Offshore Sailing Expands to Key West as Part of Its 60th Anniversary Year To mark the start of its 60th anniversary year, SAIL magazine spoke with Beth Oliver, Vice President and Director of Sales & Marketing, about a major expansion: Offshore Sailing will open a new instruction location at Stock Island Yacht Club & Marina … Read more

Decommissioned Offshore Oil Rigs as Unexpected Marine Habitats Juvenile rockfish, white anemones, mussels and silver jack mackerel have colonized the offshore oil platform known as Holly, turning the idle structure into a thriving marine community. Holly has been shut down since 2015, and over the years the platform’s legs and subsea structure have been slowly … Read more

Tiara Yachts Introduces Fishing Modules for Outboard LS and LE Series Tiara Yachts has expanded its offerings for anglers and cruising enthusiasts by making dedicated fishing modules and optional outfitting available on its outboard-powered Luxury Sport (LS) and Luxury Express (LE) series. The Michigan-based builder now provides these fishing-focused options across boats ranging from 34 … Read more

77-Foot Doggersbank Offshore Built at Altena for Pacific Northwest Cruising A new, owner-operated Doggersbank Offshore—at 77 feet the largest Doggersbank ever commissioned—is currently under construction at the Altena shipyard in the Netherlands for an American owner who intends to cruise the Pacific Northwest. The build revives a classic rugged design with modern systems and an … Read more

Jimmy Buffett’s Sailing Life: Ticonderoga, Key West, and a Lifelong Love of Boats Jimmy Buffett’s public image often embodied “island escapism,” and that image was deeply rooted in a genuine love of the sea. A grandson of a captain, Buffett grew up with a close connection to boats and maritime life. Sailboats and the rhythms … Read more

Boat Capacity and Safety: Why Ignoring the Placard Can Be Deadly Have you ever glanced at the small placard near your boat’s helm that lists the vessel’s maximum capacities and moved on? It’s easy to overlook, but overloading a boat is a common and serious safety hazard. The consequences can be catastrophic, as a recent … Read more

“Haul hard! Cleat that halyard and watch the luff.” Those commands were the soundtrack of my youth, shouted across spray and sunburned forearms. By twenty-one I was not a child anymore, and my mandatory crewing on the family Lightning had been theoretically retired. But on Labor Day weekend, back at the family cottage on Wellesley … Read more

J Craft Torpedo-R: Handcrafted Cruising from Gotland On the back deck of a summer house in Shelter Island, New York, I meet Radenko Milakovic, owner of J Craft Boats. His company builds classically styled motor cruisers on Gotland, a rugged island in the Baltic Sea with a long maritime heritage. Milakovic speaks with evident pride … Read more

Brian Larkin acknowledges there is a lingering stigma around cold-molded boats. While he believes much of it is misplaced, he knows the perception persists among some buyers. Larkin, president of Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine, says many potential owners hear the word “wood” and immediately worry about maintenance, rot, and extra work. In his experience, … Read more

Helmsman 46 Pilothouse — Designed for Extended, Offshore Cruising When owners feel the call to move beyond coastal cruising into longer, more remote passages, they often look for a boat that is both more robust and more comfortable. The Helmsman 46 Pilothouse answers that call: Hull No. 1 is currently on order from owners who … Read more