Holy cow! My editor has given me two new French boats to review this month, the Oceanis 34.1 by Beneteau and the Sun Odyssey 380 by Jeanneau. I had to study these two boats carefully to even tell them

The fleet of restored wooden Stars head across Michigan’s Gull Lake.Walter Cooper photoA passion for saving classic Star boats from the junk heap turned into a regatta drawing sailors from arou

Now let’s see what Marc Lombard, the same designer as the Oceanis 31.4 can do when you give him a very similar design brief and an additional 2 feet 8 inches of additional hull length. Looking at th

The best way to attach three-strandline to chain is with a thimble and screw-pin shackle. The shackle provides a large, smooth radius for the rope, as well as providing chafe protection. A shackle can

Every time we post a photo of our boat at anchor we immediately get asked “What’s that off of your spinnaker pole?” The answer is simple: it’s insurance that we will get a good night of sleep.

We were standing in the yacht club bar after the race when Jon arrived and grabbed my arm. “Were you just feeling her bottom?” he demanded, which turned every ear along the bar into little pointed

What does an industrial-looking metal contraption that uses a wind vane to steer sailboats have in common with women’s silk underwear? Read on. This magazine was born in 1966 and the half century-p

Features The 5,600-mile family sabbaticalWhen the pandemic disrupted life, this family of five set sail for adventureGifts for sailorsThe perfect gifts for every type of sailorSailing’s sp

During the late 1980s, recreational sailors began searching for cruising boats that were easy to handle and loaded with liveaboard comforts. Hunter Marine Corp. answered the call with several models,

The J/70 World Championship fleet sails off Marina de Rey, California.Sharon Green photoWhen California Yacht Club tried, and tried again, to host the J/70 World Championship regatta, members of the M

Sometimes when I listen to an old Jackson Brown album, I get the feeling that Mr. Brown had been following me around taking notes. I get a similar feeling when I look at a new J/Boats cruising design.

When I was 15, I worked in a meat market, Ray’s Meats, after school. My walk home would take me past an old-fashioned drug store that had an extensive assortment of magazines including at least four

Whenever a newcomer comes to town I usher him or her to our priceless waterfront and we talk sailing. If I see even a flicker of curiosity, I suggest sailing lessons. Our town benefits greatly from on

A friend finally threw in the towel after more than 12 excruciating hours in a doublehanded race sailed in a windless void so persistent that 80% of the fleet dropped out. He and his mate furled

Features  Charter news Charter companies have new boats, new destinations and specials for cruisers The allure of an azure sea Family sail-camping in the Bahamas’ Exuma chain When his

The forecast wasn’t good, but it wasn’t terrible either. We were bottled up in the Gulf of Maine and the fresh south-southwest winds of summer made the prospect of sailing to Bermuda a likely slog

It was 1973. I had left my job drawing ferrocement boat plans for Jay Benford and was headed to Boston to work for Dick Carter—my dream job. I never bought into the ferrocement “craze” that Benf

Retractable bowsprits and A-sails By Jeff Johnstone, J/Boats presidentBowsprits (and the flying jibs attached to them) have been around for hundreds of years. In the days when mast height w