Navigation Lights: Essential Nighttime Seamanship and Safety Long before electronics and radio traffic, keeping watch at night included simple, reliable routines. A bow lookout might turn, face aft and shout to the mate on the bridge; at sunset a sailor would call out, “The lights are shining brightly!” That old-fashioned habit still matters. Checking your … Read more

Damage Control on Boats: Preventing and Managing Flooding The phrase “damage control” often brings to mind dramatic submarine scenes from the film Das Boot: men waist-deep in water, fighting to stop ruptured pipes while the sea threatens to overwhelm the vessel. In everyday boating, flooding is rarely that cinematic, but it is still serious. Most … Read more

How to Use VHF Radio: Channel 16, Mayday, Pan-Pan and DSC Explained Even with smartphones everywhere, the VHF radio remains a vital safety tool on the water. VHF radios are the quickest way to call for help and relay critical information to nearby vessels and rescue authorities. Understanding VHF procedures and the meaning of calls … Read more

Practical Docking Techniques: Using Lines, Wind and Seamanship One of my most memorable docking lessons happened more than forty years ago. We were sailing a gaff-rigged catboat with no engine and were forced into a downwind approach into a marina basin. Our plan seemed simple: sail into the basin, round up, lower the mainsail and … Read more

Lifelines: A Return to Boating Safety and Rescue at Sea When I retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, all I wanted was a quiet anchorage for my 32-foot Wellcraft St. Tropez and a desk to write from. I was exhausted, recently divorced, and more than a little grumpy. After a lifetime of responding to emergencies … Read more

Boston Whaler introduced the Vantage line in 2013 and has steadily expanded the series. The newest model, the Vantage 330, was unveiled at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show as the line’s flagship. Fabrizio DeLuca from Brunswick’s Tech Center in Everglades, Florida, led the design and guided the walk-through of the boat. DeLuca, who … Read more

Solar panels offer a quiet, sustainable way to power systems on board. A well-planned marine solar installation keeps batteries charged, reduces dependence on noisy generators and shore power, and supports longer, more independent cruising. This guide outlines the essential components of a boat solar system so you can design a setup that meets your energy … Read more

When most people picture an electric boat, they imagine a catamaran plastered with solar panels or a high-tech hydrofoil. The Sialia 57 Deep Silence defies those expectations. Visually it reads like a refined Northern European weekend yacht, yet under the skin it is driven by electric motors, a substantial battery pack and a dedicated range … Read more

The fresh southeasterly wind died off briefly, then returned with a vengeance from the opposite direction. Conifers groaned as they bent under the onrush of air, while the rapid staccato of a plastic tarp ripping announced the wind’s fury. The tarp had been draped over a tired-looking long keeler that sat next to a rusted … Read more

“I grew up as a farmer,” says Jose “Joe” DaPonte, the Azorean-born president and owner of C&C Marine, builder of recreational fishing boats and the maker of NorthCoast Boats. At first light, we’re trolling daisy chains for bluefin tuna south of Block Island aboard Hull No. 1 of the NorthCoast 415HT. “My hometown sat high … Read more