One candid dispatch every week. Real lessons from Swiss and Italian lakes, practical seamanship, gear discoveries, and budget updates. Powered by Beehiiv.
The Weekly Log Issue #21 • From Swiss Lakes to the Mediterranean
Picture this. You are four hundred meters off the shore, the engine has stopped, and one of the kids has cut a hand on a cleat. You have phone signal. You also have a boat, and maybe a radio on it.
Who do you call? And is the radio in front of you even legal to use where you are floating?
Browse our full catalog of editions from season 1, documenting the journey from zero experience to confident cruising.
The radio rules change at the border. Here is who to call, and what to say, on each side.
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Every year on the second Sunday of October, something happens in Trieste that you have to see to believe. I have seen it three times. It never gets ordinary.
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The snacks were on the kitchen counter. We were already halfway to the marina. This is the list I should have had.
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Nobody puts these in the license course. But every experienced boater knows them, and notices immediately when someone does not.
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The rule of thirds (1/3 out, 1/3 back, 1/3 reserve), lake fuel pontoon availability, and water in fuel.
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Using spring lines to pivot into tight berths, prop walk physics, and what to do when blown off.
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Customs declarations on Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore, courtesy flags, and customs office berths.
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The 3 Knots Every Beginner Boater Actually Needs
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Scope ratios, anchor types, and step-by-step technique: a beginner's honest guide to anchoring on Swiss and Italian waters.
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The best boating apps for navigation, weather, and safety, picked specifically for beginners on Swiss and Italian waters.
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From motorboat dreams to sailing catamarans and electric boats: an honest look at choosing a first boat, with real European costs.
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I did mine in Italy. Sailing and motorboat, no limits. Here is everything I know about both systems, and what nobody tells you before you start.
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Before going solo, consider chartering with a skipper first: why learning from multiple experienced captains is the smartest move a beginner can make.
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Should a beginner rent or buy? Real European figures, an honest comparison, and a personal take on what makes sense when starting out.
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The rental staff hand over the keys and walk away. Eleven checks every beginner should do before leaving the dock.
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A friend asked me one question after the storm story. I did not have an answer. I should have.
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The storm was behind us. The marina was ahead. And every boat in it was being pulled toward the middle of the waterway.
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A storm, a family on board, and ten decisions made in real time. Here is what I did, and why it was the right call.
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Every boat in the marina was being pulled toward the middle of the waterway. This is what we sailed back into.
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What do you do when a wall of clouds appears in front of you and your whole family is on board?
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