“No. We are not spending that kind of money.” For a solid decade, that was Steve Olsson’s wife’s answer whenever he suggested buying an American Tug. He first noticed one in a marina and was immediately taken by its tall profile, generous beam and the remarkable sense of space for a 41-foot hull. Compared with … Read more

Crossing to Antigua: My Salty Dawg Caribbean Rally Experience My wife was mildly skeptical about my plan. Less than a year earlier we’d bought our first boat, a twenty-year-old Hallberg-Rassy 43, with the intention of exploring the Chesapeake Bay and, after a season or two and retirement, taking on longer passages. When the 2024 Salty … Read more

Spring brings more than warmer weather and the first days on the water: it’s also the season when boatbuilders unveil their latest models and innovations. At boat shows this year you’ll see a range of fresh designs from established names and new entrants — from compact weekenders and center consoles to high‑performance cruisers and luxury … Read more

Brooklin, Maine: Preserving Wooden Boatbuilding Through a New Maritime Research Center Brooklin, Maine, is synonymous with wooden boatbuilding. Home to the WoodenBoat School—operating since 1981 and having taught more than 20,000 students—the town sustains a deep tradition of craftsmanship. Local builders such as Brooklin Boat Yard and several smaller yards keep hands-on boatbuilding knowledge alive … Read more

The design team at Grady-White has a talent for taking already strong models and refining them into even better boats. When a particular feature becomes a customer favorite, the designers often carry that detail across the lineup. The Freedom 345 is a clear example: it blends the comfort and style of the Freedom 415 with … Read more

Navigation Lights: Essential Nighttime Seamanship and Safety Long before electronics and radio traffic, keeping watch at night included simple, reliable routines. A bow lookout might turn, face aft and shout to the mate on the bridge; at sunset a sailor would call out, “The lights are shining brightly!” That old-fashioned habit still matters. Checking your … Read more

Damage Control on Boats: Preventing and Managing Flooding The phrase “damage control” often brings to mind dramatic submarine scenes from the film Das Boot: men waist-deep in water, fighting to stop ruptured pipes while the sea threatens to overwhelm the vessel. In everyday boating, flooding is rarely that cinematic, but it is still serious. Most … Read more

How to Use VHF Radio: Channel 16, Mayday, Pan-Pan and DSC Explained Even with smartphones everywhere, the VHF radio remains a vital safety tool on the water. VHF radios are the quickest way to call for help and relay critical information to nearby vessels and rescue authorities. Understanding VHF procedures and the meaning of calls … Read more

Practical Docking Techniques: Using Lines, Wind and Seamanship One of my most memorable docking lessons happened more than forty years ago. We were sailing a gaff-rigged catboat with no engine and were forced into a downwind approach into a marina basin. Our plan seemed simple: sail into the basin, round up, lower the mainsail and … Read more

Lifelines: A Return to Boating Safety and Rescue at Sea When I retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, all I wanted was a quiet anchorage for my 32-foot Wellcraft St. Tropez and a desk to write from. I was exhausted, recently divorced, and more than a little grumpy. After a lifetime of responding to emergencies … Read more