While I do get to race a few times a year, I am really a cruiser and sailing instructor that enjoys racing.  Throughout our travels I have always tried to join different boats and now in our more static land-based life I get to race occasionally on the amazing "Cheekee Monkee" pictured above.

A friend of mine, Chris Maier, is a key part of the racing community here in the Pacific Northwest and the host of a podcast series "Salty Dips".   Despite not being a diehard racer, it was a super fun interview where we talked about the crossover between racing and cruising and how cruisers can learn so much from racing and vice versa.  It was also a fun excuse to share some  "Salty Dips" - Navy-speak for tales of daring do ....

 Links to the podcast are here:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../salty-dips/id1875585264

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7DKogiSFwwGtYJcnhhijYt

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/.../4cd129fd-9547.../salty-dips

 The podcast gave me an excuse to try find old pictures from previous races.  The biggest observation is we did not take a lot of pictures ! 

Profligate - a Hughes 63 - That was the first catamaran I raced on.  Learned lots but only attended a few of the weekly races before a grounding shortened the season (Latitude 38 photo)

And off to Bermuda ! The start of the Marion-Bermuda race on STV Tuna.

In St-Pierre Miquelon on Tuna.  A great crew but not a lot of experience between us.

Navigator in the vomitorium

Heavy Metal in the Banderas Bay Regatta - a 60' aluminum beast !

Definitely the post military "growing my hair out" stage.

 

The crew ! (SV Heavy Metal Photo)

 

Racing on an old IOR boat in Tonga ... and finding out the boat is owned and crewed by Sir Peter Blake's daughter and her husband.  And we won ... Amazing sailors.

Not really a race and way more comfortable ... Doing the ARC in a new Nautitech 44.

Interview with Deo Juvante Yachts

Such fun to be interviewed by Tierry of Deo Juvante Yachts.  Elizabeth and I had a chance to talk about our cruising experiences and, perhaps more importantly, on the different ways to cruise.

The interview is here: https://youtu.be/5BDhFJ1wN4k?si=6WPF-Zq_-vOKAQzX

After the interview hosted by Ria and Lee of Spartan Media Group in their awesome studio, Tierry showed us his amazing Circa 84 that he is selling and discussed his new Deo Juvante designs.

 

  

Women on Water (WOW) - 14 to 15 March 2026

 This great event is coming up.  Elizabeth will be one of the speakers again.

 Open to BCA members and non-members.  Registration is here: https://www.bluewatercruising.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2014890&group=

"Pyschology of Voyaging" - 21 to 22 March 2026

Note this has now been moved to 21 to 22 March 2026

"Psychology of Voyaging" has been one the premiere Bluewater Cruising Association (BCA) courses for years.  Elizabeth is taking over from Rick Ellis who started the program many years ago adding her own perspectives from her years of cruising experiences with a family of four and then five and the lessons from doing offshore cruising seminars across North America since our return to Canada.

 The course is open to members and non-members of the BCA.  Registration is here:https://www.bluewatercruising.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1994533

 

Max Interviewed on CatamaranSite

As with any typical sailor I am always happy to talk about sailing !  But always a bit nerve wracking to have it recorded and published.  While I was working at the Miami Boat Show the CatamaranSite asked if I would chat about our background and what we are doing with catamarans.

The interview is here:  https://www.catamaransite.com/reference/nautitech-dealer-interview-with-max-shaw/

And a few typos, we do not own Yacht Sales West.  Elizabeth and I are just part of the awesome team there.

 

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) Coxswain

Volunteering with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RMCSAR) has been one of highlights of coming back to Canada for this simple sailor.  I am out on the water a lot with work and play - 35 different boats over 100 different boat trips just last year - but it is great to learn new skills and have a higher purpose.  

Over the last five years under some great tutelage and mentorship I have slowly progressed to coxswain.  I was not very daunted by the operation of the vessel although a bit different than my usual boating; however, the wide scope of our missions is daunting.  Looking forward to some new challenges !

Copied from RCMSAR 36's social media:

The road to becoming a RCMSAR coxswain is long. The coxswain is the captain of the Fast Rescue Craft responsible for the crew, the vessel, and of course the successful completion of the assigned mission. A station’s coxswains are also the instructors for the continuous training that is required to keep a station mission-ready.

 

RCMSAR HQ has just promoted RCMSAR 36’s Max Shaw to “Coxswain” after five years of service, which included the completion of the 105 required sign-offs, the famed Coast Guard RHIOT course, the RCMSAR Coxswain Leadership II Course, and 400+ hours of service. Max is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and now a Yacht Broker and Yachtmaster Instructor in Sidney.

 

More on RCMSAR 36 here: https://www.marinerescue.org/

Boat Show and Seminar Season plus Sea Trial Opportunities

 

 

It is that time of year again !  Liz is off to the Toronto Boat Show in a few days and then it is Vancouver, Seattle, Miami and then likely La Grande Motte.  Whew ...

We just released our semi-annual newsletter and here is a snippet of it below:

Upcoming Boat Shows and Seminars:

Toronto Boat Show – 18 to 25 Jan 2025. Elizabeth will be there in person 18 and 19 Jan to participate in the Women & Cruising panel discussion highlighting stories from our 36,000nm trip around the Pacific with two and then three children and presenting the “It’s Your Trip Too” seminar. When not presenting, she will be at the Swan Yacht Sales booth to discuss Nautitech catamarans and Bavaria Yachts. We will be doing presentations throughout the show via “Zoom” as well

Vancouver Boat Show – 29 Jan to 2 Feb   Elizabeth and Max will both be there. Elizabeth will be doing several presentations and acting as Master of Ceremonies for the Women’s Day event on 1 Feb. Max will be at the “in-water” portion of the show with a variety of new Dufour and Bavaria yachts.

Seattle Boat Show – 31 Jan to 8 Feb. Elizabeth will be presenting at the Women’s Day on 3 Feb and Max will be on-site 4 to 8 Feb with a Nautitech 40 and new Bavaria and Dufour yachts.

Miami Boat Show – 12 to 16 Feb plus 17 Feb Sea Trials. Max will be there mostly at the Nautitech stand but also with Dufour as required. The highlight of the Miami show will be the 17 Feb sea trials on a Nautitech 44 – this is definitely by reservation so please let me know soonest if you are interested.

La Grande Motte Multihull Show

Mahina Expeditions Offshore Cruising Seminar – 8 to 9 Mar. After a one-year gap, Elizabeth and Max will be back teaching with John Neal on his intensive “Offshore Cruising” seminar in Anacortes. This books up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested.

Always great to co-teach with John Neal.

Women on the Water – 12 April 2025 . Elizabeth will be the Keynote speaker at this one day event in Victoria. Let us know if you would like tickets or more information 

La Grande Motte Multihull Show – 23 to 27 April. If you are interested in catamarans, this is the show to attend. There will be sea trials available on the Nautitech 44 and 48 so it is a worthwhile event ! Again, please let us know soonest if you are interested in attending this show.

Nautitech 48 Sea Trial at La Grande Motte.

 BC Boat Show – 1 to 4 May. This is our local show at Port Sidney, and we always have a good selection of new boats - sail and power - to view and then sea trial.

Please let us know if you would like tickets to any of these events and especially if you would like to do the Nautitech Sea Trials in Miami or La Grand Motte.