Master the Sailing Basics: Never Stop Learning the Little Things
Seamanship is about big concepts and small skills. They work together, but we see them differently and they represent different types of learning. Big...
Electric Winch and Windlass Safety
A decade ago a woman from Venezuela was hoisting her husband up the mast of their Amel Maramu 54. The winch was electrically powered,...
Severed Anchor in the Bahamas: Seven Lessons Learned
Leaving Rhode Island to sail to the Bahamas, I wanted to be untethered, for a while. Adrift at dawn and heading for rocks in...
Another Look at Fitting Jacklines
“Keep the crew on the inside and the water on the outside.”
This old salt's advice to new offshore sailors is somewhat “tongue in cheek”...
Collision Avoidance When ‘See and Avoid’ Fails
The obvious answer for how to maneuver when vessels meet at sea is for everyone to follow the Convention on the International Regulations for...
When a Welcome Home Becomes a Rescue
Bill had been sailing single handed aboard his Bristol Channel Cutter 28 Pixie for nearly 90 days from Christchurch, New Zealand to Victoria, British...
Emergency Steering? You Can Jury-Rig a Drogue For That
I had been driving my 34-foot catamaran down the Chesapeake Bay at 8-9 knots all morning, propelled by a fresh breeze. “Thud … thud.”...
Practical Sailor Classic: The Load on Your Rode
Our time spent testing anchors has prompted some important musings; we offer the following thoughts regarding the forces and factors to be considered before purchasing anchors and rodes.
Anchor Rodes for Smaller Sailboats
The usual advice for anyone seeking all-rope anchor rode is usually to just get some three-strand nylon anchor. The makes sense. Three-strand nylon is inexpensive, wears best, and is easy to splice. But one size, or even one type of rope, does not necessarily fit all situations.
Hard Lessons from Hurricane Florence
August through October are hurricane months in the Carolinas. While it’s almost always best to haul out for a hurricane, it’s not an option...
Live On A Cheap and Small Sailboat! The Newport 27
Living on a sailboat might be all the rage amidst high cost of living but, what about the high cost of sailboats? This week...
Latest Sailboat Review
Catalina 25 Used Boat Review
The Catalina 25 is not exceptionally fast, stylish, or spacious compared to newer widebody models, and while the construction and workmanship are adequate, they too are not exceptional. But because of the builder's strict adherence to a philosophy of offering a relatively spacious design, relatively well made, at a reasonable price, and backing up the product with generally good customer service, the Catalina 25 has turned out to be one of the most successful small cruising sailboats ever built, with 5,332 boats sold between 1976 and 1990, when the company ceased producing the model as demand tailed off.