Boater encounters deteriorating weather while sailing to Cape May
In 1992, I headed north for the summer aboard my sailboat, SMAY. After traversing the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, I emerged into the top of …
Weekend outing fouled by leaky water pump
A recent Labor Day weekend outing on Most Precious was a series of blunders. While I’m proud of the way my first mate and I …
Boat modifications lead to tragedy
Recently, I learned about Bryan from Ontario, Canada, who modified his boat RingUL8r to be 100% electric—no minor upgrade. Despite Bryan’s best efforts, not everything …
From seasickness to lifelong fellowship
It was January 2000, and we were headed to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to bring our new-to-us 1983 Amel Maramu, Libertad, home to California. My husband, …
Annual fishing trip runs into obstacles
To prepare for my 2024 Memorial Day weekend fishing trip with friends, I went to Oak Island at the end of April to service both …
Recent cruise reveals the value of boater education
As with many of our cruises, our Labor Day trip to Sucia Island, Washington, highlighted the importance of quality boater education. As a matter of …
Man overboard training prevents Great Lakes race tragedy
In July 2024, a horrible, unthinkable tragedy was avoided during Chicago Yacht Club’s 115th Race to Mackinac thanks to satellite technology, superb seamanship, and a …
Hurricane delivers hands-on experience
One of the joys of cruising with family on our Pearson 39 sailboat, Hydrotherapy, was being there to watch the kids as they grew. One …
Safe on, safe off
Make a plan for maneuvering on and off your vessel Walking the deck, inside cabin or the catwalk of a boat can make for quite …
Learning from experience
Returning from a late summer cruise to Provincetown, Massachusetts, my wife, Sharon, and I anchored in Loblolly Cove on the eastern side of Cape Ann. …
Strapping saves
Hurricane Ian teaches boaters valuable lesson We didn’t expect a hurricane forecast to hit the Florida panhandle or Tampa to slam Cape Coral as a …
Lessons from a boat fire
Back in 2020, Beth and I took a cruise up North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound, accompanied by another couple in their boat. One morning, while putting …
