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260 Mod: Bowsprit

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UPDATE: This post is outdated due to the new fixed prod we have placed on BlueJ.  This is left for archival purposes. More details on the new prod HERE . To make cruising with the asymmetrical spinnaker easier, we installed a removable, retractable Sparcraft bowsprit on BlueJ. The hardware is first class. The pole mounts to the deck with three hockey-puck shaped discs that the pole mounts clip to. Removing or extending the pole is a matter of moving the brackets. On BlueJ the pole extends about 16 inches. We did not get the pole to add extra J distance on the boat, but only to help the tack clear the bow, and to make gibes easier. It does this very well. Note the adjustable tack line extending through the pole and back to the cockpit. More information on the pole is  HERE
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Getting an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) in the USA

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If you are an American sailor with international sailing aspirations, you have probably heard of the ICC. Sometimes described incorrectly as an 'International Sailing Licence' or 'Global Charter Certification', its roots and purpose are more complex, and somewhat strange to Americans. I'll start with a little background. More ancient than automobile driving, mariners (in particular recreational mariners) have long enjoyed a tradition of loose or non-existent licencing of their activities world-wide. Even in well developed countries like the USA, there is very little in the way of formal requirements in order to operate a boat. This has led the world to view American charter skippers as 'Credit Card Sailors', due to the only thing needed with their name on it to sail is their credit card! As often happens in matters like this, the ICC got its start in Europe. The close proximity of countries and the mixing of languages, laws, and cultures made a mis...
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Tactical Compass Compared

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To be successful in windward/leeward racing, a good tactical compass is a must. Without it you cannot read wind shifts, and if you miss shifts you miss sailing on the shorter, lifted tack. The diagram on the right shows it... the boat on the right tacks when knocked, so is sailing lifted after the tack and straighter to the mark. All else being equal, she will be the first boat to the weather mark. So tactical compasses are a big deal. The question is, which one? On BlueJ we have used several units, always mounted to mast below the boom where the whole crew can see them from anywhere on the boat. And we are always looking out for a new edge. Here is what we have learned. NOTE: Much of the device review below is outdated. BlueJ now uses a dual Sailmon MAX mast mounted system, integrated into the boat's NEMA2k network via WiFi. Read more about that system HERE . First up is the Velocitek ProStart. This US$600 device has three functions: 1) GPS-based Speed over gr...
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