as the largest in-water sailboat show in the world, serving as the venue for manufacturers to unveil their newest boats and drawing attendees from around the globe.

In addition to being the best place to see the newest in boats, electronics, gear, and other sailing-related offerings, the Annapolis Sailboat Show is a rendezvous for sailors from around the world, the biggest sailing party of the year. Attendees are encouraged to don their shorts, grab a drink, tour the floating docks, and hop aboard any boat that strikes their fancy (including the Baltimore clipper ship replica, the Pride of Baltimore II ).

On shore, there’s a boating bazaar to explore with vendors offering everything from life jackets and rigging to handcrafted navigational tools and artisanal bourbon. With downtown Annapolis only a few steps from the showgrounds, foodies will be spoiled too—seafood lovers especially. October brings the start of fall oyster season on the Chesapeake, and there’s no shortage of other local delicacies. Softshell crab sandwiches, claws and all, are an experience all their own.

For those with a less adventurous palate, there is a variety of American, Thai, Italian, and sushi restaurants to choose from. You can find a tavern where George Washington drank and a taco bar serving margaritas, all within walking distance of the show.

Naturally, though, the stars of the show are the sailboats. Close to 200 sailboats are expected to be featured at this year’s show: daysailers, dinghies, monohulls, multihulls, bluewater cruisers, racing skiffs, and more. Given the size and prestige of the Annapolis Sailboat Show, it’s not surprising that so many manufacturers premier their new boats there . This year’s show will be hosting the premier of the Dufour 44, Windelo 54, Allures 51.9. and Garcia Exploration 52, just to name a few.

Whether they’re looking for a new boat or just window shopping, attendees can board any vessel and talk with the manufacturers, designers, or dealers. The best part of being at the Annapolis Sailboat Show is the people you meet and the expertise they bring with them. You’re liable to run into anybody from America’s Cup sailors to circumnavigators; not just at the show, but at the local bars in the evening too. The show has been bringing sailors together for over half a century, so many people treat it as an annual get-together. And, with such an outgoing group, it’s an easy tradition to fall into.

One of the sailboat show’s draws for visitors is that it’s easy to get to. Annapolis City Dock, the home of the show, is just an easy 30-minute drive from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and just over an hour from Reagan National and Washington Dulles International. For those coming by boat, Annapolis is less than 130 miles from the mouths of the Chesapeake and Delaware bays with moorings and marina slips within walking distance of the showgrounds.

Accommodations are also easy to come by. There are historic hotels close to the show as well as the standard fare of chains and short-term rentals.

With over 500 exhibitors, free daily seminars from industry experts, and easy access to America’s Sailing Capital, there’s something for every type of sailor at the Annapolis Sailboat Show. All that’s missing is you!

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Sailing yachts like Mike Lynch's are 'unsinkable bodies', CEO of boat manufacturing firm says

Bayesian superyacht which sank off Italy is an "unsinkable" vessel, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, said.

By Ashna Hurynag, news correspondent and Eleonora Chiarella, producer

Sunday 25 August 2024 08:48, UK

Vessels like Mike Lynch's stricken superyacht are "unsinkable", according to the chief executive of the firm which makes and sells them.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, told Sky News there are no flaws with the design and construction of the Bayesian superyacht which capsized in a storm off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday.

Five bodies were found by divers on Wednesday - taking the number of confirmed dead to six.

The Italian Sea Group also owns the firm that built British tech tycoon Mr Lynch's Bayesian, and Mr Costantino said the vessels "are the safest in the most absolute sense".

"Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built," he said.

"And as Perini is a sailing ship... sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever."

He said their structure and keel made them "unsinkable bodies".

Read more on this story: Why search of superyacht wreck has been so difficult Hero mum 'slept with baby on deck when storm sank yacht'

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Mr Costantino said news of the sinking "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other".

"This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact," he said.

It is understood Italian prosecutors investigating the incident are continuing to hold interviews with the survivors.

On Tuesday they questioned the captain for more than two hours to help reconstruct what happened and provide useful technical details.

Four British inspectors are also in Porticello and have begun a preliminary assessment of events.

It is understood they will look at all relevant aspects of the incident, including the design, stability, and operation of the vessel. They will also examine the effects of the weather conditions experienced.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Twenty-two people were on board the vessel, 15 of whom were rescued - including Briton Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter Sofia.

Divers will resume efforts on Thursday morning to bring ashore a body they found earlier. One more person remains missing.

Related Topics

• Superyacht sinking