Here and there in this site, you'll notice the
logos for three companies: Garmin, Sail
Magazine and Bluewater
Charts. These companies have been good
enough to provide support for this voyage,
providing items that would otherwise have to have
come from the cruising kitty and thus cut severely
into the beer budget. We're very grateful to each
of these companies every night at sundown - and in
the case of Garmin and Bluewater Charts, each and
every time we find ourselves in a new location
where their particular wares have helped to keep us
afloat and off the bottom!
Kidding aside, each of these companies has demonstrated a serious commitment to cruisers and is decidedly worthy of your financial support.
and the gear on them, I can
(and do!) recommend Garmin products to my
clients and sailing students. I've put my
faith in the accuracy of their GPS units and
chartplotters many many times and never been
disappointed, something I cannot say about
their more prominent competitor, whose
products I am too often forced to use because
they are on the boat I'm in charge of. To get
past this problem, I generally bring along a
Garmin handheld GPS to provide dependable
backup to what I've found is a vastly inferior
product. In particular, Garmin's products are
easier to learn and use, more intuitive and
offer more features of use to the cruising
skipper. I believe in Garmin's products and
use them on my own boat. I suggest that you do
as well.
Garmin provided the electronic charts I use in my Garmin 2010C chartplotter, from the Chesapeake, through the Bahamas and into Cuba. These charts have been invaluable, even to providing us with the phone number and address of the nearest marine store when we needed some gear. Try getting that from your paper charts.
On the other hand, you are required by law - and it makes good sense in any case - to carry paper charts of the areas you cruise in, even if they don't come complete with the address and a map to your favourite pub like some e-charts do.
Over the years, I've made a point while teaching sailing and navigation - and it's the law as noted above - that boaters carry paper charts of the areas they sail in. You only have to have a GPS or chartplotter fail once - in my case, a handheld's batteries ran down - to realize that without paper charts, you could easily be in serious trouble. Bluewater Charts happens to have the most extensive collection of charts I have ever seen in one place. If they don't have the chart you need, you might want to reconsider going there in the first place!
The Cuban charts that Bluewater Charts has provided for this voyage will prove to be invaluable, as the available US based charts are, obviously, not as detailed. If you haven't been into Bluewater's stores (in Ft. Lauderdale and Newport RI), you need to check them out. If it's in print and you need it - charts, books, etc. - Bluewater Charts has it. I've been in marine stores with a smaller library of cruising books and charts than I carry on board Gypsy Wind - I cannot say that about Bluewater Charts. And best of all, their staff is comprised of boaters, rather than acne faced teenagers needing a job and with no knowledge of your requirements. Bluewater's staff understands your needs and will work to meet them.
And if you don't happen to be in the area, they can assist you online. Click on their logo here on this site and discover more about them.
Their support as a sponsor
of this trip has eased the bureaucratic
challenges inherent in dealing with a
government such as Cuba's, by providing this
voyage with the legitimacy that only a large
international publication can provide.
As a longtime newspaper owner and publisher before I became a boating writer, I appreciate in a way which only someone who is a part of this business can, the efforts made by SAIL Magazine and its staff on my behalf. Thanks guys!
Kidding aside, each of these companies has demonstrated a serious commitment to cruisers and is decidedly worthy of your financial support.
and the gear on them, I can
(and do!) recommend Garmin products to my
clients and sailing students. I've put my
faith in the accuracy of their GPS units and
chartplotters many many times and never been
disappointed, something I cannot say about
their more prominent competitor, whose
products I am too often forced to use because
they are on the boat I'm in charge of. To get
past this problem, I generally bring along a
Garmin handheld GPS to provide dependable
backup to what I've found is a vastly inferior
product. In particular, Garmin's products are
easier to learn and use, more intuitive and
offer more features of use to the cruising
skipper. I believe in Garmin's products and
use them on my own boat. I suggest that you do
as well.
Garmin provided the electronic charts I use in my Garmin 2010C chartplotter, from the Chesapeake, through the Bahamas and into Cuba. These charts have been invaluable, even to providing us with the phone number and address of the nearest marine store when we needed some gear. Try getting that from your paper charts.
On the other hand, you are required by law - and it makes good sense in any case - to carry paper charts of the areas you cruise in, even if they don't come complete with the address and a map to your favourite pub like some e-charts do.
Over the years, I've made a point while teaching sailing and navigation - and it's the law as noted above - that boaters carry paper charts of the areas they sail in. You only have to have a GPS or chartplotter fail once - in my case, a handheld's batteries ran down - to realize that without paper charts, you could easily be in serious trouble. Bluewater Charts happens to have the most extensive collection of charts I have ever seen in one place. If they don't have the chart you need, you might want to reconsider going there in the first place!
The Cuban charts that Bluewater Charts has provided for this voyage will prove to be invaluable, as the available US based charts are, obviously, not as detailed. If you haven't been into Bluewater's stores (in Ft. Lauderdale and Newport RI), you need to check them out. If it's in print and you need it - charts, books, etc. - Bluewater Charts has it. I've been in marine stores with a smaller library of cruising books and charts than I carry on board Gypsy Wind - I cannot say that about Bluewater Charts. And best of all, their staff is comprised of boaters, rather than acne faced teenagers needing a job and with no knowledge of your requirements. Bluewater's staff understands your needs and will work to meet them.
And if you don't happen to be in the area, they can assist you online. Click on their logo here on this site and discover more about them.
Their support as a sponsor
of this trip has eased the bureaucratic
challenges inherent in dealing with a
government such as Cuba's, by providing this
voyage with the legitimacy that only a large
international publication can provide.
As a longtime newspaper owner and publisher before I became a boating writer, I appreciate in a way which only someone who is a part of this business can, the efforts made by SAIL Magazine and its staff on my behalf. Thanks guys!
A
Word
or Two
FOR
Our
Sponsors
Garmin
chartplotter showing river entrance in
Cuba
Bluewater Charts has provided the
paper charts of Cuba for this trip, copies of the
actual Cuban charts, since the real thing is very
difficult to get.
SAIL is the world's largest
circulation sailing magazine, and it is a privilege
to both write for them and to have them as a
sponsor.
In Garmin's case, I've used their
products since I purchased my first cruising boat.
As a charter skipper, familiar with many boats