How a Racer Learned to Cruise
After working together at SAIL for two years, my coworker Christa asked me if I’d teach her to sail. Having never “learned” how to sail with either a coach or in a classroom, though, I knew my limitations as a teacher.
After working together at SAIL for two years, my coworker Christa asked me if I’d teach her to sail. Having never “learned” how to sail with either a coach or in a classroom, though, I knew my limitations as a teacher.
From my vantage point aboard a Cal 31 sloop sailing out of Southwest Harbor, the cottages look more like castles, with immaculate grounds atop pink granite cliffs that drop into the chilly Maine waters below. The day couldn’t be more perfect for sailing
Enjoyed our stories on chartering in the South Pacific? Learn more about where to go and how to get there. The South Pacific enjoys a tropical climate year-round. From May to October the weather is cooler and drier, with temperatures in the high 70s; November to April is hurricane season.
Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef just off the Queensland coast, are one of those “bucket list” destinations, known far and wide for great snorkeling, great sailing and some of the best beaches in the world.
In September, SAIL editors Meredith Laitos and Lindsey Silken caught the last breath of summer on opposite coasts of the country. Though Labor Day marks the end of the season for many a northern sailor, these late-season charters revealed just how much they’re missing out on.
Eskimos, according to urban legend, have 32 words for snow. Or perhaps it’s nine, or 15. No matter. Tongans must have at least that many words for the color blue.
Yearning to get away this winter on a Caribbean charter? You still have a week to win SAIL’s Great Escape contest: a free weeklong charter in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with TMM Yacht Charters.
The thumbnail moon was below the horizon, making it tough to see the dust devils rising through the holes in the floor of the rusty Ford Econoline van as we careened down the bumpiest dirt road I’ve ever travelled.
The first time I met Julian Putley, I brought him a pair of shoes. We were shooting a video on bareboat sailing, and Julian’s boss didn’t want him to be barefoot on screen. “I’ll only wear these once,” he laughed when he saw them.
Every year, the Annapolis Sailboat Show checks the pulse of the charter industry, gauging what’s remaining, what’s changing and what’s making heads turn. This year, the charter docks were abuzz with sailors booking their annual vacations in their favorite sailing destinations.

Harken’s new course aims to provide practical, hands on training.

With young, local talent on display in dynamic contemporary designs, the 51st St. Thomas International Regatta was a celebration of great racing and the next generation taking the lead.

Groundbreakers in yacht design, magazine publishing, and racing are among 11 chosen for the National Sailing Hall of Fame.

What if we could simplify the equipment at the top of our masts? Instead of a farm of devices, take an approach that cuts down

Four years, half a planet, and 50 crewmates later, a young sailor opens new doors to bluewater sailing.

Learning by doing is the MO for two fledging sailors and a new-to-them Cheoy Lee 48.

This tried-and-true piece of gear will keep your dinghy where you put it.

Last weekend Bentley College hosted the Northeast Ocean Racing Symposium, a day of lectures, panels, and networking centered around all things offshore.

I have never been very good at standing night watch alone.

An odyssey begins in the Mediterranean as one sailor sets out to bring his new boat home.