The Mariner

The Mariner Podcast #44: The Northwest Passage

In this episode I discuss the strange story of Dr. John Rae, a man struck from history by the wife of the famous/infamous Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin.
Rae's brilliant cartography expeditions to the far North of Canada in the mid 1800's not only identified the last part of the puzzle of transiting the Northwest passage but also revealed the final fate of Franklin's Arctic expedition that had been lost 10 years before.  However, it was a terrible truth that no one wanted to hear about and a macabre reality that Franklin's estate strove hard to obfuscate- to the point that 170 years later  very few people even know of the exploits of one of the most successful Arctic explorers of that age.
Just before you go....
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of about 25 cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $5 per month option.
If you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book with me here: Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
If you have any questions please send them to: csmthemariner@gmail.com 
Cheers,
Chris
 
 
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #43: C is for Cooking

The episode we explore the third subject of our on-going 'ABC of Boating' with C is for Cooking. Food, food preparation and its effect on crew morale, decision making ability, accident avoidance, emotional rationality and overall performance (whether cruising or racing)cannot be under estimated.
Cooking can be the make or break element on a an offshore passage and is something I take extremely seriously as a skipper. In this episode I discuss all the aspects that come to my mind 'off the cuff' when it comes to food from the perspective of someone who has eaten and prepared literally thousands of meals afloat.
Just before you go....
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of about 25 cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $5 per month option.
If you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book with me here: Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
If you have any questions please send them to: csmthemariner@gmail.com 
Cheers,
Chris
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #42: Review- Helly Hansen 'Aegir' Ocean Waterproofs

This episode I discuss the early origins of waterproof clothing and the designs that have developed over the centuries to a point were, now- we at least 'expect' to be dry when it rains!
To bring things right up to date, I also review Helly Hansen's 'Aegir' Ocean Waterproofs -which are at the cutting edge of heavy duty offshore sailing gear and have been kindly supplied by Helly Hansen as part of their sponsorship of my Westabout Circumnavigation.
But don't worry- 'Sponsored' does not mean 'perfect' :)
Just before you go....
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of about 25 cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $5 per month option.
If you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book with me here: Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
If you have any questions please send them to: csmthemariner@gmail.com 
Cheers,
Chris
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #41: Sailing Alone Around the World, Chapters 11 & 12

In this episode I continue reading Capt. Joshua Slocum's excellent narrative of his solo circumnavigation of the world in 1895.
In chapters 11 & 12 Slocum starts out first in Juan Fernandez ,where he visits the cave the Alexander Selkirk lived in for four years and four months, a story that became the inspiration for 'Robinson Crusoe'  Next Slocum sails 72 days non-stop to Apia in Samoa where he meets the Fanny Van de Graf Louis Stevenson (!) the widow of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Just before you go....
If you recognize that creating this content requires hours of effort and you would like to help support for the equivalent of 25 cents per episode please visit my Patreon Site and select the $5 per month option.
If you want to get out on the water on a race, regatta or training voyage you can book with me here: Spartan Ocean Racing & Training
If you have any questions please send them to: csmthemariner@gmail.com 
Cheers,
CSM
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #40: Questions & Tangents 3

This episode I read listener's questions and then proceed to talk abut whatever comes into my head working on the basis that if it is somewhat related to sailing we will all enjoy the process!! Sometimes, amid the tangents I even end up answering the question! Miracle of miracles !:)
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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM
 

The Mariner Podcast #39: News & Views 3

This episode I cover the recent updates concerning the proposed Olympic Offshore Racing event, The Global Ocean Race and the plan we are developing to campaign two boats for Veterans. I also talk about Covid and how that is affecting sailing this year and introduce a few more details about our new boat Longobarda.
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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM
 

The Mariner Podcast #38: B is for Boat

In this episode we continue the Alphabet of Boating and I have selected the most basic of terms to cover at this early stage in an effort to lay a wide foundation for the more specific and technical elements of sailing that will no doubt come later on. 
This episode- B is for Boat and with the guidance of the Wikipedia entry on 'Boat'- I describe what is known about the early development of humans going out onto the water and how things have moved along since then- a history of some 900,000 years!
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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM
 

The Mariner Podcast #37: Sailing Alone Around the World, Chapters 9 &10

In this episode I continue reading Capt. Joshua Slocum's excellent narrative of his solo circumnavigation of the world in 1895.
In this episode- pushed back into the Magellen Strait, Slocum must guard against Fuegain pirates, load a cargo of tallow and work the Spray back into position to once again head out into the open ocean.
 
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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #36: Interview with Rob Phillips

In this episode I interview Rob Philips who is both a friend from various Spartan offshore adventures and also one of the cast of the new series of 'Below Decks' a reality TV show about super yacht crew.  We catch up with Rob in his 'normal' job working as a exploration geologist in the Jungles of Fiji.
As always with these remote interviews it is tricky to manage the sound quality so apologies if there is a little background noise or uneven tone and in this show please be aware there is a little swearing.
 
If you have any suggestions, questions or requests, 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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM
 
 
 
 

The Mariner Podcast #35: A is for Anchoring

In this episode I start a new series intended to deep dive into various seamanship topic, organized only by their relationship to the alphabet!
This series will be done entirely 'off-the-cuff' and without research as a self critical way of unearthing what I actually know as a 'professional'.
The theory is that unlike other professions that may allow for research to be done 'on the job' sailing requires it's adherents to store all relevant info in the old grey matter for instant application- If that is true then it should be easy to spot the 'pros' from the 'cons' by simply asking them to put their money where their mouth is- lets see how I gt on!!
The big question I need you to help with is: 'If A is for Anchoring... what are B & C for?'
 
If you have any suggestions, questions or requests, 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 25 cents 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.
If 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
Cheers,
CSM