Sailing Emotion

10/04/2023

Shroud Cay, Exumas Bahamas

06/04/2023

Firefly travelled here many times… left something behind.
Big Majors, Exumas

13/09/2022

Expansion.....

On September 1, 2022, Xquisite Yachts completed its purchase of the Running Mon Marina and Resort in Freeport, Bahamas. Over the next few years, the existing hotel and marina will be upgraded and renovated to the Xquisite Catamaran Center, a hub for Xquisite owners, and the Xquisite Yachts Service C...

05/07/2022

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-approves-spacexs-starlink-internet-use-with-ships-boats-planes-2022-06-30/?fbclid=IwAR3SNU3lze3L46JrkjgIOlKxsZ7AmAqcZSragIiZeg9-WZXVjVpq5PJ90iw

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday authorized Elon Musk's SpaceX to use its Starlink satellite internet network with moving vehicles, green-lighting the company's plan to expand broadband offerings to commercial airlines, shipping vessels and trucks.

05/06/2022

Always improving….
https://youtu.be/rfdxlC5AMOo

XQUISITE info & contact: https://bit.ly/nautistylesWhile sailing in the Bahamas, we met a couple that was anchored next to us, which was cruising aboard a co...

09/05/2022

Thank You Xquisite Yachts for all the downtime...

11/04/2022

The All-New 60 Solar Sail from Xquisite Yachts.

Launching in 2023. With a carbon fiber boom furling mainsail and all-electric sail controls it's designed for completely single-handed sailing (and to turn some heads).

06/04/2022

Looking for something fun in downtown Wilmington to do this summer? Port City Marina and Marina grill are partnering to offer FREE public concerts!

26/01/2022

Covid Getaway Event...

Don't miss this year: X5 Plus - Boat of the Year at the Miami Boat Show (February 16-20), only a few slots left: https://xquisiteyachts.com/owners/miami-boat...

09/03/2021

Update your weather forecast often....

Another Xquisite Flotilla completed. 2021 event was held in the FL Keys off of Marathon and Key West. Besides the crab pots the event was a great time to meet new and existing owners of Xquisite Yachts.

This post is not about this event but what transpired after on our return trip. I will state I have an iridium go sat phone with a predict wind subscription and gribs were pulled before the trip and while we were in cell phone range off southern Florida.

The potential danger for not updating gribs can be quite sever and dangerous to your crew and the yacht itself. By not doing so I did just this on our passage north on the gulf stream. I did not update the weather forecast for 24 hours and during this time the conditions changed drastically.

Using the outdated forecast we would have been 4 to 6 hours to our destination before the weather was to turn uncomfortable. What actually transpired hit over 12 hours earlier than expected and intensified incredibly fast while we were still in the center of the Gulf Stream. Yes we were hit with weather that topped out with a solid level 9 possibly level 10 strong Gale on the Beaufort scale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale).

As soon as the weather shifted from a strong southerly wind to a strong northerly wind our course needed to be changed. This wind shift was also so fast, sailing downwind at 12 kts, and less than two hours we had 20+kts on the nose.

How fast the windspeed and sea state changed was an eye opener. The yacht was sealed up tight for offshore passage making when we left so we modified course to minimize strain on the rudder and take on the continuity building sea. It took us about 10 hours to make it completely out of the Gulf Stream.

Wind was sustained 47 kts gusting to as high as 64 kts as we did this. Wave heights crested 30 ft with combining waves reaching even taller. And this was the conditions for 10 hours. At times waves crashing over the coach roof, the yacht raising and lowering 30+ feet in a matter of seconds, and as the waves rolled under us the yacht did move multiple boat lengths sideways which was the most disconcerting motion of all.

Once we made it out of the northerly current of the Gulf Stream the sea state diminished drastically even though the wind speed took a few more hours to diminish. It steadily did so as we headed for safe harbor. And by the time we could see the coast the wind had died almost entirely.

We were lucky and having a solid vessel had a lot to do with it. Unfortunately another 50 foot catamaran in this gale was not and 4 crew needed to be airlifted off after it capsized and sank. (https://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-rescues-4-adults-from-capsized-vessel-in-ossabaw-sound/2021/03/03/)

We were in this situation because I did not update the weather forecast. So due to this the yacht and crew were both put in danger. So use my experience and make sure you do not put yourself in a similar situation.

New procedures have been put in place and weather will be checked more frequently on all future Firefly passages..

PS I also see less beating to windward in my future......