Un-Stepping the Mast for America’s Great Loop
As a family on a sailboat traveling on the Great Loop, our crew of four aboard Fika was a bit out of the ordinary....
Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing
Last week, I covered some of the things I suggest you need to think through on the boat before heading out solo. Now, what...
How to Select Crew for a Passage or Delivery
Lots of skippers—in fact probably most—do not want to sail solo and I am the last person to try to encourage them to change...
Rhumb Lines: Pursuing the Illusion of the Perfect Boat
Earlier this month the press announced the launch of Jeff Bezos’ kazillion dollar sailing yacht, a three-masted, 417-foot schooner filled with a bunch of...
Mailport: X-yachts, Soverel 33, tropical storms
PRAISE FOR X-YACHTS
Your report “Stowing Gear on Deck,” in the July 2022 issue had some good tips for line and miscellaneous storage on board....
Stowing Gear on Deck
We were somewhat appalled by the virtual elimination of boats under 40 feet from the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD last fall. We...
Sailboat Stability Uncensored
It’s clear that the tools we use to measure stability, and to prevent future incidents are still imperfect instruments, as we saw in the fatal WingNuts capsize in 2011. And in the cruising community, where fully equipped ocean going boats hardly resemble the lightly loaded models used to calculate stability ratings, we worry that the picture of stability is again becoming blurred by design trends.
Downsizer’s Dream
As I enter retirement, my interests are changing. My obsession with serious mountaineering and technical rock climbing has relaxed to easy climbing at the...
Rhumb Lines: Downsize the Boat, Never the Dream
It seems like we rarely pass all at once anymore. Instead, we are chipped away in pieces. A bit of nose here, a bit...
Heartbeat of the Dying Sea
The pygmy sperm whale rolled and flapped its tail as it struggled at the swash line. It was about the size of a big porpoise, clearly weakened by the ordeal. Police had cordoned off the beach and were waiting for a wildlife expert to arrive.
ASA Certification: Are Sailing Courses Really Worth It?
Are you learning how to sail and considering taking sailing courses at a sailing school? ASA certifications are a great way to learn how...
Latest Sailboat Review
Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review
The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.