We’ve been busy assembling our various pieces of additional safety gear for our upcoming trip to Florida in June. Now, granted, some may think we’re overdoing it for the kind of sailing we will be doing over the next few years…ICW, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. But my goal has been to outfit Dawn Treader such that she is also ready for some off-shore racing if and when we decide to do it. So I’ve been following the ISAF/OSR Category 1 regulations as much as possible. Now, granted, I’m not a stickler. For example, I don’t plan to completely replace my coated lifelines right now. There are too many other places to put smarter money and time. But I want to get as close as possible to these regulations – and will continue to do so more and more as we go. Bottom line: If you’re going to be off-shore at all, it makes no sense not to follow these proven guidelines. Continue reading Big Freakin’ Safety Gear →