Published articles · 16
Navigation
How to Sail the Canals of Southern Chile
Weather, routes, anchorages, narrow passes and everything nobody tells you before you set sail south.
Safety
What is an EPIRB and Why Does Your Vessel Need One?
How it works, what types exist, whether it's required in Chile and how to register it correctly.
Safety
What Is a SART and How Does It Guide Rescuers to You?
The radar transponder that creates 12 blips on any nearby vessel's radar screen, guiding them to your position.
Purchase
7 Mistakes When Buying a Used Sailboat in Chile
The most expensive mistakes I've seen repeated — and how to avoid paying for them yourself.
Navigation
How to Plan a Sailing Voyage
Route, weather, safety, documents and contingency plan — everything you need before you cast off.
Purchase
Sailboat vs Motorboat: Which to Buy in Chile?
The question I'm asked most often — with the honest answer no one else will give you.
Cruising Guide · Chile
Sailing Chile: What You Need to Know Before You Arrive
Weather, paperwork, routes, anchorages — and what nobody tells you until you're already there.
Boat Purchase · Chile
How to Buy a Sailboat in Chile: A Local Guide
The market, the inspection, the paperwork — and the traps that cost foreign buyers money.
Paperwork · Chile
Nautical Licence in Chile: Types, Requirements & How to Get One
Patrón de Motonauta, Patrón de Yate, PNN — which one you need, how to get it, and what it actually costs.
Insurance · Chile
Boat Insurance in Chile: A Practical Guide
What your policy covers, what it doesn't, and how to choose among the insurers operating with sailboats in Chile.
Safety · Directemar
Required Safety Equipment on Boats in Chile
Life jackets, liferaft, EPIRB, VHF DSC and flares — what Directemar requires by navigation zone.
Electronics · Beginners
Marine Electronics for Beginners: What You Need and Why
What to install first, what can wait, and what it actually costs to equip a cruising sailboat with the right electronics.
Paperwork · Chile
Registering a Boat with Directemar Chile
Registration, zarpe and crew roll: all the steps, documents and costs to sail legally in Chile.
Boat Purchase · Technical
Hull Osmosis & Vacuum Drying: What the Survey Doesn't Always Tell You
How to detect hull osmosis, what moisture readings mean, and whether a boat with osmosis is worth buying.
Cruising Guide · Patagonia
Sailing Patagonia: Practical Tips from a Local Expert
Willywaws, key passages, anchorages and what the pilot books leave out — from a captain with 20 years in the channels.
Boat Purchase · Inspection
Nautical Survey: What It Is and When You Need One
The difference between buying the boat of your dreams and buying someone else's problem.
Safety · Communications
Marine VHF Radio: Channel 16, MAYDAY and DSC
How to use your VHF radio correctly, when to activate DSC, and exactly what to say in a maritime emergency.
Electronics · Safety
AIS: Automatic Identification System for Vessels
What AIS is, receiver vs transponder, Class A vs B, and why making yourself visible to commercial traffic matters.
Personal Safety
PLB: Personal Locator Beacon
The difference between PLB and EPIRB, how to activate it, and why every crew member should carry their own.
Emergencies · Safety
Man Overboard: Immediate Actions and Recovery
The first 30 seconds, the Q maneuver, cold water survival times in Chile, and the minimum equipment to recover someone.
Regulations · Clearance
Zarpe in Chile: How to Get Your Sailing Clearance
Types of zarpe (local, cabotaje, altura), required documents, the ZARPEX system, and what happens if you leave without one.
Weather · Navigation
Marine Weather Chile: Forecasts and When Not to Sail
Best forecast sources, Beaufort scale thresholds, the Puelche, Patagonian willywaws, and the decision framework for departure.
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