Onne van der Wal Veronica Brown stood on the dock at Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard this past summer and looked up at the masts and hulls around her. After decades working in Newport, she still finds it remarkable how much the waterfront has changed. “We had a 250-foot boat pull in between two similar-sized vessels,” … Read more

If you’re a boater, you probably notice a shift in the air as summer winds down and the first signs of fall appear. I live in a region where triple-H days—hot, hazy and humid—seem to outnumber the pleasant ones, and by September the landscape can feel scorched and drab. For reasons I’ll explain, I welcome … Read more

“We have had three customers in the past two weeks complaining about bad fresh water, or their freshwater pumps not working,” said Bob Petzold, president of Petzold’s Marine Center in Portland, Connecticut. By late June, the early heat of a New England summer was already stressing boat freshwater systems. Warm temperatures accelerate bacterial growth, turning … Read more

Most vintage Hinckley yachts are cared for meticulously, but Picnic Boat hull No. 006—built in 2010—was an exception. Neglect and subsequent storm damage left the boat in poor condition. To demonstrate the depth of its refit capabilities, Hinckley repurchased the vessel, renamed it Bellerophon after the mythic Greek hero, and committed to a comprehensive restoration … Read more

Natural teak has long been the default decking choice for premium yachts and superyachts, but the market is changing. Supply-chain disruptions, rising costs, sustainability concerns and the arrival of high-performance alternatives are expanding how owners, designers and builders think about yacht decking. “Every vessel, every owner and every project has different priorities,” says Richard Strauss, … Read more

Women Lifesavers and the Rise of Water Safety in Early 20th‑Century America A YWCA Life Saving Unit assembled for service at the Golden Gate in San Francisco in 1920, one of the first women’s lifesaving corps to organize on the Pacific Coast. These women were part of a broader movement to reduce drowning across the … Read more

Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, 70th Edition — Edited by John Wooldridge Soundings contributor John Wooldridge. Courtesy Hearst Home Books In 1983, John Wooldridge was working as an editor at Motor Boating magazine when Executive Editor Dan Fales asked him to help deliver a large powerboat from Annapolis, Maryland, to Miami. Wooldridge admits he hesitated—he’d never … Read more

Rockport Marine Launches Ouzel, a 95-Foot Custom Sailing Yacht Rockport Marine has added a notable new project to its portfolio with the launch of the 95-foot custom sailing yacht Ouzel. Built at the yard in Rockport, Maine, the yacht recently completed sea trials on Penobscot Bay and has moved into the next stage of commissioning. … Read more

Nordhavn 100: The Natural Evolution of a Proven Line The story of the Nordhavn 100 is, at its core, the story of incremental evolution — of owners and designers seeking just a little more of what already works. The N100 didn’t arrive out of thin air; it grew from the N96, which in turn evolved … Read more

Paul Johansen: From Norwegian Rescue Ship to Ocean-Ready Expedition Home Dave and Amanda Abrams know what it takes to turn a strong idea into a precise, working reality. When the couple — both seasoned travelers and experienced boat owners — had the chance to buy a former Norwegian rescue vessel, they recognized an opportunity to … Read more