Sophisticated mechanisms that use a simple principle Issue 93 : Nov/Dec 2013 Windvane steering was pioneered by Blondie Hasler in the 1960s and is the autopilot of choice for many bluewater sailors. I...
A solo sailor is active in mind and body Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 In 1974, I owned a varnished wooden Folkboat in Branford, Connecticut. On my first try at sailing solo I was wracked with anxiety, not ...
The rich rewards of sailing solo Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 Over the years I’ve learned that, without quiet contemplative time on the water, I suffer as if from lack of freedom. The mind of a sailor seem...
Guest editorial Issue 93 : Nov/Dec 2013 The chart plotter has evolved into a wonder that has simplified navigation and route planning beyond the dreams of sailors of old. Over the last decade, chart p...
Opening the door to a new paradise Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 You don’t have to cross oceans to enjoy sailing and you don’t have to sail around the world to have grand adventures. As my husband, Dave, pu...
An inferior anchor was a drag Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 Autumn in the northeastern part of the North American continent is a golden time of year. Gone are the summer mugginess and drab green scenery, re...
Turbulent economic winds pruned a budding sailboat industry Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 Most owners of good old boats have a strong association with Japanese products: Yanmar diesel auxiliaries are popula...
Let how you cruise be how you choose Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 Cruising in trailerable sailboats has its advantages. In the winter, you can get your boat from the frozen north to Florida at 60 mph in a ...
Little Mystic’s crew is in awe of their grace Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 That old saying about how “the sea is so great and my boat is so small” never seemed truer than this past summer when Mystic’s 30 ...
A breathtaking show for an audience of one Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 It’s just past 2 a.m. The only sound is the velvet swish of water sliding along the hull. We’re about 50 miles offshore with no sign ...
Savor the flavor but save the fuel Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 The aroma of freshly baking bread fills the saloon and lifts our spirits. As coastal cruisers, we find it necessary and oh, so satisfying, to...
On burying a sailor you’ve never met Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 “For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of con...
A race for chariots and classics alike Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 While I’ve sailed and cruised much of my life, I’ve never been a racer, never even attended a race. So the day before the start of the 20...
The cost to repair vs. the cost to replace Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 Let’s say your 30-foot good old boat needs $25,000 worth of repairs and she’s only worth $20,000. Should you make the repairs? Many d...
Mitigating mayhem might be your best hope Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 In our travels aboard Nine of Cups, we’ve seen some dandy thunder-and-lightning storms. In some places, like the mid-latitudes in the ...
Nobility among metals has its benefits Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 When two dissimilar metals are immersed in an electrolyte, they form a battery. If they are connected electrically, an electric current w...
Hand and reef, I’m in . . . but must I also steer? Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 After more than 20 years of sailing, I have finally figured out that I lack the knack for steering. Apparently I just don’t h...
Priceless memories acquired for little outlay Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 In all the books I read growing up, cruising sailors generally came across as an un-wealthy bunch. Tristan Jones, whether his tale...
Chocolate bars made on board are tasty and economical Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 Could there be a sailboat afloat that doesn’t have chocolate bars, chocolate chips, or chocolate drink powder crammed into...
Registries can reveal a lot Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 We’re all curious about the good old boats out there. You’ve probably learned to recognize some boats by their sail insignias, cove stripes, the sha...
. . . but you can still enjoy the journey Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 We should have known better. Over the years we have tried to plan ahead and have mail waiting for us when we arrived somewhere, but we...
He founded Westerly Marine Construction and launched a thousand dreams Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 Denys Rayner was born in the outskirts of London, England, in 1908. As a boy, he was smitten with boats, ...
She was a long time budding . . . Issue 96 : May/Jun 2014 Eleven years is a long time to dedicate to a two-year refit. But there it is. This summer we will launch our project boat, purchased in Februa...
Parallels between the Blue Ridge and the deep blue Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 I used to dream about sailing around the world in our beloved 32-foot double-headsail Cheoy Lee ketch, Experiment. You know t...
Use them for handles, tethers, and tie-downs Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 We have dozens of lanyards aboard Nine of Cups. We use them on pelican hooks, zippers, key rings, flashlights, and even USB flashdr...
Not every child is raised alongside a yawl Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 My brother, Boo Boo, materialized in a crib in the dining room in 1964 about the time Dad birthed a boat in the living room. Dad had ...
Celestial bodies have lost their star appeal Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 I was in my early twenties when I first learned about celestial navigation. I had an interest in astronomy as a kid, was a fairly k...
The Oxford Dinghy lured a family into sailing Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 The last thing on my mind that Friday evening 34 years ago was buying a boat. With Peg beside me and our son Chris in the back sea...
Make inspection and maintenance your watchwords Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 During the golden age of sail, old salts greeted new crewmembers with the advice, “One hand for the ship and one hand for yourse...
The elusive measure of comfort at sea Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 The subject of seakindliness comes up any time the conversation turns to long-range cruising. Someone who asks about a particular boat, “H...
