Life jackets have become highly specialized, so investing in your own, rather than using whatever a boat may have available, is a good idea. You can customize the fit, but more importantly you c

 A personal flashlight is a must-have if you are doing any nighttime sailing, but using one that is waterproof and has a strobe function makes it a safety device as well. One problem with many po

 The cheapest piece of safety gear might just be the most important thing you carry on a boat. Whistles have proven their value in man overboard situations. Those without a “pea” that will ke

 Pyrotechnic flares are important to have onboard, but adding an electric “flare” to the safety kit can be easier for all crewmembers to use and it never expires. The SOS Distress Light, whic

 Not every boat needs a life raft, but depending on where it sails it can be a great addition. Most life rafts pack small so they don’t take up a lot of room, but make sure they are stowed some

Instead of assembling your own first aid kit, consider picking up one specifically designed for a marine environment and for the kind of sailing you do. Adventure Medical Kits’ Marine 1000 is suited

The 105-foot classic ketch Whitehawk is set to race the Great Lakes Mackinac races.What do you do when you no longer have your Volvo 70 Il Mostro to race the Mackinac races on? If you’re Peter Thort

Features  Alone at sea Istvan Kopar managed broken gear and bad luck for 263 days in the Golden Globe Race Heartbreaker The boat that broke one owner’s heart is reimagined with an unco

Istvan Kopar had just returned to his Florida home after spending nearly 263 days sailing around the world in the Golden Globe Race and he was facing his toughest challenge yet: returning to life on lSchedule

Lowell North won five Star world championships. Lowell North sailed his first regatta at age 14, when he and his father came in last in every race in a Star that came with cotton sails. Young Nor

It’s not uncommon for committed sailors to decide to share their love of the sport by teaching others to sail. But it is remarkable for a sailor to jump into sailing education by founding two school

There are times on every boat when you need to send someone aloft. This is almost never convenient, but it’s a necessity and one in which safety needs to be a priority. Fortunately, the days of a pl

Features  One love cruising A cruise of Jamaica left a sailor feeling irie The healing power of sailing Warrior Sailing military veterans sail Charleston Race Week A cruiser gets school

The forecast was for 83 degrees with a 12-knot wind. The water was a stunning aqua blue off the St. Thomas Yacht Club on Cowpet Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands, the site of North U’s midwinter racing clini

Seattle resident Paul Souders didn’t start out as a sailor. In fact, he didn’t really start out as a water guy at all; he was simply a professional photographer who had grown dissatisfied with his

In April, Sperry Charleston Race Week drew its second largest ever fleet, with more than 250 entries from across the U.S. and overseas. In the void created by the defunct Key West Race Week, Charlesto

If your boat lies unattended, even for a short time—be it in a marina, (in or out of the water), or on a mooring—it doesn’t take long for it to become grubby, from bird droppings or wind blown d

Features  Great small boats for big adventures Small boats with proven pedigrees top our list of boats capable of serious sailing Wooden boats with a side of wine A trio of French da