The Mariner

After centuries of sailors, praying and hoping for a 'magic button' with which to save their lives far from shore on the briney deep, we are now in the 21st century in the enviable situation of having just that built into all newly built VHF and SSB units.   The incredible functionality of the DSC button and all the other modern electronic life saving devices available, remains somewhat hidden for...

Questions & tangents returns for the last time in 2022 and I have lots to get through, questions I cover this episode range from Man Overboard recovery systems I don't know about to Mainsail reefing systems I don't know about to the safety of smaller boats in heavy conditions which is definitely something I don't know about.  Plenty of targets and confusion as always- and maybe even some answers t...

Liferafts are probably the least understood part of the safety equipment on a modern yacht- sure you know where it is (probably), what it does (maybe) and almost certainly what it cost (!) but have you seen YOUR life raft inflated? Have you had extra equipment added to the safety pack inside the raft that could be essential to you in an emergency? Is your raft good for coastal work or offshore voy...

At 0904 on the 6th December 1917 a massive explosion ripped through Halifax, Nova Scotia instantly killing 1600 people, injuring 9000 and destroying the city wholesale. The blast displaced 20,000 souls who then had to deal with a deep winter blizzard over the next few days. It was to say the least a catastrophe and still ranks as the largest non-nuclear explosion created by man. How did it happen?...

Although we have had a few false starts with a round the world sailing project since the podcast began in early 2020- I think everyone will recognize that trying to make any kind of big plans during Covid has been basically impossible.  We got close with the Ocean Globe Race entry in 2021, only to have the Race Committee cancel the race division we were entered into! I am therefore, extremely exci...

In this episode we investigate handling lines- a wide and varied subject that tests my abilities to stay on subject and not launch into exponential tangents!  I try to make the case for not just doing things 'as they have always been done  historically' particularly with regards to storing rope, and to be sympathetic to the needs of a new generation of rope types that require different husbandry b...

Questions & Tangents is your opportunity to get to the bottom of those nautical problems that keep you awake in the middle of the night such as, 'Is electronic log keeping really a Thing'? & 'Which boat would Chris have if money and maintenance were not an issue?' You guys lay awake at night thinking about some weird things... but its my pleasure to share my answers- if you can stand the tangents!...

Another on deck report! This time passing through islands just before I arrive in Iceland. It’s super light winds, flat seas and a rare opportunity to chat and appreciate the scenery as we transit within a few hundred meters of sheer stratified cliffs- Iceland at it’s best:) Patreon On-Line Seamanship Course If you would like to develop your seamanship skills and overall safety at sea- check out t...

The loss of Colin Golder from his boat 'Morgan of Mariette' in the 2022 Newport Bermuda Race shocked the race officers and participants alike. In this episode, in an effort to learn from this incident, and in so doing memorialize Colins' memory, I go through the incident report prepared by US Sailing and attempt to distil what lessons I can with the intention of increasing the sailing community's...

No mistake made in the title! I wish to put forth the concept that we should be referring to the 'Triangle of Bermuda' rather than the 'Bermuda Triangle' to correctly identify a patch of the world's oceans that contains a known set of meteorological, navigational, oceanographic and seamanship challenges that together have indeed caused a number of ships to go missing over the period of time man ha...

As we continue to move through the excellent RYA Sea Survival Handbook by Keith Colwell we come to the piece of safety equipment that most sailors have the most familiarity with.  We live in an age of miracles where now, falling into the cold, black waters of the Atlantic in the middle of the night MAY not actually be a death sentence, but for a lifejacket to have a chance of saving your life it n...

Something different! a book review of one of the books I have just read over on my other podcast Rare Nautical Reads   This is my thoughts having just read this famous French text (wonderful translated by Brian Connell) that charts the voyage of Dr Alain Bombard across the Atlantic in a 12ft rubber raft, with no food, and no water, in 65 days. Alone.   It is a most remarkable story, rendered even...

Another on deck report and in this one you join me sneaking through the Pentland Firth, a narrow channel at the very top of the Uk mainland.  It's midnight, the wind is very light and the coast is very close by: listen in as I discuss keeping such situation safe, keeping on top of the navigation and of course- getting the coffee in! Patreon On-Line Seamanship Course If you would like to develop yo...

Sea Survival - Cold Water Survival It is one of my greatest fears. entering cold water in an uncontrolled manner and dying prematurely due to my lack of experience in such an environment. After making this podcast today I am forced to realize that just taking a weeks worth of cold water showers could-statistically- make me 50% more likely to be able to hold it together long enough for a vessel to...

First On Deck Report For the longest time I have been struggling with how to create a podcast episode at sea with all of the environmental noises that make life on deck interesting and evocative BUT which also play merry hell with recording on a microphone. Well, I think I have a solution and whilst it's early days this episode is an opportunity to see how this content 'goes down' and gives me a s...

Part 2 I did my Safety at Sea course last weekend and I was struck by how compressed the time was for the course- only 2 days or 8 hrs to learn a HUGE amount of info. I was reminded once agin how unsexy the subject of survival at sea can be and how easily it can get abbreviated to fit better into busy sailor schedules.    (ISBN 978-1-906435-96-7) at exactly the pace that best reveals what to do, h...

I did my Safety at Sea course this last weekend and I was struck by how compressed the time was for the course- only 2 days or 8 hrs to learn a HUGE amount of info. I was reminded once again how unsexy the subject of survival at sea can be and how easily it can get abbreviated to fit better into busy sailor schedules.   So, to help clarify my thoughts for my own revision (after all, none of us has...

In this episode I tackle some longer, more in-depth questions sent by Patreon supporters. We will be looking at options to replace traditional backstay setups when you have or are thinking of getting a new big roach or flat-top main and I'll be getting under the skin of what it takes to be the kind of skipper people want to sail with ... more than once. Just before you go.... If you recognize that...

This episode we investigate 'G is for Gybing' (Jibing for those in North America!) as part of our on-going 'ABC of Sailing' . I discuss what it's like to gybe an Open 60 in the Southern Ocean, mistakes to avoid, potential injuries/damage, how to deal with crash gybes that lead to broaches and why it's healthy to be nervous of this most dynamic sailing evolution. Just before you go.... If you recog...

Questions & Tangents is your opportunity to get to the bottom of those nautical problems that keep you awake in the middle of the night such as, 'Is electronic log keeping really a Thing'? & 'Which boat would Chris have if money and maintenance were not an issue?' You guys lay awake at night thinking about some weird things... but its my pleasure to share my answers- if you can stand the tangents!...

Another discussion about the situation in Ukraine- this time focusing on exactly why Russia would choose to launch an attack against the Ukraine at this moment in time and examining how the actions of NATO & the US might be interpreted by a Cold War agent like Putin.  I believe that by seeking truth and validating nuance on both sides of the equation, peace can be restored once again in the Ukrain...

This episode I delve into some of the issues around heading into high winds whilst at sea. Bilge pumps, boat design, skills acquisition, crew dynamics - you name it- I ramble my way through it in this, the first of a two part series intended to open a discussion about how best to take on the challenge of 40 knots +! Just before you go.... If you recognize that creating this content requires hours...

In this episode I read the penultimate chapters of Joshua Slocum's fantastic circumnavigation story 'Sailing Alone Around the World'.   This long played out reading of Slocum (over a year to date!) has been an aside to the normal sailing content on the Mariner podcast- however, many people have shared with me that they really enjoyed it and so I have started a new podcast called, 'Rare Nautical Re...

In this episode I discuss the story of Noah's Ark.  I have to admit that until I researched this episode I did not fully realize that until the early 19th century the Encyclopaedia Britannica cited the legend of the Ark as being 'an historical fact' so understandably there has been lots to unpack with this mysterious craft, both for and against! Just before you go.... If you recognize that creatin...

This episode of the Mariner is very different from previous episodes- I have decided to speak a little about my understanding of what is going on in the Ukraine. My views are those of a person who spends his life at sea working as a professional sailor, I am not a geo-political analyst or even a very political person BUT I do have eyes and ears and I am disgusted to see what has been happening wit...