Sail Magazine

by Wally Moran

Review: The Great Book of Anchorages

by Wally Moran, Posted March 21, 2013

Cruisers heading down the ICW have a new navigational tool: The Great Book of Anchorages, from Beach House Publications. Authors Chuck Beier and Susan Landry describe more than 530 anchorages between Norfolk, VA, and the Florida Keys.

Sailing Post-Sandy

by Wally Moran, Posted February 11, 2013

Typically, by the time November rolls around, I’m well clear of the Northeast and headed south for the winter. This year, though, various factors delayed me, so that when Hurricane Sandy swept through in late October, I was still in Lake Erie.

Favorite Weekend Cruise: Biscayne Bay

by Wally Moran, Posted December 11, 2012

There are two types of sailors: those who live for turquoise waters, sandy beaches and great sailing, and those who live for fabulous restaurants, trendy neighborhoods, convenient marinas...and great sailing.

ICW by the Numbers

by Wally Moran, Posted November 25, 2012

Everyone fears the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway the first time they attempt it. I know I did. I’d heard so many stories—about shoals, rough water, tricky inlets, narrow channels, aggressive tugboats.

Stories from the South Pacific: Entranced in Tahiti

by Wally Moran, Posted October 25, 2012

I yearn to return to Tahiti. I was there in 2010 for the Pearl Regatta and fell in love with the islands. I can still hear the crash of surf outside my room that first night, smell the scent of orchids at the top of the mountain on Raiatea...

Viewpoint: A Vagabond’s Perspective

by Wally Moran, Posted September 13, 2012

In April, reader Dennis Michaud wrote SAIL complaining about the “glorification” of sailors “traveling on a shoestring” while he got a PhD, taught at university and is now about to hire 500 people and purchase a custom yacht—and “pay the onerous yard bills.”

Why You Should Paint Your Boat Yourself

by Wally Moran, Posted April 12, 2012

The cost of hiring a yard to repaint a 30- to 40-foot sailboat is likely to be over $10,000, which is uneconomical given the actual value of most older boats. The alternative, if you’re willing to put in long hours with a rotary sander, is doing it yourself.

New Ordinances Restrict Anchoring for Cruisers

by Wally Moran, Posted February 1, 2012

The impetus for anchoring restrictions, particularly in Florida, comes from waterfront homeowners who object to people anchoring “in their backyards." Barb Venturi, a town commissioner in Oriental, North Carolina, is jazzed. New dockage for transient cruisers is being installed on the popular sailing town’s waterfront.

Man's Best First Mate

by Wally Moran, Posted August 19, 2011

After putting 10 years, eight countries and over 30,000 miles under my keel, I was certain I’d learned most of what there was to know about the cruising lifestyle.

Thin Water Conversion

by Wally Moran, Posted April 22, 2011

The boats I sail today, including my own, are typical cruising boats. They have deep fin keels, and they’re spacious, well equipped and comfortable. I spend a lot of my time on a boat, so I want at least a few of life’s luxuries. And I like a boat with a bit of heft to it, like my Dufour 34, to handle bad weather. That’s why I’ve never considered owning a