Category: Blog
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) While getting there is half the fun of sailing, once you’re there the other half is getting off the boat and seeing the cool place you’ve sailed to. The more popular boating destinations have dinghy docks to encourage boaters to come on shore and see the sights and visit shops […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Read Part I, Part II, and Part IV of buying a used boat. Next in our series on checks for buying a new-to-you boat, we’ll delve into some of the boat’s comfort systems. Your survey should check all these systems in some detail. But when you view the boat you […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) We loved sailing with our kids. I enjoyed my time racing, but the most special memories I have on our boats through the years are the places – even the more ordinary ones – that we went as a family. But not every kid takes too sailing, so I’ve got […]
The End of Summer
September 4th, 2020 by team
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) One of the weirdest summers in memory is drawing to a close. With the pandemic, we tossed all our usual summer activities and plans in the air to land where they would. Many people took to boating with their families as a good way to get some social distance from […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Read Part I, Part III, and Part IV of buying a used boat. Back in July we started a series on things to look for when buying a used boat. We touched on a few easy checks you can make the first time you look at a boat. Some of […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Jacklines and tethers can save your life. But used incorrectly, they won’t work and can even cause harm. So what’s the proper way to use jacklines and tethers? Jacklines need to be installed with enough tension in a position that won’t let you go overboard, and a tether should always […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Midway through the summer…the “Spring Commissioning” work list is a distant memory, and we’re still denying that “Fall decommissioning” will ever happen. But it’s been a few…er…weeks or months since we’ve done all those spring prep items and we’re well into the season and using the boat. What have we […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Read Part II, Part III, and Part IV of buying a used boat. There are a lot of things to look for when you’re buying a used boat. This started out as “Five things to check…” but we decided we didn’t want to get boxed in by a numbered list […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Now and then, I open the knot book to look up something for a specific application. I’ve come to it with questions like “what’s the best way to tie this slippery piece of uncovered Spectra to this anchor chain so it never slips” or some other specialized knot. But for […]
Small outboards give us the freedom to roam away from the dock and past the mooring field. Unless you’re booked into a slip, an engine that won’t start puts a major crimp in your plans, whether you’re headed out for a weekend or living on the hook. With minimal tools and experience, what are some […]
