Hallberg-Rassy 49 — A Classic Swedish Blue-Water Cruiser In 1943, Swedish boatbuilder Harry Hallberg opened his yard on the island of Orust and began producing Folkboats and other seaworthy designs. Over time the Hallberg name became closely associated with quality craftsmanship and seaworthy blue-water yachts. Among the marque’s most celebrated models is the Hallberg-Rassy 49, … Read more

What We’re Watching It’s easy to overlook the relentless work performed by tugs and the captains who helm them. Tugboats do far more than guide large ships through tight harbor channels; they push and pull massive barges, support marine construction projects, handle fuel transfers, and perform countless other essential tasks that keep ports and waterways … Read more

Raised on Camano Island in Washington’s northern Puget Sound, Jim Lindell began building boats as a teenager and quickly developed a reputation for rugged, seaworthy designs. After constructing his first boat at 18 and spending time working in Alaskan fisheries, he recognized the need for sturdier commercial fishing vessels that could endure harsh North Pacific … Read more

Restoring a 1986 Grand Banks 32: Deck, Plumbing and Electronics on Snow Goose Onne and Tenley van der Wal set out to have their 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, ready for the Northeast boating season. With a tight timeline and a long task list, Tenley asked what she could do to help move the … Read more

Bud N’ Mary’s and the Birth of Modern Charter Fishing in Islamorada In the late 1940s, Bud and Mary Stapleton left New England for Florida and purchased what had been a modest fishing camp at mile marker 79.8 in Islamorada along the Overseas Highway. They named their new enterprise Bud N’ Mary’s, opened a small … Read more

At sunrise along the shores of Nantucket Island, marine artist Sergio Roffo finds the kind of quiet inspiration that shapes his work. In this scene he captured a Concordia yawl, gracefully heeled in an early breeze as it makes its approach for the island’s long-standing Opera House Cup regatta. The composition emphasizes the luminous relationship … Read more

Nearly every recreational powerboat today comes equipped with an engine cut-off switch—83.2 percent, according to the National Recreational Boating Safety Survey. How often those red lanyards are actually clipped to the captain’s belt, life jacket or wrist is anyone’s guess. Still, because many boaters find the cords inconvenient or uncomfortable, compliance is inconsistent. Beginning April … Read more

Replacing a Tired Foredeck Hatch on a Grand Banks 32 The forward hatch on Onne van der Wal’s 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, had seen better days. The lens had become crazed and cloudy, and the hatch no longer held itself open. Rather than attempt repairs on the old unit, Onne decided the most … Read more

Hundreds of Nordhavn owners have logged ocean passages, and long-distance cruising is effectively the mission of every Nordhavn hull. That legacy began early for the company’s now-retired Nordhavn 40: in 2001 a stock 40 with a single engine completed a 172-day global voyage, proving a fiberglass production powerboat could safely cross oceans and earning the … Read more

Vito Dumas: A Timeless Cutter at Port Townsend A walk along the docks can be more than a pastime—it’s therapy, research and sometimes the spark of inspiration. For many boat lovers, that moment comes when a vessel stops you in your tracks. Anchored on A-Dock at Boat Haven in Port Townsend, Washington, the cutter Vito … Read more