Very exciting – another one of Chris’s articles has been published in the July 2014 issue of Cruising Helmsman.  This time it is not a destination piece, but instead one for the practical section of the magazine.  The article encapsulates some advice and tips about cruising safely and in harmony, gleaned from friends who have lived the dream.

When we meet people around the traps, particularly couples who have recently started sailing, we often get asked a lot of questions about making the transition from weekend escapes in the protected waters of the Gippsland Lakes, to coastal or offshore cruising.  Discussions around the differences, the preparation, how we work together to run the boat, how it feels to be out there in the big briny, often ensue. This is how the idea for this article came about.  Of course we have our views, based on our summer cruising experiences, but I thought it would be interesting to gather the thoughts of other much more experienced yachties.  So I decided to interview a few cruising couples who have sailed and lived aboard for many years as well as a volunteer coast guard friend of ours, taking furious notes as I fired questions at them in person or on Skype.  In the process of gathering their responses and drafting the article, it became evident we share very similar views about what makes a good team afloat: active involvement, mutual respect, flexibility, a focus on safety, a desire to learn, to name a few… but above all an insatiable thirst for adventure.

It is always a thrill to see your work in print, and I had to be patient with this one.  I conducted the interviews back in August last year, wrote the article and submitted it in September.  The “Practical – Out There” features in Cruising Helmsman are typically published in the July issue each year… a long time to wait!

“Dream no more” full article

Click here if you want to read Dream no more, get out there, or go to the Published Page, Practical section.