Five pirate attacks in 24 hours? Thats the report from Dolphin skipper Johan Lillkung, en route north through the Gulf of Aden and bound for home port in Palma de Mallorca. Are the waters off lawless Somalia so dangerous that the international community will be forced to intervene in this tragic country? Lillkung expresses hope for intervention in this missive, which he seeks to have widely
With boats going back in the water in the northern parts of the country and marinas further south beginning to fill up with the summer regulars, it’s time to make sure the dock lines you’ll be using are going to keep your boat in its designated spot. Carefully inspect the condition of all these lines, and if any show signs of chafe or abrasion, replace them. Once the wind has
Looking for an active family-bonding vacation? Why not learn to sail together. This summer Offshore Sailing School is offering its first Single Parents Week, July 1318, at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. Offshore has designed three course options (based on skill level) for single parents and their children, ages 7 to 17. Families will be paired together with a
Ill admit it: I was a catamaran newbie until last week when my wife, my family, and I chartered a Leopard 4300 from The Moorings base in beautiful Saint Lucia. Coming from a racing background spent on high-performance monohulls, I was a bit intimidated, especially when it came to maneuvering the boat in tight quarters. Luckily, this part proved to be the easy bit: It was sailing Steppin
If youre like me, your ability to fantasize about owning and skippering a globe-girdling yacht far out paces your ability to finance said endeavor. Still, its fun to dream, so when I saw some recent mention on the daily email newsletter Scuttlebutt that Tom Perkinss mega yacht, the 290-foot Dyna Rigged Maltese Falcon, is for sale, I couldnt resist listing the Flacons asking
Ship-speed restrictions have been proposed by NOAA to help protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale in New England; only about 350 right whales remain, and their numbers continue to fall. Because vessel strikes are the primary cause of death, the National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed a Ship Strike Rule that calls for reductions in ship speed limits to 10 knots in right-whale
San Francisco may be the most European American city, but San Francisco Bay and the views of whitecaps beyond the cable-car lines make this more than just a California placename. The ocean beyond the Golden Gate is challenging. Within the shelter of the bay is sailing adventure enough, with its typical brisk and chilly sea breeze and strong currents. Then there are the microclimates. Often, the
Think you’re the next great sailing writer? If so, we’d like to read your best coastal (or inland lake) cruising story. Please e-mail it as a Word document to sailmail@sailmagazine.com. Don’t forget to include your full name, hometown and state, and daytime phone number. Please write: “Cruising North
Seventy-four-year-old circumnavigator Gillian West and world cruiser Peter Passano were recognized for their meritorious seamanship and adventure upon the sea by the Cruising Club of America. West received the clubs Far Horizons Award for her circumnavigation in the 34-foot sloop Khamsin. She completed the circumnavigation over a 14-year series of passages while exemplifying the clubs
It was a beautiful afternoon with a gentle breeze from the southeast. My wife, Catherine, and I were out for a romantic sail. What could go wrong?I was eager to set off in our recently acquired boat, Ruach, a 13.5-foot trailerable Expo Solar Sailer designed by Garry Hoyt, Ted Hood, and Everett Pearson. Cath, a first-timer, was nervous, but throwing in a picnic
Prego! Weeks after returning from our Italian flotilla trip last summer, I was still feeling the relaxed atmosphere of the Amalfi Coast. It’s a Mediterranean
Last April, my wife, Marjorie, and I decided to take our Tartan 4100, Meri, north to Maryland from her winter home in Hobe Sound, Florida.
San Francisco was the venue of the biggest come-from-behind victory in the history of the America’s Cup when Oracle Team USA beat Emirates Team New
Dock water hoses can be seen connected to lots of boats in marinas, and my 45ft schooner, Britannia, had the system built-in from the original.
In this first part of a two-part series on light-air downwind sails, Rupert Holmes looks at the different types of Code 0’s and A-sails now
Half a century ago I signed on as a deckhand aboard a 90-ton trading ketch that had recently been sold out of service in the
Sailmaker Jud Smith won his 10th world title last year with a decisive victory in the J/70 Worlds, sailed in his home waters of Marblehead,
Twin sisters Carmen and Emma Cowles were selected as Rolex Yachtswomen of the Year after a terrific 2018 season that included their second straight Youth
What is it that makes someone want to sail alone and nonstop around the world? I’m just an average guy from Petosky, Michigan, who learned
On the final day of the 2019 Heineken Regatta, Austrian team Godspeed had one goal: beat the Germans. (Two of the Godspeed crew members are
