Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in the big city. One day the little girls mother and father brought her to a big garden center. There were rows and rows of seeds and bulbs and saplings, and in the very middle there was a sailboat. She climbed on board and found a little kitchen, a little bed, and even a little toilet. Her mother called to her, Honey, what
Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in the big city. One day the little girls mother and father brought her to a big garden center. There were rows and rows of seeds and bulbs and saplings, and in the very middle there was a sailboat. She climbed on board and found a little kitchen, a little bed, and even a little toilet. Her mother called to her, Honey, what
When the boat is tacking taking the loaded jibsheet off a winch can be a just cause for nervousness. On boats up to 40 feet or so, the safest way to do this is to first ease the sheet off a few inches; keep the flattened palm of one hand pressed against the turns on the drum as they begin to surge around it. This slight easing removes the worst of the load. Depending on the
If you plan to be sailing in reduced light conditions make sure everyone uses the same procedure to secure a line around a cleat. If someone decides to use a fancy hitch during the day to secure a line it is easy enough to figure out how to free it up because it is right there in front of you. But when you are trying to clear an offbeat hitch in the dark, you might turn the
My wife, Des, and I have just finished a two-year circumnavigation of the Caribbean Basin. Among the things we learned was that some of the most important things that made our cruising more enjoyable cost less than ten bucks. Here are some of our favorites. Insulated tumblers Ice is a precious commodity at sea, and so is hot coffee. We used our insulated tumblers for hot coffee in
Cruising quickly becomes less enjoyable as the temperature soars, especially at night when sleeping becomes difficult. Mix in some sticky humidity and things rapidly get uncomfortable. AC works well , if you dont mind being tied to shore power and a potentially noisy dock scene (we prefer quiet anchorages, thank you). If your boat carries a genset, then youre still stuck listening to its
The three boats in Tom Cunliffes scenario all found different ways of coping with difficult weather conditions, and all made it to port with little or no drama. But what if things had turned out differently? How would they have called for help?Visual distress
The three boats in Tom Cunliffes scenario all found different ways of coping with difficult weather conditions, and all made it to port with little or no drama. But what if things had turned out differently? How would they have called for help?Visual distress
There’s an old saying that some of the most dangerous moments in sailing occur when people are in their dinghies. Over the years we’ve had lots of opportunities to see dinghies being handled well and poorly, and we’ve seen a lot more good and bad examples since we have been cruising in the Caribbean aboard our 54- foot cutter New Morning. We carry an 11-foot Zodiac
Even in the most idyllic of anchorages, the wind can come up in the middle of the night and cause trouble. At times like this we always have an action plan to follow if our anchor begins to drag. Experience has convinced me that when something goes wrong while a boat is at anchor, trouble is caused not by the conditions, but by how the crew responds to those conditions. Having
Known for its racer-cruisers, Grand Soleil builds a sleek daysailer with sustainability driving its brief.
You see a boat raise the Z or zulu flag (four triangles of yellow, blue, red and black). What are they signaling?A) Going alongside for
Building the custom 40-footer was a master class in project management, hands-on skills, and New England sailing industry collaboration.
Managing Editor Lydia Mullan and her team found themselves on a sinking ship 200 miles from shore one year ago today.
Earning a Special Mention in our Top 10 Best Boats for 2025, this expedition yacht leaves no detail unattended and no dream unimagined.
Passagemaking is requires its own special set of skills.
You’ve read about the misadventures of the J/122 Alliance over the past two years, from an eventful Annapolis-Newport in 2023 to her ultimate sinking in
Accon Marine releases a new line of streamline folding chocks for an uncluttered look on deck.
The J/42 Allegiant set a new milestone in the Annapolis-Newport Race this year as the first all-female team to complete the race.
A cruising family and two friends have recovered the University of Washington’s Seaglider in the Pacific, after learning about the plight of the damaged automated underwater vehicle from a story in SAIL.
