How-to: Seamanship

by Christine Kling   (Editor’s Note — Chris Kling is a sailor with with more than 30 years of experience on the oceans of the world. She’s also an English professor at Broward College, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the published author of the Seychelle Sullivan series of mysteries, including SURFACE TENSION (2002), CROSS CURRENT [...] …Read More

If you could have the perfect outboard for your dinghy or tender, what would it be?  A diesel perhaps, because you’re already carrying hundreds or thousands of gallons of that fuel and because looking for and storing gasoline is such a pain in the neck, not to mention dangerous? I’ve long thought, for example, that [...] …Read More

Actually, it brings ultrasonic weather data to your helm. Are we straight with that now?  Okay. The basic ultrasonic instrument has been around for several years — the most recent version, still available, is the PB150, a NMEA 0183-compatible unit –  but the WS200 is a significant upgrade, both in sensors and networking. It’s also a little [...] …Read More

P.A.E. today confirmed that hull #1 of the new Nordhavn 63 is in final preparation for shipment from the factory in China to Florida, where it will be commissioned and available for inspection. The N63 is a development of the N55/N60 series, with new deck and engine room molds. With its beam narrower than the [...] …Read More

Last month, we brought you some tips for making sure that the life jackets on your boat are the correct size for every adult and child you regularly bring aboard. This month, we’re following up with a way that you can get correctly fitting life jackets for surprise guests: The Sea Tow Life Jacket Loaner [...] …Read More

Today we’re at Steam Up, a model yacht gathering that is exactly what the name tells you. It’s all about steam. Real steam engines, in miniature. What would inspire a former military pilot, now retired from a career in finance, to spend three years building something like this . . . Well, the inspiration [...] …Read More

PassageMaker Magazine announced its choice of Baltimore’s historic Inner Harbor as the location of their new mid-Atlantic Trawler Fest set for September 24-26, 2010.  The Inner Harbor, a major seaport in the United States since the 1700s, is a very... …Read More

If you’ve never been to an owners’ or manufacturer’s or dealer’s rendezvous, you’re missing a great part of the cruising lifestyle. Last weekend’s Northeast Nordic Tug Owners Association (NENTOA) 2010 Rendezvous in Essex, Connecticut, is a great example of how they work and why they’re such a wonderful experience. NENTOA works closely each year with [...] …Read More

BRINGING ALCHEMY TO THE WIND “Because it wasn’t there.” Sir Edmund Hillary All photos by Kimball Livingston Oops, I guess that’s a slight misquote of Hillary. But how else to introduce Rick Cavallaro, who invented an unproblem and then solved it—to the consternation of many an internet flamer—and opened up new possibilities in wind energy extraction, all [...] …Read More

The Coast Guard announced it will be cracking down on the practice of bow riding, meaning you can’t ride in the bow cockpit, as pictured above, while the boat is underway. According to the Coast Guard News website, this will take effect in the 5... …Read More