Every time my wife Jennifer and I sail to the Beaver Islands, something goes wrong. So why do we keep going there? Initially it was because of where they are, but now its because of what they are.First, the where part. The Beavers are a dozen islands in northern Lake Michigan, 30 miles from Michigan sailing centers like Mackinac Island, Harbor Springs and Charlevoix.
As adventure-seekers, we take our sailing trips seriously. We want to unfurl our sails, explore far-off locations and leave the daily grind behind. But when the pennies start to pinch, vacations tend to be the first luxury to go.This doesnt have to be the case. With a few adjustments you can still enjoy the trip of a lifetime without breaking the bank. Stay closer to
According to received wisdom, theres no point in going to the Caribbean in the summer. Too hot, the naysayers grumble. And if its not too hot, its too wet. Youd have to be pretty dumb to go down there in hurricane season. All of which is true, and also not true.Yes, it can be hot, yes, it rains more than in winter and yes, there is the chance a marauding
A gentle west wind rippled the placid waters of Silver Bay, glistening in the light of a full moon that truly did make the bay look silvery. I was sitting alone in the cockpit, a cold beer in hand. Beads of condensation from the bottle dampened my palm. It was after Labor Day and the anchorage was deserted, except for me and my two Elizabeths.A flash of light caught my
A gentle west wind rippled the placid waters of Silver Bay, glistening in the light of a full moon that truly did make the bay look silvery. I was sitting alone in the cockpit, a cold beer in hand. Beads of condensation from the bottle dampened my palm. It was after Labor Day and the anchorage was deserted, except for me and my two Elizabeths.A flash of light caught my
Are you contemplating a Caribbean bareboat charter, but concerned about the cost? Heres how you can blow those worries off the chart with just a few simple tricks.Most charter companies have tempting deals that offer full or partial meal provisioning. If you choose not to take advantage of these, you will save money by not paying for items that you dont use. We recently met a couple who,
The Throgs Neck Bridge cast a shadow over the East River off the bow of StewardShip, my friend Dave Stewards C&C 29 MK II, a fast-yet-comfortable cruiser. A stiff southerly breeze bearing funky scents of the Big Apple filled the sails, speeding us along.Standing at the wheel, I glanced up at the underside of the span, experiencing the usual trick of the eye
The Throgs Neck Bridge cast a shadow over the East River off the bow of StewardShip, my friend Dave Stewards C&C 29 MK II, a fast-yet-comfortable cruiser. A stiff southerly breeze bearing funky scents of the Big Apple filled the sails, speeding us along.Standing at the wheel, I glanced up at the underside of the span, experiencing the usual trick of the eye
Is it a love story when a widow and a widower fall in lovenot with each other, but with the Chesapeake Bay? Two years ago, at the age of 55, I became a widow and got my U.S. Coast Guard license to operate a 50-ton vessel. Herb, 81, recently widowed, and once an expert sailor on Canadas Georgian Bay, moved aboard Ticketoo II, a 34-foot Catalina, on the Chesapeake
I had signed on as crew aboard a yacht sailing down to the South Pacific from the Galapagos. A young woman also came aboard for the same leg and she and I were assigned watches together. She was a difficult shipmate, with a fickle personality that veered unpredictably from chatty and social to argumentative and sullen as suddenly as a summer squall.One day, after wed been underway for a
The 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race was the first sailing race that I ever tuned in for. I was in college at the time—hard to believe
I love quick and clear access to data when I’m racing. Even when I’m cruising, I enjoy running numbers through my head. In both cases,
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail This winter, a young couple moved aboard a first-of-its-kind, fresh-from-the-factory Fountaine
There’s a scene in the movie Moana when Tala, the grandmother figure of Motunui, a fictional South Pacific island, is lying on her deathbed, speaking
Sometimes you draw the long straw with a boat test and get the chance for a multi-day delivery to really put the boat through its
Sometimes you add value to the boat, other times the boat adds value to you. Own a sailboat? Pete Van Hamersveld didn’t even know how
Some of the best gifts come in small packages. So it was when my sister-in-law asked me and my husband if we would race her
More and more, “smart” systems are becoming the norm on boats. Case in point, the Smart-Hatch, which swaps out the hinge and handles of a
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail When my editor assigned this story, I promised myself not to
Schooner Creek services more than 600 boats a year in addition to new builds. When it comes to West Coast sailing, images of the deep,
