Dear Boat Doctor, I have had a few close calls with accidental jibes, and I now typically use a preventer when sailing downwind. I just use a spare line and tie the boom down the to rail at the point

The news arrived from his family as softly as mist on a cool Northwest morning. “Last night as Venus departed from its intimate planetary visit, our beloved Brion Toss, surrounded by his loving fami

If my buddy calls and invited me for a sail aboard his new daysailer I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect and how to prepare for the day. I’d bring some bottled water, sunscreen, a sandw

We have two high-performance daysailers to review this month. Both boats are promoted as daysailers, which begs the question: “Exactly what is a daysailer?” Is it a boat you sail during the day? A

When a big storm pounds across a boat-packed harbor, some sailors shrug off the prospect of serious damage or total loss with words like, “Hey, no worries. My boat is insured.” While that may be

Dear Boat Doctor, I recently replaced the original standing rigging on my 1968 Islander 34. I wanted to make sure everything was correct, so I confirmed the wire sizes with my own righting moment cal

Memories of post-race parties run together, but one stands out, not just for the fun being had (fun was definitely had) but for the shocking dockside news that awaited the unknowing fleet. After thre

The C&C 121 doesn’t resemble the venerable boats designed and built by C&C Yachts from the mid-1960s into the 1980s, but the sleek, 40-foot sloop is every bit as high quality as its predeces

I never could get the hang of birdwatching, which is all about seeing and identifying avians and making copious notes about the sightings in something called a life list. I did once manage to rec

FeaturesLittle Boat, Big AdventureA solo sailor cruises his Hobie 16 through the Gulf of Mexico The Cactus Club For more than 60 years, the Arizona Yacht Club has been racing in the desert

Onne van der Wal photoWhen Bob Naylor visited a yacht club on the East Coast and presented his yacht club card that features a cactus on its burgee he was met with a quizzical look. “Is this real?��

Even the most competent sailor may bristle at pulling into a tight slip with a strong cross breeze. But understanding the mechanics at play in docking a boat make smooth landings far easier.Sailboats

The beefy integral bowsprit features stainless fittings and a Selden roller furling unit.Catalina owners are an enthusiastic bunch, and when they said they were yearning for a big offshore cruiser,

Shorthanded sailing, whether it be racing, daysailing or cruising is a great way to improve your sailing skills.  Sailors know that their sport is uniquely suited to a time of uncertainty, after

Features  Sailing into a pandemic A blissful cruise along in the Sea of Cortez ends abruptly for a cruising family  Putting the fun in fundamentals Women-only conferences are popula

It had never occurred to me, until this pandemic put everyone into self-imposed exile, that sailing is a magnificently and spectacularly solitary endeavor. I now realize that many of my best memories

I came across an old photograph the other day and was carried away by a wave of nostalgia. It was a photo of a person engaged in spinnaker flying. I don’t mean flying a spinnaker, as in settin

Every month I pester my editor Greta, “Find me something interesting. Find me something I can sink my teeth into.” Well, this month she has outdone herself. Thanks Greta. I think the most fun for