"She's A Cruiser", "Offshore Cruising Seminar" and Annapolis Boat Show

 

And as summer draws to a close it is boat show time again ...  Elizabeth will be part of the Annapolis Boat Show Cruiser's University taking part in two distinct programs:

• "She's a Cruiser" Masterclass:  A bridge from the unknown to a confident cruiser with Behan Gifford and Nica Waters.  9 to 10 Oct 2024
  

• "Offshore Cruising Seminar" with John Neal of Mahina Expeditions and Nigel Calder. - 11 Oct 2024

Max will be at the Nautitech and Dufour displays during the show and doing Nautitech sea trials on the Tuesday after the show.  

While the focus of the boat shows is often new boats, Max and Elizabeth are always happy to chat about the process for finding used boats as well.  More on that here: https://sv-fluenta.blogspot.com/p/buyers-broker.html?m=0

If you are planning to attend let us know.

 

Max on Youtube - Nautitech 48 Tour

 This is pretty funny as I did not even know this video was live until months after.  Someone commented at the La Grande Motte show that they saw me on video ...  From the Miami 2024 premier of the Nautitech 48, here is my guided tour of the boat:

A few months after this was taken I was on the sea trial of one in the Mediterranean near La Grande Motte and then again in La Rochelle recently in July plus back into the factory with a client.

 

Not a very tropical day in the Mediterranean.

But we did go 17 kts without surfing off waves.  Slower here in this photo.

And back to the factory which is always interesting

Max in Canadian Boating Magazine - Atlantic Rally For Cruisers 2023.

A bit nerve racking for this simple engineer turned sailor to write for one of Canada's biggest sailing magazines but ... here is my article on doing the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers last winter.  It is a little hard to read on Blogspot so feel free to reach out in the comments or email me at SV.Fluenta@gmail.com to receive a pdf copy.  And the link to the May issue is here:  https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-may-2024/index.php

Thank you to the crew of June for letting me tag along on part of their most excellent adventure. 

Yachting Monthly Magazine - ARC Crossing

Fun to see the Hunt family, and me in a small way, in a Yachting Monthly magazine article on the ARC last December.  More on the passage here:  https://sv-fluenta.blogspot.com/2024/01/atlantic-rally-for-cruisers-on.html

 

Vancouver International Boat Show - 31 Jan to 4 Feb 2024

 

 

We will be at the Vancouver Boat Show again.  Elizabeth will be doing three series of seminars throughout the week:

 It's Your Trip, Too !

Is this familiar? Your partner is daydreaming about sailing away to exotic destinations, overcoming challenges, and having amazing adventures, while you have more questions than answers…Maybe you even have a boat and are open to the idea of cruising, but you are wondering about storms, finances, family, career, seasickness, and so many other things. Navigating all these questions and setting your course towards a life you both dream of is profoundly satisfying. In this workshop, Elizabeth Brown-Shaw will highlight key areas that can affect a shared cruising dream, help you tune into any doubts and fears to uncover the skill sets, boat modifications, or lifestyle factors that matter to you, and inspire you to dream once more.  After all, it’s your trip too!

 A Family of Four (then Five) on a Seven Year Loop Around the Pacific

Follow this family of four and then five on their seven-year adventure around the Pacific as they face dirty diapers at sea, maintenance in exotic locations and uncharted reefs.

Trends and Tips for Women Boaters 

 With Tracy Sarich, Elizabeth Brown-Shaw, Amanda Stars and Edith Eaton

Women are one of the fastest growing demographics in the industry – as boat buyers, owners, skippers, and adventurous experience collectors. Whether your goal is to cross an ocean, learn to dock, own a boat, or just see new horizons – this interactive conversation will help you understand how to leverage your strengths (physical and mental) and embrace your instincts to achieve your dreams of boating. Bring your questions, hear about gear that will make your time on the water more comfortable and fun, and join us after for a Happy Hour with our friends at Women Who Sail to make new friends.

The full schedule is here: https://www.vancouverboatshow.ca/education/

I will be at the Yacht Sales West display chatting about Nautitech, Bavaria and Dufour yachts.

Coast Guard RHIOT Course - "Life Begins at 40 kts"

At the helm.  Zoom Zoom.

I am just back from the Canadian Coast Guard Rigid Hull Inflatable Operators Course on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  A bit chilly this time of year but such an honour to attend this prestigious course.  Only six students (from a police department, the Coast Guard, the Royal Navy and RCMSAR) and 70 hours of instruction over six days in all sorts of conditions day and night.

The school put together this video as a souvenir for us:

 

All the students were already experienced mariners and course started with a Colregs exam.  Over the six days we increased our skills in low and high speed manoeuvring ("Life Begins at 40 kts"), navigation, towing, search, rescues, risk management, and heavy weather. 

I have been lucky enough to take a lot of courses over 23 years in the military and now the last 12 years boating full time but this was the best.  The three instructors did an excellent job pushing us to increase our skills and knowledge so we can do a better job when we return to our home units.

Capsize Training on the coldest day of what was the coldest RHIOT Course ever.

A bit of ice !

Night Vision Goggles to assist with the night navigation exercises

Towing Practice

And pacing at various speeds.

Atlantic Rally For Cruisers on a Nautitech 44 Open

Preparing for the start at Las Palmas, Canary Islands.

This November/December I had the honour of doing the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) across the Atlantic onboard a client's 2023 Nautitech 44 Open.  I had previously sailed the boat when we oversaw the commissioning and did the orientation/handover in May.  Of course, as much fun as it was sailing in La Rochelle, it was another level of adventure to help prepare the boat for the crossing and then get back offshore again.

The key to a good passage is good preparation.

We had a great passage - as expected for a vessel that won the European multi-hull "Yacht of The Year"  - and not only did we place well we did it in comfort.  Home schooling continued uninterrupted ! 

I will write more about the passage as I have promised to write at least one magazine article but here are a few pictures of the trip. 

There was some fishing !

And beautiful sunrises

And beautiful sunsets ...

 

And no problems making the boat go fast !  Just under 200nm that day.

Despite the speed we ate well !

Lovely days under spinnaker.

A quick note to commend the ARC staff - better known as the "yellow shirts" - for the amazing job they did organizing and facilitating this event.  I have been in quite a few sailing events but never one as well run as this !

ARC Awards in St Lucia. - Second in Class (and top Social Media for @Sailing_June)

I also had the chance to put my "instructor hat" back on and go through the CRYA Yachtmaster Offshore requirements with them which was was no hardship with such experienced sailors.

Newly Qualified CRYA Yachtmaster Offshore.

Another highlight:  Elizabeth and Benjamin were able to fly down to St Lucia so that Elizabeth and I could have meetings with the various brokerages in St Lucia and Martinique that we have worked with over the last few years.

My favourite office !

Lots more pictures and video in Instagram: @FluentaSailing and @Sailing_June