Armchair sailing

Maritime Professional - Piracy approach a failure, say Hong Kong shipowners “ It is extraordinary that governments today seem less able to protect shipping than they were almost 200 years ago,” the HKSOA lamented....quite so!

BBC News - Yachtsman overboard in South Atlantic storm You sometimes wonder why all the fuss about clipping on and off before you come into and after you leave the cockpit when offshore This scary video from the Clipper should be all the reason you ever need. Looks like they did a good job and got him back within 17 minutes: plenty long enough in the cold S. Atlantic I'd imagine...

10 tips for avoiding pirates | Elaine Bunting's Blog | Yachting World Some useful advice here although not sure how it would help if you're 500 - 600 miles away from the coast of Somalia and you still get nailed. Stay out of the Indian Ocean seems to be the only safe advice here. Hmmmm...

This from Elaine Bunting's excellent blog on the Yachting World website: • Small amounts of alcohol will be permitted at Happy Hour and on special occasions • No smoking below decks. If you must smoke please consider other crew and make sure all ash and smoke goes overboard • Drugs on board: none, thank you • Please keep heads, showers and yourself clean. Smelly loos and crew are not welcome • Watchkeepers: steer at least half of your watch to conserve valuable energy • Try to save power by turning off all unnecessary lights, appliances, instruments, etc • Water will not be rationed but when showering please turn off shower head when washing body and hair and rinse off with minimum amount of water • Please make as little noise at night as possible so as not to disturb others. No speakers on deck • Lifejackets must be worn and harnesses attached to jackstays on all night watches. Person coming off watch must check new watchkeeper is wearing lifejacket, Life Tag and harness is clip...

This was a not a weeekend for armchair sailing. The Hong Kong Cruise Owners Association Macau race weekend was one of contrasts: a very wet Saturday followed by pretty much perfect sailing conditions for the run back on Monday:

The loss of a yacht and three experienced yachtsmen is, without doubt, a tragedy. It is also one which needs to be properly investigated. However, there has been much self-satisfied and pompous nonsense written by yachties in the UK over the loss of the Ouzo and the possible culpability of the officers on board the ferry Pride of Bilbao . I was much relieved, then, to see this commentary by the well-respect columnist Dick Durham. His basic view appears to be, 'let common sense prevail': ...yachtsmen should be in no doubt: they should simply get out of the way of ships whether they have right of way (Ouzo as a sailing boat, did in this instance)or not. To put in a tack and let the ship pass would have been the safest course of action. Quite so. Living and sailing in one of the world's busiest harbours (Hong Kong), we are in no doubt what to do about ships: stay out of their way. Even if they can see you, which they probably can't, there may not be much they can do abo...

As the world's largest cruise in company/race, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) looms close, the web is filling with tips, many of which would stand any long-distance sailor in good stead. Elaine Bunting started it at Yachting World and followed up yesterday with some of the feedback (much of it conflicting). She also directed us to Captain JP's Log which looks like a blog I might follow. Lots of fun tips here including not throwing rubbish to windward when a cabin porthole is open and the skipper's asleep in her bunk under it. Sounds like solid advice! As does the stop for a swim midway but wear a costume to stop jellyfish stinging the family jewels. Ouch!