Ring Around the Headstay
February 28, 2013
The first bareboat I ever hired in the Virgin Islands, many moons ago, was from a small hole-in-the-wall charter outfit with a rather motley fleet of vessels.
The first bareboat I ever hired in the Virgin Islands, many moons ago, was from a small hole-in-the-wall charter outfit with a rather motley fleet of vessels.
The wind was too light to sail, so we started out motoring. Soon, however, my buddy’s motor started heating up. The access hatch was buried under camping gear, and he didn’t want to investigate right then, so he shut his engine down, and I took his boat in tow.
Pressure water is always nice on a boat, but when a landlubbing crew comes aboard it only encourages them to waste a precious commodity.
If you’re like many boatowners, you’ll only learn that the hoses connecting your cockpit drains to the transom through-hulls have failed when you see your floorboards afloat.
It never fails to amaze me how many jerry jugs of fuel some bluewater sailors are willing to carry on deck. Once I spotted a boat at the fuel dock in St. Georges with 16 jugs open on the quay waiting to be filled…
Seven things I wished I’d known before taking my nautical leap of faith
During the 2011 edition of the Caribbean 1500 cruising rally, nine yachts of the fleet of 62 broke off after crossing the Gulf Stream and sailed toward Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.
If ever you find yourself with a heavy boat tied to a dock or wall, blowing off so that no amount of heaving will bring her in, you can always use the simple principle of parbuckling on your docklines.
“We’ll only be out for an hour,” he promised, and I decided to believe him. The wind out on Lake Ontario was light, the seas were calm, and despite there being some dark clouds in the distance, it looked like a great afternoon for a sail.
I never used to read how-to articles in sailing magazines. They were too daunting. I might want to build a thingie or fix a whatnot, but a few paragraphs in, I would learn that success was possible only if certain conditions were met.
I have a confession to make: I recently read one of John Kretschmer’s books for the first time. You’d think someone who’s made a career
As the summer winds down, a season change is in the air. Autumn? Nope, it’s boat show season. You’d think the SAIL editors would all
A drop-in sailing lifestyle is a reasonable alternative to cruising on your own boat.
Reserve your tickets now.
Ready or not, boat show season is upon us.
As the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival approaches its half-century mark, a look at past, present, and future of this Pacific Northwest classic.
Tracy Edwards led the first all-female circumnavigation during the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race and has been a bold advocate for women and girls ever since.
This Italian/Danish build aims to bridge the gap from small boat to grand prix sailing.
The Bar Keeper’s Friend It doesn’t matter what a class act your boat is, I’ll bet the builders let a few so-called stainless steel bolts
Michael Reardon, founder and CEO of Daedalus Yachts, has purchased several American-made brands this year.
