You don't need to keep a full-size SCUBA tank onboard for underwater emergencies. Mini SCUBA tanks like this Spare Air don't take up much storage space, and offer sailors the ability to dive on an anchor or work on the prop longer than you'd be able to with snorkel alone.

Compact Scuba Kits for Sailors

In general, many cruisers prefer the freedom of snorkeling to scuba diving, yet there are situations when extending the time you can spend underwater becomes a safety issue.
Ellen and Birger live full-time on their Fontaine Pajot Lavezzi and are paid to clean up remote natural reserves in Norway. (Photo/ Birger Haftor Nilsen and Ellen Gjertsen)

Full-Time Ocean Trash Cleanup in the Arctic Circle

On the small island of Bolga in northern Norway, 17 nm north of the Arctic Circle, a 40-ft. catamaran lies at a quay. It...
Cow Bay Marina in Prince Rupbert, British Columbia. (Photo/ Roland Stockham)

Sailing the Pacific Northwest (PNW): Costs and Practicalities

The stretch of coast known as the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is one of the largest and most diverse sailing grounds in the world. It...
Patricia Dallas and David Sapiane are the experienced and caring voices behind Gulf Harbour Radio (ZMH286). They work from their home near Auckland, New Zealand supporting sailors who are crossing the Pacific.

A Radio Lifeline for Cruisers

Speaking with Patricia Dallas and David Sapiane of Gulf Harbour Radio is a little like speaking to a great-aunt and uncle. Like someone who’s...
This flight in the travel lift from the water to the stands cost at Brunswick Landing Marina cost $814 with a pressure wash of the bottom included. (Photo/ Alex Jasper)

How Much Does it Cost to Have a Sailboat in Georgia?

When planning my trip from Rhode Island down the ICW to the Bahamas, I knew I didn’t want to come all the way back...
Multiple cockpit enclosures were essential to make the cockpit comfortable in varying conditions. These shade flaps helped to keep temperatures down. Alex made them in a marina while waiting for a storm to pass. (Photo/ Alex Jasper)

ICW Gear Must-Haves

After several weeks on the ICW (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway), I decided that I’d serendipitously bought almost the perfect ICW boat. I can’t take credit...
Leszek Wolnik, left, with granddaughter Reija, center, and crew Marija before their Atlantic crossing on a Vancouver 32. Reija and Marija had their hair braided in preparation for the voyage, while Leszek's hair was naturally voyage-ready. (Photo/ Leszek Wolnik)

Crossing the Atlantic with Kids: Intergenerational Voyaging Tips

“It was Reija who started it all,” smiles Leszek, talking to me from his home in Dublin, Ireland. The idea of crossing the Atlantic had...

Sailing Triteia: Budget Bluewater Cruising

If I were to sum up, in one word, how James Frederick has managed to create his sailing life, I’d say “resourcefully.” The 49-year-old...
Moon River, a 1979 New Zealand designed and built Herreshoff Mobjack ketch. It was designed and built to Lloyd's standards and kept in survey until the early 2000s.

Herreshoff Mobjack: A Family’s Love Affair with a Traditional Ketch

The sleek lines of Moon River sliced through the tranquil waters of Whangaroa Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. Our ketch glided effortlessly, her sails...
AquaMaps with Bob’s blue tracks and my green tracks at the start of the ICW with bridge arrival times. (Image/ Alex Jasper)

Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW

My dream to sail from New England to the Bahamas involved a trip down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), also known as “the ditch”...

Why Sailors Still Want This Slow Old Cruiser – Down East...

In this Practical Sailor boat tour, we take a deep look at the Downeaster 38, also known as the Down East 38, a classic...

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Are Old Boats Worth Buying?

Shopping for a sailboat? Whether you are buying your first boat or just making a change, you will quickly come up against the classic...