For the last several years, Kevin and Laura have had solar panels installed on Airship. As we cruised together, we compared notes about electrical systems. Despite their enthusiasm for solar, I remained a solar skeptic (maybe even a solar curmudgeon!). I figured I already had a fancy alternator and reasonably sized battery bank. I only used the generator occasionally, typically when I needed hot water and hadn’t run the engine … Read more
It’s difficult to find a high-quality new cruising boat for a reasonable price these days. By and large, the new boats being built are semi-custom – basic configurations with dizzying numbers of custom options that let the customer design exactly the boat of their dreams. Unfortunately, that means enormous amounts of labor to build each boat by hand, almost from scratch – and that means big bucks. Such big bucks, … Read more
We’ve cruised Hood Canal in Airship before, and although it’s a long body of water with not many of what we’d call “destination anchorages”, there’s still quite a bit to see and do, especially when the weather is nice. We left Pleasant Harbor on Friday morning and cruised the 21nm or so down to the “Great Bend” and found space on the dock at the Hood Canal Marina (same ownership … Read more
The Slowboat team had a very successful Seattle Boat Show this year. All of our seminars were well-attended and we got to connect with new and old friends. Plus: boats!!! Airship left Seattle on Monday and headed over to Blake Island for some hiking and relaxing. It was nice to be back at Blake Island, but I think I like it better in the snow! We left Blake Island on … Read more
January 26 – February 3, 2018 The Slowboat team will be presenting ten different free seminars at the 2018 Seattle Boat Show. We are excited to once again share our experience and expertise with the boat show crowd to help you have a richer, safer, more satisfying cruising experience. In addition to leading flotillas up the Inside Passage to Alaska every summer, each member of our crew brings more specific … Read more
Nine humpbacks surface and exhale fifty yards from our dinghy, between us and shore. Dolphins leap out of the water, inches away, splashing water into our small vessel. A family of brown bears forage on the beach 20 feet away, munching grass. An icy chill briefly blasts as we motor through a waterfall that tumbles from rocky cliffs into the ocean. Tidal rapids roar as we zoom through against the flow. … Read more
Winter in the San Juan Islands is our favorite time for cruising up here, and this is why: This is Fossil Bay on Sucia Island, and there’s no one else here. No one on the dock. No one on the mooring balls. In the summer, this place is absolutely packed (so we hear–we’ve managed to be in Alaska every summer since we bought Airship). Today, the sun is shining, the … Read more
The first night in Cabo was a blur. We arrived late in the afternoon, had a celebratory drink with the Brown Eyed Girl crew, and headed to dinner. More celebratory drinks, then a cab ride to San Jose del Cabo for more celebrating. We stayed at Marina Puerto Los Cabos, a huge, modern facility a few miles outside San Jose del Cabo. The marina caters primarily to sportfishing boats and … Read more