know how
How to Maintaining the Canvas on a Sailboat
Maintaining canvas can be a daunting task. First there is the challenge of removing the canvas, then knowing exactly how to clean and inspect it, and finally properly reinstalling it. I’ve seen circumnavigators brought to their knees by a snap that wouldn’t snap, and cruisers who ...read more
What's Shakin'? Hopefully Not Important Bolts and Fasteners
The Cruising Club of America (CCA) is a collection of 1,400 ocean sailors with extensive offshore seamanship, command experience, and a shared passion for making adventurous use of the seas. Their experiences and expertise make them, collectively, one of the most reliable sources ...read more
Boats and Their People: A Very Beautiful (Ling Ling) Bond
Josh Fody and Jessie Wilde each came to their shared dream of living aboard full time from different places. Josh nurtured the notion of buying a boat and sailing south during his years aboard an aircraft carrier in the Navy. Jessie first tasted the idea when her grandfather ...read more
Learning to Sail with a Pole
It was during my eighth and most recent transatlantic, this one a classic trade wind route from Mindelo, Cape Verde, to Barbados in the Eastern Caribbean, that the beauty of rigging a downwind pole really shone through. “The bonkers tradewind sailing continues, faster and ...read more
The (R)evolution of Alternators
Forty years ago, the solid-state revolution, which gave us computers and a host of increasingly powerful electronic devices, reshaped boat energy systems in ways that have underpinned a remarkable transition from camping out to enjoying the comforts of home. Initially, this ...read more