Sail Far Live Free

I originally planned to make a blog post about the “ 10 Best Sailors ” , but I quickly realized I ’ m in no way qualified to assemble such a list.   However, I can confidently say which famous sailors have most influenced and inspired my own life.   My list focuses on famous sailors known to many.   Truth be told, there are many more ordinary “ everyday Joe/Jane ” type sailors who have inspired me every bit as much as those in my list below, but they ’ ll be the topic of a future blog post.   And so, I present to you my personal list of the World ’ s Top Ten Most Inspirational Sailors.     10) Francis Chichester : The favored route around the world by cruisers today is by far the east-to-west "milk run" that roughly follows the trade winds near the equator.   Chichester instead sailed solo around the world from west-to-east in 1967, rounding all of the great capes (Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn) via the "clipper ship route". ...

The following is a reprint of one my articles that was recently published in Good Old Boat magazine (November/December 2011 issue - Thanks Karen!).   I originally titled the article “Awakening from a Cruiser’s Dream”, but the editors went with “A Cruise Feeds the Soul”.   Some of you may have already read this article in the magazine, but it’s some of my most inspired and honest writing so I wanted to also share it here on my website. A CRUISE FEEDS THE SOUL By Kevin Walters The docklines are once again tied and my feet plod once more on solid ground.   My body is back in port, but I don’t know if my sailor’s soul will ever make it back to the dock.   Perfectly peaceful anchorage in Baie Fine, Ontario Before we left, I did my research.   I read all I could and talked to everyone who would share their experiences about the pros and cons of taking an extended cruise on a small sailboat.   Now that we’ve returned, I realize most weren’t honest about the...

Much has already been written about the wind.  One of my favorite wind quotes is from William Arthur Ward who said, "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." And another from Captain Christopher Shelton (from s/v Albatross and the movie White Squall ): "You can't run from the wind.  You trim your sails, face the music, and keep going." So now allow me to write a bit more about the wind, for sailing would be a lot more like drifting without it.   There are a few things in life that we can't see even with our eyes wide open.  God.  Love.  And the wind.  We can see the effects of all these things, but we can't see the actual  thing.  However, if we allow our other senses to open up, we can feel  them.  It amazes me that something as cryptic as the wind has the ability to carry a sailboat thousands and thousands of miles. And lastly, I'll finish my tribute to the wind...

Have you ever wondered why many classic bluewater sailboats are double enders?  Is there something inherent in the double ender design that makes them particularly well suited for offshore work?  Or maybe you're like me and simply find them to be irresistibly good looking and aspire to own one regardless of the design's intended function.  I'm pleased to welcome a very special guest blogger to SailFarLiveFree.com.  Bob Perry , one of the world's foremost yacht designers and a double ender aficionado, has graciously agreed to share his thoughts on my blog.  For more of Bob's writing, try  Yacht Design According to Perry .  What follows are Bob's words... Double-Enders According to Perry , by Bob Perry Oh boy. I get to write on someone else’s blog. I think I will write about double enders as a subject in itself. Without bragging too much I think I might   be responsible for more double enders on the water than any other designer. I don’t have ...

Lake Michigan was not feeling the Christmas spirit in November of 1912.   The big lake wasn’t giving any gifts that year, but rather was taking ships and crew to her cold depths.   Captain Herman Schuenemann knew the Great Lakes could get ornery in November, for it was in November of 1898 that his brother August was lost forever when his schooner sank in a storm near Glencoe , Illinois while attempting to deliver Christmas trees to Chicago .   August had asked Herman to join him on the ill-fated voyage, but he declined after proudly telling August that his wife was giving birth to twin daughters.   After August’s death, Herman was undaunted and carried on in the family Christmas tree business.   Herman Schuenemann became beloved by Chicago residents for brining fresh cut Christmas trees from Michigan ’s Upper Peninsula aboard sailing vessels to Chicago .   Each year the arrival of his ship in port near the Clark Street Bridge would signify the of...

Lake Michigan is my home water.  My cruising roots have been fertilized and grown here on the Great Lakes.  I feel a connection with Great Lakes sailors and have a bit of a quest to heighten awareness for the Great Lakes and raise their profile among sailors, outdoor enthusiasts and those with an intrinsic passion for water.  I believe those who have never been on the Great Lakes would be in awe of their size and beauty.  It is in this vein that I plan to periodically host guest blog posts authored by cruising sailors who started their great escape in the Great Lakes. Brittany and Scott from Windtraveler  started their journey at the southern end of Lake Michigan in Chicago back in September, 2011 (although planning, dreaming and scheming occurred long before).  Today they've made it as far south as Grenada in the Caribbean.  Given the theme of my website (Sail Far, Live Free!), I...