Fatty Knees: The Revival of a Beloved Traditional Dinghy Saved from the scrap heap by a lover of classic design, the Fatty Knees dinghy has made a strong return to the water. The story begins with George Dow, who found exactly the boat he wanted—a 24-foot Bristol Channel cutter named Seraffyn—but was even more taken … Read more

Boston BoatWorks and mJm Yachts: Lightweight, Efficient Powerboats When four sailors pooled their skills to build powerboats, the result was unexpected and compelling: vessels that combine the sensitivity of sailing experience with the speed and convenience of powerboats. Sailors bring a refined awareness of wind, current, tide and seakeeping that influences the way these powercraft … Read more

Are AC72s “Too Big, Too Fast, Too Light”? A Practical Look at Safety and Design Questions have been raised about whether the America’s Cup AC72 catamarans have reached a point where they are “too big, too fast, too light” to be safe. From my perspective, the answer is no — not in any categorical way. … Read more

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series about sailboat sea trials. The purpose of a sea trial A sea trial should be more than a pleasant cruise; it is a disciplined, detailed evaluation of how a prospective sailboat performs in real conditions. You and your surveyor may have inspected the boat thoroughly … Read more

Coast Guard Rescues Four People and a Dog from Sinking Boat in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey Barnegat Bay, New Jersey — A rapid Coast Guard response prevented a tragic outcome after a 30-foot recreational vessel began taking on water with four people and a dog on board. The alert came to the Barnegat Light station, … Read more

Équihen-Plage Boathouses: Inverted Fishing Hull Homes and Coastal Heritage In the early 1900s, the small fishing village of Équihen-Plage on the northern coast of France developed a distinct vernacular architecture: makeshift shelters built under the inverted hulls of worn-out fishing boats. When wooden boats reached the end of their service lives, local fishermen—and sometimes their … Read more

Historic Bridge House on Boothbay Harbor: Iconic Summer Cottage for Sale Photos by Robert L. Drake Moored and moving yachts, lobster boats, kayaks and windjammers make up the ever-changing panorama visible from the Bridge House, perched above the water of downtown Boothbay Harbor, Maine. From each window the harbor scene shifts with tides, weather and … Read more

Marine Medical Kit Essentials for Coastal Cruising An exposed cotter pin can slice your leg when you reach for a dock line. A rolling boat can spill boiling water onto a hand. A guest can stub and break a little toe on a deck cleat. These are common incidents aboard pleasure craft, and being prepared … Read more

Ivory tree coral is one of the planet’s most remarkable corals. The branching species, Oculina varicosa, creates a deepwater reef that runs along the east Florida coast from Fort Pierce to Daytona. That 90-mile reef is unique—there is no other like it in the world—and historically it was dense enough to be widely known as … Read more

Valhalla Boatworks Introduces the V-55 Sport (SP): A Luxury Cruise Version of a High-Performance Hull Valhalla Boatworks is expanding its reputation for high-performance fishing vessels with a new luxury cruise model: the V-55 Sport (SP). Built on the proven Valhalla 55 hull and featuring a stepped bottom developed by Michael Peters Yacht Design, the V-55 … Read more