Cruising Most Commented

SAIL's Tip of the Week

Peter Nielsen
May 16, 2013

When you have to make a docking line fast to a ring or bollard, a round turn and two half hitches is better than a bowline. Why? Because you can untie the round turn and two half hitches when the line is under load; try that with a bowline and you’ll soon be reaching for a knife. As a fringe benefit, the round turn also resists chafe.

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Tartan will Build Fleet for 2014 Gay Games

Becca Oken
May 09, 2013

Ohio-based Tartan Yachts will be supporting the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland by building 20 boats for the sailing portion of the world’s largest LGBT multi-sport event.

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Wounded Nature--Working Veterans' Unique Mission

Becca Oken
May 07, 2013

Even with the more recent rise of environmentalism, marine life is perishing after eating remnants of party trash from the sea. Wounded Nature—Working Veterans is an organization dedicated to stopping this problem at its source.

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Eliminating Winch Overrides

by Sail Staff, Posted August 22, 2008

Many boatowners, racers and cruisers alike, have upgraded their genoa cars so they can be adjusted while under load. These systems are great for achieving proper sail trim, but sometimes the genoa cars end up high enough above the deck that the sheet lead to the winch drum is on a downward slope. This creates an inherent tendency for the sheet to override itself on the winch.

To avoid

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Staying Clean and Green

by Sail Staff, Posted August 22, 2008

Start using cleaning products that don’t damage the environment or your pocketbookBy Bob Tigar

Some “marine” cleaning products are specifically designed for marine use, but most are repackaged household products that are sold at significantly higher prices. When we kept our Morgan Out Island 33, Diversion, on Lake Michigan, cleaning and maintaining the boat wasn’t

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The Shipping News

by Sail Staff, Posted August 21, 2008

When our wind generator stopped spinning in Fiji, we wanted to have parts sent to us by the manufacturer. Then several friends told us they were having trouble getting gear sent from overseas; the problems ran from having packages stopped in customs to shipments that never even showed up. So instead of having our purchases mailed directly to us at our marina, we asked a local chandlery that
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Diesel in the Air

by Niels R. Jensen, Posted August 21, 2008

Spilled diesel fuel leaves an unpleasant odor that can nauseate some people, especially if they have to be down below in heavy weather. It’s tough to get rid of the odor once it takes hold. When the diesel in the fuel tank aboard Freelance, my Pearson 36 cutter, became contaminated, my fuel filters clogged and disabled the engine. I changed the primary and secondary filters and bled the
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Nets Work

by Don Casey, Posted August 21, 2008

Providing proper stowage for clothing often seems to be way down the priority list on a cruising boat; most cruisers give a higher priority to stowing food, spare parts, and tools. But what happens to your clothes if there is no closet, dresser, or even a single drawer for them to occupy? Often they wind up in a locker with a front-opening door and lie there, loose on the shelf. While you may
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