Lifeline failure usually arrives as a shocking surprise, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Metal fatigue and crevice corrosion are hidden from sight in traditional lifeline construction,
Forty years ago, the solid-state revolution, which gave us computers and a host of increasingly powerful electronic devices, reshaped boat energy systems in ways that
Sixteen years ago, I installed solar panels on my boat. At the time, the peak efficiency at converting sunlight to electricity was around 16%. Today’s
When we decided to add windvane steering coupled with a hydrogenerator to our sailboat, our focus was on the practical aspects: conserving battery power, adding
Neil Evans has been talking about the merits of Harken’s T2 Soft-Attach blocks—most significantly the soft Dyneema shackle as its attachment point, rather than a
Ever wonder how the gear we put on our boats gets tested before we ever use it? If it’s Harken gear, that would be the
Winter can be an overlooked season for the mid-latitude boat. Even if you don’t snowbird south for the tropics, good times aboard can still be
There were two things I disliked about my 1987 Pearson 39-2 from the outset—the anchor locker and the forecabin. The former was a shallow tray,
A dark cloud has been hanging over Starlink antennas lately. Sailors around the world have been bypassing the $5,000 per month maritime version of Elon
You might think that watching invasive surgery on a dated fiberglass sailboat week in and week out would be just about the last thing to
“I think I have at least one more trip in me on my own boat!” My dad Dennis isn’t normally the type to be inspiring,
American sailor Paul Cayard has been named the 2026 recipient of the Magnus Olsson Prize for excellence, sportsmanship, and innovation in sailing. “I was fortunate
A community sailing center’s youth team is making strides on the offshore racing circuit.
Developed in record time and on a shoestring budget, a new design hits the bullseye of the cruising market.
This weekend’s International Multihull Show wrapped up yesterday after a landmark year, with 82 boats on display and record numbers of international attendees. First held
Souvenirs are evidence of a life well lived and uniquely documented.
Our 1979 Cheoy Lee 41, Avocet, was anchored in Morro Bay during the worst storm system the state of California had seen in two decades.
Note: This story is excerpted from SAIL Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s upcoming book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance—a compendium of lessons learned during his
In the May issue, Charles Scott writes about sailing OPBs—other people’s boats—and a host of voyages that he’s been on thanks to generous invites, offers
A little know how will save you a lot of stress on passage.
