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Magnetic Mounting for Handheld Devices - Scosche Magic Mount Review

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Simple solutions. That could be a sailing cruiser's credo. And in that vein, the Scosche Magic Mount is a super simple solution for mounting portable electronics at the helm or the nav desk down below. I've been using the Magic Mount Original for about a week now with my iPhone 6 Plus and have been really happy with the functionality and ease of use. But before I get into the likes and dislikes, what is a Magic Mount? Well, it's essentially a magnetic mount that allows you to dock and undock devices quickly and easily in either landscape or portrait orientation. The base is similar to a lot of other mounting systems and allows for twisting, pivoting, etc. The base of the Magic Mount original (the model I think will be most useful to boaters) attaches to just about any surface using a sticky adhesive pad. If this semi-permanent arrangement is an issue for you, I suggest you consider one of the window mounts that use a suction cup instead. Magic Mount Original from S

Picture This: Big Skies and Smooth Seas

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Big Skies and Smooth Seas (by Hannah Walters)

A Versatile & Small Shipmate: Buckshot Pro Bluetooth Speaker/Flashlight/Powerbank

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I love electronic gear that doesn't eat into my sailboat's battery bank. Add in three-in-one versatility and an IPX5 shock/water resistance rating and you've potentially got a nice piece of cruising tech. Those are the features that the Buckshot Pro Bluetooth speaker/powerbank/flashlight from Outdoor Tech possesses and as their website says, this is "stuff you probably want". I first became interested in the Buckshot Pro as a small Bluetooth speaker that could handle wet rides from the mothership to the beach and back. Its small size (about 4.125"L w/ a 1.75" diameter) allows it to fit in a pocket, a cup holder or mount to stanchions and the bimini frame using the included rubber mounting strap. I routinely get over 10 hours of play time at 3/4 volume, which is quite good considering the size. Sound quality isn't stellar, but it's still very respectable, again considering the speaker size. Most of the time the sound is on par with other small

4 Simple Questions with Sailboat Designer Bob Johnson

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Once again, I'm pleased to bring you another installment of my "4 simple questions with a sailboat designer" mini-interview series. This week, I welcome Bob Johnson from Island Packet Yachts to SailFarLiveFree.com. Bob Johnson's passion for sailing bloomed at an early age. He was only eight when he bought his own subscription to Yachting magazine, and fourteen when he wrote a term paper on his future career as a naval architect. That same year, he lofted his first sailboat on the living room floor, then sailed it down Lake Worth, with his brother holding a garden umbrella for a spinnaker. He was hooked for life. Even though he became a mechanical engineer, ending up at McDonnell Douglas designing missiles, his heart was still with sailboats. With a master's degree from MIT in naval architecture, he went to Florida and worked with Irwin Yachts and Endeavor, gradually becoming general manager. But he had a well engineered dream. He started Island Packet modestl

Musto Orson Drift Deck Shoe Review

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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” –Dr. Seuss You may have heard of Musto . They’re an England based company that focuses on technical clothing and their offshore sailing brand. But do you know Musto’s backstory? Keith Musto arrived in Tokyo as an unlikely choice for the British Olympic sailing squad of 1964. He was too light and short for the heavyweight Flying Dutchman boat he was competing in. Keith and his crew, Tony Morgan, quickly realized that their only chance of winning gold was to be fitter than their opponents. So they did the unthinkable. Every day, Christmas included, they did fitness training. Fellow competitors derided their training as unsporting, but a new breed of sailors was emerging. They were athletes. Keith recalls, "We sailed in Guernsey sweaters and old flannel trousers for years