God’s Own Ax
On Watch by Cap’n Fatty Goodlander
On Christmas Eve, a midocean light show brings more than just a spectacle for the eyes
Little Surfer Girl
Letter from Aventura by Jimmy Cornell
New Caledonia offers a slice of Paris in the Pacific as well as a chance to try an innovative spinnaker
Return to the Sea, Euro Style
Under Way by Zoltan Istvan
The plan was simple–save up some dough, head to Europe, and buy a boat cheap–but as usual, the devil was in the details
Racing Winter Downstream
Passage Notes by Cyndi Perkins
Sailors migrating from the Midwest cut their teeth on the Mississippi and Tenn-Tom river runs
A Magical Migrating Feast
People and Food by Janna Cawrse
Curried pumpkin soup provided just the right solace after a difficult rounding of California’s Cape Mendocino
The Maine Drag
Log of Ithaka by Douglas Bernon
If the black flies and the cold and the fog don’t get you, the lobster pots surely will
FEATURES
Leave Your Sea Legs at the Dock
by Tom Zydler
Inland treks midway through the Antilles chain–at Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and Nevis–offer a sweeping perspective on these less-traveled Caribbean landfalls
Camped Out in the Exumas
by Angus Phillips
On paper, it should’ve been the dream trip–sailing, fishing, and camping in the clear, shallow waters of the Bahamas’ Exumas chain. But a rough norther and middle-age complaints made the living-room La-Z-Boy look like a welcome vacation from this vacation
A Howling Good Time
by Jeremy McGeary
Texans schedule the year’s big offshore sailing event, the Harvest Moon Regatta, around the cool temperatures and the midnight light of the full moon in October
Oyster Is His World
Yacht Style by Kenny Wooton
After more than 30 years of award-winning boatbuilding, Oyster Marine founder Richard Matthews remains a sailor to his core
SAFETY AT SEA
Weathering the 45-Knot Gale
Boathandling by Patrick Childress
Conservative tactics and good preparation are the tools to have in place when the wind comes on to howl and the ocean waves begin to break
Don’t Just Sit There–Go Mobile
Sailing Life Raft by Thies Matzen
A longtime voyager shares his thoughts on a life raft to take you out of harm’s way
Lining Up for Safety
Sailing Smart by Ralph Naranjo
The best man-overboard solution is a solid strategy for staying on the boat
When Your Boom Must Become a Mast
Seamanship by Rodrigo Claros
Dismasted a thousand miles from shore, this transatlantic sailor quickly sorted what should stay and what should go
Pack It Like a Parachute
Safety Equipment by Ralph Naranjo
A thorough knowledge of life-raft-packing practices should keep nasty surprises at bay
REVIEWS
A Pair of Aces
Boat Test by Ralph Naranjo
Two recent models from Beneteau–the 57 and the 373–showcase the company’s knack for efficient boatbuilding
Icon of the Epoch
Classic Plastic by Bill Seifert
The Sparkman & Stephens-designed Tartan 30 typified the 1970s ideal of a cruiser/racer
As the Calendar Turns
New Products by Jeremy McGeary
For the sailor whose wish list isn’t yet complete, we offer several suggestions
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