It was overcast, pitch black and drizzling — the kind of night when search-and-rescue becomes painfully difficult. We were in a helicopter, combing a 16-square-mile bayou near Delacroix, Louisiana, and everyone on board had the same thought: a 10-year-old boy in an open skiff must be freezing. Rescue crews take every missing-person call seriously, but … Read more

How to Navigate Safely in Fog: Practical Seamanship and Common-Sense Tips Moisture dripped from the rigging and the sky sat heavy and gray. As the depthsounder slowly registered the bottom, I asked my mate, “Let me know when you see the beach, okay?” From the bow came a startled reply: “The beach! Oh my God, … Read more

Island hopping might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Newport, Rhode Island, but Newport itself sits on Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay contains roughly 40 islands and islets. From calm coves ideal for swimming to lively harbors with services and nightlife, a short cruise from Newport opens a … Read more

KEY TAKEAWAYS Target cool, structured areasDuring hot summer months, striped bass move to deeper, cooler water or shaded structure—ledges, holes, bridge pilings, reefs and breakwaters provide thermal relief and ambush points. Tide movement is criticalStripers feed when water moves. Without current, fish often refuse to bite. Use tide charts or apps to find flowing water … Read more

An early Grand Banks 42 The Grand Banks 42: How a Simple Trawler Redefined Recreational Cruising A Grand Banks 42 cruises the coastline in this idyllic scene captured in 1969. Today the trawler-style cruising yacht is a familiar sight on American waterways, but there was a time when this classic silhouette—high sides, prominent wheelhouse and … Read more

LOA: 25’0” Beam: 8’6” Draft: 2’0″ Weight: 5,400 lbs. Power: (2) 90-hp outboards, Fuel: 115 gals. Rob Russell’s introduction to boating came later in life. A semi-retired forensic psychologist, Russell spent his youth in the air rather than on the water. At 16 his father taught him to fly in their 1941 Piper Cub J5, … Read more

RMS Lusitania: The Story of the Cunard Line’s Ill-Fated Ocean Liner When RMS Lusitania was launched on June 7, 1906, she represented the cutting edge of early 20th-century shipbuilding. Built for the British Cunard Line, the vessel combined impressive size, speed and modern engineering to become one of the era’s most celebrated passenger liners. For … Read more

Cuttyhunk, Penikese and a Comfortable Cruise Aboard the Grand Banks 32 Onne and Tenley van der Wal traded their 1972 Pearson 36 sailboat for Snow Goose, a 1986 Grand Banks 32 trawler, largely because they were tired of slogging along at 4 knots on long upwind passages. The couple prefers the relaxed pace of the … Read more

In my last post I promised not to drain the fun from your time on the water. I still mean that, but I also need to be blunt: nothing kills the enjoyment of boating faster than an emergency search that ends badly. The U.S. Coast Guard calls off searches for missing boaters every day. If … Read more

“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