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Thinking vaccines aren't effective because most people dying are vaccinated doesn't take into account the percentage of people vaccinated. If 100% of people were vaccinated, for example, only vaccinated people would die. This is called a base rate fallacy. Here's a good article on the...

We cruise a single engine trawler in the Sea of Cortez. The boat was in the right place at the right time at the right price so we went for it. The perceived vs actual risk calculation really plays out here. Do I worry about my engine failing in a remote area? Sure, but unless I'm really...

Another example is the SOK marine battery with 206 AH at 12 VDC vs the similar BattleBorn with 100 AH. True it's slightly larger but not twice the size. Apparent high quality too. Will has a comparison video: SOK vs BattleBorn.

Five thousand guests and crew test negative and board the boat. The next day fifty test positive as the virus emerges. That's not an easy problem to solve without draconian measures.

If you want a small, high quality folding bike that still rides well then you're probably not going to do much better than a Brompton. You can also get a huge bag that sits over the front wheels for those provisioning runs.

I've generally found that five blasts on the air horn gets more attention in a crowded anchorage than calling on the VHF.

These guys had paravanes designed and built in Port Townsend WA:

Many boats have been retrofitted with a second 30 amp shore power circuit for air conditioning. When I looked into isolation transformers, it wasn't clear how you support this without installing two. Wrt marina divers, every one we've ever used is clad head to toe in neoprene. That probably...

It's said that you should insure against financial catastrophe, not inconvenience. I dropped hull coverage because if I lost my boat, it would hurt financially but I wouldn't be wiped out. But with liability insurance being relatively cheap for what you get, it seems nuts to not take advantage...

I had a Torqeedo in the past. I found that periodically spraying WD40 on the battery and control connectors really cut down on the error codes. Might want to give it a try.

Four years ago you were able to download the Blue Latitude charts in a generic format and thus import them to a chart plotter. I did this for my Raymarine Axiom and just switch chart source when entering a covered area. Very nice! Alas, it now appears you can only download for iNavx, OpenCpn...

When we came down in the fall of 2019, you could give your jerry cans to a local guy to fill in town. It’s a looong dinghy ride from Man-o-War cove so much easier that way. You could also hire a panga to take you into town for provisioning and lunch. That was a lot of fun as they loaded the...

Contact this guy for your parts. They’re a Vitrifrigo dealer: Adam Troxel Shipping & Sales Sure Marine Service 5320 28th Ave NW Seattle, Wa 98107 Shop: 206-784-9903 Fax: 206-784-0506 adam@suremarine.com

Not only is medical care far less expensive down here, but you can usually get an appointment with a specialist in a week or less. And the doctor will give you his mobile phone number in case you have any questions! Plan on paying cash for everything. On the food front, one of the cardinal...

We've been cruising around down here for the last few years. In the states, labor is expensive but parts are relatively easy to get and cheap. In Mexico, labor is cheap but parts are harder to get and more expensive. There are lots of small chandleries with limited inventory, but if you...

Yes, most drugs are simply over the counter meaning no prescription necessary. Anti-biotics tend to require a prescription (due to abuse) and anything narcotic related is virtually unobtainable. You need a tetanus shot? No problem, you'll get the syringe and can do it yourself if you want...

We used to have a C-Dory Venture 23 that we'd use on the rivers around Portland then trailer it up to Puget Sound for summer vacations. We once spent three weeks living aboard while cruising around the San Juan/Gulf Islands. You can tow them with a 5000lb rated vehicle which is pretty common...

Be sure to buy some additional ballast at the Rogue Brewery in Newport. It's an easy walk from the marina.

Just a reminder to keep an eye on the tides as most the stops you're going to be making on the way south will have a bar crossing in the mix. Once you make San Francisco that headache goes away.

I think we stayed three weeks in Monterey on our way south. Lots of great food and even a Peet's Coffee within easy walk of the marina. If you want a little off-boat time, rent a car and drive down Hwy 1 to Big Sur. Have lunch at Nepenthe and enjoy one of the most scenic drives on the planet.

If you're in good health and if you don't mind hanging out in Central America until you're of Medicare age then consider dropping your US coverage and just paying cash locally. We're in Mexico now and you can see a US trained internal medicine doctor for a hour for $50 and he'll give you his...