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Cruising Tips

Voice of Experience: Shafted in the Jumentos

The prop shaft is broken, and bad weather is coming. Now what? We were not going anywhere under power now for sure, and in the light air the tide was taking us down onto the rocks of the northern Jumentos Cay at a rapid rate.  

Setting Tandem Anchors

A Category IV hurricane was heading our way, and we did not want to leave our boat in a marina that would have no protection from the ravages of a storm of this magnitude. Instead, we chose a lesser evil, one in which our boat had a better chance of survival—we anchored it, using tandem anchors—

Filling a Fire Extinguisher with Cayenne Pepper?

As a solo, 78-year-old great-grandmother preparing to singlehand my Challenger 32, Dharma, to the South Pacific, Asia and beyond, I knew I needed to think about some kind of protection onboard.

Surveyor’s Notebook: Stopping Portlight Leaks

Leaking portlights are a common sight on older sailboats, and they aren’t uncommon on newer ones. Often the owner does not notice small leaks, but over time they get worse and worse until they cannot be ignored.

A Dragging Anchor in the Middle of the Night

April 29, 2010, began as a day full of promise as I set sail at 0830 from Marina Real on the Sea of Cortez in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Heading out on My Traveling Star, my Bayliner Buccaneer 22, I enjoyed perfect weather and fair wind. It was the best day of sailing I had enjoyed in the year or so I had owned her.

Choosing a Spinnaker for Your Sailboat

Why are so many cruising sailors scared of spinnakers? Today’s cruising A-sails are so forgiving and easy to deal with that there’s really no excuse for not having one on board.

Surveyor’s Notebook: Using the Proper Seacock

According to Boat US, boats sinking at docks account for a disproportionate number of insurance claims. Frankly, I’m not surprised. Even a modest boat often has six or seven through-hull fittings below the waterline. Should one of these fail, the inrush of water will swiftly sink the boat

Beneteau GT 40

Beneteau GT 40

Sporty, sleek, and comfortable—meet Beneteau’s new and versatile GT 40.

Photo by Adam Cove

Cruising Off The Grid

When getting away means more than just a weekend out of the slip, here are some ideas for achieving range and independence when you go cruising.

Photo By Lydia Mullan

The Long Road to Newport

After sinking in the Newport-Bermuda Race, one sailor makes her slow way back to offshore racing—and maybe sets a new Annapolis-Newport record in the process.

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