Turning heads and tugging at hearts One glance at the photograph tells the story: a beautiful autumn evening, the air crisp with the smell of wood smoke, and the last warm light of the sun gilding the horizon. Photographer Jody Dole and Soundings editor-in-chief Bill Sisson had just finished a shoot in Essex, Connecticut, and … Read more

Coast Guard Response and Boating Safety Updates Washed Up On Jan. 4, contractors began efforts to right a beached 65-foot commercial fishing vessel at Francis State Beach near Half Moon Bay, California. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco pollution investigators monitored the operation to prevent potential environmental impacts during the recovery process. Responders Rescue Injured Tug … Read more

Onne van der Wal: From Ocean Racer to Celebrated Maritime Photographer There are few people who reach the top of one career and then achieve prominence in a second. Onne van der Wal is one of those rare individuals. Warm and modest by nature, he is also a gifted overachiever who parlayed a world-class sailing … Read more

Bill Blount — Naval Architect and CEO Leading Modern Yacht Design A young Bill Blount’s love of boats began after a Wellcraft V20 sank three times and sparked a lifelong fascination with the water. That early passion, combined with growing up around his father, renowned powerboat designer Donald L. Blount, shaped a career that today … Read more

We were anchored in a sheltered Bahamian harbor when a 70-foot sailboat glided in from the ocean. Its size, finish and obvious quality drew attention from everyone ashore and on the VHF. People assumed the owner must be wealthy and experienced — how could you not be with a boat like that? The next day … Read more

Boat Wakes and Safety: How to Prevent Accidents and Injuries The U.S. Coast Guard consistently lists boat wakes among the top contributing factors in recreational boating accidents. In recent annual Recreational Boating Statistics reports it has been shown that over the past four years an average of 211 accidents per year were attributed to the … Read more

Sailing Firsts: A Long-Held Dream Comes True Ken Perry recently dropped me a note to share an experience he’d just checked off his bucket list. For decades he’d dreamed of sailing a recreational boat to distant shores—by which he meant literally harnessing the wind in sails and exploring new coasts. During a 30-plus year career … Read more

SeaVee 340i Pod: A Single-Pod Center Console Breaks New Ground ZF Marine and SeaVee Boats unveiled a 34-foot center console fitted with a single-pod propulsion system last fall at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. According to the companies, this is the first single-pod system introduced for the recreational marine market, designed to bring joystick-driven … Read more

Ice Cream Boat: Sweet Treats on the Lake It’s summer, the sun is high and the lake is full of people looking to relax and cool off. For many boaters and swimmers, nothing hits the spot like a cold ice cream or a scoop of gelato. Enter the ice cream boat — a simple, charming … Read more

Approaching my 77th year, I set out to make a cruise from my home port at the Seaford Yacht Club on the York River to Baltimore and back before I stopped doing lengthy passages. During the past decade I’ve done plenty of singlehanded sailing in the lower Chesapeake Bay, and I kept imagining a grand … Read more