THANK YOU SPREADERMAN
Look up in the sky. It’s a bird, it’s a plane. No - It’s Spreaderman in the crow's nest.
Every Real Ocean Cruiser needs a crow's nest.
Putting Spreaderman in the crow's nest will save your boat again and again.
The rocks and reefs in tropical waters have ended the world cruise of many sailors.
When you sail in uncharted waters with the sun in your face, it’s impossible to see reefs and rocks before it’s too late.
We had a friend run his boat onto an unseen reef in Fiji when motoring into the sun. It was about nine o’clock in the morning with the sun directly in his face, and he could not see the reef from the deck of his boat until he landed on top of a coral head that was bigger than his boat.
He was fortunate because there was a fifty foot boat traveling with him who was able to drag him off the reef. His boat had sacrificial keels, and the reef damaged the sacrificial keels but it did not breach the hull. He was lucky. His encounter with the giant coral head could have ended differently - he could easily have lost his boat.
That’s why we have mast steps on Exit Only, and that’s why our first level of spreaders is our crow's nest.
When we are in waters with rocks and reefs, and when the sun is ahead of us, we slow the boat down, and Dito goes up to the crow's nest to see what lies ahead. From his elevated position, he can spots rocks and reefs before they become a problem.
Prudence means we don’t have sails up when sailing in uncharted waters that are known to contain rocks and reefs.
It takes too much time to furl our sails if we see an underwater obstruction, and sailing on to a reef at seven knots is the formula for a major disaster.
We rarely move the boat in the direction of the sun when it is low in the sky in morning and evening. If at all possible, we wait to move the boat until the sun is high in the sky, but sometimes that is not possible. We need to get underway, and so Spreaderman climbs the mast and checks things out from the crow's nest to keep us out of trouble.
Usually Dito only has to spend a few minutes in the spreaders, because Exit Only gets into deep water within less than a mile, and Dito returns to deck level.
When we sailed up the Red Sea, strong headwinds came out of the north every afternoon, so we left our anchorage by 6 am to get a jump on the day. Navigating the reefs of the Red Sea meant that Dito was up in the crow's nest every morning until we were in safe water.
Mast steps, a crow's nest, and a competent crew member are worth their weight in gold when you must move your boat into the sun.
Good job Spreaderman. You saved our boat again.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
