The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning
We all want a crystal ball that tells us exactly what we will be in for during a passage, however long or short it...
Why a Furling Staysail Makes Offshore Sailing Safer
With a double-headsail rig, you already have some powerful gear-shifting options. Putting your staysail on a furler adds an overdrive.
Breaking Down Performance
When it comes to sailboats, performance is a relative term, especially when it comes to a crews concept of how the boat will be used. Racing sailors, cruisers, and daysailors each have very different perspectives on performance. For example, those facing a light-air, around-the-buoys race measure performance in terms of how well their speed through the water holds up against the decrease in true-wind speed. Cruisers, on the other hand, especially those crossing oceans, often define it as a measure of versatility under sail, not just how a boat copes with near calms or gales, but how it performs in everything in between.
Dry Suit Versus Immersion Suit: A More Practical Solution?
Off season sailing, and even sailing and kayaking in cold water climates, presents the very real risk of hypothermia. Some MOBs experience a gasp...
Bloody Fingers to Princess Louisa Inlet
Sailing the west coast of British Columbia over the years has opened our eyes to the beauty of this cruising ground. From Washington State...
Trapped by Wind and Rocks: A Reefing Gone Wrong Off Vancouver Island
A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to be spending a few weeks aboard our 1978 Islander Bahama 30 Natasha cruising the west...
Dissecting the Art of Staying Upright
When the King of Sweden ordered the newly launched warship Vasa to sea in 1628, he gave little thought to the stability implications of the bronze canons perched on two upper decks. Just 1,500 yards into her maiden voyage, the Vasa capsized and sank, relegating the fire power intended to be pointed at Poland to ignominiously sink in Stockholm Harbor. This was neither the first nor last case of poorly calculated vessel stability, and todays sailors, boat designers, naval architects, and boat builders continue to debate just how much stability is enough.
Sailing in Gusty Winds
One of my biggest mistakes in life was waiting so long to sail the Great Lakes.
Collision at Anchor
It was a bright mid-summer afternoon as we sailed towards our favorite local marine park only a few miles from our home port of...
Reading the Telltales on Your Sails
Even the most laid-back cruiser has days when he would like to get there an hour sooner. But speed is not the only reason to fine-tune sail trim. Proper sail trim can often eliminate the noise of motoring. Properly trimmed sails last longer.
This “Bulletproof” Cruiser Has a Serious Weak Spot Caliber 40 LRC...
If you’re shopping for a serious cruising sailboat, the Caliber 40 LRC is often described as “bulletproof.” Heavy displacement, huge tankage, conservative construction, and...
Latest Sailboat Review
Union 36 Used Boat Review
While not the best boat for light-air sailing, the Union 36 is a good sailboat for the bluewater cruiser. It wont get you there fast, but it will get you there comfortably and in one piece. The boats teak decks and lavish use of interior wood is attractive but requires much upkeep and maintenance. A product of the Taiwan-U.S. boatbuilding industry, the Union 36 is a heavy-displacement, full-keel, cutter-rigged double-ender designed for ocean sailing. The Union 36 is nearly identical to several other boats built during the same period: the Hans Christian 36, Mariner Polaris 36, and the EO36. According to well-known naval architect Bob Perry, the Union 36 and its cousins are all based on the design of a 34-footer that Perry was commissioned to create back in the early 70s.