USS Recruit: The Wooden Battleship That Recruited in Union Square In 1917, as the United States entered the First World War, a surge of patriotic fervor swept the nation and the demand for new recruits rose sharply. To meet that need and capture public attention, the Navy tried an unconventional recruitment tool: a full-scale wooden … Read more

Marlin Damages Deck of Atlantic Rowboat Carrying Shropshire Crew in Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge Four men from Shropshire, England, competing in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge suffered an unexpected setback when a marlin reportedly struck their ocean rowboat, puncturing the deck and damaging storage lockers that hold their food. The incident highlights both the hazards … Read more

On Board Fall River Line Steamer Priscilla — William Muller The glittering steam ferry Pilgrim brightens a tranquil evening on Long Island Sound in William Muller’s oil-on-canvas scene, On Board Fall River Line Steamer Priscilla. In the painting, the stately Priscilla, a 440-foot queen of the line, dominates the view. She was one of the … Read more

North America offers two iconic cruising adventures that capture the imagination of seasoned boaters and newcomers alike: the Inside Passage of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Loop that circles much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. The Inside Passage stretches from Washington State through British Columbia and on to Alaska, offering nearly … Read more

Flags and pennants snapped in a steady southerly breeze as the whaleship Charles W. Morgan stood proudly dressed out at Chubb’s Wharf at the Mystic Seaport Museum in the 1950s. The photograph captures a moment of ceremonial display for a working whaler that had been transformed into a museum centerpiece, its rigging and spars trimmed … Read more

Jan Gougeon and the FLICKA Capsize: Survival in the North Atlantic On June 20, 1979, during a qualifying race for the Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Race (OSTAR), Jan Gougeon’s self-designed and built 31-foot trimaran, FLICKA, was overwhelmed by heavy seas and capsized in the North Atlantic. Jan survived for four days on the overturned plywood-and-epoxy multihull … Read more

The Kadey-Krogen Group has announced the acquisition of American Tugs, the LaConner, Washington-based builder known for its U.S.-made coastal cruisers. Founded in 1999 by experienced marine industry professionals, American Tugs has built a reputation for solid construction and seafaring designs tailored to coastal cruising. As part of the agreement, Kadey-Krogen Group will also take ownership … Read more

Low Chart-Update Rates Raise the Risk of Navigational Surprises With electronic chart update rates reported as low as 8 percent, the Alliance for Safe Navigation is warning recreational boaters about the growing risk of navigational surprises. Many boaters assume their local charts—paper or electronic—remain accurate year after year, but both natural forces and human activity … Read more

While zipping across Charleston Harbor aboard the Zodiac X10CC, I couldn’t help thinking Jacques Cousteau never had it this good. Cousteau traveled the world’s most beautiful dive spots, but he never steered a Zodiac like this. Zodiac Nautic’s newest model, available in the U.S. in January 2025, is a different breed—big, powerful and distinctly modern. … Read more

Your neighbor has a new Tesla that parallel parks itself with a tap. Another neighbor plants corn hands-free with a GPS-guided John Deere that turns at the row end, self-aligns within three inches and continues while he checks futures on a tablet. So when will boats be that smart? When will you be able to … Read more