About Sailing ETSIA
Sailing ETSIA documents life aboard a bluewater cruising sailboat — and the practical skills required to sail offshore safely and independently.
ETSIA is my full-time home and long-range cruising boat. From coastal passages to offshore crossings, I use her to plan routes, evaluate weather, test systems, and develop judgment through real experience.
This site isn’t about performance sailing or lifestyle content.
It’s about seamanship, preparation, and decision-making when you’re responsible for your own boat, crew, and outcomes at sea.
How I Approach Offshore and Coastal Sailing
Everything on this site comes from active use aboard ETSIA.
That includes:
- Offshore passage planning and coastal routing
- Weather-aware timing and route selection
- GPX route creation and adjustment
- Long-term liveaboard cruising
- Practical marine electronics and navigation systems
- Self-sufficient boat maintenance
If something appears here, it’s because it has been used, tested, or learned through direct experience.
Nothing is theoretical.
The Boat — ETSIA (Nauticat 44 Ketch)
ETSIA is a Nauticat 44 ketch, designed for offshore cruising, extended passages, and full-time living aboard.
She is not optimized for speed or marina life. She is configured for stability, redundancy, and predictable handling in difficult conditions.
Vessel Specifications:
- Model: Nauticat 44
- Rig: Ketch
- Hull: Solid fiberglass
- Length: 13.4 m (44 ft)
- Beam: 4.1 m (~13.5 ft)
- Draft: 2.0 m (~6.5 ft)
- Displacement: 17,200 kg (~38,000 lbs)
Heavy displacement, protected decks, and a pilothouse layout make her well-suited for long-distance cruising and offshore sailing.
Rig, Sail Handling, and Boat Management
The ketch rig keeps sail loads manageable and allows the boat to be balanced across a wide range of conditions.
My approach is conservative:
- Sail is reduced early
- Balance matters more than speed
- Simplicity and reliability come first
The goal is consistency and control — not performance.
Navigation, Weather Routing, and Decision Making
Navigation aboard ETSIA is data-informed, not data-driven.
Routes are planned using:
- Marine weather models
- Forecast analysis
- Ocean current data
- Tide and light considerations
- Custom GPX routes
These tools support decisions, but they do not replace judgment.
Conditions offshore rarely match forecasts exactly. Much of what I share here focuses on how routes and plans are adjusted in real time.
Living Aboard a Cruising Sailboat
ETSIA is not just a vessel — she is my home.
That shapes every system and layout decision:
- Functional interior design
- Frequent pilothouse use
- Accessible mechanical systems
- Efficient storage and ventilation
- Comfort underway and at anchor
Living aboard full-time exposes weaknesses quickly. Anything that doesn’t work becomes obvious.
How ETSIA Is Used
ETSIA is actively sailed for:
- Offshore passages
- Coastal cruising and island hopping
- Bahamas crossings
- Long-term anchoring and self-sufficient living
Every route, system, and technique documented here has been used in real conditions.
Why This Site Exists
Accurate, experience-based sailing information matters offshore.
Much online sailing content is either heavily romanticized or overly technical. Sailing ETSIA sits between those extremes — focused on practical seamanship, clear thinking, and repeatable systems.
Some resources are shared freely. Some downloads help support the time required to develop, test, and document them.
The priority is always reliability over promotion.
Looking Ahead
Sailing ETSIA continues to evolve through longer passages, deeper exploration, and collaborative projects such as group crossings and expeditions.
Offshore sailing rewards preparation, humility, and patience. This site reflects that mindset.
If you are planning a passage, living aboard, or working toward independent bluewater cruising, you’re welcome here.
— Kory