The seaside town of Gibsons sits on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, only about 10 miles from Vancouver as the crow flies, but the rugged topography and deep coastal channels make it feel worlds apart. Steep hills, narrow passes and the absence of direct roads mean residents and visitors rely on ferries and floatplanes. With water … Read more

This charming motor launch is design No. 88 by Nat Benjamin of the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. Named Toast, she traces her lineage to Baguette, a pony of a launch created in the 1980s by Connecticut boatbuilder Jack Wilbur. That earlier boat served as the inspiration for the modern rebuild … Read more

How Onne van der Wal Keeps His Propeller Clean and Upgrades His Boats Preventing Marine Growth: Why Propspeed Works for Propellers Keeping a propeller free from marine growth is critical for performance and fuel efficiency. For photographer and boat owner Onne van der Wal, the solution has been Propspeed. He applied the foul-release coating to … Read more

Cape Cod Volunteer Network Aims to Prevent Shark Encounters by Recruiting Boaters and Anglers Heather Doyle is organizing a volunteer network to reduce the risk of shark encounters in Massachusetts waters, and her next target group is recreational boaters and anglers. Doyle co-founded the nonprofit Cape Cod Ocean Community in spring 2019 after a string … Read more

Miami Sea Wall Proposal: A Six-Mile, $6 Billion Plan to Protect Biscayne Bay from Storm Surge The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a preliminary proposal to shield Miami from rising storm surge risks: a six-mile-long sea wall running across Biscayne Bay. Estimated at roughly $6 billion and reaching up to 20 feet high … Read more

Refinishing the Cabin Sole on Snow Goose: A Grand Banks 32 Restoration Onne van der Wal tackled a number of small repairs and updates to return his 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, to near-new condition. While many tasks were modest in scope, three major jobs stood out: installing Raymarine electronics, sanding the teak decks, … Read more

Mercury Marine Accelerates Electrification with Five New Electric Product Lines On May 10, Mercury Marine announced an ambitious expansion of its electric propulsion program, confirming plans to introduce five new electric product lines by 2023. The announcement, delivered at Brunswick Corporation’s annual Investor’s Day, included confirmation that four of those offerings will be electric outboards. … Read more

In 2020, an estimated 415,000 people became first-time boat owners, and holiday weekends tend to fill the water with more vessels than usual. That makes vigilance and preparation essential for every trip. Below are 12 practical boating safety tips from experienced boating advocates. These reminders are useful for new boaters and seasoned captains alike. 1 … Read more

Restoring the Master Cabin Paint on Snow Goose: Sanding, Prep, and a Lasting Finish The paint in the master cabin aboard Snow Goose, Onne van der Wal’s 1986 Grand Banks 32, had begun to crack and peel and clearly needed attention. Rather than rush into repainting, Onne approached the job methodically: careful sanding, thorough cleaning, … Read more

Replacing the Windlass and Installing a Mantus Anchor on Snow Goose Onne van der Wal’s 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, was ready for an update: the original Vetus windlass had seen better days and Onne wanted to replace the boat’s 35-pound CQR anchor with a Mantus anchor he’d relied on previously. Having had positive … Read more