There are sailors out there without boats and there are boats without crew, and it is a common thing to use crewseekers and similar websites and forums to bring the two together. But, it can be a risky thing to set sail across an ocean with a person or a boat that you don't know, so in this episode, we'll help you with some tips on how to stay safe, and how to set yourself up for the best experience possible. We're also sharing a few horror stories along the way! 

This podcast is brought to you by The Quarterdeck, our online sailing community! Join at quarterdeck.59-north.com for videos, articles, live sessions, and more! First two weeks free!

In this episode, August and Andy dive deep into the timeless tool of celestial navigation- the trusty sextant. We'll give you everything from histrical perspective to practical tips on how to actually use one at sea. We hope this episode will get your mind off Starlink, Iridium and MFDs, and inspire you to look up from your GPS and connect with the stars.

This podcast is brought to you by The Quarterdeck, our online sailing community! Join at quarterdeck.59-north.com for videos, articles, live sessions, and more! First two weeks free!

Andy Schell and August Sandberg answers questions from Quarterdeck members! This time tackling the popular topic of Watch Schedules. How do you manage rest, handover and crew pairing to make you passage as safe and enjoyable as possible?

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free!

Season 2, #4. Mia joins Andy on today's show to answer listener questions about watch systems, crew conflict resolution, shoreside learning and more!

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How I Think About Sailing is sponsored by Forbes Horton Yachts. Contact Forbes & see his listings at forbesyachts.com.

Season 2, #3. It's that time of year again - as a whole bunch of boats head south from the east coast of the USA, Andy revisits how he thinks about getting safely across the Gulf Stream.

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How I Think About Sailing is presented by Forbes Horton Yachts. Find your dream boat at forbesyachts.com.

Season 2, #2. Andy & Blake Aslin - aka 'Billy Big Rig' - talk reefing systems and reefing procedures.

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How I Think About Sailing is supported by Forbes Horton Yachts. In the market for a boat? Have one to sell? Do Andy a favor and contact Forbes! Visit forbesyachts.com to get in touch.

Season 2, #1. Chief Brody from JAWS was right - we ARE gonna need a bigger boat! Introducing 'ICE BEAR,' our German Frers-designed Swan 59, and 59 North's 2nd boat. Andy tells the whole story.

Check out the new boat at 59-north.com/icebear.

#11. You can only prepare for so long. Eventually, you gotta just go.

#10. Mario Vittone, former USCG Rescue Swimmer, records a special episode just for HITAS listeners on why 'experience' in the wrong argument when it comes to safety at sea.

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Our 2020 Passage Calendar is live! Go to 59-north.com/2020 to sail with us in the Atlantic.

#9. Andy talks about Isbjorn's big refit and the 70-mile shakedown cruise he and Mia did up the west coast of Sweden. Special thanks to Helly Hansen for inviting us to their event; and to Isbjorn crewmember Karl for composing and performing the music motifs on this week's show.

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Our 2020 Passage Calendar is now live! Go to 59-north.com/2020 to sail with us in the Atlantic.

#8. Andy answers emailed questions from August & Rick on crew management & selection and watch rotations offshore.

#7. Crew Leadership, Drogues & MOB. Listener Chris Hartnett calls in for a Q&A about his upcoming trans-Atlantic via Newfoundland and England.

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Send in your own questions or schedule a call with Andy by donating to the podcast at 59-north.com/thinksailing.

#6. Sail design. Andy helps his friend Kristoffer design a bluewater mainsail. AND, we round out the episode with a talk by Isbjorn's sailmaker Chuck O'Malley (of Chesapeake Sailmakers & Elvstrom Sails) from a few years back in Annapolis.

Donate to the podcast & have your questions answered! 59-north.com/thinksailing

ISBJØRN's white sails have 60 000 miles on them, and we are making new ones! Andy and August takes this opportunity to discuss how the sails have worked for them, and consider if they would want to change anything.

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#5. iPad Nav. Andy answers listener Richard Shaw's question on how to setup and use a dual-iPad navigation system on the boat. Rich is an airline pilot and in fact uses a similar iPad-based system in the cockpit. Andy talks about the benefits and pitfalls of using this setup offshore, including his thoughts on RADAR, accuracy versus resolution, fundamental navigation seamanship caveats, AIS, SeaPilot software and more.

#4. Preventers. Andy answers a question from former Isbjorn crew Dan Levine about what to do when you accidentally jibe with a proper preventer attached.

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Sail offshore with Andy & Mia on their Swan 48 Isbjorn! Go to 59-north.com/offshore to see our passage calendar and book your berth.

#3. Andy & Mia answer listener questions on things like mono- versus multihulls, swing keels, meals onboard, books, how to be a leader and more!

#2. Weather. Andy talks about the three sources of weather he and Mia use to make their passage plans on Isbjorn.

#1. Q&A with Andy Schell & Cam Deyell, as Cam prepares to cross the South Pacific in his classic Beneteau.

Andy Schell's new podcast. The title says it all! Music by Storm Weather Shanty Choir.

Self-sufficiency is one of the most important and attractive aspects of long-distance sailing, and a proper toolkit is arguably the most important step towards achieving it.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free!

Quarterdeck Member Morgan Hunter reached out to ask us about sail plans for Catamarans, and we invited him on the podcast for a conversation on the topic with sail plan pundit Andy Schell! Check out Morgan and his many projects on skylarksailing.com.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

Our amazing bosun Adam Browne returns to the podcast to talk to August about the latest and greatest upgrades and modifications that he recently worked on aboard ISBJØRN! Many new and exciting things happening on the boat!

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

The Quarterdeck Sailing Podcast is back! ISBJØRN is about to have her mast stepped after having spent the winter in a cozy warm shed, and Andy and August takes a moment to remind themselves about best practises when you go to tune your rig up for the season. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

Andy and August talk offshore weather routing, with FALKEN's recent trip to Greenland as a case study. They discuss how to think about forecasts, considering alternatives, implications on comfort and crew morale, what to prioritize, and how it's different for racers and cruisers.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

Andy Schell and his crew just returned to port after Falken's last sail of the year. They sailed through the Gulf of Cadiz - A stretch of water that offers a new and unique challenge to mariners in the form of attacking orcas! August and Andy talks about how to to deal with the attacks, as well as the moral implications of it all.
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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

The Quarterdeck Podcast is back! It will feature conversations about projects and issues from the top of the 59 North agenda, providing some insight into our work and our decision making process. Going forward, we'll release weekly episodes any time "On the Wind" is between seasons. So we'll be there in your ears every Tuesday every week all the time! This week, Andy and August discusses MFD's and where to mount them. Enjoy!
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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion. First two weeks free! 

For the last debate of this season, we take a big step back and ask the big question: The sights, sounds and cultural input of coastal cruising? Or the freedom, desolation and peace of offshore sailing? Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the best version of sailing. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

Iridium Mail has just shut down its service, prompting Andy Schell and August Sandberg to look for new solutions and take stock of the current world of satellite communications. Things are changing quickly, and smart, cost-effective solutions require not only a solid understanding of existing technology but also insight into the innovations that lies just over the horizon.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform! First two weeks free!

When the wind is light and abaft the beam, what you want is a spinnaker. But what type of spinnaker? Nikki Henderson and August  Sandberg randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the best version of sailing. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

The more the merrier? Safer? Faster? Or just more expensive, crowded and annoying? Nikki Henderson the extrovert and August Sandberg the introvert randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the best version of sailing. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Are bananas the perfect food offshore, or are they inherently dangerous? Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the best version of sailing. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Cruising or Racing - which is better? Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the best version of sailing. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Monohulls or cats - which is better? Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg randomly pick a side in this heated discussion, and tries to convince the other, and the audience, of which is the ideal number of hulls. Will they succeed? Will they stay on topic? Will the debate devolve into crying and name-calling? Click play to find out!

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Welcome back to the second debate of this season of the Quarterdeck Sailing Podcast! Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg will randomly pick a side in a contentious sailing topic, and then go toe to toe and see who can make the best case for or against! In this second episode, Nikki and August argue which is better: wheels, or tillers. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Welcome back to a new season of the Quarterdeck Sailing Podcast! This time around, we are doing debates! Nikki Henderson and August Sandberg will randomly pick a side in a contentious sailing topic, and then go toe to toe and see who can make the best case for or against! In this first one, Nikki and August argue whether they should go to the marina or drop the hook. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to add your own arguments and to continue the discussion First two weeks free! 

Time has come for us to cross the line and explore the very south of the southern hemisphere. Nikki makes a call to sailing explorers Sophie O'Neill and Christoffer Kobusch, who just sailed FALKEN into Antigua. The background of tropical birdcalls is a stark contrast to their vivid descriptions of nature's grandest performance - Antarctica.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

Laura Parent is representing 59 North on the Pacific coast of the US, and teaches sailing on the famous bay. She knows a lot about the waters, culture and history of the area, and thoroughly convinces August to come visit.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

Crammed with history, boats and sailing culture, the south coast of England is a perfect cruising destination. Nikki Henderson grew up in the area, and shares her vast knowledge about tides, weather and navigation, as well as favourite events and marinas.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

Andy, August, and the Quarterdeck Sailing Podcast are back! A lot has happened in the world of electronic navigation since we last discussed this topic on the air. How do FALKEN and ISBJØRN navigate? What systems do we use? And what would we recommend for new setups?

Thanks for tuning in!

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Svalbard is a different cruising ground all together. Icebergs, polar bears, cold and isolation are just a few of the challenges - and allures - of this arctic archipelago. Isbjørn skipper Jon Amtrup has seen them all, and met up with August in Bergen to share his vast knowledge.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

This week, we set sail for the Chesapeake Bay in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US with Andy Schell. Andy shares his personal connection to the Bay, where his love for sailing first took root. Hear about his favorite spots, the unique local culture, and the challenges and rewards of sailing there. No doubt one of America's most iconic cruising destinations, and will have plenty to offer both pros and beginners alike.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

In this episode, we venture to the stunning west coast of Sweden with Mia Karlsson! Listen in as we discuss the unique beauty of the Swedish archipelago, the challenges of sailing in the area, and the rich culture and history of the region. Don't miss this chance to explore one of the world's most picturesque sailing destinations with a passionate and knowledgeable local.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

In this season on the Quarterdeck Sailing Podcast, we talk to members of the 59 North team about their favorite cruising grounds, and get them to share their tips, tricks and hidden gems. First out is August, sharing his knowledge about the streets of his childhood - The Fjords and islands of the Norwegian West coast.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform, to continue the conversation, and to access the resources mentioned in this podcast! First two weeks free! 

Whisker poles, telescoping poles, spinnaker poles, carbon poles, alluminium poles, fixed height poles, large poles, slim poles, pink poles - OK we are getting a bit carried away - but there really are a lot of different types of poles onboard!

For many sailors, the pole is a mysterious long object that sits on the deck and does little more than stub your toe when walking up to the bow. It can be an intimidating idea to life up a large metal pole and attach it to a sail, especially when it often involves sailing deep downwind and connecting another heap of different lines, blocks and tackles. BUT that's why we are here!

Join us to chat about poles as we answer these questions and more:

- What are the different types of poles, how do you identify them and what are they all for?

- How do you rig up a pole safely?

- What about using two poles?

- Common errors that people make with poles and solutions for them.

This is the final episode of 2023's first Quarterdeck Podcast series. We will have a four week break after this - so don't miss it!

Fair winds until then.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.

Grab a drink and a handhold, and join Mia Karlsson and Nikki Henderson for a chat on heeling!

Unless you sail a multi-hull, 'life-on-a-heel' is an unavoidable fact of life. Heeling is a love//hate type thing: some think heeling contributes to the 'romance' of sailing; others find being heeled over a gut wrenching and deeply uncomfortable aspect of sailing.

Through our various careers, we have all learnt the hard way about what works well and what doesn't when living on the North Face.  BUT the whole point of the Quarterdeck is that you don't all have to go through this same painful learning process. So join us and we will share of all things that we have learnt about how to make living on a heel more bearable, more safe, and even - we know it's hard to believe - fun!

Why is mastering life on a heel important? Because we all want our loved ones to come sailing again! And if life onboard is miserable, so is the crew, and then sailing quickly loses its charm. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.

CHAFE - you might be thinking that's a narrow subject area? But when you really dig into it, chafe and chafe avoidance is so critical to life at sea where everything but everything is always moving whether you want it to or not. 

Chafe isn't limited to just running rigging - we also need to avoid chafe on piping, standing rigging, the deck, the interior around the moving parts like the gimbled cooker, in and around the ever vibrating engine, on our hands, clothing - it's everywhere! 

So join us in unpicking this topic that is so relevant to our passion and dream of bluewater sailing. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.

Part 2 of our 'crew overboard' deep dive! Now we get to the more difficult bit - how to get someone back onboard. This is really a two part procedure: How to get the boat back to the person, and then how to get the person back on the boat.

There is of course countless scenarios which alter the exact procedure, but we will endeavour to give you a basic framework which you can adapt to your boat, conditions and situation accordingly. Saying that, we will dig into the nitty gritty of what to do if you are sailing upwind, downwind and how the situation changes if the casualty is conscious or unconscious. And as so many of us all sail short handed, we will give our two cents on how to pick up a crewmember solo! 

Truly we hope none of you (or us) ever have to use this in anger - but knowing what to do in the circumstance is literally the difference between life and death. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.

Andy Schell and Nikki Henderson talks MOB this week! This is the first half of the discussion on the bigger topic of people falling overboard. So before we discuss how to rescue anyone, it seems sensible to first discuss how to stop them from falling in in the first place.

Of course we have not got full control onboard of anyone or anything so cannot claim to have a foolproof way for ensuring the crew stay on the boat. Saying that though, there are lots of means at our disposal --> standing orders, safety harnesses, crew culture, jackstays, D-rings -- to influence how likely or not it is that they fall in the water.

So join us to discuss what we have learnt works and doesn't work for keeping your crew onboard - with of course a fair share of stories to add colour to the session. 

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.

The water system possibly works harder than anything else onboard - every day, every crew member will use it multiple times. And it keeps us alive too! So it's arguably the most important system to understand.

We discuss how to properly maintain your water system (that's piping, tanks, filling hoses, filters, pumps and taps), how to trouble shoot common problems and then how to solve them.

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Join us on The QUARTERDECK, 59º North's online platform where we dive deep on the art of seamanship. First two weeks free! This podcast is recorded LIVE on video on the Quarterdeck, so members can watch the show as it happens, ask questions and suggest future topics.