. . . against its cruising contemporaries Issue 77 : Mar/Apr 2011 The long waterlines, moderate draft, husky displacement, and modest sail area of both the Mariner 36 and Pearson 36 are a solid indica...
. . . with a duo of double-ended classics Issue 78 : May/Jun 2011 Because the Corbin 39 has some rather unusual features for a production yacht, it was easy to select two boats for comparison. Very fe...
Contrary to Internet rumors, it is not weak Issue 79: July/Aug 2011 Recently, in online sailing forums, I have seen self-proclaimed pundits advise sailors new to yachting that single-spreader rigs are...
When boats leave the safety of the drawing board Issue 79: July/Aug 2011 In my more than 50 years designing yachts, I’ve had my share of problems with owners and with boatbuilders, including raw amate...
Against fellow cruisers with clipper bows Issue 79: July/Aug 2011 This is an unusual group as clipper-bowed small boats have been fairly rare in mass production. Aesthetically, I can see the problem, ...
. . . with two contemporary classic cruisers Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 The Mistral 33, Ericson 35, and Seafarer 34 are classics by three top designers representing some of the best of a good era: the l...
. . . and a pair of CCA-style contemporaries Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 I was quite pleased to hear the Luders 36 was to be a feature boat as A.E. “Bill” Luders Jr. was my boss and mentor from 1960 to th...
. . . meets veterans designed for similar goals Issue 83: March/April 2012 In this issue we have three 30-foot-waterline cruiser/racers, all designed originally for serious ocean racing with cruising ...
. . . with two variations on the theme Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 Note: In an editorial snafu, we didn’t make it clear to Ted that the feature boat is a centerboard version of the Bristol 35.5 so his com...
People may be impressed by a millionaire’s rocketship, but “ooohs” and “aaahs” are saved for the classic. A British author once wrote, in effect, that you can go away for...
Whether constructed of steel or aluminum, metal yachts deserve a second look In the 1960s and early 1970s we rarely saw metal yachts in North American waters. Steel yachts had been built in Holland an...
Top designer Ted Brewer explains stability and how it affects safety and speed The speed of a sailing yacht in any given wind is determined, to a large extent, by the amount of sail she can carry. In ...
Ted Brewer explains how racing rules affected seaworthiness – but not always for the better The purpose of any rating rule is to enable yachts of different sizes to race together fairly. Without...
Ted Brewer reviews the ins and outs and ups and downs of keel design The purpose of a keel, fin, or centerboard is to provide resistance to making leeway; in effect, to keep the yacht from sliding sid...
As you are aware, proper helm balance is a very desirable factor on a sailing yacht and can make the difference between a craft that is enjoyable to sail and one that has a helm that would rupture a g...
While economics favor the sloop, other rigs have much to offer The history of the fore-and-aft rig is a fascinating one. It is particularly interesting when you realize that two of the earliest fore-a...
What’s the meaning of all those numbers used by yacht designers? The terms and ratios that follow are used by all yacht designers, so it’s a good idea to have an understanding of them if y...
After going through this book, almost page by page, I have decided that a much better name for it would have been the “Mariner’s Encyclopedia.” Its 544 well-illustrated pages are, truly, that complete...
Sea Survival is the official handbook for the one-day Royal Yachting Association’s “Basic Sea Survival” course, and the two-day RYA/ISAF “Offshore Safety” course. It is extremely thorough in some resp...
This is a book that will be heartily enjoyed by any true sailor and will provide real thrills, along with useful information, for the few who yearn for adventure in small open boats. My copy arrived i...
A professional yacht designer says you might be happier with one The summer winds are fickle and light in many of the waters of North America. I’ve sailed in a number of them: Lake Ontario, Long Islan...
Olin Stephens is a brilliant and largely self-educated designer who nevertheless became one of the past century’s most distinguished and revered naval architects. In 1927, at the age of 19, with...