Boat Handling

Furled Too Tight

by Connie McBride, Posted November 18, 2012

On a good day a furling headsail is like magic. You pull on the furling line and your sail is neatly rolled away until you need it again. At some point, however, most of us have rolled up our headsail in such high winds that it furls much more tightly than usual...

The Art of Motorsailing

by Charles J. Doane, Posted February 4, 2013

It never fails to amaze me how many jerry jugs of fuel some bluewater sailors are willing to carry on deck. Once I spotted a boat at the fuel dock in St. Georges with 16 jugs open on the quay waiting to be filled...

When Two Rodes Are Better Than One

by Ken Textor, Posted July 18, 2012

Misleading as its name may be, Bahamian mooring is an anchoring technique that can be used just about anywhere. If you’re looking to secure your boat in a jam-packed anchorage or in a tide-scoured waterway, a Bahamian moor can be very handy.

Stern Anchor Dinghy Bracket

by Zuzana Prochazka, Posted March 22, 2013

Setting a stern anchor is not for the faint of heart and can be a real pain. My friend Maurice Roper belongs to a club that always anchors in the same cove where anchors fore and aft are mandatory.

Get the Best Out of Your Furling Headsail

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 14, 2013

Getting set for the first sail of the season? Here's a quick guide to getting the best out of your furling headsail.

Ring Around the Headstay

by Charles J. Doane, Posted February 28, 2013

The first bareboat I ever hired in the Virgin Islands, many moons ago, was from a small hole-in-the-wall charter outfit with a rather motley fleet of vessels.

Voice of Experience: Up Against It

by Duane Bennett, Posted February 27, 2013

The wind was too light to sail, so we started out motoring. Soon, however, my buddy’s motor started heating up. The access hatch was buried under camping gear, and he didn’t want to investigate right then, so he shut his engine down, and I took his boat in tow.