2017 July 1

A fresh new look from a leading builder of offshore cruising yachts

Over the years the Amel series of boats have achieved cultlike status as offshore cruising boats. I respect the attention to detail and unique approaches to various areas of design but I have never been much of a fan. It came down to styling. I thought they were bland and uninteresting boats to look at. The new Amel 50 changes that. While there is no mention of a designer in the material I have, it’s clear that this Amel was designed by someone with a good eye for aesthetics and a good understanding for what the cruising market is after today.
2017 July 1

Safe and sporty design for shorthanded cruising

I’m familiar with the company C-Yacht and I am familiar with the designer of this clean-looking, Dutch-built design from the Gerard Dykstra design office. Dykstra is responsible for some very beauti
2017 July 1

Lots of features in this smaller cat from the design table of Morelli and Melvin

Here’s a slick looking new cat from HH Catamarans for those of you who like to sail flat.  HH cats are built in Xiamen, China, by Hudson Marine. I’ve been to Xiamen a few times. There are som
2017 July 1

Sailing at night is a special treat but requires a different skill set than daysailing

Sailing at night is challenging, rewarding and dermatologist approved. Gliding through the dark under the stars can be a surreal experience. And you don’t have to go very far from the harbor for the experience. It is a different world that requires new skills and awareness to be fully enjoyed. 
2017 July 1

This Chicago man didn’t grow up sailing, but it became a passion he’s passing on to his family

Like a sailboat, life never moves in a straight line from the starting line to the finish. It also has a tendency to blast you with roaring winds, strange currents and a startling array of unexpected circumstances, which means you’ll learn a heck of a lot along the way—and very likely emerge stronger and wiser than before.
2017 July 1
It seems a contradictory statement to make in a magazine issue dedicated to safety, but the fact is this: None of us are getting out of here alive. We all have a “sell-by” date, time and place unknown. It’s up to each of us to make it to that point where, in a grocery store, milk would be taken off the shelf, and perhaps a little longer if we’re careful. But it’s going to depend entirely on your own personal responsibility.
2017 June 16

Instead of turning on the engine, discover the art and pleasure of coaxing a boat through a small breeze

Sailing in light air is a science and an art. The science comes from adjusting your sails and position of sail to get the maximum lift and momentum. The art is the patience and fortitude for you and your crew to remain still, quiet and aware while resisting the urge to reach for the start button on the “Iron Genny.” With some experimentation and focus, you’ll fine that it’s not difficult to keep the boat moving well in light air, and it can be surprisingly pleasurable sailing too. 
2017 June 15

Emirates Team New Zealand rights its ship to face Oracle Team USA in the Cup

When helmsman Peter Burling buried the hulls of his 50-foot foiling ACC catamaran on the way to the start line, lost control and nosed-dived into Bermuda’s Great Sound, there was a chance that the America’s Cup was over for Emirates Team New Zealand. But like Humpty Dumpty, the shore crew picked up the carbon fiber pieces and put the fragile cat back together again, and the Kiwis went on to dispatch the British Land Rover BAR team in the challenger playoffs semifinals, and the Swiss Artemis team in the finals to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, setting up a rematch against Oracle Team USA for the America’s Cup in June.
2017 June 1

A long-range cruiser that comes with an American esthetic for classic appeal

I like this new Island Packet designed by Bob Johnson. I particularly like the profile of the cabintrunk. It reminds me of the Aldens and Albergs of the early 1960s. While there is a well-established Euro (call it modern) look to many of today’s production boats, I still think there are a lot of sailors in the United States who appreciate the classic American aesthetic to yacht styling and proportions. I like to think that. 
2017 June 1

This hybrid power-sailboat may be just the answer in a midsized cruiser

The headline on the press release for the new custom Tartan 37-foot model states, “Imagine a different cruising experience.” I think you have to. This is a very different kind of boat. It’s a bit of a hermaphrodite—half powerboat and half sailboat. Generally this is the kiss of death, but designer Tim Jackett appears to have come up with a design that can avoid that fate.
2017 June 1

This gem offers elegance and style in the most distinctive of packages

Oyster has made a name for itself as the premier builder of large semicustom cruising yachts. The designs produced in conjunction with Rob Humphreys are always superb and fit and finish is always top notch. The Oyster style has slowly evolved to keep the look of the boats very current. In short, these are ultimate boats in the world of semicustom.
2017 June 1
Credit sailing schools with making sailing more egalitarian. Before there were sailing schools in any significant number, it was assumed that if you were a sailor you had been born with a silver shackle in your mouth. 
2017 June 1

Graceful, sturdy and seakindly, this Sparkman & Stephens design is an enduring classic

The Yankee 30 was one of many fiberglass boats that was affected by the global oil crisis of the 1970s, which curtailed production. The cost of resin raised boat prices above the budget of average sailors. In some cases builders simply lacked the raw materials required for construction.
2017 June 1

Take a deep-dive into intricate weather routing with onboard computer software

For years sailors were mostly left to call on experience and instinct when it came to routing a passage. Today, onboard computing power relying on copious amounts of data can show sailors any route with any number of variables applied.
2017 June 1
Dear Boat Doctor,
I decided to upgrade my head to a new electric model. I chose a new model with the pump integrated into the base and it fits in the same spot as my old head. I followed the instructions to place a vented loop in the seawater inlet line to prevent the head from siphoning water and flooding the boat.
2017 June 1
These three facts may surprise you:
1. Today, there are more learn-to-sail programs than ever in U.S. history.2. There are more kids in those programs than ever.3. There are more adults trying sailing for the first time.
2017 June 1

The Bitter End Yacht Club’s Pro-Am regatta is a sailing camp for grown-ups in the British Virgin Islands

Going away to camp is a childhood ritual. There are space camps with real astronauts like Scott Kelly, tennis pro camps, celebrity baseball camps and even a football academy where Tom Brady could be the coach. So why not a yacht racing camp with the pros? The Bitter End Yacht Club’s annual Pro-Am offers just that, inviting top sailors from an array of disciplines to sail and compete with campers. But the event has one exceptional twist—it’s for grown-ups.
2017 June 1

A melting pot of sailors, boats and spectators come together for the 46th annual BVI Spring Regatta in Nanny Cay

Chris Johnson was bleary eyed as he filled his coffee cup at a popular open-air breakfast spot just steps from the marina at Nanny Cay. He was just one of dozens of sailors gathered in the hub of the British Virgin Islands during the 46th annual Spring Regatta. Like those around him, he seemed to be fully embracing the laid back but fun racing scene that takes over the island for a week each April. 
2017 May 24
Rig tuning isn’t just about maximizing performance, although that’s a nice benefit to a properly tuned rig. At its most basic level, a tuned rig will make your sails more efficient, prevent damage and help you get more life out of your equipment.
2017 May 1

Artwork afloat in an unlikely medium

Now for some contrast. For me, yacht design has always been an art and a science. You pick a target for the objective elements like boat speed and handling characteristics. Maybe you throw in some obj

Perry on Design

  • This rugged pilothouse cutter can handle the rough stuff in comfort

  • This small oceangoing cruiser can be built by DIY builders

  • This folding trimaran for fun cruising offers plenty of options

Advertisement
Advertisement