Contributors

Ross in Tampa is originally from the metropolis of Branson, MO. Spent 6 years hard-time in Milwaukee WI, before waking up to the fact that you can live in FL too. He is a former contributing editor of a stink boat magazine. He and his wife Kaye can often be seen sailing “Lola”, a 1979 Oday 25, around the waters of Tampa Bay, Sarasota and frequent trailer sailing trips to the Keys. He is a consumer of fine and not-so-fine rums. Medication of choice…Sailor Jerry on the rocks. See Ross on Sailmonster.com

 

Robbie Johnson - Skipper of the Tahiti Rover and author of Gourmet Underway, A Sailor’s Cookbook.

Robbie began sailing in the late 1960’s on Monterey Bay, California. The blustery, cold northern California waters quickly taught him the value of a hot meal. Hot tea, soup or stew served from a simple insulated jug, turned an otherwise cold and nasty sail into a joyous romp across the bay.

Robbie soon graduated to a 35 foot Dutch-built strip-plank sloop and set sail for the Bahamas, Caribbean, Jamaica, north shore of South America and waters of Panama, Central America. Years later he moved up to a 42′ steel double-ender ketch that he used to explore the Atlantic and Pacific shores of Panama and Costa Rica.

The following years found Robbie living aboard, spending time as a delivery captain, sailing the Florida Keys, Bahamas and greater Caribbean. Friends joined him often on his passages throughout the Bahamas to Great Inagua. Eventually they returned to their jobs and Robbie pressed on solo, to explore Jamaica’s Port Antonio, St. Anne’s Bay, Ocho Rios and Motego Bay. Jamaica remains one of his favorite places to cruise.

Over the years Robbie has earned a modest living chartering and delivering boats of every size throughout the Caribbean and South America – as far north as San Francisco. During all of these voyages, short and long he learned how to prepare simple, yet delicious meals for himself and the crew - focusing on freshly-caught seafood and fresh vegetables.

Robbie learned from his ocean voyaging that the heart of the boating experience is in the galley, and that no one is having fun if they’re hungry or being fed lackluster meals. “No matter what kind or size of keel is under you, there’s no substitute for solid, palate-pleasing meals coming out of the galley” says Robbie. That’s what his book Gourmet Underway – A Sailor’s Cookbook is all about.

From a 19′ Pearson Resolute daysailer to a 73′ steel ketch, and about every kind of sailboat in between, Robbie is currently living aboard in Florida on his beloved steel 33′ Tahiti Ketch, Tahiti Rover.

 

SoNJSailor is a single father of a wonderful 17-year-old daughter, Tara. He lives at the Jersey Shore and sails on Barnegat Bay, and the near coastal Atlantic Ocean aboard a Laguna 26s “WindSong”. She is the latest in a long line of boats that he has owned; going back to the age of 12. SoNJSailor sailed for the first time with his father on his 9th birthday and has been sailing ever since. Tara enjoys going out on the boat but, unfortunately, has been distracted from sailing by a more powerful force… boys. 

SoNJSailor also enjoy chartering, usually on the Chesapeake, but would like to get back to the Fort Myers, Charlotte Harbor/Pine Island Sound area soon. This of course would definitely include a stop for drinks at Cabbage Key! He also enjoys the Sarasota Bay/Longboat Key/Siesta Key vicinity and would like to sail there as well.  Visit SoNJSailor on Sailmonster.com

PyratSail is always looking for contributors! If you are interested please contact me here.