Sail Magazine

by David Schmidt

David Schmidt, a SAIL editor-at-large, is a recent transplant to the Pacific Northwest from SAIL's Boston offices

Trailer Envy

by David Schmidt, Posted May 22, 2008

If you own an older boat, finding the right trailer can be a chore, especially if the boat is no longer in production. Luckily, there’s a solution. Meet Brian Bishop, owner of a boutique sailboat trailer company called Sailboat Transporter. After spending some frustrating time seeking a reliable, reasonably priced trailer for his Islander 36, Bishop realized that a market niche existed, which he

Shambler

by David Schmidt, Posted May 8, 2008

“Ooohhh, is that a Rambler shirt?” It was a female sailor cooing to the rest of her all-female crew at Antigua Sailing Week as I walked past their charter boat at Jolley Harbor. Tempting but—I glued my eyes to the dock and kept right on walking, pretending that I hadn’t heard her comment. Not only am I happily married, I’m also a sailing journalist

The Named

by David Schmidt, Posted May 8, 2008

One of the closest-guarded secrets in American sailing circles has been the who’s-who roster for Puma Ocean Racing, Ken Read’s Puma-sponsored Volvo Open 70 team, the only U.S.-flagged entrant in the 2008/2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Many big names tried out for these 11 coveted spots, and Read has joked about receiving “death threats” from certain veteran ocean racers, should he pass them over for

New Cat, New Colors

by David Schmidt, Posted April 23, 2008

If you thought that the Puma Avanti — formerly ABN Amro Two — sported an unusual paint job, baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Really, how many boats can you think of that boast an asymmetrical paint job? Likely zero, but that’s exactly what Puma rolled out of Goetz Custom Boats’ yard in Bristol, Rhode Island on Monday evening. The boat, which has been

Bright Star

by David Schmidt, Posted April 18, 2008

Simply put, one-design racing doesn’t get more competitive than the venerable Star class. Take this year’s Worlds, held Miami, Florida. 104 Star boats from around the world arrived to battle for the title of the world’s best Star sailor, including names as big as Hamish Pepper, Robert Scheidt, and Mark Mendelblatt, but ultimately it was the Polish duo of Mateusz Kusznierewicz

New Race on the Block

by David Schmidt, Posted April 15, 2008

The Corinthians Association announced the starting date for a new, U.S. Sailing-sanctioned Category 2 distance race that will begin on Sunday, July 27, 2008 in the waters off Stonington, Connecticut. The Corinthians teamed up with the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club and the Boothbay Yacht Club (in Booth Bay, Maine) to offer a 332-nautical mile distance race that will end in the fabled lobstering

Meltdown

by David Schmidt, Posted March 19, 2008

Adventure annals are rife with mystery. Take George Mallory and Andrew Irving’s 1924 Mount Everest attempt; the two vanished, their fate murky until their mummified corpses were recently found. In sailing, what happened to Donald Crowhurst (and why) during the 1968–69 Golden Globe Race, the first nonstop solo-circumnavigation race, is equally ambiguous. His boat, Teignmouth Electron, was

2008 Eureka! Award

by David Schmidt, Posted January 28, 2008

A Q&A with Lou Varney, the brains behind Harken’s Pro-Trim Traveler and Rigtune Pro and winner of this year's SAIL FKP Eureka! AwardBy David SchmidtWhat is your professional background?I was originally a boatbuilder, and then I became a mast maker and a designer of high-end Grand Prix raceboat masts. What led you to think up the Pro Trim?I have

2008 Pittman Innovation Awards

by David Schmidt, Posted January 25, 2008

Boats are complex objects containing numerous systems, parts, components, and gadgets, all of which are designed to make the sailing experience more enjoyable. Many of us sailors enjoy trying out the latest gear, be it a sail, a chartplotter, or a snatch block. And if you’ve sailed long enough, you’ve seen gear steadily improve as innovating manufacturers come up with ever-better mousetraps. If

Out of the Wild

by David Schmidt, Posted December 3, 2007

Watch video of the Avanti ripping it up at 19+ knots in Block Island Sound.(May take several minutes to download.) Clip 1 | Clip 2“Hey David, do you have a life-insurance policy?” Ken Read asks, poking his head through the companionway of the Volvo Open 70 Puma Avanti as we pound