Added autopilot (Bob), single sideband (Bob), mid-ship cleats (Bob), lazyjacks (Karen), man overboard pole (Bob).

We added the MOB pole because it was required by the Bermuda Cup organizers. We discussed the high tech solutions, like the MOM-8, but decided to save money and go with what we thought was “tried and true”. Bob fashioned a matching low-tech launching mechanism. Now, the Cup required that we HAVE the MOB device, but did not require that we know how to use it! We are better sailors than that, however, and we went out onto the Pamlico Sound with our crew and practiced MOB maneuvers, with each of us taking a turn at the helm. The third and final retrieval of the pole had Bob at the helm and as he glided up slowly just a foot or so from the pole, in the quiet that happens when the sails are first released, we watched the MOB pole slide slowly underwater. We called the manufacturer, and they told us to “send the old one in”. We repeated that it had SUNK and they agreed to send us a new one. It arrived just in time before our departure. Since then, we have used the new pole for practice only once, and when it began to ride low in the water, we pulled it out and put it away. We keep it on the boat, as it will float for a bit. But we’ve changed our recommendations for any MOB. We used to say—swim to the pole. Now we just say to keep your eye on the boat and be ready to wave something. I can’t imagine the dismay I would feel if I swam toward something I thought was going to help save me, only to have it sink below the surface. Why are these poles sinking? They have HOLES in them! Yes, the plastic that covers the foam floatation material has a hole in it. It’s covered by a little foil label. I don’t know if this label is supposed to keep water out, but ours didn’t. So the plastic fills up with water and the pole sinks. Because this little hole is on TOP of the orange plastic, maybe it’s not even supposed to get exposed to water. Unless there are any waves. We usually don’t go sailing if there isn’t any wind, and if there’s wind, there’s waves. So yeah, the pole is gonna sink.