Spinlocks new Deckware fid is the first piece of gear that the DHS has confiscated from me before I boarded a commercial flight. Luckily, I was flying home from a boat show and not to an ocean race, but the experience solidified the fact that this fid packs some punch. The unit features a long needle end, allowing it to work with snap shackles up to Tylaska size T-20s. Its
We had the opportunity to test top-of-the-line foul weather gear from Musto and Gill HPX Ocean and Gill Atlantic gear on a Southern Ocean sailing expedition to South Georgia, writes our man in te field, Hamish Laird, skipper of the high-latitudes charter boat Seal.. The Musto HPX Ocean and Gill Atlantic suits have now done over 5000 miles on the boat in cold, wet
Looking for the perfect sailing/hiking/exploring sandals? Look no farther than the Chaco Z1. These kicks are equally at home on a trail, on a beach, in the surf, or on a deckprovided you buy them with the nonskid Unaweep sole. Credit the versatility to an ingenious strap-tightening system. Simply pull on the adjustment strap and youre set; theres no Velcro to come
Pocket SwordIf you like folding knives with a million built-in gadgets, stop reading this review. But if you value exceptional workmanship, excellent quality materials, and the sharpest blade that this sailor has ever used bar none meet the Basic 3 from the studio of boutique knife maker David Boye. After using countless stainless-steel diving knives that always end
We sailors rarely have to defend our sport because, well, we avoid arguing with nonsailors. Still, the occasional skirmish does occur, usually within range of a glass of something. A bargument, says Doug Hanks, is a debate with no right or wrong answer, simple enough to discuss after three beersfor example, Who would win in a war between California and Texas?When Hanks met up with
With stunning marine photography and a nautical quote for every day of the year, Sailors Wisdom makes a great addition to any sailors library. In this impressive coffee-table tome, Philip Plissonan acclaimed maritime photographer with over 400,000 photographs and 40 books under his beltcaptures the many moods and aspects of the sea and those who live and work around it. From
By David SchmidtFinding the right ocean-going seabag isnt easy. Buy one that’s too big, and youll fill it (to the annoyance of your skipper, who might send you packing to repack). Buy one thats too small, and youll likely regret that too. Luckily, the new Barrel Bag, part of Pumas sailing gear for its Volvo Ocean Race team, is
If you own an older boat, finding the right trailer can be a chore, especially if the boat is no longer in production. Luckily, theres a solution. Meet Brian Bishop, owner of a boutique sailboat trailer company called Sailboat Transporter. After spending some frustrating time seeking a reliable, reasonably priced trailer for his Islander 36, Bishop realized that a market niche existed, which he
By David SchmidtAs a kid, I scoffed at sunscreen. Now I seek out intelligent sailing gear that comes loaded with an SPF rating (perhaps thats the inner kid still hating to rub on the slippery stuff). Sunday Afternoons Sun Tee shirt perfectly fits this bill. Not only does it have an SPF 50 rating, but its soft, meshlike fabric feels cool on a hot day, and it dries super-fast, even
Locked and LoadedOne of the great pleasures of voyaging is exploring ashore. An onboard bicycle can be a great convenience, but full-sized bikes are hard to stow. Folding bikes with small wheels can be unstable and tiring to ride. SwissBikes XO boasts 26-inch wheels, an aluminum frame, a front shock absorber, high-quality components, and an easy-to-use folding
Our Open 60, NV, was originally designed, built, and raced by Hungarian sailor Nándor Fa in the singlehanded around-the-world races Around Alone and the Vendée
The Cruising Club of America (CCA) is a collection of 1,400 ocean sailors with extensive offshore seamanship, command experience, and a shared passion for making
Jan. 11/2023: Now comes news over the past weekend that Charley Morgan, one of the great pioneers of fiberglass boatbuilding and design, left this world
The lonely southern latitudes will be uncharacteristically busy this season, between the Ocean Race’s mammoth Cape Town-to-Itajai leg, the final stretch of the Golden Globe’s
The adventure sailing company 59 North is reserving two bunks on all upcoming voyages for women. The move is to help make participation in its
July 14/2022: I must confess I had never even heard of Ralph Middleton Munroe, a.k.a. “the Commodore,” until just 12 years ago, when I test-sailed
The fifth annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge will begin in just over a month with a record number of boats on the start line. “From a
Every year, sailboat manufacturers around the world launch their latest models, and every year, SAIL magazine’s experienced boat reviewers spend days and weeks learning what’s
Kenichi Horie, who undertook his most recent voyage last year at age 83, sailing solo from San Francisco to Chiba, Japan, in an 18-foot sloop,
Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham, the final finishers of the 2022 Sydney-Hobart, had a goal to finish by New Year’s Day. It came down to
