Would you buy an automobile whose rear brakes locked up and dragged along the road when going downhill? Not likely. So why do so many sailboat owners do much the same thing by dragging the blades of a propeller through the water behind them when the engine’s off?
I am retrofitting a removable staysail stay to a 1982 Bristol 40 sloop. The existing standing rig has both forward and aft lower shrouds. Do I need to add more support behind the mast to support the staysail stay when it is set up? I would like not to have to do this. If I do have to do it, what’s the most efficient, least expensive way to go about it?
What’s the latest on LED lighting strips? I’ve noticed a boat in our marina that has a pair of strips mounted in its cockpit, and they look pretty cool!
Every time I transmit on my marine SSB radio, my autopilot goes whacko. The installer says my radio is fine, and I should just “live with it.” Is it time to deep-six the radio and get a satellite phone?
I just read Nigel Calder’s article on the costs of generating energy (“The Cost of Energy,” Dec. 2012) and found it fascinating. I understand there is a high cost for generating energy at anchor by running an engine, but is there an additional cost to generating energy while underway? If my engine is running the alternator to recharge the batteries, as well as moving the boat, surely it must add to the load and increase my fuel consumption. Is the increase significant, miniscule or somewhere in between?
My sailing buddy and I are thinking about moving to a bigger boat. I now have a 31ft Pearson with a full-batten main. It is a reasonably high-performance boat, and I love to sail it. My buddy wants to go to an in-mast furling mainsail. I would like some information on how much performance is lost when switching from a full-batten to in-mast main.
I’m trying to figure out why my paddlewheel knot log is registering incorrectly. The plug is clean, and the wheel turns freely. Yesterday my GPS showed my speed over the ground was 5 to 7 knots, and the speedo registered 0 to 0.8 knot. It does this periodically to irritate me.
I’ve always liked the shape of the fully battened mainsail on Caretta, my tall rig Catalina 380 sloop. But my aging north-of-65 body no longer enjoys cranking it all the way to the top of the mast. Here’s how I upgraded my Lewmar winch for push-button operation.
My energy generation improvement plan was to install a Sterling Power Pro Alt C alternator-to-battery charger, a 50 watt Renogy monocrystalline solar panel and created my own pole-top mount
I have a 2006 Najad 440 center-cockpit sloop with a 75hp Volvo saildrive. Last summer I kept the boat at a marina in Harpswell, Maine, and as the season progressed, I noticed it was slower under power. When I hauled her in the fall, the bottom was clean as a whistle (thanks to Sea Hawk AF-33 paint), but the bronze propeller blades and hub were completely covered with barnacles. I would like to put antifouling paint on the propeller. I’ve researched the topic, but have found no definitive answers as to whether it’s a good idea.
In love with wooden boats from the start, he found a unique Alden design that continues to fulfill his sailing dreams.
Skinny water and all, a shoulder-season charter in Belize makes for a great escape.
The May 2025 issue of SAIL is here, and we’ve put a special focus on adventure.
The US Sailing Safety at Sea seminar in Annapolis is all about hands-on learning and gaining new perspectives about safety, whether racing or cruising, offshore or coastal.
Harken’s new course aims to provide practical, hands on training.
With young, local talent on display in dynamic contemporary designs, the 51st St. Thomas International Regatta was a celebration of great racing and the next generation taking the lead.
Groundbreakers in yacht design, magazine publishing, and racing are among 11 chosen for the National Sailing Hall of Fame.
What if we could simplify the equipment at the top of our masts? Instead of a farm of devices, take an approach that cuts down
Four years, half a planet, and 50 crewmates later, a young sailor opens new doors to bluewater sailing.
Learning by doing is the MO for two fledging sailors and a new-to-them Cheoy Lee 48.
