Seamanship

Before heading offshore, take some time to know how your boat responds in various conditions  (published October 2016) While sailors often think first of checking the […]

All of the weather forecasts from multiple sources indicated a likely and potentially dangerous passage. The real question was whether or not we would have the […]

How to plan a fall passage from the East Coast to the tropics  (published September 2016) Several falls ago, I found myself aboard Peter Johnstone’s 68-foot […]

Tropical weather systems, and hurricanes in particular, have their own idiosyncrasies. Understanding them can help us deal with them more effectively. Misunderstanding them can be a […]

If you’re attempting to address a medical emergency and you’re not prepared, you’re already too late  (published August 2016) Six months before we were scheduled to […]

The decision to switch from a symmetrical spinnaker to a Parasailor proved to be the right one for this cruising couple aboard their Pearson 424  (published […]

Whether you’d like to extend your sailing season into the colder months or make a voyage to the wilds of the high latitudes, there’s extra planning […]

Preparations for the Bermuda Race are about to commence, but getting ready for an offshore passage isn’t unfamiliar territory despite the myriad possibilities that lurk in […]

Today’s sailor has a wide array of devices to call for help in an emergency  (published May 2016) Several years ago during the annual Fastnet Race […]

With enough time and miles at sea, encountering problems and equipment failures is inevitable. Having the original equipment manufacturers’ authorized spares and repair kits onboard is […]