The Terrifically Terrible Tether
Taking the road less traveled by sailboat (published May 2018) The hardest part about having an adventurous spirit is the inevitable aloneness that accompanies it. I’m not just talking about the physical aloneness felt by a distance through-hiker or a solo sailor. I’m also talking about the mental aloneness ingrained
New Beneteau First Yacht 53 To Launch in 2019
Beneteau recently announced the creation of an all-new 53-footer that will be the flagship of the completely re-imagined First line of performance cruisers. The First brand has long been popular worldwide because the designs –36.7, 40.7, 47.7 among them—can be raced in one design fleets, can compete successfully in rated
The Case for Laminated Cruising Sails
No longer sails only for racers, modern membrane, laminated sails will make your cruising boat sail a lot better and will hold their shape longer than conventional sails (published April 2018) Have you ever sailed alongside an old classic and been amazed by how fast the boat was going? The
Fitting Out
Whether you are getting ready for a spring launch or going through your annual haul out, here’s a guide to the essential tasks (published April 2018) Most cruisers are fairly hands on and will undertake many if not most of the chores in an annual prelaunch refit when getting our
Becoming a Yachtmaster
Earning a prestigious RYA Yachtmaster certificate can take a sailor many years of courses and training. The author earned hers the Fast-Track way in 10 Demanding Weeks (published April 2018) I didn’t know, but the five guys reviewing the basics of VHF communication in the cockpit of the yacht close-by
Theft in Bequia
Another perfect day in paradise? Well, maybe not when an iPad goes missing and the police and lawyers get involved (published April 2018) I was enjoying a peaceful breakfast at Wildcat’s cockpit table Wednesday morning, watching the sailboats tied up to mooring balls behind us in Bequia’s Admiral Bay harbor
One More Last Time
Having made the passage from Newport to the Caribbean dozens of times, the author skippers a big Swan in the NARC one last time and reflects on the challenges and pleasures of the offshore passage (published April 2018) Strong gusts threw short rollers into the marina pinning our Nautor Swan
Four Sailors Rescued off North Carolina
On November 29, four experienced sailors who were delivering a 55-foot sloop from Annapolis to Florida ran into trouble. The Coast Guard came to their rescue. Read Bill Wagner's article in the Capitol Gazette below. Four sailors attempting to deliver a 55-foot sailboat from Annapolis to Miami were rescued
keeping the Crew Clean
The dirt on doing laundry (published April 2018) When we reached Palau in early 2017 I was giddy with the prospect of dropping off our oversized bag of dirty clothes at a laundromat. It wasn’t because we had just finished a rough 3-week passage and the hamper was overflowing, or
Lists & More Lists
Recognizing my own shortcomings, I know that when it comes to tasks, if it’s not written down, it’s not getting done. Something similar may be said for those things that I really want to have onboard for longer passages (published April 2018) Winter may be getting ready to fade into