winter sailing - search results

For the first year since escaping New England to take the helm of Practical Sailor in 2005, I’ll be experiencing a true autumn, this time...

The first real winter blast of the year poked south of the 25th parallel this week, as sun-seeking sailors as far south as the Keys poked their head out the companionway and decided, "I'd better put on another layer." Whether you want to cruise the higher latitudes or extend your sailing season this winter, the right clothing is important. Over the years, Practical Sailor has published a number of tests and reports on the clothing that keep us warm when the wind chill dips toward freezing.

Winter is upon us, and that means we’ll have a little time to catch up on our reading. Here are a few of the...

For the first year since escaping New England to take the helm of Practical Sailor in 2005, I’ll be experiencing a true autumn in Marquette, MI—a place I’ve been travelling back-and-forth to from Florida for several years. Fall quickly becomes winter in the Upper Peninsula (the “UP,” as the Yoopers call it), so I find myself thumbing […]

While many North American sailors have already hauled out their boats for winter, there are plenty of cold-weather diehards who refuse to bow to the season. In a recent issue of Practical Sailor, contributor Drew Frye shares his tips for sailing year round above the frost-line. It has always seemed a shame to me that the great majority of boats in the country are only used in the summer," says Frye, who sails through the winter on Chesapeake Bay. "[In winter] I have the waters virtually to myself.

I can endure anything if my feet are warm, and dry is even better. I like winter sailing; not just the shoulder seasons, but...

If you want your ropes to stay a bit lighter in the rain and spray, waterproofing treatments can definitely help. In our testing, Nikwax Rope Proof made a 39-percent difference in water-weight gain after a dunking—compared to untreated line—after eight months of use. It also gave a subtle, but unmistakable, improvement in handling and reduction in snarling. It seems like good stuff to use on all sheets and halyards.

The advantage of a home-built boot dryer is that you can make it fit any number of boots and gloves, and add extensions for drying foul weather gear, options that are not available on the retail market

We choose our sailing gloves and deck shoes with great care, because they are our interface with the boat. The same goes for work gloves, and choosing the right pair for the job is a tricky balance. In addition to dexterity, we demand physical and chemical protection, durability, and comfort. There is no perfect work […]

For most sailors the off-season begins on Labor Day, which is a shame because fall brings the best sailing of the year in many of parts of the country. Of course, extending the season also brings the risk of snow and ice on deck.