Dawn Riley: Ocean Racing Pioneer and Sailor’s Story

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Dawn Riley — A Career at the Helm of High-Performance Sailing Dawn Riley is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished racing sailors in the world. Her career spans ocean racing, multiple America’s Cup campaigns and leadership roles that have shaped the sport. Riley first gained international attention in the 1989–90 Whitbread Round the … Read more

Why the Coast Guard Stops Searching for Missing People

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It is a call that always comes sooner than grieving families expect. Relatives cling to the hope of one last flight, one more search pattern, and the Coast Guard sector commander — the person who must ultimately decide when to suspend operations — has to be the bearer of the worst news: nothing was found … Read more

How Adversity Shapes Identity and Everyday Life

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Remembering the 1938 Hurricane: Context for Understanding Superstorm Sandy About 24 hours before Superstorm Sandy struck southern New Jersey, my brother and I stood in a steady drizzle at the family home in southwestern Rhode Island and found an old mark on the front walk showing how high water rose during the Great New England … Read more

Be Prepared: Practical Know-How for Emergencies

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Boat Self-Reliance: Practical Tips and Expert Guides for Onboard Troubleshooting Self-reliance on the water is every boater’s best safety margin. Alongside a reliable tow service or professional help, the ability to improvise, repair, and preserve your vessel can turn a potentially serious situation into a manageable inconvenience. Below you’ll find curated guidance from seasoned authors … Read more

Portrait of Captain William Pinkney as a Sailor

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Captain William Pinkney: Solo Circumnavigator and Keeper of Maritime Memory Captain William Pinkney first rose to national prominence in 1991 when, at age 55, he completed a solo circumnavigation of the globe in a Valiant 47 yacht named Commitment. Covering roughly 27,000 miles and rounding the notoriously treacherous Cape Horn, Pinkney became widely recognized not … Read more

GPS Satellite Compass for Accurate Navigation

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ComNav Marine Introduces G Series GNSS Satellite Compasses ComNav Marine has launched its new G Series of GNSS satellite compasses, designed for reliable heading and positioning on recreational and commercial vessels. The series emphasizes redundancy, precise heading performance, and strong stability in roll, pitch and heading measurements—features that matter for navigation, autopilot control, and survey … Read more

Dry Dock Collapses, Tugboat Topples in Pacific Northwest

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Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology Oversee Salvage Response at Vigor Marine Shipyard in Everett The U.S. Coast Guard and the Washington State Department of Ecology are jointly overseeing a salvage and response operation at Vigor Marine’s shipyard in Everett, Washington, after a dry dock partially submerged and an adjacent tugboat capsized. The incident … Read more

Flotsam and Jetsam: High-Speed Sea Chase

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Fast and Furious Narrow, swift and graceful, Ruweida V is a beautifully restored 38-foot R‑Class sloop originally designed by Burgess, Swasey & Paine in 1926. Her full, meticulous restoration began in 2011 at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island, where expert shipwrights replanked her hull, replaced decking and rebuilt her rigging to … Read more

Classic Friendship Sloop: History, Design and Restoration

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Friendship Sloop: The History and Enduring Appeal of Maine’s Working Sailboat In the late 19th century, boatbuilder Wilbur Morse of Friendship, Maine, became known for producing large numbers of a single, highly practical design: the Friendship sloop. These working sailboats were gaff-rigged, featured a clipper bow and a graceful elliptical stern, and were built for … Read more

Overboard Movie Guide: Plot, Cast and Reviews

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Swept Away Overboard! A True Bluewater Odyssey of Disaster and Survival, by Michael J. Tougias, is a gripping account of a violent offshore storm and its devastating effects on a small sailing vessel and those aboard. Published by Simon & Schuster in March 2010 (paperback, $24), the book chronicles a five-day passage that began as … Read more