ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• In answering our question, the Dashews share tips involving lighting, paint color, and reflective tape.
• A month ago they also wrote an article warning against strobe lights for visibility.
• For more details from the Dashews on using reflective tape, click here.
• The Boyle family aboard Zia confess to what they call a "bonehead" move on a moonless night passage from Anguilla to Guadaloupe.
• The DeRidders of Magic Dragon carry a radar reflector, if not a radar. Also, they interview a fellow cruiser who works as Chief Mate on a large commercial vessel, about his suggestions to make sure small boats are seen by big ships.
• George and Merima sail Moonshadow under the assumption that they are not seen by other craft. Find out what measures they take when another boat gets too close for comfort.
• Scott Bannerot of Elan feels that maintaining proper visibility at sea has more to do with adhering to a strict routine of simply carrying out what is legally required, and not obscuring or confusing navigation lights and other standard measures by doing something extra or incorrect. He's surprised at the number of sailors who fail to do this. He also shares an interesting story about working aboard a high seas longliner, and how they made themselves visible while heaving to.
• Sunflower's trademark yellow topsides help her visibility, say the Liggetts. They also address several ways to help find your way back to the boat in a dark or crowded anchorage.

• Click here to read a report from the British Marine Accident Investigating Branch (MAIB) on the fatal collision between the yacht Ouzo and the passenger ferry Pride of Bilbao, and another report analyzing various types of radar reflectors and how well they show up on ships' radars.
• For an MAIB report on lessons learned from another English Channel collision between a sailing vessel and a container ship, click here.
• For more on increasing visibility and avoiding collisions, see Practical Seamanship and Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia.

• Steve and Linda's philosophy is to be prepared for worst-case anchoring scenarios. They have suggestions for gear and strategies for just about any kind of tricky anchorage you could find yourself in.
• Michel and Jane have lots of experience anchoring Magic Dragon (not Magic Draggin') in river channels where wind shifts and currents need to be taken into consideration. They've also had to retrieve stuck anchors in some surprising manners over the years. (photos)
• George and Merima carry lots of backup ground tackle aboard Moonshadow, but have never had to use any of it. They have encountered their share of "Bruce boulders", though. (photos)
• With their high-latitude experience, the Laird family of Seal bring a different perspective to this topic than the more tropical cruisers. Whether in Greenland or the Antarctic, they use shore lines almost every night, to the point that swinging at anchor feels strange to them. (photos)
• The Boyle-Fisher family aboard are relatively new to cruising, with a background in racing, then chartering, then sailing Zia in the Caribbean and the Med. They share their learning curve as regards to setting the hook, keeping it set, and occasionally diving the anchor. (photos)
• Al and Beth relate tales of stuck anchors, and anchors that wouldn't stick, from around the world. And they offer sage advice: All that anchor chain doesn't do you any good just sitting in the chain locker.

• We've updated the Anchoring Cruiser's Q&A Forum.
• Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia covers ground tackle on pages 39 through 57.
• For more tips on the art of anchoring, see Practical Seamanship's 82-page Anchoring Tactics section.

• The crew of Zia share useful tips for saving money while staying in touch, as well as boosting bandwidth on board. They've used Skype and WiFi in the Caribbean and the Med. (photos)
• The Laird family aboard Seal, emailing from Ushuaia, have dabbled in Skype and are not yet enamored. However, they've taken WiFi to the next level.
• Scott and his son Ryan of Elan used WiFi to stay in touch while sportsfishing along a remote, windswept portion of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. (photos)
• Merima & George of Moonshadow, e-mailing from the Red Sea, are big fans of WiFi. They use their laptops' internal wireless features, with no extra equipment, and are finding Hot Spots more and more frequently.
• Magic Dragon's crew take advantage of free WiFi hot spots in New Zealand marinas, but have not yet made a go of Skype. Still, it's a far cry from their days of cruising without even a radio 40+ years ago!
• Al & Beth of Sunflower report on Skype, WiFi, and cell phone service in SE Asia (where the Internet cafes offering Skype can get pretty noisy!).

• For going ashore in tropical climes, the Magic Dragon DeRidders have (true to form) made their own rain coats out of clear plastic. They look a bit funny but work great, weigh very little, and fold flat, taking almost no space in the backpack. (photos)
• For Moonshadow's Merima & George, foul weather gear currently consists of bikinis and board shorts. But George has some tips on what to look for and what to avoid, based on his years of racing experience. (photos)
• Hamish & Kate of Seal bring a different perspective on foul weather gear, based on their travels in the high latitudes, with children along for the ride. They've sent a very detailed article with links to products. And if you have plans to do any swimming in Greenland (as they've done), you'll want to read their thoughts on dry suits.
• Sunflower's Al & Beth have been shopping to replace their 20-year-old Henri Lloyd gear. Find out what features they're looking for and why they haven't bought anything yet.
• Steve & Linda of Wind Horse have typically used the pilothouse as the first line of defense, and therefore focus more on breathability in their foulies, rather than going for the most high-end super-dry gear. They do, however, have some new thoughts on the subject after their summer in Alaska. Also, they've sent a second article on dry suits, which can be quite an investment but useful for cold-water maintenance and potentially useful in survival situations - they're doing some research prior to taking the plunge. (photos)
• Joe, Christy, and their kids aboard Zia are solely warm-weather sailors (so far), so their fouly inventory is pretty limited. Still, there are some things they wish they'd considered when choosing their gear - particularly regarding the call of nature.

• George Backhus of Moonshadow defines cruising as "extensive repair and maintenance in beautiful and exotic locales". He has some interesting suggestions for must-have tools. (photos)
• The Laird family of Seal list favorites in six categories, with lots of photos, details, and links on where to buy: tools for boatbuilding/rebuilding, electrics, sailmaking, drilling holes, mechanical, measuring, and storage. (photos)
• The Sunflower Liggetts have combed the world in search of perfect tools. Find out where they found a treasure trove of berryllium tools, and how they keep others from rusting. (photos)
• Scott Bannerot of Elan admits to getting a bit carried away with some of his specialty tools (but you never know when you might be in the middle of nowhere and find out you need dent pullers). (photos)
• Joe Boyle of Zia has a smart system for storing tools. He's such a tool buff that Santa brought Leathermen for his daughters' Christmas stockings. (photos)
• Steve and Linda of Wind Horse sent us two articles - one about tools that are rarely used yet essential, and the other about specialty tools for electrical work. (photos)
• The Magic Dragon DeRidders are fans of oven timers, stethoscopes, and most important: the knife and fork! (photos)

• While escaping the mayhem may be one of the perks of the bluewater life, Scott & Wendy of Elan do believe that it is important to keep up with the news if only for security reasons. They've avoided problems with crime in the Caribbean thanks to staying in touch. (photos)
• Moonshadow's newest piece of equipment is a WorldSpace satellite radio, currently Merima & George's favorite source of news. (photos)
• Jane & Michel of Magic Dragon managed to miss the entire Israeli 6-Day War. On the other hand, they were on the scene when New Hebrides gained independence and became Vanuatu. They observed that world news covering this event was sensationalist and skewed.
• Steve & Linda of Wind Horse use a short-wave receiver to keep up with the news - not much different than how they did it a generation ago. They also rely on the Internet, and subscribe to an interesting email news service called Stratfor.
• Christy and Joe of Zia are news junkies - which is tough now that they're also sea gypsies. They devour the news in whatever form they can find it.
• Like the DeRidders, Al & Beth also missed the entire 6-Day War, although it proved to drastically change their cruising plans. Now travelling stateside, they're finding it frustrating to get any news on SE Asia, where Sunflower is awaiting their return.

• The Bannerots of Elan love the tropics - high volcanic islands, atolls, and oceanic reefs. When pushed they reluctantly narrow it down to a few favorite locations, which they spell out in their article. (photos)
• For George and Merima of Moonshadow, the answer is a very definite "that depends". Their favorites range from Mexico to the Western Caribbean, but they have a special affinity for Vanuatu. (photos)
• According to the Deridders of Magic Dragon, the answer changes from day to day and tends to be influenced by wherever they are when asked. They explain what they currently love about cruising in their adopted country of New Zealand. (photos)
• For the Dashews of Wind Horse, the answer also depends upon their mood. They have several favorites, one of which is Southeast Alaska, where they've spent the past summer.

• Kate Laird has great advice regarding life jackets, harnesses, sleeping arrangements, toys on deck, and the ideal age to go cruising with kids. (photos)
• Scott Bannerot shares tips for keeping the toddlers from getting out on deck during the night. (photos)
• The Martins, who circumnavigated with young children, suggest figuring it out day-by-day rather than over-analyzing beforehand. (photos)
• Linda Dashew suggests they leave the kids at home with a babysitter while taking cruising courses-it's too hard to babyproof a boat that is not your own. (photos)

• The Laird family, whose cruising grounds are in the high latitudes, have different laundry considerations than the tropical SetSailors. After a year of trial-and-error, they've now got a great system featuring a WonderWash hand-operated pressure washing machine, a spinner, and a retractable indoor clothes line. (photos)
• Jane & Michel DeRidder rarely go empty handed when asked ashore for a meal with Earth People. They also use a small WonderWash machine onboard. (photos)
• The Bannerot family hand-wash with salt, rinsing with fresh, using techniques learned from the locals in Antigua. Also, Scott reveals his heretofore top secret "Instant Laundry" method. (Hint: It involves a can of Lysol.) (photos)
• The Moonshadow crew live in bathing suits in the tropics, so they can go for weeks without having to do laundry. They use a Maytag twin tub washer, but the matching dryer puts off a lot of heat and is more useful for storing snacks. (photos)
• Linda Dashew, a laundry junky, has evolved from hand-washing ashore (rowing a dinghy full of clean laundry through the surf was always interesting!), to using a variety of different small washer/dryers over the years. If your space and budget allow for a washer or dryer on board, she suggests some good features to look for. (photos)

• Steamy Southeast Asia: Many marinas in Malaysia and Thailand are very well protected, which also means they're very HOT! Here are some ways that Al & Beth avoid sweltering aboard Sunflower, even when hatches must be closed due to rain. (photos)
• Chilling Out by Any Means Necessary: After years in the tropics, George & Merima are not ashamed to resort to Moonshadow's air conditioner on occasion. However, they count their blessings that their boat was designed with air flow as a priority. (photos)
• Icy Inspiration: The Laird family brings a different perspective to the question of ventilation down below, since they primarily cruise in cold climates. Some of their techniques for keeping out the cold work surprisingly well for keeping out the heat as well. (photos)
• Muggy Memories: When the Dashew family first crossed the equator, they made every ventilation mistake in the book. Now that they've learned better, here are some tips. (A couple more articles that might be of interest are about the air conditioning specs and other ways of staying cool aboard the Dashews' new powerboat Wind Horse.) (photos)
• Fans of Fans: With at least seven fans aboard Elan, as well as a multitude of hatches, portholes, dorade vents, and wind scoops, the Bannerot family reports that it's nearly as breezy down below as on deck. They share brand names of what they've found to work best. (photos)
• Breath of Fresh Air: According to the DeRidders, an unaired boat grows old before its time. Here's how they keep Magic Dragon (and her crew) fresh and youthful. (photos)

• Triumph Replaces Trepidation: Despite many seamanship mistakes, luck prevailed in the DeRidders' first ocean passage, from Victoria, BC to San Francisco, aboard Magic Dragon. (photos)
• The first major passage for George Backhus was the Pacific Cup, aboard Moonshadow in 1996. Although he didn't win the race, he surely didn't lose the party. (photos)
• Kate Laird wins the prize for longest first crossing - 28 days from Ecuador to Tahiti, crewing for a family of five she had only met days before.
• Linda Dashew has vivid memories of sailing from Mexico to the Marquesas in 1977, along with Steve and their daughters, then seven and four. There was plenty of opportunity to get caught up on family time, after escaping the rat race in Southern California. (photos)
• Beth Liggett dug out old letters home to re-capture the thrill of their first bluewater experiences in the Caribbean during the 1960s. (photos)
• Crossing the Atlantic from South Africa to St. Helena, Lynne Morgan recalls the night watches best - dazzling luminescence, brilliant stars, and fearsome squalls. (photos)

• If you're preparing for your first ocean crossing, check out the General Cruising Q&A Forum for a wide variety of issues to consider.
• See Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia to get a feel for what to expect from the cruising lifestyle, costs of cruising, and info on acquiring and fitting out a boat (design, systems, rigs, etc.) to cross oceans.
• Read Practical Seamanship to research the basic boathandling and seamanship skills required to safely make your cruising dreams come true.

• Elan's original sails succumbed to wear, tear, and UV rot after 18 months of tropical sailling. After replacing these in New Zealand, Scott and Wendy have some strategies to keep the next set of sails good for many more years of cruising. (photos)
• Jane and Michel have done a lot of experimenting with Dragon's sails over the decades. Learn their secrets to sail longevity! (photos)
• In a past life Al and Beth operated a sail loft in Guam, so Sunflower's repair kit is especially well stocked. (photos)
• George recalls a mid-ocean repair during the Pacific Cup race from Hawaii to San Francisco, running downhill in a seaway in 25+ knots of wind, with the sail stretched from Moonshadow's forward head, through the main salon, up the companionway, through the cockpit, all the way back to the stern rail.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• "We'll be okay as long as the wind doesn't blow." When Al utters those familiar words, Beth knows they're in for it.
• Although minimalists with other systems, Chris and Lynne don't skimp on ground tackle. And find out the interesting way they put their parachute anchor to use!
• Linda and Steve survived a steep learning curve in "anchoring school".
• Hamish's approach to ground tackle was shaped by years of sailing around Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego.
• For George on Moonshadow, the more anchors, the merrier.
• Like with everything else they do, Jane and Michel have their own way of anchoring.
• Since more boats are lost at anchor than at sea, Scott and Wendy consider the ground tackle system crucial.

• We've updated the Anchoring Cruiser's Q&A Forum.
• Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia's section on ground tackle is filled with equipment advice.
• For tips on the art of anchoring, see Practical Seamanship's 82-page Anchoring Tactics section.

• With the overwhelming amount of weather data available, find out how