Category: Sailing Tips
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) For many people, the answer to “Will I like sailboat racing?” is unequivocally “yes!” Of course, it’s not for everyone, and sometimes it takes getting out there for a race or three to figure that out. But the real question for people who’ve never raced but are curious about it […]
PART I by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Welcome to a new multi-part series we’ll be running over the next several months. The goal of this series is to get boaters more acquainted (or acquainted at all) with the engines we use for primary and auxiliary power. There are a lot of engine topics out there, […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Tahiti. Bora Bora. Names that evoke wanderlust and dreams of idyllic vacations on pure white beaches on crystal clear waters. You can sail, snorkel, dive, and surf in some of the most pristine waters of the world. Who hasn’t dreamed of a vacation some place the water is so clear […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) If you live in the land where frozen water now falls from the sky, hopefully your boat is safely tucked away, winterized, and covered until spring. If it isn’t…get to work before something freezes and breaks! But if it is all set for the winter, that doesn’t mean your work […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Though I was never in the military or a marine, I’m going to borrow one of my favorite aphorisms from U.S. Marine Corps: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. Words to live by if you’re a boater, too. When you’re on a boat, you may not always have the correct tools or proper […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Fall has started, and we’re heading into the long dark of winter in the colder climes. Boats are getting pulled, winter covers are coming out of storage, and we’re stockpiling pink antifreeze. We’re facing the prospect of months without boating, and all we can do is read glossy sailing magazines […]
(Part I) by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you may have noted that I spent many years (about nine) living on a sailboat and traveling around in the world. I say “traveling around in the world” because our goal was never a circumnavigation, but to see as […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) When people find out that I’ve done a lot of offshore cruising and crossed the Pacific, the conversation inevitably turns to weather. “Did you ever get caught in any big storms?” and “What’s the worst weather you’ve ever seen?” are common questions. I’ve already talked to that last one in […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Timing a boat sale can make a big difference in your purchase or sale price. It also changes the number of boats you have to choose from, and how much work you need to do once you take ownership. There are differences in buying a new boat versus buying or […]
Don’t Be That Captain: Know The Rules, Use Common Sense, Stay Collision Free
August 7th, 2025 by team
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Every summer we hear stories about tragic mishaps on the water, sometimes with loss of life, serious injuries, or lost boats and property damage. And all of us who have spent much time on the water have had at least one of those scary “what was that guy thinking?” moments […]
