Having capitulated, here’s how to raise the waterl...
September 25, 2026
A fun night sail after a dinner out with friends turns harrowing for a father and son. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 In the moment before disaster struck, I distinctly remember working on the foredeck of my...
An array of flexible, foldable solar panels enables extended cruising even when it rains. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Some people are motivated by the lure of wealth, fame, and power. I’m motivated by bee...
A simple strap with low-friction rings can improve mainsail performance. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Sails are amazing fabrications. They start out as bits of flat cloth, and through the tailoring of the ...
For a new sailor, a fateful trip sparked a seemingly impossible goal. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 When the sailing bug bites, it bites hard. It got me while spending 21 days aboard Selkie, a custom alumin...
How a mast overhaul marked the passing of an icon and a new chapter for a storied rigging loft. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 The 60-odd-foot aluminum tube, balanced horizontally on a custom two-wheeled car...
Custom treads made from composite decking take the pain out of a boat ladder. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 In the sailing world, misery for feet abounds—from scorched decks to stubbed toes to Slocum’s tack...
… and two more mid-’80s designs Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 The 1987 Hunter 33.5 predated my arrival as chief designer at Hunter in 1992, but was still in production until 1994. It was then replaced...
Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Twenty years ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself as a sailor, much less an editor at Good Old Boat magazine. I grew up near Vancouver, British Columbia, one of the world’s gre...
Quiet morning moments on a boat bestow a tranquil richness Issue 149: March/April 2023 Is there any doubt that the best place to be in the world is on a boat first thing in the morning? Listen: For a ...
Padding your mast climbing harness will save your legs and allow you to work longer Issue 149: March/April 2023 Climbing harnesses have become increasingly popular for mast work, outstripping the trad...
Helping a classic Alberg come to life as a racer-cruiser Issue 149: March/April 2023 Sailing — moving a craft through the water using the wind’s energy — is a magical experience. Witness the var...
Regulating copper-leaching rates of antifouling paints may be better than banning them Issue 149: March/April 2023 Copper is lethal to many marine organisms. That’s why it works. Antifouling paints re...
Determined to reduce his environmental impact, a sailor seeks an alternative to ablative-based antifouling paint Issue 149: March/April 2023 Several years ago, my wife and I were cruising the Bahamas ...
When a plethora of boat problems bedevil a two-week cruise, fellow boaters come to the rescue Issue 149: March/April 2023 On a brisk Saturday morning in August, my husband, Larry, and I set off on our...
When the surprise of a bad rudder comes to light, there’s only one direction to go — forward Issue 149: March/April 2023 I have to start this story with a few warnings. Your rudder matters. Don’t take...
Why sweat and contort yourself if you don’t have to? Issue 149: March/April 2023 “Every part of the hull should be easy to access!” I’ll forever remember those words from one of my offshore training c...
The emotional roller coaster is an inevitable part of the boatyard journey Issue 149: March/April 2023 I have complicated feelings about boatyards. Strolling among the jack stands, with the boats and ...
New through-hulls and lessons learned during a marathon haulout Issue 149: March/April 2023 I first stepped on a sailboat in 2015 and met my now-husband, Scott, at the helm. A friend brought me along ...
A 600-mile trip on the Saint Lawrence proves an enjoyable test for a smaller new boat Issue 149: March/April 2023 Big voyages in small sailboats have inspired me for as long as I can remember, being d...
How to transform that lukewarm solar shower into heated comfort Issue 149: March/April 2023 Like many sailors, I have a sun shower solar hot water heater. Over the years, I’ve found that it work...
A small, handsome double-ender with offshore potential Issue 149: March/April 2023 The 1970s was a transitional period in sailboat design, as CCA (Cruising Club of America) rules that had guided desig...
Issue 149: March/April 2023 With the mainsail hoisted and our 6-hp Mercury pushing us toward Lake Michigan, we scooted out of Pentwater Lake Inlet with high hopes. My 15-year-old brother, Matt, hanked...
The sailing stories we tell can be a map to a meaningful life Issue 150: May/June 2023 My first sailboat sank in 6 feet of water. In retrospect, minor maintenance could’ve saved the little dinghy. But...
How to craft a DIY electrical panel Issue 150: May/June 2023 After our family’s C&C 35-3 Secret Plans was stolen (Good Old Boat September/October 2022), we purchased a new-to-us old boat and named...
A drift down the fairway provides a lesson in boat handling and hubris Issue 150: May/June 2023 I spent the first six years of my sailing life sailing my fin-keeled 1980 Hunter 36, Gudgeon, and for mo...
Crafting a traditional interior look and feel with a little ingenuity Issue 150: May/June 2023 Calypso is the 1976 Bristol Channel Cutter we’ve owned since 1992. As you might expect, we’ve put her thr...
A sailor flouts an age-old superstition and pays the price Issue 150: May/June 2023 After what seemed like a short, mild winter, I was ready to splash for the summer season. The boatyard didn’t launch...
Replacing a boat’s halogen lights with LED ones is a satisfying, power-saving upgrade at a minimal cost Issue 150: May/June 2023 During long Quebec winters, while my small sailboat is covered on the h...
A cherished daily ritual helps a passagemaking sailor transition to cruising Issue 150: May/June 2023 Waking up in the V-berth of mySabre 30, Ora Kali, I can tell by the sun shining through the compan...
DIY rope hooks to keep your coils organized Issue 150: May/June 2023 Hooks are designed to snag. But that is the polar opposite of what I need in a rope locker. Installed in a sail locker, for example...
