Safety & Seamanship

Propane tank valve and pressure gauge. Since a propane leak can be catastrophic, make sure to schedule in a propane tank and fitting check into your maintenance calendar. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

Propane Leak: How to Detect, Locate and Fix

There isn’t much that scares or worries me when it comes to all things about boats. Except two: large amounts of water coming in...

What’s the Best Sunscreen?

Social media seems to be stirring up fear that sunscreen is more than harmful than beneficial, without legitimate studies to support this fear mongering....
Peter Mott has nine years of volunteer experience supporting bluewater sailors on their voyages via Passage Guardian. He holds New Zealand Boat Master and Coastal Skipper certifications

Safeguarding Sailors via Passage Guardian

Peter Mott has been working with radio his entire life. But only upon retiring did he start to combine his love of sailing and...

How (Not) to Tie Your Boat to a Dock

No sailor can resist the temptation to look over another sailors work, and nothing draws the eye faster than your neighbors docklines. We like to know our boat and our neighbors boats will be where we left them when we return, not rubbing together or worse. Sometimes, however, a stroll down the dock makes us nervous. This gallery of rogue docklines represents only a taste of what PS tester Drew Frye found within a short walk of his slip. How many of these will come loose during the next storm?
During an Atlantic crossing in 2015, Super Storm Sandy hit us about two days out from Tenerife and lasted almost a month with winds between 30 and 40 knots plus big seas. (Photo/ Roland Stockham)

Responding to Emergencies: A Skipper’s Guide for Staying Calm

This article is not a “how to” on COB drills or other procedures. There is lots of good training available on that subject and...

Sailboat Safety on Deck

We often think of safety on deck in terms of PFDs, lifelines and jacklines, but the falls they protect against only happen after something...

Master the Sailing Basics: Never Stop Learning the Little Things

Seamanship is about big concepts and small skills. They work together, but we see them differently and they represent different types of learning. Big...
2. Not only is this switch too darn close to the winch, there is a silly wire drink holder near the path of the lines and a person sitting on the bench can easily fall into a running, unguarded, electric winch. Unspeakably dangerous and OSHA would just shut you down. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Electric Winch and Windlass Safety

A decade ago a woman from Venezuela was hoisting her husband up the mast of their Amel Maramu 54. The winch was electrically powered,...
The three-strand nylon anchor rode was likely severed by a submerged metal object 30 feet from the boat. While Alex had 20 feet of chain attached to the 50 feet of nylon rode, it wasn't enough chain to battle the submerged object. (Photo/ Alex Jasper)

Severed Anchor in the Bahamas: Seven Lessons Learned

Leaving Rhode Island to sail to the Bahamas, I wanted to be untethered, for a while. Adrift at dawn and heading for rocks in...
A helpful view of the jackline leading around the dodger to a hard point on top of the coach roof, and from there forward to the base of the mast.

Another Look at Fitting Jacklines

“Keep the crew on the inside and the water on the outside.” This old salt's advice to new offshore sailors is somewhat “tongue in cheek”...

Solo Ocean Sailing: Expert Tactics & Survival Tips for Sailing Alone...

Thinking about sailing solo across the ocean? Whether you're planning your first solo passage or looking to refine your offshore sailing skills, this video...

Latest Sailboat Review

Hunter 45DS Used Boat Review

Hunter Marine unveiled its latest large cruising monohull, the Hunter 45DS, in late 2007. The boat is essentially an upgrade of the 44DS, with twin wheels, a new transom, new styling, and a roomier, reconfigured interior. Hunter has sold 152 hulls since the boats debut, making it a fairly successful endeavor. To increase the Hunter 45DSs interior volume, designer Glenn Henderson opted for relatively high freeboard and additional length. Henderson also matched a nearly elliptical rudder with a smaller keel. The 54-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary engine moved the Hunter through calm water at 8 knots at 3,000 rpm. Testers sailed the 45-footer in flat water and 13.5 knots of wind, making 5.8 knots and were able to tack through 110 degrees. The current base price of the Hunter is $268,990.