Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary: Protecting Lake Michigan’s Sunken Heritage During the 19th and 20th centuries, tens of thousands of vessels were launched across the Great Lakes. Wooden schooners, iron- and steel-hulled steamships, bulk carriers and propeller-driven passenger steamers all carried people, coal, iron ore and manufactured goods that helped build the American Midwest. … Read more

Newport International Boat Show Marks Five Decades of In-Water Innovation and Tradition On September 24, 1972, The New York Times profiled naval architect and Vietnam veteran Paul Dodson, noting how his Annapolis-inspired outdoor sailboat show had “incorporated the built-in magic of Newport, America’s Cup land, into another successful outdoor sailboat show.” That moment reflected the … Read more

What We’re Watching Feel-Good Fish Story If you want a heartwarming film that blends fishing, community resilience, and a true underdog spirit, Netflix’s Blue Miracle is an excellent choice. The movie follows Casa Hogar, an orphanage in Cabo San Lucas, and its unexpected entry into the prestigious Bisbee’s Black & Blue marlin tournament in 2014. … Read more

Williston, Florida–based Blackfin Boats has been building rugged, well-regarded hulls for anglers and families since the 1970s. The brand earned strong word-of-mouth among serious fishermen in the 1980s and ’90s thanks to hulls that handled offshore conditions confidently. After weathering financial struggles that cast doubt on its future, Blackfin has reemerged under new ownership and … Read more

Deer Harbor Boatworks: A Small Yard Preserving Wooden-Boat Tradition on Orcas Island Turning off Channel Road just before it crosses the new bridge that separates the saltwater of Deer Harbor from the silted Cayou Lagoon, a car pulls up beneath a weathered sign: Deer Harbor Boatworks. The yard refuses to follow the usual script. There’s … Read more

Buy the Boat You Can Afford: Realistic Advice on Boat Ownership and Maintenance I’ve owned six boats over the past 40 years. I’ve cruised and raced them, crewed in countless regattas and spent a lifetime around boats of every description — sail and power, dinghies to superyachts. People always ask me what kind of boat … Read more

Snow Goose: Grand Banks 32 Refit and Launch in Jamestown, Rhode Island After a six-month refit, Onne and Tenley van der Wal’s 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, returned to the water on June 2 at Clark Boat Yard & Marine Works in Jamestown, Rhode Island. The launch marked the culmination of months of careful … Read more

The sea is heaving. A small commercial boat pitches and rolls as it rides over the swells, but the two lobstermen on deck move with steady purpose. For them this is routine work, another day spent on a livelihood shaped by wind, wave and weather. They have nearly 600 traps spread across the water, and … Read more

Rescue of Maine Maritime Museum Schooner Mary E After Capsize on Kennebec River First responders and SeaTow crews are being credited with rescuing all passengers and crew after the 115-year-old Maine Maritime Museum schooner Mary E capsized in the Kennebec River near Bath on Friday. The incident sent some people into the water and prompted … Read more

John Hauck Completes the Great Loop Twice in His Early 80s John Hauck first completed the Great Loop at age 80, and now, at 82, the former Cobra helicopter gunship pilot has done it again. Hauck made his second circuit in 2021 aboard his compact but capable Rosborough RF-246, affectionately named Grumpy. His accomplishment attracted … Read more