Sail Far Live Free

Some of us sailors sail because we like simplicity and disconnection from all of land's technology. But there's some technology that's just too useful and convenient to be left behind. The new wave of small, portable lithium ion jump starters are just such technology. It wasn't all that long ago that I was carrying around one of those heavy (>20lbs) old school jump starters that's essentially like stocking an extra group 26 12-volt battery. The thing I love most about of the new lithium ion jump starters is their compact size and light weight. The Gooloo gp37 I recently tested weighs in at a svelte 1.1 pounds and is smaller than a masonry brick, so portability and stowage aren't a problem. What sets the GP37 apart is its' power. This little jump starter packs a peak advertised current of 600A, with a more realistic starting current of 300A. Those numbers are a bit lower than the old school heavyweight jumpers, but they're on the high end for the smal

Haulout Blues (Photo by K. Walters) Though below me I feel no motion Standing on these mountains and plains Far away from the rolling ocean Still my dry land heart can say I've been sailing all my life now Never harbor nor port have I known The wide universe is the ocean I travel And the Earth is my blue boat home (Lyrics from Blue Boat Home by Peter Mayer)

As sailors, many of us are acutely attuned to energy conservation while onboard and away from the dock. In other words, we don't like running a generator or our engine to recharge batteries just to keep the refrigerator going if we can help it. And even if that's not your mentality, I'm sure you could still use some extra cold storage space as provided by quality cooler. This summer, we used Pelican's 20QT Elite Cooler  at the dock, on the dinghy and while sailing/cruising on a routine basis. This is one well-built and tough cooler. You'll get your first clue about those attributes when you pick it up because it's heavier (16 lbs empty) than you might expect for it's relatively modest dimensions. In fact, it weighs much more than standard Igloo and Coleman coolers that have twice the capacity and a quarter of the price. The benefit is that Pelican Elite coolers can stand up to harsh treatment and easily serve double duty as a bench/seat. But why are t

"The secret to having it all is knowing that you already do." Is it really that simple? I suppose it very well could be. The catch to that fun little statement is that it requires a commitment to contentment. I love a good quote (as you can tell from the intro's to the majority of the posts on SailFarLiveFree), but this one challenges me deeply. There are moments when I let my guard down and realize that all I need is already right there in my grasp. But then there are other moments when I'm conflicted by my dreams, my desires, my possessions and the knowledge (false knowledge?) that I lack some things. Sometimes I feel like I lack physical possessions, but there's a lot I'm still striving for emotionally and spiritually too. If I'm totally honest, I'm not convinced that I already have it all. Which is probably why I don't. This is all very circular! This is having it all, right? So without getting too metaphysical, I thought I'd

"Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow." - William Pollard I'm a bit paranoid about power on our sailboat. We've got 3 group 24 12 volt deep cycle batteries, a quality high-output alternator and a variety of solar panels (2x 7w, 1x 14w, etc.) but we still don't run the refrigerator unless the engine is running and we're without AC accessories (such as fans) when we're away from the dock cruising. The options for alleviating these woes for sailors have traditionally been bigger solar panels (100w+), noisy wind generators, towable hydrogenerators and gas powered portable generators such as the Honda eu2000i . Now it appears there's going to be another option that provides much of a gasoline powered generator's benefits without the noise, pollution and necessity to carry a highly flammable and explosion fuel to keep it powered. Renogy has been run