Sailors in the Spotlight - Lin and Larry Pardey

They laughed when we called them “Cruising Royalty,” but with around 200,000 ocean miles under their keels (most on their self-built, engineless cutters Seraffyn and Taleisin), Lin and Larry Pardey are without doubt the first couple of cruising. They've not only “done it,” but have taught the rest of us how we can too. Through their encouraging, accessible, and incredibly useful books and videos, as well as their famous (or perhaps infamous) seminars, they've taught us all by example, and “go small, go simple, go now” is a mantra that has gotten many off the docks and into the adventure.

Perhaps their most important book, ubiquitous among cruising boats, is the slim tome with the ominous title Storm Tactics. In it, Lin and Larry discuss in great detail that most dreaded of events: encountering a storm at sea. Newly in its (greatly expanded) third edition, Storm Tactics continues to be the resource on the subject, and a necessity for every prudent cruising sailor. Put simply: only a fool would ignore the hard-earned advice in this book.

We were lucky enough to sit down with Lin and Larry last week, and talk about their cruising life. If you ever have a chance to meet them, or to attend a Pardey seminar, do. They're the real deal, and so is the advice they give. They simply want us to get out there – in safety, comfort, and within a sustainable budget. That kind of commitment to the rest of us is why we are so proud to feature Lin and Larry Pardey as our latest Sailors in the Spotlight.

 

 

YP: You two have spent more than your share of time out in storm conditions. What do you do about fear - aren't you ever afraid?

Larry: If you're not afraid, you don't know the facts [laughing]

Lin: You prepare yourself, you get experience, and then there are fewer times you're afraid. During a storm, there is no time for fear.

YP: You're perhaps the greatest proponents of heaving-to in storm conditions (with and without a para-anchor). Does practicing heaving-to in 35 knots really prepare you for 60?

Larry: Yes, a lot more than not practicing. It at least gives you an idea about how your boat handles, and you'll have a lot less tangles-up.

Lin: You'll learn about your boat and sails, and you'll learn about how it feels when things are adjusted correctly.

Larry: You know, we didn't come up with the idea of heaving-to. It's the way ships have dealt with storms for at least hundreds of years. Nothing new.

 

 

 

YP: You're proponents of small, well-found and well-maintained boats, and of thinking ahead. So the bigger, more expensive boat doesn't mean the better sailor?

Larry: No, surprise-surprise! It usually means that they don't know what they're doing when they buy a big, big boat. They think a big boat will keep them out of trouble, but it's usually the opposite. Big boats get into trouble.

Lin: What is sad is that people aren't taking baby steps first. They're not learning to sail a 14 footer, so they know what sailing's about - or even rowing!

 

 

 

YP: So it goes hand-in-hand with why you two don't endorse any “safety products”?

Lin: You can not buy safety, and all the safety gear that the marine manufacturers are selling are the reason people aren't going to use them - because they're making it sound scary, and it's not as scary as that freeway out there, when it really comes down to it.

It's easier to buy things, than to learn things. There's a lot of “safety gear” that doesn't work the way the manufacturer tells you it will work, or people don't go out and practice with it to learn if and how it does work.

Larry: People assume that if something is "Coast Guard Approved," it means it's also Coast Guard tested and recommended - it's not!

YP: So, we won't find advertising in the new edition of Storm Tactics. What's changed from previous editions?

Lin: Well, we've added nine new chapters. Many of the updates and additions are what we've learned while we've continued to cruise - in some especially rough weather, like around Cape Horn. There are also other people's stories, covering the issue of tactics on several other kinds of boats.

YP: And what trends are you seeing in cruising, as you're out there sailing around looking for storms? Is it getting crowded?

Larry: We see bigger boats, and people less willing to go places in them.

Lin: People are sticking more to major places. Get off the beaten path! And only cruise with your friends if you want no adventure.

 

YP: Where are your favorite places to sail?

Lin: Norway, Falmouth, Brazil - There are so many.

Larry: New Zealand has really great sailing conditions. The prevailing winds are from the south-west, making it easy to sail on a reach in both directions.

 

YP: Finally, what do you have to tell tomorrow's cruisers?

Lin: As always: Go small, Go now-

Larry: And Go simple. Don't let your boat be bigger than your bank account.

Many thanks to the Pardeys for visiting with us. This is just a small part of the cruising issues we discussed, and we'll have more from Lin and Larry in the following weeks. Their highly recommended books and DVD's are available at chandlers and bookstores, or directly from landlpardey.com. The website also lists their upcoming seminars, the next of which will be May 17th in Ventura, CA, USA.

 

Lin and Larry Pardey in California.

 

 

- Brad and Kim Hampton for YachtPals.com

Photos of Lin and Larry Pardey's boat Taleisin under sail by Darren Emmens of emmensimages.com.

 

 

Submitted By YachtPals on 04 May

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