This article originally appeared in the October 2009 issueMany sailors think the best way to reach the Caribbean from the northeast U.S. is to head for Bermuda, spend a few days there, and then take an easy ride down to the islands. In my experience this is neither the quickest or safest route for boats under 55 feet. Many American insurance companies, and almost all Lloyds
This article originally appeared in the October 2009 issue The Burnett River is a big, slow-moving river, muddy from eons of moving silt. Where Moose, our 39-foot cutter, is moored at “Bundy,” eight miles up from the sea, the current direction changes twice a day as the tide floods and then ebbs. But Moose doesn’t clock around with tide cycle because she’s tied,
This article originally appeared in the December 2009 issueSweet little Bocas del Toro, Panama, was slipping astern of me. It is an obscure but superb cruising stop where life and laughter flow as easily as a mid-moon tide. The hub of the scene there is the Bocas Marina and a delightful bar called the Calypso Cantina.This is a classic example of what I call a cruisers’
This article originally appeared in the December 2009 issueLook around a skippers meeting at a typical regatta and youll see all the usual suspects: seasoned salts, their families and a smattering of recent college grads or young adults sampling the sailing culture. The same folks populate most charter bases and destinations, which makes sense, considering the means and
When John Smith sailed into the Chesapeake Bay in 1607, he couldnt have known the precedent he was setting. Ever since that early cruise, the area has been teeming with sailboatseverything from skipjacks dredging for oysters to race boats competing in regattas and flagships strutting their stuff at the United States Sailboat Show. With all of this on-water action, its no surprise that a dozen
Schools out, the boats in the water and the breeze is up. That means it is time for some summer cruising, and there are few things sweeter. From coast to coast, we want to know: whats your favorite summer sailing destination? Newport, Rhode Island or Newport Beach, California? Green Bay or Biscayne Bay?In your own words, tell us about your favorite summer cruise. Send 300 words
Youll have to go pretty far to find better sailing conditions or a more pleasant Caribbean destination than Antigua. The tradewinds here typically blow out of the east at 15 knots, and the islands high coastline provides a spectacular backdrop. On shore youll find great restaurants, sailor-friendly bars, quaint villages and an abundance of great anchorages.The four main places that I
Charter sailing the Beneteau 393 monohull Splendid Adventure with Lanier Sailing School out of Pensacola Florida shortly after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Walking down the dock to the Beneteau 393 Splendid Adventure I felt like I was arriving at the scene of a crime. It was late October, and the overcast night sky was pitch black. The air was sweltering hot, absolutely still. To the right I could see the lights of the port of Pensacola, Florida, to the left the lights of the citys historic Seville Square district. What I was really looking for,
Since my partner, Edvin Buregren, and I started planning to sail the Northwest Passage this summer aboard our 31-foot fiberglass sloop Belzebub IIon a shoestring budget, no lesswe have realized that a polar voyage is unlike any other.Route Planning: Picking a route through the Northwest Passage requires methodical planning. The majority of charted Arctic waters were surveyed with
“It was almost standing waves, and we were hobby horsing. The bow was going whoosh, and we were going nowhere,” says Kevin Starnes, 62. He’s
The latest from Dufour should help achieve the French builder’s goal of encouraging people to get on the water and sail, sail, sail.
Going up the mast can be daunting, but not for this sailor who tackled the task while underway on Narragansett Bay last summer. This year,
Title: Gear: Streamlight Wedge EDC Flashlight
When his tiller head broke at the worst moment, cool thinking and the Hydrovane came to the rescue.
Colloquially the term “skyscraper” is used to refer to a tall city building, but nearly a hundred years before its modern architectural association, it had
When Friction is Your Friend Changing engine oil filters has always been a bit of a battle for me. They tighten up in use, and
A futuristic, push-button passagemaker, this powerful cat is designed for adventurous sailors targeting luxurious off-grid cruising.
Ireland’s Royal Cork Yacht Club, founded in 1720, holds the title of the world’s oldest yacht club, but Russia’s Neva Yacht Club (1718) could also
Building their own 44-foot catamaran from the plans up, Matt and Jessica
Johnson embrace the cruising life
from a unique perspective.
