Cruising Tips

Miracle Stain Removal

by Stuart Attwood, Posted March 18, 2013

Often when cleaning our boat, we have to remove stubborn stains and marks from the fiberglass. My girlfriend has discovered that Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will remove the toughest marks with little or no scrubbing.

Get the Best Out of Your Furling Headsail

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 14, 2013

Getting set for the first sail of the season? Here's a quick guide to getting the best out of your furling headsail.

Ground Rules: Anchoring in Three Dimensions

by Don Casey, Posted March 11, 2013

Anchoring involves more than dropping a chunk of metal overboard and fastening your boat to it. The best way to improve your technique is through practice, but this can be hard to come by if your boat is often on a mooring or dock.

Ring Around the Headstay

by Charles J. Doane, Posted February 28, 2013

The first bareboat I ever hired in the Virgin Islands, many moons ago, was from a small hole-in-the-wall charter outfit with a rather motley fleet of vessels.

Voice of Experience: Up Against It

by Duane Bennett, Posted February 27, 2013

The wind was too light to sail, so we started out motoring. Soon, however, my buddy’s motor started heating up. The access hatch was buried under camping gear, and he didn’t want to investigate right then, so he shut his engine down, and I took his boat in tow.

Water and the Prodigal Crew

by Tom Cunliffe, Posted February 18, 2013

Pressure water is always nice on a boat, but when a landlubbing crew comes aboard it only encourages them to waste a precious commodity.

Cruising Tips: Knot Log Drain

by Bill Bleyer, Posted February 11, 2013

If you’re like many boatowners, you’ll only learn that the hoses connecting your cockpit drains to the transom through-hulls have failed when you see your floorboards afloat.

A Woman's Guide to Moving Aboard

by Joey Noelle Lehnhard, Posted January 28, 2013

Seven things I wished I'd known before taking my nautical leap of faith

Cruising Tips: Heaving-To

by Andy Schell, Posted January 21, 2013

During the 2011 edition of the Caribbean 1500 cruising rally, nine yachts of the fleet of 62 broke off after crossing the Gulf Stream and sailed toward Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.

Voice of Experience: Knockdown on Lake Ontario

by Joe Higgins, Posted January 10, 2013

“We’ll only be out for an hour,” he promised, and I decided to believe him. The wind out on Lake Ontario was light, the seas were calm, and despite there being some dark clouds in the distance, it looked like a great afternoon for a sail.