Having capitulated, here’s how to raise the waterl...
September 25, 2026
Most of us know Michael Palin from his days with Monty Python’s Flying Circus, but he has also produced several superb BBC travel documentaries. It was probably his fame from the former and inv...
Peter Brennan has “wrung more salt water out of his socks than most of us have sailed over.” This memoir encompasses 10 voyages the author has made aboard his Pearson 30, Happy Times; on Mists ...
THUMBS DOWN FOR PFD PERSPECTIVE I just have to comment on the most recent The Dogwatch Mail Buoy conversation about pictures of kids without PFDs (“Thumbs Up For Depicted PFD Use,” March 2019). I foun...
Singlehanded sailing and photography don’t always go together. Throw in some brisk wind, maybe a tender boat, perhaps no autopilot, and capturing the moments and scenes on camera can be a real challen...
Dogwatch (n): For sailors, either of the 2-hour watch periods between 1600 and 2000; For journalists, the period after going to press when staff stand by in case breaking news warrants a late edition....
We tend to forget how much GPS, accurate weather forecasting, and modern hull, sail, and communications technologies have improved our ability to get around faster and more safely on the ocean. Oh, an...
Margaret Roth died February 25 in Easton, Maryland. She was the legendary sailing first mate aboard several boats she and her husband, the late Hal Roth, cruised extensively over the years. Hal was a ...
THUMBS UP FOR SHOWING PFD USE Glad to see you’ve got a photo of a kid with a PFD on. Last year’s discussion on this topic was unnerving for me, and I was quite disappointed that some on your end defen...
Over the past several years, the sailing community has been blessed with the publication of several excellent biographies of prominent yacht designers, including those of L. Francis Herreshoff by Roge...
Glen Patron was born, as he says, “on the wrong side of the docks,” and grew up on Great Neck, on Long Island, New York. As a young boy, Glen developed a love for all literature that had anything to d...
A fresh-air solution for a boat that lacks a locker Issue 125: March/April 2019 In the 1970s and ’80s, a lot of production sailboats were equipped with alcohol-fueled galley stoves. Accordingly, there...
Boat projects and pastimes relieve the symptoms of winter withdrawal Issue 125: March/April 2019 For the sailors among us who live in the northern latitudes, the sailing season is woefully short — bar...
. . . and two true centerboarders Issue 125: March/April 2019 It is often said that all boats are compromises, but that is especially true with regard to cruising center-boarders when it comes to deci...
If at first you don’t have speed, trim, trim, and trim again Issue 125: March/April 2019 In “Testing the Waters in PHRF Part 1,” November 2018, Robb Lovell introduced us to the world of PHRF sailboat ...
Simple or sophisticated, each type has its merits Issue 125: March/April 2019 When we bought our 45-foot Liberty cutter, Nine of Cups, in 2000, she needed a number of upgrades to convert her from a co...
A simple system will keep a frugal sailor’s battery topped off Issue 125: March/April 2019 When I first mentioned adding solar power to our Corsair F 24 trimaran, my boating partners choked. They envi...
They tame stranded wire and make connections secure Issue 125: March/April 2019 A ferrule slips easily over a stranded wire and ensures that the connection is as secure as it can be in devices that ar...
Prototyping bug-proofing possibilities for opening portlights My friend’s Westsail 32 has 10 opening portlights. That’s a lot of ventilation. Without screens, it’s also a lot of entrances for bugs. Th...
New lip seals cure a dripping engine-cooling pump Issue 125: March/April 2019 The raw-water pump is an integral part of the cooling system of any marine diesel engine. If it should fail, the engine wi...
Tips for sailing with a top-down furling spinnaker Issue 125: March/April 2019 In Part 1 of this article, in the January 2019 issue, Hugh introduced flying-sail furlers and described how he installed ...
A rally cruise for small sailboats could become habit-forming Issue 125: March/April 2019 The best way to start any voyage is by seeking advice, in my case from an old high school friend who was once ...
A true shoal-draft cruiser from the UK Issue 125: March/April 2019 When you are used to sailing a performance cruiser with a 7-foot draft, the prospect of spending winters in the shallow waters of Sou...
Trying to undo them exposes their stubborn side Issue 125: March/April 2019 The title of Henry James’ classic novel The Turn of the Screw is a metaphor for the stress felt by a governess in her strugg...
An old salt learns an old trick from a docking master Issue 125: March/April 2019 On day six of a challenging singlehanded adventure tackling the Delmarva loop aboard Base Camp, my 27-foot Pearson, I ...
Buying new often makes sense. But when you’re in the market for a boat part, take a minute to consider whether that part is likely to be found used at a consignment or surplus store. I remember each y...
IN PRAISE OF THE DIY BOATYARD Last month I put it to the readers about DIY boatyards. Do you prefer these yards? Are you willing to pay more in lay-day rates to use a DIY yard? Do you have a favorite ...
Jasna Tuta and her partner, Rick Page, are self-described sea gypsies, members of the water tribe who cruise the world’s oceans. Their first book, Get Real, Get Gone: How to Become a Modern Sea Gypsy ...
When I started reading this humorous take on boating and boaters, I expected more of the usual, but Dave Selby has a new and refreshing approach to the genre. The description on Amazon says a lot: “It...
Dogwatch (n): For sailors, either of the 2-hour watch periods between 1600 and 2000; For journalists, the period after going to press when staff stand by in case breaking news warrants a late e...
