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

2009 Classic Boats Regatta - Falling In Love Again

by David Schmidt, Posted October 22, 2009

Should you find yourself needing a bit of reassurance as to why you sail, a glimpse of the 300-plus beautiful classic yachts that were assembled in Saint Tropez in September for the 2009 Classic Boats Regatta will immediately have you remembering exactly why you fell in love with our sport-and lifestyle-in the first place.

Thin Film Solar Panels

by David Schmidt, Posted October 21, 2009

Looking for an innovative way of keeping your batteries trickle-charged, without adding a cumbersome and expensive fixed solar panel? SolarSail could be your solution.These rollable solar films attach to your boat's canvas via supplied fasteners (mounting instruction included), allowing you to easily stow them when you collapse your canvas. The monolithically integrated panels are made

Annapolis Sailboat Show - Walkin' the Docks

by David Schmidt, Posted October 21, 2009

I knew that it was going to be a great Annapolis Sailboat Show when I checked the Dow Jones Industrial Average on my cell phone on the opening day of the show.In 2008, the United States Sailboat Show perfectly synchronized with one of the worst days in the stock market's history. On that glum day, industry veterans and show goers alike walked around with dazed expressions, scarcely able to

Hotseat Interview: Roy Disney

by David Schmidt, Posted October 12, 2009

Anyone who follows high-end sailing will be familiar with Roy Disney’s long line of Pyewacket’s, boats that have defined state-of-the-art sailing for more than a decade. But few people know the true extent of Disney’s love affair with the Transpac Race, an event that he has been active in for the past four decades. In fact, Disney has held the Transpac record twice, first with his Santa Cruz 70,

Pipe Dreams

by David Schmidt, Posted September 23, 2009

When William "Scott" Piper III was a child his father laid a piece of advice on him that still resonates after 60-plus years: "There’s no reason to live in Florida if you don’t do what it has to offer." With this, a passion for sailing was born, and with it a legacy that Piper’s father, now passed, would be proud of: Four "near" circumnavigations, podium finishes in high-profile events such as

Broken: 50-Knot Barrier falls!

by David Schmidt, Posted September 10, 2009

On 4 September, Alain Thbault’s hydrofoiling trimaran, L’Hydroptre, became the fastest sailboat on the planet, rifling off two impressive feats in the same day in France’s La Seyne sur Mer. First, the flying tri registered an average speed of 48.72 knots over a distance of one nautical mile; then it fired off an average pace of 51.36 knots over a distance of 500 meters. Even more

Marblehead Magic

by David Schmidt, Posted September 3, 2009

On the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast...on the Great Lakes and all the little lakes and rivers, too—most American sailors have been wooed at one point or another by the siren call of an occasional low-stress, mid-week race. (OK, perhaps it was the skipper’s promise of beer and burgers afterwards.) These informal “beer-can chases” are a great way to break up the

Hummus the hard way

by David Schmidt, Posted August 24, 2009

So there we were last Friday evening, sitting on the rail of Tom Hill’s magnificent new Reichel/Pugh 75 Titan XV during the 2009 Ida Lewis Distance Race off Newport, Rhode Island, happily munching on carrots and hummus, when a curious thing happened: a torrent of saltwater exploded over everybody seated at the back of the sled. It happened so suddenly that all I could

VOR changes announced

by David Schmidt, Posted August 18, 2009

In the current economic climate, it’s no surprise that that potential sponsors are balking at the prospect of ponying up the $50-60 million needed to fund a first-rate Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) campaign. The VOR itself has been working to reduce costs, as they recognize that sponsors only get their full value if there are plenty of boats competing.So far, changes include a

LED Lights

by David Schmidt, Posted August 18, 2009

LED lights have revolutionized onboard lighting in recent years due to the featherweight draw they impose on house batteries. Initially LEDs were several times costlier than their incandescent brethren. Thankfully, this has changed recently, and Hella Marine’s line of NaviLED PRO navigation lights are a great example of affordable performance. These lights use a scant 10% of the power consumed by