Offshore Log: Anatomy of a Machine

The Offshore Log this month is a photo essay from the lions' den in New Zealand. And a rope tale.

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An Americas Cup yacht is 80 feet of pure performance. Fragile and unforgiving, they are designed to be sailed by professional crews in reasonably protected waters. This is not a boat for a casual afternoon daysail with a dozen of your best friends, any more than you would drive a Formula One car to the supermarket. Heres a closer look at some of the features that make them go. The boats shall remain anonymous.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.