When to take the spinnaker down for good on approach to land
As you get closer to land, the likelihood of squalls increases. Within 100 miles of a coast, bringing a light-air sail like a spinnaker down and switching to a more manageable configuration makes sense even if you are tempted to leave it up for the speed. Lauren makes this call at 3 p.m., noting she would bring it down for sunset anyway and that being near land raises the squall risk. The frustration is real when the wind was supposed to fill in two hours earlier and still has not, but sometimes you have to accept the conditions are not going to cooperate.
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What it feels like to transit an atoll for the first time without it being too sketchy
After completing the pass entry, Lauren reflects that the conditions were relatively flat, which made for a good first experience. The key takeaway is that if the waves had been bigger, waiting for them to settle would have been the right c
Drone battery and altitude management during an extended wildlife search
During a wildlife search flight, Lauren Landers Sailing keeps an eye on both altitude and battery level simultaneously. At 40 metres (about 120 to 130 feet) the drone still provides a useful overview, but for spotting smaller species like b
Slowing down deliberately to time a reef pass arrival correctly
As Lauren Landers Sailing closed within range of the atoll, she reefed her jib intentionally to reduce boat speed. She was on track to arrive too early, and entering a reef pass at the wrong time, before the light is good or the current is