A harbor bar is a ridge of sand across an inlet or harbor entrance. As swells reach that shallow water, they steepen and break, turning a long, gentle wave ...

The breeches buoy used a line fired from shore to a wrecked ship, a heavier rope, and a ring with pants to bring people back to the beach one at a time. The ...

When the Pendleton broke apart, chief engineer Raymond Sybert took charge of the 32 men left with him and assigned them duties. In an emergency, specific jobs ...

The tanker Schenectady broke in half while tied to a dock in Portland, Oregon, in flat calm. Its failure illustrates the difference between riveted and welded ...

Sailing around South America means planning for bluewater passages, even beyond Cape Horn. The exposed Pacific coast, limited stopping points along Chile, and ...

Worried about pirates? Researching destinations and reading cruiser reports on noonsite.com can help identify security concerns before arrival. In areas with ...

Wharram’s Polynesian-inspired catamaran design lets the hulls move more independently with the waves. That flexibility raises practical concerns, one of them ...

New PLB AIS beacons combine a 406 MHz personal locator beacon with an AIS transmitter. When activated, the PLB sends a distress alert through satellites to ...

The Great Lakes have less fetch than the open ocean, but storms can still create dangerous sailing conditions. A Great Lakes crossing deserves serious ...

Crewing on a sailboat means knowing what’s expected of you and how to back up the captain. Be the Crew, a book in development for new sailors, will cover those ...

A shoal draft opens up access to shallow anchorages, but offshore comfort is another important consideration when choosing a boat. I prefer a deeper keel on ...

Pacific passage planning considers tropical storm rotation, latitude, and the doldrums. And depending on the time of year, the shifting Intertropical ...

A proposed November passage from Langkawi to Oahu raises questions about storm timing, fuel range, and sailing against the trade winds. I propose an ...

A passing ship can miss a life raft completely. Flares, an EPIRB, a prepared ditch bag, and a crew who knows where the equipment is all belong in the ...

After making it to St. Augustine, we thought we were ready to move on—but then a sailing family with four boys reached out, and we decided to stay a little ...

A solar still uses the sun’s heat to evaporate seawater and collect fresh water as it condenses, leaving the salt behind. Here’s the basic principle behind ...

Steven Callahan survived 76 days alone in a life raft after losing his boat in the Atlantic. His book, Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, combines an extraordinary ...

Maurice and Maralyn Bailey’s 117-day ordeal after a sperm whale sank their boat in the Pacific, later recounted in 117 Days Adrift, offers practical lessons in ...

META’s approach starts with thick aluminum plates forming the hull itself, with internal ribs added for stiffness. That construction puts the hull at the ...

The MODX 70 combines electric propulsion with inflatable wing sails, but that complexity raises questions about offshore repairs and long-term maintenance. ...

A catamaran backed into an HR 42, destroying the nav station and exposing the hull’s construction. The damaged fiberglass appears dry in places, raising ...

Finding ways to discourage orcas without harming them has sailors looking for alternatives to diesel, fireworks, and guns. One unusual story involves playing ...

A passage from New Orleans toward Costa Rica comes with more to consider than distance. Unlit oil structures make a careful watch essential in the Gulf, while ...

Costa Rica’s Islas Murciélagos offered hiking, breaching whales, and a memorable stop away from the usual anchorages. Most sailors pass these islands by, and ...