This is a brief story about cruising in the olden days, just after World War II. It is also a story about how the Dashew family made their way to the (then) golden land of California. It starts with Stanley Dashew, the family patriarch, deciding at age 30 that he wanted to go cruising, seriously […]
Tag Archives | Dashew Offshore
There Is Usually Something Worthwhile If You Just Look For It
We were visiting with family last week in Los Angeles. We love our family, but dislike LA intensely. It is too crowded, smoggy, ugly, and noisy for our tastes. And did we mention the traffic? But this lovely blue heron, and the photos that follow, were taken in the heart of downtown LA, along the […]
Wicked FPB 97 Tank Volumes
The FPB 97 has a wicked amount of fuel and water capacity, so much so that only in special circumstances would the full amounts of either ever be carried. The weight and position of these liquids obviously have a substantial impact on fore and aft trim and stability. We are dealing with close to 37,000 […]
FPB 97 Hull Shape Released for Building
Big news in the FPB world. FPB 97-1 is underway, and the folks at Circa are hard at work, getting ready for the day when they start to cut metal. On our end, we are ever so pleased to have released hull shape 975-80-C for building. The process that brings us to this point is […]
FPB 64 Get Home System – Report From Avatar
We’ve now heard from Circa and Avatar‘s owners about the newly installed get-home system. The news is good. Get-home systems which only work in light winds and smooth water are a negative in our opinion, as they increase drag and complexity without any real benefits. Afterall, if the winds are light you can use […]
Simrad 4G BB Radar Test Aboard Wind Horse
We’ve been hearing a lot about the Simrad 4G broadband radar, so when Cory McMahon of Triton Marine mentioned he could arrange a test aboard Wind Horse, we jumped at the chance. That’s the radome sitting on a 90cm/36″ hatch just forward of the flying bridge. Power draw is miniscule, the radome, as you can […]
FPB Program Update – April 13, 2012
This is an appropriate photo with which to bring you up to date. One door closes, another opens. We are pleased to report that metal has begun to be cut for FPB 64s numbers eight and nine, while production engineering has officially begun for the first FPB 97. Metal for FPB 97-1 is scheduled to […]
A New Approach To Air Conditioning
Last spring, while visiting new friends aboard their catamaran, we learned of a new, super quiet (and efficient) range of compressors by Marine Air. Based on prior experience we would not have believed the noise claims, but as we were sitting right on top of the compressor pallet and could not hear it run, we […]
What is the Best Rudder Configuration – Spade, or Skeg Mounted?
Years ago the debate about the most effective rudder for steering was settled, and the cantilevered spade configuration was the winner. But what about hitting debris, running aground, and catching nets? you might be thinking. First: structure. We can tell you from our own experience, and the feedback from owners who have tested our theory, […]
Emergency Steering With The Autopilot
Cruising short-handed means that an easy means of steering the boat in less-than-perfect conditions is at the top of our must-haves list. This role is usually performed by the autopilot. But what happens if it fails? “We’ve got a backup pilot,” you rejoin. OK, but are you comfortable on a long passage with only the […]
