FROM THE HELM

By Mike Benjamin, SV Exodus, President SDSA

REMEMBERING KATHY AND RALPH:  A CALL TO VIGILANCE

This month I had planned to write about our upcoming fall Caribbean Rally and some of the exciting changes we have in store. However, the breaking news from Grenada about the sentencing of the three men responsible for the murders of our fellow Salty Dawg members, Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry in February 2024, compelled me to change course. This unimaginably cruel and brutal crime against our fellow sailors cannot be forgotten.

For those who may not have heard, last week, Grenada’s High Court handed down sentences for Ron Mitchell, Atiba Stanislaus, and Trevon Robertson. The judge, Madame Justice Paula Gifford, noted that this crime was, "one of the most heinous of her career." While the sentencing may have brought a legal conclusion to the case, we know there is no punishment that can inflict on these 3 men the same fear and suffering that Kathy and Ralph faced that February night.  There is no punishment that can bring Kathy and Ralph back to their families. There is no sentence that can fully heal the pain or make this tragedy "all better."

BREAKING NEWS, AUGUST 2025

THINKING OF HEADING SOUTH THIS WINTER?

Consider the Salty Dawgs 2025 Caribbean Rally

If you are thinking about heading south in your own boat this winter, or building experience as you work towards a long term dream, there are many ways to get involved and learn more.

Read about the rally and register here.  Reminder - the deadline for the discounted rally fee is August 15!

Many captains are looking for crew for the rally.  Sign up here  and gain valuable experience.  

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2025 ANNAPOLIS RENDEZVOUS

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE 2025 SALTY DAWG FOUNDERS AWARD

The Salty Dawg Founders Award, given out annually, recognizes the contributions of an individual who most embodies the spirit of “Sailors Helping Sailors”, the guiding principle of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, as established by our founders, Bill and Linda Knowles. This award is an important recognition of a special achievement in support of the Salty Dawg community. The award, a custom engraved crystal plaque, is presented by the President of the organization at the Fall Annapolis Rendezvous Dinner.

Nominations for the award will be accepted by the award committee (comprised of 4 members of the Board of Directors) through the conclusion of the summer rallies at the end of August. If you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to our sailing community, please send your nomination by August 15 to [email protected].

Pictured here is last year's award winner, Lynn Hoenke, with former SDSA President Bob Osborn.

US SAILING SAFETY AT SEA OFFSHORE CERTIFICATION

Have you ever set off a flare?  Used a fire extinguisher?  Climbed into a life raft with 5 other people?  Do you know how to avoid or treat hypothermia?  Attend US Sailing's Safety at Sea in-person course to find out.

SDSA is once again partnering with US Sailing to offer the International Offshore Safety at Sea In-Person course on September 21, 2025 at Port Jefferson Yacht Club in Port Jefferson, NY.  Prior to this course, attendees must take the Safety at Sea: Offshore (On-line course) Units 1-15.  

US Sailing offers Salty Dawg members a 10% discount on online SAS training.

Register here

VOLUNTEER TO JOIN A SALTY DAWGS WORKING GROUP

APP UPDATE - ANNOUNCING A NEW MESSAGING SYSTEM COMING LATER THIS MONTH

Last month, we rolled out several Android fixes, making the app experience just as smooth for Android users as it is for the iPhone. Next up: a brand-new messaging system for iPhone, Android, and the web, designed with your feedback in mind. Here’s what’s improved:

• Accurate Message Counts–The home page icon will now show the correct number of unread messages.
• Easy Message Search–Quickly find messages containing keywords. Need to find a reference to that favorite anchorage? Search will find it.
• Smarter Replies–Responses to individual messages now move to the top of your list.Tapping the response will show the original message in the thread and other replies to that message for easy reading.

This update  includes a mandatory app update for both iPhone and Android. You will receive a message when the update is ready, and all your messages, groups, and images will seamlessly migrate. Be sure to update the App at this time, either manually or through your automatic updates setting.

We expect this rollout to occur in the second half of August, and we will notify you before it goes live! 

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SALTY DAWGS DOWNEAST RALLY 2025

Written by Christine Hobson, Chandos II

The sun has just set over Brooklin Harbor in Maine, painting the sky with shades of pink and light grey. The water is still, the light bouncing on the beautiful handcrafted colorful boats dotted around the harbor. A seal is catching its dinner in the twilight and we have just finished ours in the company of our fellow Salty Dawg Downeast Rally sailors, now friends. This is our last night together and we are reflecting on the journey we have accomplished under the auspices of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association. 

Our departure from Hampton VA on July 5th, after a gathering of the rally and a thorough weather briefing, saw us heading into a 3 night passage to Newport RI. It was reassuring to know that our fellow sailors were out there too, the Salty Dawg shoreside team was keeping track of us, as well as the Coast Guard. For us this was our first overnight experience, but the weather was fine, and we were moving along at a steady pace. 

ORCAS STRIKE PANDORA

Written by Bob Osborn, Pandora

On the final leg to Gibraltar, following my run from the Caribbean to the Azores as part of the Salty Dawg Azores rally, I was approaching land after a particularly rough night where we were hit with stronger-than-forecast winds, when disaster struck. 

For months, I had been fixated on the orca risk near the Strait of Gibraltar—numerous sailboats had been attacked, their rudders torn off, some even sunk.  Theories suggest the orcas are "practicing" hunting, targeting rudders, a behavior spread by a few pods led by an adult female.

I had ordered an acoustic deterrent, but it was lost in transit and researching orcas.pt, I opted for a route near Morocco, where attacks were rarer compared to Portugal’s coast.  I was wrong.

FIRST PASSAGE TO THE CARIBBEAN - TOP TIPS and THINGS WE WISH WE'D KNOWN

Unofficial suggestions rom people who've been there!

I asked a few friends what suggestions they have for people considering their first passage south.  Here are some ideas:

• If you were wondering about replacing something, do it now!
• Be clear on roles before you leave the dock.  You don’t want your “crew” to think they are actually the captain.
• Know your boat, so you are able to do essential repairs if necessary.
• Be prepared for seasickness, and ideally know how it’s likely to affect each crew member.  
• Make sure you can hear your radio from the helm station, especially in rougher weather.  A repeater or handheld may not be loud enough, particularly when its batteries run down.

TRANSFORMING YOUR BOATING EXPERIENCE WITH SIGNAL K AND SAILLOGGER

Written by Ilker Temir and Kat Killeen, Saillogger.com

Thanks to ever-smarter electronics, modern boating is both simpler and more complex. We sometimes envy earlier cruisers whose entire nav suite was a sturdy hull, paper charts, and a sextant.  Yet most of us wouldn’t trade away today’s safety margins—or the ability to spot that last-minute wind shift on a tablet while the coffee is still hot.

Since those paper-chart days we’ve welcomed electronic charts and plotters, then radar and AIS.  Smartphones and tablets slipped into our pockets, followed by a thicket of onboard sensors and the black boxes that connect them.  Most recently, Starlink has pushed high-speed internet to almost anywhere on the planet.  Constant connectivity makes it easy to pull down GRIB files and text family back home - though it also means your once-quiet cove may now host YouTubers livestreaming the sunset.

The upside?  You no longer need a rack of purpose-built (and pricey) gadgets just to move data around.  Chances are the gear already on board can elevate your cruising - if you know how to make all those devices talk.

THE DOWNEAST RALLY

MEET THE DAWGS:  Veronica Lysaght and Nigel Jollands

Boat Name and Type:  Novara, Bestevaer 60C. She was built in 1987 for high latitude sailing, is an aluminium hull and strengthened to be able to go through 7/10ths ice - not that we want to. 

Home Port:  Officially Dover in the UK, but in reality, the ocean.

Where are you now?  Aasiaat, Greenland