Paul Trammell
Author, Sailor, Podcaster
Ep. 294, Dudley Dix, Designing Sailboats Since the 1970's
Dudley Dix has been designing sailboats - monohulls, catamarans, and trimarans - since the 1970's and is still at it. His designs incorporate wood, fiberglass, steel, or aluminum, and he is the developer of the radius-chine plywood method. His latest design is the Didi 120 GSC, a 40' monohull designed specifically for the Global Solo Challenge.
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We talk about his sailing history, sailing in South Africa, how he got involved in sailboat design, his design philosopy, sailing in the Cape to Rio Race, flying a spinnaker in 35 knots, the radius chine plywood method, capsizing in a storm, plywood construction, the Didi 120 GSC, sailing in giant swell, single rudder vs dual rudders, how to select a bluewater sailboat, comparing different materials for building boats, heavy vs light masts and the effect on stability, his two books "South Atlantic Capsize and Shaped" by "Wind and Wave," surfing, and more.
Owen's phone:
+1-561-827-5457
Didi 120 GSC
Didi Cruise mini
Ep. 293, Africa! Tim Good and Emmie van Biervliet, Sailing in Senegal and The Gambia
Tim and Emmie sail a 1996 Seastream 43 and are at the beginning of a circumnavigation starting in England. They were in Cape Verde when I interviewed them and had recently been to Senegal and The Gambia.
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We talk about a rough introduction to offshore sailing, sailing to Norway, Mindello Cape Verde, carnival, Dakar, Senegal, dodging fishing nets in Africa, the Saloum Delta National Park in Senegal, The Gambia, hippos and crocodiles and other wildlife, clearing in to Dakar, navigating with Google Earth, finding drinking water, clearing customs in The Gambia, the season to visit Senegal and The Gambia, whether to sail to Patagonia or the Caribbean next, The Bahamas, Canada, the Northwest Passage, wildlife in Panama, their boat, Coppercoat, anchors, dragging, a dream boat, refitting, Emmie's art, making decisions as a couple, and more.
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vote Patagonia or Caribbean here
Ep. 292, Amy and MJ of Motherload Sailing, moving onto a Catamaran
Amy Cobb and MJ Sizemore of Motherload Sailing are back in Bocas del Toro after sailing their Bavaria 50 back to Florida to sell. They replaced her with a Lagoon 410 catamaran, on which they live with their 5 sons.
We talk about their new catamaran and compare her to their monohull - both living aboard and sailing, upgrades, lithium batteries, sailing from Florida to The Bahamas, clearing in at Great Harbor in the Berry Islands, the Exumas Land and Sea Park, the Bight of Acklins, Long Island, Great Inagua, Navasse Island, sargassum seaweed, sailing from The Bahamas to Panama, jacklines, safety, tips for raising kids on a boat, provisioning for a family of seven, tips for getting along as a couple on a boat, catamaran escape hatches, bucket-list destinations, dream boats, and more.
Owen's phone:
+1-561-827-5457
Ep. 291, Cruising with Gretchen and Tim of GnT Sailing
Gretchen and Tim were in the same anchorage as me when I met them, and John Kretschmer recommended them as guests. They sail a Catalina 42 with an added staysail and have a YouTube channel called GnT Sailing.
We talk about meeting while racing Rhodes 19's, learning to sail offshore, sailing with John Kretschmer, a heavy-weather passage with JK, sailing downwind with just a staysail in strong wind, handsteering, man-overboard drills, crossing the Gulf Stream, living aboard full-time vs part-time, motor-predjudice, arriving in the daylight or heaving-to until sunrise, anchoring, swivel failure, mistakes, things we say that make us feel better in rough conditions, couple difficulties and how to avoid arguments and drama, staying out of each other's way, heavy weather situations, their boat, things that make living aboard more comfortable, dream boats, steering in reverse in a full-keel boat, and more.
Ep. 290, Closing the Loop on a Circumnavigation, Brian Hathaway
Brian Hathaway was in Panama when I interviewed him, near to completeing his circumnavigation. While sailing, he has been filming a documentary "The Healing Power of the Ocean." Brian is five years sober. He also directed a short documentary "Adrift." Brian sails a 2004 Hunter 44DS.
We talk about fixing leaking portlights, fixing the cone clutch on his transmission, sailing from St Helena to Recife, Recife to Martinique, running aground, squalls, Puerto Rico to Panama (the worst passage of his circumnavigation), crew difficulties, dual headsails, losing both headsails, cutting a line caught in the propeller while at sea in rough conditions, climbing the mast while offshore, using a gaff on a halyard to catch a headsail halyard, motoring vs not motoring, whether or not to officially close the loop on the map to complete the circumnavigation, AIS vs Radar, zarpes, San Juan Puerto Rico, Hydrovane vs electronic autopilot, Wajag Islands, Madagascar, jacklines, tethers, saftey, fixing stuff, and more.
Owen's phone:
+1-561-827-5457
Ep. 289, Sailing the Sea of Cortez, Hawaii, and Alaska, Mike Kalil and Stephanie Propp
Mike and Stephanie were in the Sea of Cortez when I interviewed them, aboard their Saga 43, Stella Blue. They bought her in British Columbia and sailed her south to California and Mexico, then to Hawaii, Alaska, down the west coast, and returned to the Sea of Cortez.
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We talk about Mexico and the Sea of Cortez, wildlife, their boat, the solent rig, electronics, radar, anchor lights, how they selected the Saga 43, sailing from Mexico to Hawaii, flipping a dinghy duing a beach landing, the kindness of the Mexican people, anchoring in Hawaii, sailing from Hawaii to Alaska, cruising in Alaska, Glacier Bay, glaciers, swimming moose, staying warm in the north, dealing with mold, cleaning the rigging with vinegar, mounting a Hydrovane, bucket-list destinations, and more.
Stella Blue, a Saga 43
swimming moose in Alaska
puffins
Ep. 288, Sailing a 60' Ketch with a 10' Centerboard, Ryan Rayfield, Sailing Libra
Ryan Rayfield recently sailed with novice crew from Block Island to Bermuda in November and faced some heavy weather, which he dealt with effectively in his 60' ketch, Libra. Ryan learned to sail on Lake Martin in Alabama, and now runs Sail Libra, an offshore charter operation in the North Atlantic Ocean. He is a USCG-licensed captain, father, and lifelong mariner.
We talk about learning to sail on a makeshift Sunfish in Alabama, the advantages of sailing a ketch, light-air sails, his boat - a 1969 60' Bill Tripp center-cockpit ketch built by Abeking & Rasmussen, centerboards, replacing the centerboard, hurricanes, sailing from Rhode Island to Bermuda in November in foul weather, crossing the Gulf Stream, wind against current, planning to cross the Gulf Stream, watch schedules, sailing in 40-50 knots with 20' seas, the details of heaving-to and coming out of heaving-to safely, bucket-list destinations, and more.
Owen's phone:
+1-561-827-5457
Ep. 287, Sailing from the POV of a Former Commercial Fisherman, Joe Drago
Joe Drago used to be a commercial fisherman in New England and now sails a Cape Dory 45 ketch based in New York and runs Sailing Resolution, a sailing adventure charter business.
We talk about how he got involved in commercial fishing, lessons about seamanship learned from commercial fishing, fishing in foul weather, being washed overboard while longlining in the Gulf Stream, his rescue, safety gear, responding to a mayday, things commercial fishermen wish sailors did differently, towing signals, radar and AIS, sleeping while singlehanding, communication with commercial vessels, the Gulf Stream and wind against current, his boat Resolution - a Cape Dory 45 ketch, Airex foam coring, sailing a ketch, redundant and simplified systems on his boat, personal MOB AIS beacons, bronze deck fitting, chain plates, dragging anchor, sailing and climbing in Newfoundland, tips for staying warm and dry in cold wet weather, St Pierre (French island near Newfoundland), favorite anchorage in Maine, and more.
Ep. 286, Sailing to Japan with Robin Toozs-Hobson
Robin Toozs-Hobson is a long-time sailor and delivery skipper based in St. Lucia. He and I have sailed together a few times and had some great adventures. He recently did a delivery of an Excess catamaran from St. Lucia to Japan.
We talk about living in St. Lucia, living abroad and dealing with the passport and banking and mail, monohull sailing vs catamaran sailing, favorite boats, Excess catamarans, sailing from St Lucia to Japan, favorite stops along the way, the Panama Canal, diving with hamerhead sharks in Galapagos, locations in Japan, the Japanese people and culture, dealing with heavy weather in a catamaran, where the friendliest people are, anchoring a catamaran, lightning, the importance of sailing lessons, stepping outside your comfort zone, and more.
Owen's phone:
+1-561-827-5457
Ep. 285, Repairing an Aluminum Hull at KM Yachtbuilders, Hylke Boersma
Hylke Boersma is a project manager for refits at KM Yachtbuilders. He is currently working on the repair of a Boreal 52 that suffered hull damage after being struck by another boat while on a mooring.
We talk about using a 3D-scanner to asses damage, repairing an aluminum hull, repairing aluminum vs steel, care and maintenance of aluminum hulls, painting aluminum hulls, advantages of building in aluminum, common mistakes people make when buying sailboats, deck materials, diesel engines, electric motors, electrical systems on aluminum boats, what buyers should know about aluminum vs fiberglass, and more.
