A drifter evokes pioneering explorers and the eternal quest for meaning. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 We hoist the drifter instead of the genoa, hoping the diaphanous sail will conjure a breeze. I pad forw...
Two self-described amateurs tackle a DIY rigging replacement project. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 When we purchased Dawn, our 1978 Tartan 27-2, she had been dry-docked for several years with her mast down...
Rest and relaxation on a Chesapeake Bay cruise. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 I noticed the colorful accent pillow on a side shelf at the marine thrift shop last spring. For only five bucks, it would perk u...
Doing the toggle twist to keep our masts upright. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 I can’t dance; just ask my wife (cue chuckles). Given a tune, my twists, turns, and shimmies are as hopelessly misaligned as w...
The right decision about finishing an aluminum mast can be key to your rig’s longevity. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Sailboats would be nothing without their sails, but even less without masts to hold them...
Delayed engine maintenance leads to a white-knuckled sail through a slice of New York history. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 “Whatever you do, retorque the head at 500 hours,” I was told by the previous own...
How safe are your chainplates? Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 “What’s this? It looks like you have a crack in this chainplate!” my friend John said while dropping into his dinghy. It was our final afternoon ...
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...
The ins and outs of replacing your stainless lifelines with synthetic. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, abbreviated UHMWPE and best known by the trade names Dyneema an...
A well-planned economy cruiser Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Rich and Carolyn Sutorius of St. Charles, Missouri, sailed a Seafarer 26, Manana, for more than 30 years. We reviewed the boat in the July/August...
