Cruising

By Ronnie Ross Ready to get out on the water? We’ve got Skippers looking for crew! Need crew? We’ve got Crew looking for a boat to sail and hoping to hone their sailing skills! If you are single and fit into either of these categories, you need to check out Singles Under Sail! Based in Western Connecticut, SUS is a great club for sailing opportunities, and it’s getting better every year. We are an active group of…

By Bobby Jepson “Our president is a lightning rod for political criticism!” That might be something you’d read or hear most anywhere these days. What does that mean? Does it mean lightning rods attract lightning? Look that up: “Do lightning rods attract lightning?” You’ll find that’s not the case. The response might be so firm you’d think it a dumb question. But our vernacular betrays the disclaimer. Many years ago, the folks that made lightning rods were…

Presented by Samson Ropes As boaters, we are often casual about the lines we use to secure our boats to docks, piers, moorings or anchorages. Often times, boaters will spend more to fuel their boat than to secure it. With that in mind, it is highly important to find and purchase a top quality dock and anchor lines that will protect your investment. Lines are made in a single braid or double braided construction, which means there…

By Heather Hild Atwater Editor’s note: Flotilla cruising is an excellent way to enjoy an unforgettable charter vacation, particularly if your sailing experience is limited. And you won’t find nicer or more capable flotilla leaders than Heather & Nate Atwater, who lead Offshore Sailing School’s Colgate Sailing Adventures® Flotilla Cruises to exotic destinations around the world. In this article, Heather recounts a recent trip from St. Lucia to Grenada. Day One: Friday, February 1, 2019 Most of…

Working under a new operating model unveiled for Rhode Island’s Official Flagship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry, the non-profit organization Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island (OHPRI) says it will keep the Tall Ship in Rhode Island for year-round programming in order to support financial sustainability and strengthen regional alignment with workforce development, ocean literacy, and civic engagement.   The 200-foot, three-masted sailing school vessel was seven years and $12 million in the making when she embarked on her maiden voyage…

Presented by Samson Ropes Editor’s note: If the lines on your boat are ready for replacement, the variety of marine rope on the market can be bewildering. To help you make the right choices, our friends at Samson, the worldwide leader in high-performance rope, kindly shared these basic guidelines.   Accurately assess your working load. For sheets, halyards, or control lines, anticipated loads are considered working loads. Please note that halyard loads are best determined by your…

By Gregor Tarjan It was a big day – with little wind. A typical scenario for a late spring day in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The crew of the very first McConaghy MC50 was excited to hoist the sails on their new boat for the very first time. At 15 tons fully loaded, the MC50 is by no means a racer, but no one would have anticipated what the crew was about to experience. It was to…

By Ed Cesare My longtime friend and shipmate Chad Corning recently invited me to come along on a delivery of Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 trimaran Argo from Newport, RI to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Readers might be familiar with Jason’s program and stable of race boats, including the turboed Gunboat 62 Elvis. Jason purchased the ex-Oman Racing last summer. The MOD (“Multi One Design”) 70 was conceived in 2009 as a class of one-design transoceanic racers. These are…

Every adventure has at least one moment – a moment that sinks in and will forever connect you back to that time and place. These moments have a way of being small and perhaps inconsequential to other people, but I think you will appreciate this one.

By Felix Kloman “What shall I call thee?” asked William Blake many years ago. It has been a lifelong question of mine, as the owner of many boats. Her name: Dianthus, and she has carried me on Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River, Tenants Harbor, Rockland Harbor, and Penobscot Bay. A perfect flower of a boat! It all began shortly after our move in 1967 from Philadelphia to Rowayton, Connecticut, a small town with water on three…