Community Boating Center: How New Bedford’s Youth Find Confidence on the Water In 1995, social worker JoAnn Tschaen visited seven children living in a hot, crowded tenement in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Once a thriving whaling and manufacturing town, New Bedford had experienced severe economic decline. Job losses in manufacturing led to increased poverty and rising … Read more

Manufacturers are raising the bar on power The horsepower race is intensifying as Mercury and Seven Marine introduce some of the most powerful four-stroke outboards available this year. These new engines push performance, efficiency and engineering in ways that will influence boat design and buyer expectations for years to come. Mercury expanded its Verado lineup … Read more

November Boating and Fishing in the Northeast: Tips, Spots, and Tactics While many boaters have already put their vessels away for the season, November still offers excellent opportunities for those willing to wait for calm weather. The trick is being ready: late-season fishing often comes in short windows between fall storms. When the forecast clears, … Read more

Hardware and software makers are expanding their toolbox, pushing marine electronics into new frontiers. As trends multiply, so do the solutions. At the larger scale, stand-alone multifunction displays are taking up more real estate at the helm. At the smaller scale, smartphones and tablets have become central navigational and entertainment devices. Manufacturers are responding by … Read more

Kali’s Law: Texas Requires Boat Operators to Be Physically Connected to Emergency Shutoff Switches On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a new law requiring boat operators to be physically connected to a vessel’s emergency shutoff switch, commonly known as a kill switch. The legislation, widely referred to as “Kali’s Law,” is intended to reduce … Read more

Offshore Sailing: Why Self-Reliance Alone Is No Longer Enough There was a time when leaving sight of land meant serious risk. Before the marine chronometer made longitude practical, venturing beyond the horizon was a gamble. Even after accurate charts and reliable timekeeping became available, the sea remained unforgiving. So dangerous was offshore voyaging that New … Read more

Lessons from a Grounding: Distraction, Situational Awareness, and Seamanship In early December, Soundings contributor John Wooldridge passed along a news item about a large container ship that ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay. The stranded vessel became a local spectacle as residents gathered at a bayside park to watch efforts to refloat the ship. The … Read more

Kristen Neuschafer Wins Golden Globe Race After 235 Days at Sea After 235 days alone at sea, Kristen Neuschafer sailed into the French port of Les Sables-d’Olonne to claim first place in the Golden Globe Race. Her arrival marked the end of a long and demanding solo circumnavigation that tested seamanship, endurance and resolve. Neuschafer’s … Read more

Sail Newport’s Fourth-Grade Sailing Program Builds Life Skills and Local Connection At 9:45 a.m., the school bus disgorges a steady stream of fourth-graders at the Sail Newport Sailing Center. Some students head upstairs to a classroom led by teachers, while others don life jackets and walk down to the docks with sailing instructors. A fresh … Read more

“There’s the emotional side—moments of terror, tedium, anxiety,” says New York–based artist and casual sailor Zoë Sheehan-Saldaña, 49, describing her first Race to Alaska, a 750-mile dash from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. The event allows only wind and muscle power and forbids outside assistance. “Then there were moments so beautiful you couldn’t believe … Read more