A few years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began an ambitious effort to develop one of the world’s most powerful weather models — a system intended to deliver far more accurate forecasts and better protect boaters, coastal communities and anyone who relies on weather-sensitive operations. Now, after several major upgrades and new … Read more

Chris-Craft’s Roamer Steel Boats: The 1959 Fleet and the Shift to Fiberglass In the late 1950s, the American pleasure-boat market was at a crossroads. Larger builders such as Pacemaker, Owens and Trojan still favored traditional wooden construction for their big models, while a growing number of smaller firms were experimenting with alternative materials: plywood, aluminum … Read more

The wind screamed in from the east at about 25 knots as we forged through the incoming tide funneling into North Carolina’s Barden Inlet. By the time we cleared the shoals, our crew felt like a pair of jeans tumbling through a washing machine. Still, weather or not, we had a mission: go fishing. For … Read more

Newell Cadet (Offshore 27): A Timeless 1960s Fiberglass Sailboat In the 1960s, fiberglass transformed small-boat building and launched a golden era for recreational sailing. Marinas and yacht clubs filled with versatile cruising boats and nimble racers, and several established builders—Pearson, Columbia, Irwin and Cal among them—dominated the market. Into that busy scene came designer Taylor … Read more

Tom Niles Donates $1 Million to Coast Guard Foundation to Create Education Fund About 20 years ago, a young Tom Niles found himself adrift off the coast of Massachusetts when the outboard on his 15-foot Boston Whaler died near Boston Light. Chilly September air, an outgoing tide and a fading sun compounded the situation. He … Read more

From Mountains to Liveaboard: How Rob and Deanna Found Bella Luna When Rob and Deanna Piwowarczyk first discussed living on a boat, the conversation nearly sank their marriage. It was 2012, and the newlyweds were settled in the Colorado mountains—Deanna in her early 40s working in software with horses and dogs, Rob five years older … Read more

Piotr Zin is personable, articulate and remarkably inventive—some might even call him delightfully obsessive about boats. At 42, the industrial designer who founded Zin Boats is steering his electric Z2R through the Miami South Channel, a boat he conceived to prove that electric propulsion can deliver performance, style and efficiency without compromise. Zin’s love of … Read more

Eagle Scout Creates Memorial Artificial Reef in the Gulf of Mexico Becoming an Eagle Scout requires planning and completing a meaningful community service project. While many Eagle projects are modest in scale and budget, some young leaders choose ambitious undertakings that leave a long-lasting legacy. One such project came from Garrett Ard of Orange Beach, … Read more

Feadship: From Postwar Coffeehouse Conversations to Iconic Luxury Yachts They were large, resolute vessels designed to cross oceans and carry their owners to any harbor around the world. Emerging from the devastation of World War II, Feadship became synonymous with bespoke luxury yachts crafted by Dutch shipbuilders who rebuilt an industry and set a new … Read more

Few vessels capture the romance and raw power of the sea like the clipper ship. Towering with three masts and tens of thousands of square feet of canvas, a classic clipper could harness the wind and surge across the oceans at remarkable speeds. With its rigging humming and sails set taut, a well-handled clipper might … Read more