CATEGORIES

Simple DIY Jam Cleats

Legend has it that Einstein once said “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” In truth, the quote isn’t actually Einstein’s, but he did agree with it. And so do I, especially when it comes to jam cleats.

The P7 Gig: Return of a Legend

My story begins in 2016, when I left for a westward crossing of the Atlantic aboard my self-made, 5-meter-long (16.4') plywood boat Still crazy. The three-month voyage to the Caribbean messed with my head and, to be honest, I still haven’t gotten over it.

Sailing with Colly

Sailing the bays of Texas is not exactly crystal clear water, gentle breezes and sugar-white beaches.

SMALL BOAT CRUISE: Nootka Sound

I designed and built my 18-foot sail and-oar boat, Fire-Drake, with a major adventure in mind—rowing and sailing British Columbia’s Inside Passage in 2016 and 2017.

Dancing on the Water

Exploring the Salish Sea by Oar and Paddle

SLOT CANYONS & STARRY SKIES

This adventure, like many good ones, began with a last-minute change of plans.

Dunlin: An Experimental Peapod

A brief row in a 13-foot peapod during one of our local small-boat gatherings inspired me to design and build a small cruiser.

READER BOAT: Sovereign 18 called Slowmotion

Sometimes the boat you get is one you’d never heard of.

Boat Review: Com-Pac 19 (Revisited)

Twenty years later we take another look at the still popular Com-Pac 19 sailboat

Alternative Rigs for Multihulls

I’ve posted some brief notes about multihull rigs on the “Useful Articles” pages of my website, www.sailingcatamarans. com. There, in the “Different Design Features” section, I explain why the sensible choice for multihulls is the single-mast Bermudian rig, either masthead or fractional rig.

PLEASURE ISLANDS

HOLIDAY HOMES, RESTAURANTS, EVEN CITIES MAY SOON BE COMING TO A QUIET BEACH OR HARBOUR NEAR YOU, REPORTS SAM FORTESCUE

ON THE LIMIT

THIS YEAR’S VENDÉE GLOBE IS A RACE FOR FUTURISTIC FLYING MACHINES. HELEN FRETTER AND ANDI ROBERTSON TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

MASTER YOUR MAINSAIL

KNOWING HOW TO SET UP A MULTIHULL’S MAINSAIL IS CRUCIAL. BRIAN THOMPSON, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXPERIENCED MULTIHULL SAILORS, SHARES HIS TIPS

CLASS ACT

CRUISING WITH THEIR CHILDREN ALLOWED RALF AND DINA SCHLAEPFER TO FULFIL THEIR PACIFIC DREAMS, ALTHOUGH SET LESSONS WERE OVERTAKEN BY THE SCHOOL OF ADVENTURE

MAIDEN VOYAGE

SINGLE-HANDED SAILOR TREVOR ROBERTSON DESCRIBES A MAIDEN VOYAGE FROM FLORIDA TO MARTINIQUE IN A NEWLY PURCHASED 38-FOOTER

SPACE DISCOVERY

BRITISH BRAND DISCOVERY IS ONE OF THE FEW MONOHULL YARDS TO BUILD CATAMARANS. COULD THE BLUEWATER 50 BE ONE FOR MONOHULL PURISTS?

TAKING CONTROL

HOW MODERN AUTOPILOTS CAN BE YOUR BEST HELMSMAN, BY MATTHEW SHEAHAN

CALEDONIAN BLUES

JANNEKE KUYSTERS AND WIETZE VAN DER LAAN ARE CAPTIVATED BY THE PACIFIC ISLANDS OF NEW CALEDONIA

5 EXPERT TIPS

HOW TO MAKE STRUCTURAL REPAIRS OFFSHORE

A SMOOTH NEW START

PRIVILÈGE IS RENEWING ITS RANGE UNDER HANSE, STARTING WITH THIS 50-FOOTER. FRANÇOIS TREGOUET REPORTS

SMALL BOAT CRUISE: Waldo Lake, Oregon

I decided to go to Waldo Lake, in the mountains east of Eugene, Oregon in mid-September, hoping to be on the water from Friday through the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Having been to Waldo five times in June and once in early August. I wanted to feel the nighttime chill announcing the coming winter, and be both grateful for it and fortified against it, in my winter sleeping bag. I wanted to watch the long and early shadows of Autumn seizing the forest in the afternoon.

Small-Boat Gear

XPL EXPLORE MORE

SHALLOW DRAFT

It is early May and, like many of you, we’re thinking about life in a challenging time—about gains, losses and what might come next.

SAFE AND SIMPLE

Changing rigs extended this sailor’s time on the water

S-CAMPING

Glenn Tripp on building a bunk

RESTORATION

The true cost of bringing and old boat back to life

READER BOAT: A Drake 13 called Grebe

I have always wanted to build a sharpie. For me they are archetypal—like a boat from some dream. And mine is a very specific dream: sitting low in the cockpit on a sunny, breezy day, sailing on starboard tack, tiller and sheet in hand, just cruisin’ along in my beautiful little sharpie.

PLAN STUDY: Annabelle Skiff

Standing around after boating on the local pond, I suggested to my friend, the remarkable Paul Helbert, that I thought he would be better served by yet another boat—specifically, the “10' Rowing and Sailing Dinghy” designed by Howard Chapelle. I would modify Chapelle’s hull for skin-on-frame construction, and Paul would build the prototype. Paul could, for a minimal investment in both time and money, have a sailboat that would be lightweight enough to car-top, yet still had room for a passenger. More importantly, the boat promised jaunty performance as well.

Future Physics of the Birdwing Mast

An inventor’s perspective

Bike Sailing

Building a small, bike-trailerable boat for big water