The Mariner

#19 | VoyageThe Formula 40 Trimaran 'Spirit'

In this episode I share where I have been for the past few weeks and take you through the wonderful voyage I had up the Eastern seaboard of the US from Georgia to Boston.  The boat I was lucky enough to sail on was a Formula 40 trimaran called 'Spirit' (ex. Spirit of England). She was one of the hot ticket rides in the 1990's with a Fastnet Class win (amongst many other things) to her credit in 1995 as well as being one of the early steeds for sailing legend Brian Thompson.
The boat has since been modified for cruising and as you will hear I was blown away by how well that conversion has worked, but let's be clear- at no stage did this boat lose it's 'get up & go' and the result is a massively capable offshore multihull with a intelligently and thoughtfully designed interior suitable for a couple (who like to host big groups of friends!)
If you want to see more of this boat check out the previous owners' (Jason & Claudia) Youtube channel, I think it will really help bring the sights and sounds of this awesome boat to life for you.
 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvBgq4-qZn5FEfrli2SmX7w
 
Thanks also to Andrew & Jess who came to me with this exceptional opportunity - I look forward to sailing with you again soon!
 
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
 
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris
 
 

#18 | Deep Dive | These are the Days of our Lives

In this episode I examine the concept of 'Chronoception' our in-built ability to assess the passing of time and how it changes in times of stress, fear, activity, boredom & excitement.
Time and memory are variable depending on what you are doing, how much you enjoy it and what chemicals your brain is creating whilst you do it. This week I look at how sailing offers us a perfect activity to wind back the clock somewhat and begin laying down memories that are as rich and vivid as those created in the heady days of our youth; memories we often identify as the the best days of our lives.
Is there any way to slow down time back down and get off the rollercoaster I- at least- seemed to board sometime just after 40- I propose there is and sailing is a fantastic way to do it.
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#17 | Sailing Solo Around the World | The Voyage Home

In this final instalment of the story of sailing solo around the world covers the last leg of the Velux 5 Oceans Race from Charleston, USA to La Rochelle, France.
This was the best leg of the entire race for me but there were still some major difficulties to overcome including a massive flooding incident that saw air crew being scrambled in Halifax, Nova Scotia and one of my canting keel ram pins breaking 400Nm from the finish.
I take a little time at the end of the episode to reflect on what the entire escapade adds up to in my mind and look forward a little to the next lap of the planet in November 2020.
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris
 

#16 | Deep Dive | Lunar Exploration

In this episode I take you for a whirlwind tour of the Moon our closest partner in the heavens and the single most important element - potentially- in the development of life on this planet.  
The Moon's origins are still somewhat mysterious and it is only in very recent years that we have turned the full focus of modern science on the complicated questions of 'Where did the Moon come from?' and 'What has been the relationship between the Earth and Moon over the last 4.5 Billion years?' Luckily I get it all worked out for you in just over an hour..... 
I don't think you will be disappointed it's a wild Patreon Sitestory; a whole other planet you probably never heard of called 'Theia', Earth spinning so fast it does a full rotation in just 6 hours, our man Galileo asking difficult questions and 1000ft high tides! Grab yourself a cup of coffee and prepare to look upon Selene your new best friend in a whole new light.
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#15 | Sailing Solo Around the World | Between the Devil & Dehydration

In this episode I describe the 6,500Nm race from Punta Del Este in Uruguay to Charleston, South Carolina.  The sailing was nothing to write home about but everything else about that trip was pretty unique.  Terrible toothache required me to create a temporary dental solution at sea but having worked that out my watermaker then stopped working which left me with only two options; stop racing and stop into Brazil to get repairs done or keep racing and head on to Charleston and drink brackish water for two weeks.  If you have been listening to this podcast for a while -you know what I choose ;)
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#14 | Deep Dive | Climbing Mount Stupid

In this podcast I put on my black turtleneck sweater, horn-rimmed glasses and ask you to lie down on the Mariner couch as we discuss some interesting aspects of psychology and metacognition that can really affect our learning style, our ability to develop advanced hard skills and even perhaps influence our ability to keep ourselves and our crew safe at sea.  
If you have never heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect, the Superiority Illusion, Selective Bias or the Imposter Syndrome prepare to deny everything and declare yourself an above average student!
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#13 | Deep Dive | My Sailing Heroes

In this episode I answer a listener question about who inspires me in sailing and why. I gave this some thought and decided to include only those who truly motivate me at an emotional level rather than just those who's exploits I find noteworthy.
Dame Naomi James, Joshua Slocum, Sterling Hayden & Jean Luc Van Den Heede & the Westabout Circumnavigation Record are who/what I decided upon- some you may know- others not but all are connected to sailing.
I hope you enjoy hearing both why and how I find these people (and this event!) so compelling and how I am able to fuel myself in my life's darker hours by focusing my thoughts on these heroes.
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#12 | Sailing Solo Around the World | Punta Del Este or Bust

In this episode I return to the story of my solo round the world race and the exciting conclusion of Leg 3 from New Zealand around Cape Horn to the famous South American race stopover of Punta del Este in Uruguay.  If you want to hear how close a yacht race can be after 3 weeks and over 6500Nm at sea- Tune in!
I also talk radar watch methods for solo sailors, Code Zero's, yacht design for up wind sailing, autopilots & making school boy mistakes at crucial moments in your career!
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#11 | Deep Dive | Meaning & Function

This episode I start to discuss what pieces of equipment are 'Must Haves' for me at sea, practically and emotionally.
Whilst shivering in freezing conditions in my new studio 'The Barn', I take you through the unique 'Deck-Assist Belt' I have designed and fashioned for myself over time & the outstanding, one-off, sailing knife kindly made for me by the incredible Rick Marchand of www.wildertools.com .
I also talk about why a Gerber is better than a Leatherman  and how a $5 torch saved two lives in the frigid waters of Newfoundland last year has therefore become part of my 'Super Hero-esque' utility belt!
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris

#10 | Deep Dive | Weathering Lockdown

In this episode I take a look at the transferable skills sailors possess that could prove useful in the global crisis we are all now facing.
With a unique outlook created by the unusual nature of sailing compared to all other sports, could offshore sailors prove to be a positive force during lockdown and beyond?
I also answer a listener question and reveal my maximum recorded speeds & maximum day's distance sailed and discuss fluid intake at sea- I also give thanks to my first Patreon supporter- 'Sailing Starbuck!'
If you have any questions you would like answering please send them to csmthemariner@gmail.com 
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $2 per month option.
If you are looking to develop your seamanship skills and take your sailing knowledge & safety to a more advanced level I run an On-Line Seamanship Training Program which gives you access to four 30 minute videos each month that deep-dive into a broad range of subjects from Ropework to Naval Architecture, Electronic Navigation, Sail Trim, Composite Repair. The lessons come out once a week and the minimum commitment to have access to all of them is $20 per month.
I you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book any number of trips in the Caribbean, American North East, Europe and even Transatlantic trips; year round with Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
Thanks!
Chris