While sailing toward Belize, I fell asleep at the wheel and drove my catamaran onto a reef with both daggerboards down. It was a brutal reminder of how quickly ...

I prefer strong attached keels, but I would still sail around the world with a properly constructed bolted keel. What matters most is how the keel is built, ...

I tried to save a dinghy that had spent five years baking in the sun, but the damage and repairs quickly became a money pit. A proper cover may cost a lot ...

We CRASHED our SAILBOAT....NOW WHAT? What do you do after crashing your sailboat into rocks? With holes in our catamaran and only temporary repairs ...

Kyle Jachney (Bluewater Yachts) and I talk about how some classic fiberglass sailboats were built with far more material than necessary, resulting in ...

Orcas have been ramming rudders and sinking sailboats off Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar — and tonight we roll the tape. This is a Captain's Breakdown: I pause ...

Guns onboard are legal to own but risky to carry abroad. Declare it and you might not get it back, hide it and you're risking prison. This is a personal call ...

An 80-year-old asks if he's too old to start offshore sailing. I say go for it. Age isn't the dealbreaker, mobility is. Can you climb over the lifelines and ...

Catalina 42, Morgan 41, Erwin, Gulf Star, or Beneteau: which mid-size cruiser gets you island hopping on a beer budget? Real talk on what to buy and why. 📗 ...

Is a sailboat ever an investment, not just a money pit? The truth about depreciation curves, boat flipping, and why breaking even is the best most owners can ...

The Cal 40 is an epic boat. Here's a quick history of Cal Jensen, designer Bill Lapworth, and why Jensen-era hulls are still the ones to hunt for. The company ...

Yes, you can still steer with a drogue out. A drogue is purely a drag device that slows the boat down; it doesn't take away your steering control. It's ...

Can We Repair our Sailboat After Crashing into Rocks? Welcome back aboard, you join us this week in Antigua where we are assessing the damage to our sailboat, ...

The Aerorig is a cool idea, but articulating anything on a boat isn't for me. When it breaks, simple wins. Stick, hole, glue, sail. Everything on a boat ...

Junk rigs are custom builds, which makes them great for tinkerers who love fixing their own boat but tough for anyone who needs outside help. They're similar ...

What's the smallest bluewater boat you'd trust for a Pacific crossing? Flicka 20s, Nor'Sea 27s, and anything drawn by Lyle Hess are small boats that punch ...

📕 GET THE BOOK: Be The Captain. Winner of the 2026 Eric Hoffer Award. 25 years of offshore decisions in one book → https://bethecaptain.com 🔓 FREE: The ...

Lash the wheel to windward, drop the sails, and the boat sits sideways to the weather. It buys a pause, but it leaves you broadside to breaking waves with a ...

He signed on as crew, everyone got seasick, and when a squall hit at forty knots the captain refused to leave his bunk. The crew member brought the boat back ...

A hundred miles out, he fixed on Bermuda, sure that land meant safety. But closing a reef-strewn coast in big seas is harder than the open water behind you, ...

Captain Checked his Phone then We Crashed into Rocks What should have been a short, routine sail between two anchorages in Antigua turned into one of our most ...

Before crossing the Atlantic, we refit the whole boat: new bimini, repaired dodger, fresh lines, new autopilot. Problems still came, but they were small ...

A boat that drips at the dock will pour offshore. Take her out and find the leaks before the passage does. 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Drop anchor, then go introduce yourself to the cruisers and the locals, and take them sailing. Plenty of people near a busy anchorage have never set foot on a ...