It’s not hard to understand why the original Cal 25 appealed to so many sailors. It was relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain, comfortable below deck and fun to sail. Jensen Marine built 1,848 of

Dear Boat Doctor, We stored our boat on the hard in Puerto Rico and launched after hurricane season. When we put the boat back in the water, I had a rigger help me re-install the sails. When I went t

Sailors usually have more stories than their nonsailing friends have the patience to hear. Surround a sailor with sailing friends and liquid refreshments and colorful and unforgettable tales will flow

We were full of ourselves, bold seafarers reveling in boisterous sailing conditions, bursting with exuberance, on the verge of exchanging high fives every time a wave broke over the bow. We were sail

Features When the sea is in a snitOne of the scariest legs of a journey halfway across the world turns out to be a section of the Caribbean SeaGet the season startedWork on your boat no

The test boat came with the standard stainless steel bow roller, but the 319 is available with an optional sprit to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker or code zero. The new Sun Odyssey 319 sails into

It has been a year and a half since Hurricane Irma, the largest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, barreled over parts of the Caribbean, leaving a wake of destruction in its path in September 2

Dear Boat Doctor, I recently upgraded the alternator on my Yanmar 4JH2DTE and things aren’t going smoothly. It is a Balmar 100A alternator with a Max Charge alternator. The alternator is working gr

Menacing clouds and increasing wind announced that a powerful storm was about to cross over the British Virgin Islands. We were tucked into outlying Anegada, the area’s flattest and most unprotected

As faithful (and even unfaithful) readers of this column know, I’ve teed off in the past about products that promise to take us sailing. No, not boats, but offerings such as a perfume that vowed to

One of the 18 people who paid the $10,000 entry fee, documented meeting the requirement of having sailed 8,000 ocean miles and signed up for the 50th anniversary Golden Globe Race had climbed Mount Ev

I have enjoyed a lot of different sailing events, from local regattas to glamorous destinations. Each had its own appeal, but once I’ve been there, done that,  I rarely return because there are new places to explore. But I made an exception for the Golden Rock Regatta, a little-known Caribbean series that is held in November, featuring long-distance races to a smattering of islands: St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, St. Barths and Anguilla. Exhilarating stretches of racing during the day are followed by nightly raft-ups and casual parties. It perfectly combines the thrill of racing with the adventure of exploring a different piece of paradise each night, which has given me the opportunity to forge friendships with other “Rockers” over the years.

Features Ludicrous speed on hard water For hardy iceboaters, the racing season gets going fast when it freezesRacing the rockThe Golden Rock Regatta brings sailors back to the Leew

J.H. Peterson photoPlunging temperatures, bitterly cold winds and rock-hard waterways. Just right for sailing …  that is, if you’ve got a serious need for speed and don’t mind the windburn.

I think anything that comes out of the Nautor’s yard in Finland is interesting. But this new Frers designed Swan 54 is truly beautiful. If you go back to the early 1970s you’ll find what I co

Here is an interesting design from Owen Clarke specifically designed for high-altitude cruising. I think that means you will need a very durable boat that will keep you safe, warm and protected. It’

The new Xp 55 from X-Yachts has far more features than I can describe given my word limit. I guess it would be a cliché to say “they have thought of everything” but it seems that is the case. Wit

Sailors the world over have noticed an every increasing amount of plastic garbage floating in the oceans. One group made up of women sailors and scientists has spent the last four years studying and b