Lines and words that define the cruising sailboat’s hull Issue 68 : Sept/Oct 2009 About 10 years ago, I wrote an extensive article for another yachting magazine on how to understand hull lines. I work...
A boat’s bow says a lot about its behavior Issue 69 : Nov/Dec 2009 In my first column (September 2009), I established the terminology I will use. In this issue and the next, I will apply those terms t...
A boat’s back end speaks volumes about its character Issue 70 : Jan/Feb 2010 In the previous issue (November 2009), I discussed how the shape of a sailboat’s bow affects performance and handling. Now ...
How they shape up to perform their many roles Issue 71 : Mar/Apr 2010 When people discuss yacht design you often hear the phrase, “Well, it’s all a compromise.” That sounds defeatist to me. But if the...
Of foils, fins, ballast, and bulbs Issue 72 : May/Jun 2010 In the previous issue, in “All About Keels; Part 1,” Bob Perry discussed the terminology and the compromises inherent in keel design. In this...
Examining what lies beneath and behind Issue 73 : Jul/Aug 2010 If you go through the various texts on yacht design, you will find the section on rudders to be relatively anemic. Rudder design is trick...
One size, or style, does not fit all Issue 74 : Sept/Oct 2010 Writing about rudders was not much fun. Writing about rigs will be more fun. Everyone has an opinion about sailboat rigs. I have opinions ...
Sailboat interiors have come a long way from being purely practical Issue 75 : Nov/Dec 2010 When I was 15 years old, I would walk from our house on Mercer Island, Washington, to Lake Union, about 10 m...
Phil Rhodes inspired a generation of yacht designers, including Bob Perry Issue 76 : Jan/Feb 2011 It was about 50 years ago. I was probably 15 years old. I had started sailing and I was studying mecha...
There’s more to their lines than meets the eye Issue 77 : Mar/Apr 2011 A typical fleet of good old cruising boats will show tremendous variety in the design and layout of their decks. The typical flee...
Soften the helm and sharpen performance Issue 78 : May/Jun 2011 I am often asked by owners of good old boats what they can do in the way of upgrades or changes to make their boats perform better. Depe...
Good old designs that still catch the eye Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 When I was a kid in the early 1960s, there were quite a few yachting magazines. Each had its own character but they all had one thing ...
How the CCA rule influenced sailboat aesthetics Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 It’s not unusual for people to look at older boats and marvel at their beauty and remark how today’s boats just aren’t as good l...
How rating-rule number crunchers shaped sailboats Issue 83: March/April 2012 I have been looking forward to writing this. If your boat was designed between 1970 and 1985 it probably shows the effect o...