It was pitch black. My hands, the saloon and the cockpit all smelled of diesel. Outside, the wind screamed as Aretha, our 53-foot sailboat, slid from one wave into the next. Whitewater swept across the lifelines and filled the cockpit; we were drifting sideways. Aretha was hove-to, a deliberate sailing position that reduces motion while … Read more
Seven Essential Books on Boating Safety and Survival I used to be a voracious reader. From my mid-twenties through the end of my Coast Guard career in 2013 I averaged about a book a week. I expected retirement to give me even more time for reading, but somehow I’ve let that habit slip. The truth … Read more
Egg Harbor 33 Sedan: A Classic Twin-Engine Family Cruiser Founded in 1946, Egg Harbor Yacht Co. emerged as a key player in the post-war boatbuilding boom centered in southern New Jersey. Supported by abundant offshore fishing and cruising opportunities, builders in this region established a reputation for producing well-crafted vessels, and the Egg Harbor 33 … Read more
Southport 33 DC Review: First Dual Console Offers Quiet, Confident Performance in Tampa Bay To launch Southport Boats’ first dual-console model, the 33 DC, the crew had to lift her out of a low-lying community lagoon and fly her over a spillway with overhead slings and a joystick-controlled hoist. Suspended 15 feet in the air, … Read more
Tom Cunliffe is a sailor to the core and one of Britain’s most recognized nautical personalities. With decades of hands-on experience and a deep love for traditional seamanship, he writes and edits with authority and warmth, bringing the lessons of the sea to a wide readership. In The Wake of Heroes (Bloomsbury, $25) gathers 40 … Read more
Getting the Most from Your Radar — Seminar at CruiserPort University Eric Kunz, a leading expert in marine electronics and senior product manager at Furuno USA, will join the CruiserPort University faculty at the Newport International Boat Show to present “Getting the Most from Your Radar.” Kunz will bring Furuno’s latest solid-state Doppler radome, the … Read more
The 450 Sundancer is Sea Ray’s third model in its next-generation coupe-style sport yacht lineup. Compared with the earlier 450 introduced in 2009, this new 450 is a foot longer and noticeably beamier, giving it greater interior volume and a more comfortable, livable layout. “With today’s boaters, it’s all about interior volume and space that’s … Read more
What drives someone to become a helicopter rescue swimmer varies from person to person. For me, the answer was surprisingly simple: I liked the idea of an uncomplicated, meaningful day. When someone asked, “What did you do today?” I could say, “I went out with my team and brought people home.” That immediate, tangible reward—helping … Read more
Setting out from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 2018, Jeff Bolster and his wife, Molly, hoped to circumnavigate on their Valiant 40. After port calls in the Caribbean, Panama, the Galapagos, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga, they were in New Zealand waiting for South Pacific cyclone season to end when COVID-19 … Read more
Beluga Whale Wearing “Property of St. Petersburg” Harness Befriends Norwegian Fishermen A white beluga whale turned up alongside a Norwegian fishing vessel last week, drawing attention not only for its cheerful behavior but for the unusual harness it wore. The harness bore the marking “Property of St. Petersburg,” a detail that immediately raised questions about … Read more