We were halfway into a three-week summer cruise through the San Juan and Gulf islands in the Pacific Northwest. Aboard Hannah, our Hunter 356, were my wife Chantil, my 15-year-old daughter, Sierra, my 11-year-old son, Aaron, and our dog, Jack; also with us were my nephews Andrew and Zack, who are 13 and 12. Our vacation was going so well I jokingly considered calling work and asking for
July in Lake Hurons North Channel is a special time. The cruising season is in full swing and what is normally a quiet wilderness area begins to come to life with cruisers looking for the perfect anchorage. Last year my family and I spent nearly a month in the North Channel visiting sleepy ports, rugged islands and one of the worlds largest freshwater fjords.The 1,000-mile round trip
INGENUITY: Tackle and WinchIn the words of the great Bernard Moitessier: Incredible, the power of a tackle on a winch. I feel I am going to start crying, its so beautiful These were his thoughts after he used a four-part block and tackle with its fall led back to a primary winch to straighten out the steel bowsprit on his ketch Joshua after she was hit by a freighter.
There are many different ways to embarrass yourself while sailing. Having fenders hanging over your topsides or large scallops in your mainsail between the slides are two popular examples. Another is to use improper radio procedures. This demonstrates your incompetence not only to those who can see you, but to everyone within 20 miles.I am constantly frustrated by the poor procedures I
Waiting to Inhale A decade ago, while thumbing through a cooking magazine, a photo of a bicycle pump caught my eye. It turned out to be a vacuum pump that could do the same thing as a big, boxy kitchen vacuum sealer costing more than $100. But it was small, hand-operated and cost just $20. I researched the Pump-N-Seal food saver online and then ordered one. It has been an
I’ve always liked the versatility that comes with a centerboard. The ability to vary your boat’s draft from deep to shallow greatly increases the options you have when cruising. The other side of the coin is maintenance.A centerboard can be made of anything from foam or plywood sheathed in epoxy to solid bronze or cast iron. The former will need fresh antifouling each year. The latter will
Line items Whether it’s an official range that is marked on a chart or just two sticks in the sand that you have set up yourself to help get your dinghy through a narrow cut in a reef, a range is an important tool for the sailor. A range works because the two vertical poles or objects are aligned to create an unmovable line of position. Ranges work best when the aftermost stick,
If you live in what some call temperate latitudes, there’s a good chance you are just about to take your last sail of the season and are well along with plans to haul your boat for the winter. This is an inevitable progression for most sailors who live in communities that budget for snow removal. Getting your boat ready for this kind of weather calls for some clear thinking and a well-developed
SAIL AWAY Although its easy to turn on the engine and pick up the anchor or cast off a mooring pennant, it can be a lot more fun for guests and crew if you sail away from an anchorage or mooring instead. This, of course, assumes suitable wind conditions and that you have enough maneuvering roomincluding a decent margin of error in case something goes wrong. If you really want
SEAMANSHIP: Snatch and Release If you anchor out a lot, as I do, eventually you will be in a situation where the flukes get snagged on something: a rock ledge or an abandoned cable are typical culprits. You’ll know you are hooked when you shorten up on the anchor rode and it will not break out, even when you power ahead over it. To retrieve the anchor you need to reverse
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.
May 17/2025: NO! The near-simultaneous accidental deaths of accused fraudsters and tech moguls Mike Lynch and Stephen Chamberlain—in disparate locations, of disparate causes—was NOT the product
People ask me a lot if I want to go cruising full time again. And I think, sure. Sure I do. I want to live
Distilled from a 57-year passion for fast, stable sailing, this performance cruising trimaran is refined into one beautiful, fierce machine.
If you’ve ever been in a nighttime sailing situation where you wished you could turn night into day, the new FLIR Ocean Scout Pro thermal monocular may be just what you’re looking for.
Gift Ideas for Sailors 2025
From the Spring 2025 issue of Multihull Power & Sail, a special issue of SAIL published in partnership with our sister magazine Power & Motoryacht.
