Misty clouds clung to the evergreen-clad hillsides of San Juan Island, the largest and westernmost island in its namesake archipelago in the Pacific Northwest. Whip-like strands of kelp were shepherded by the currents of Haro Strait…
Henry “Hank” Strauss, still tack-sharp at 97, had to give up sailing solo a few years back but still regularly gets out on San Francisco Bay with friends. His lifetime in sailing spans the evolution of cruising under sail as we know it.
For years, you’ve watched raceboats strut around the buoys, their crews tweaking lines or pulling off well-choreographed maneuvers requiring hours of practice and polish. While cruising may be your raison d’être, you can’t help but notice that racers know how to really make a boat go, a useful skill for any sailor.
Since the first modern Olympics in 1869, American sailors have won more medals (59) than any other nation, with Great Britain (50) coming in second. Americans were unstoppable until the 1992 Barcelona games, but the competition has become a lot tougher since then. Here are some of the stronger sailors the U.S. sailing team will face, excluding Britain’s almighty Team GBR.
In the rarefied world of grand prix racing sails, the distance between first and second can be measured in millimeters. Today’s racing sails are built out of an exotic menu of high-tech materials using advanced construction techniques to yield shape-specific sails that boast minimal stretch or creep.
Each year SAIL presents the Pittman Innovation Awards, recognizing the most innovative and interesting new products on the market. Our team of judges went through the fall boat shows looking for the latest and greatest in new gear. Here’s what they came up with.
While Pacific Northwesteners are a laid-back lot, some things are sacrosanct. Take seafood. Sure, we might roll into the marina in an aging Subaru wearing worn-out Birkenstocks, battle-scarred jeans and an old regatta T-shirt, but you can bet your last roll of duct tape we don’t tolerate inferior seafood. Why should we?
This article originally appeared in the December 2009 issueYour boomvang is a key tool for adjusting the shape of your mainsail. Sailing off the breeze without a vang, the pressure on your sail causes your boom to rise up, degrading sail shape. On small dinghies you sometimes dont need a boomvang as the mainsail may be small enough that you can control sail shape with mainsheet
You’ve probably seen the clips online. During the first day of racing in SailGP’s New Zealand series, the worst crash in the league’s six seasons
Log the Glass These days with weather forecasts available wherever there is WiFi, it doesn’t do to forget the old ways. Last season I was
This weekend saw the fourth annual Northeast Ocean Racing Symposium (NORS), held at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. The day of technical lectures and networking
Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s much anticipated book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance is out now. Billed as “the maintenance manual that should have come
On March 1, the U.S. SailGP Team shook up the Grand Prix series and won the Sydney Sail Grand Prix, marking their first victory since
Lessons learned by others are a great guide when putting together a vacation to remember.
After being the Chief Designer at Tartan Yachts for 48 years, Tim Jackett has found a new home with Niche Watercraft. The company has announced
A trans-oceanic performance catamaran loads up on practical features and comforts of home.
A classic racing yacht, three weeks at sea, and eight crewmates you’ve never met. What could go wrong?
Editor’s Note: This story is excerpted from SAIL Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s upcoming book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance(available for order soon)—a compendium of
