Category: Reviews
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Sailing offshore under a sea of stars is an experience beyond compare. On a clear, moonless night, you’ll never see more stars from anywhere on earth. With nothing but the wind in the sails and the sounds of the boat for accompaniment, it’s a peaceful yet exhilarating experience. Add the […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Boaters are a helpful group, on the whole. If someone is struggling to get on a dock or figure out a mechanical problem, there’s always someone willing to grab a line or talk about how they solved a similar thing. It makes boating nice and gives us a sense of […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Racing your sailboat is not only fun, but it’s a great way to make new friends and sharpen your sailing skills. You’ll learn better helm skills, sail trim, reading the wind, minding currents, and a lot of other parts of sailing you may not pay as much attention to when […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) If you’ve ever equipped your boat to go offshore, you know you’re supposed to have an EPIRB on board. But can you use a PLB instead? Why might you want a PLB or other beacon device in your life jacket? How to use and maintain them? Technological development has given […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s often said that a boat is a hole in the water where you dump money. If you’ve ever paid for a surprise repair bill or filled the tank on an offshore sport fisher, you’ve felt it. But even small boats can cost a lot to keep running. With the […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) When people in southern New England talk about the “Cape and Islands” they’re referring to the southern shore of Cape Cod and its offshore islands – Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cuttyhunk, and the rest of the Elizabeth Islands. Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound offer some fantastic cruising grounds, with some very […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Keeping your boat batteries topped up and ready can be a challenge when you’re away from the dock and out using your boat, especially on sailboats where you don’t have a big engine running that often. This month, we take a quick look at most of the ways you can […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) As winter fades and we get ready for commissioning season, there are still a few more wintry days and nights when we can work on our boats. The off season is a good time to play with lines and learn new knots, and in the northeast you’ve got a few […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s March, and we’re almost there! We’ve endured frost, snow, slush and freezing temperatures, and warm weather is hinting like the faint red of new buds in the trees. It’s getting warm enough to work under the winter cover without dressing like you’re running the Iditarod, and you may even […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Few things are more aggravating that an engine which just won’t start, or one that starts and stalls. Whether you’re pulling on your dinghies outboard while your kids wait their towels and gear for a ride to the beach, or cranking your diesel trying to get your sailboat off the […]
