Investigating Boat Fires: Insights from a Marine Fire Investigator Daniel K. Rutherford has spent three decades as a certified marine investigator, examining boat fires, explosions, sinkings and disappearances at sea. His role is to determine the causes of marine casualties, and he typically investigates roughly 150 claims each year. Rutherford is president of Ocean Marine … Read more

Cotton Candy Lobster Found in Casco Bay: Rare Opalescent Specimen Named “Haddie” Finds New Home Last Friday, veteran lobsterman Bill Coppersmith made an extraordinary discovery while hauling traps in Casco Bay, Maine. Inside his hull he found an iridescent, opal-like lobster with a delicate, pastel sheen—an especially rare coloration commonly referred to as a “cotton … Read more

Montauk Point Lighthouse: New York’s Oldest Beacon and a Magnet for Anglers Montauk Point Lighthouse holds the distinction of being the oldest lighthouse in New York and ranks among the earliest continuously operating beacons in the United States. Authorized by the second U.S. Congress during the presidency of George Washington in 1792, the lighthouse’s construction … Read more

Newport International Boat Show Sees Increase in Exhibitors, Attendance and Buyer Optimism The Newport International Boat Show in Newport, Rhode Island, returned this year with a noticeably brighter atmosphere as dealers and visitors alike expressed renewed optimism about the marine market. Held Sept. 17-20 along the scenic Newport waterfront, the four-day exhibition drew more than … Read more

Think you can take a great photo, too? Grab your camera and start shooting for our “Real Boats, Real Boaters Photo Contest.” Chasing Storms: A Photographer’s View of the Velux 5 Oceans Fleet Just hours into the grueling Velux 5 Oceans solo around-the-world yacht race, the fleet was slammed by a fierce Bay of Biscay … Read more

FDR’s Houseboat Years: The Larooco Log During the Roaring Twenties, a politically ambitious young man disabled by polio bought a houseboat so he could cruise the warm coastal waters and pursue treatments for his damaged legs. After Franklin Delano Roosevelt was struck by polio in August 1921 at age 39, he retreated from public life. … Read more

How to Avoid Using a Firearm While Cruising: Practical Advice from John Price John Price, a retired Army National Guard colonel and longtime Episcopal priest who now serves as an FBI chaplain, has thought deeply about self-defense while cruising. A Houston resident who has spent much of his adult life sailing, Price shared practical guidance … Read more

Like duct tape, bungee cords have been relied on for decades to make everyday tasks easier. Yet while traditional bungees and simple elastic straps have their uses, many people have long wanted something more versatile, safer, and built to last. Knotbone adjustable bungees are an evolution of that concept: they offer adjustable length, improved materials, … Read more

Geoff Hunt’s paintings are instantly recognizable to readers who have followed the sea‑faring adventures of Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin in Patrick O’Brian’s historical novels. Hunt’s carefully rendered marine art became the chosen cover imagery for many editions of O’Brian’s books, and his name is closely associated with that definitive visual world of the … Read more

The Famous Jibe: Livonia vs Columbia — America’s Cup, 1871 One of the most talked-about moments in early America’s Cup history is the dramatic jibe that cost the British entry the lead in the 1871 race. Marine artist Russ Kramer captures that instant in a vivid painting, focusing on the human drama as much as … Read more