2015 June 1

Beware the pitfalls of Outboard Cheapskate Disorder

I’ve been diagnosed with OCD, or Outboard Cheapskate Disorder. It’s a malady that owners of sportboats seem predisposed to. The symptoms are clear.

2015 April 30

Life jackets save lives, but only if sailors wear them

By Chris Caswell

I’ll tell you right now what this column is about: Don’t do as I did, do as I say. As She Who Must Be Obeyed would happily agree, I’ve been a complete idiot many times in my life and I now realize I’m very lucky to be alive.

2015 April 6

Want more young sailing volunteers? You need to invite them

By Nick Hayes

Sailing ranks among country churches, Amish barns and potlucks as institutions substantially built and shaped by volunteers. Their work is all around us and it is mighty impressive.

2015 March 1

Let junior sailors have fun and they just might learn to love sailing

I don’t need fancy statistics to tell me that, using my group of friends from the 1960s as an example, kids who have fun sailing stay in sailing. We learned self-reliance, decision making and skills that have served us for a lifetime. It was fun.

By Chris Caswell

As a kid, I had a conversation with my mother almost every weekend after I departed in the morning, not to return until dinner time.

2015 February 1

Kids should sail because it’s fun, not because it’s homework

By Nick Hayes

When steam came to transport, commercial sailing was decimated, and what was left was the recreational kind. I’m hoping the second coming of steam won’t be as bad for sailing.

2014 November 21

It's nothing new that America's Cup shenanigans stack the deck

By Chris Caswell

Let’s just let Larry keep the America’s Cup. Really, if it means so much to him that he’s willing to buy a yacht club, rewrite the rules to gain a huge advantage and even create a team willing to cheat, well, just let him have it.

2014 November 10

Flotation buys time when the unthinkable happens to sailors

By Nick Hayes

When we reached the man in the water and made eye contact, it was clear to the entire crew that we would only have one chance and a few minutes at rescue. He was still treading water and aware of his

2014 October 1

Olympic sailing in the time of cholera puts athletes in jeopardy

By Chris Caswell

Sailors competing in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil are going to have an excellent chance of not only bringing home lifetime treasures such as gold, silver and bronze medals, bu

2014 August 19

Sailing should avoid the Little League trap by redefining competition

By Nick Hayes

There are competing philosophies at sailing schools. Some teach almost exclusively through racing, while others reject racing altogether. Only a few straddle a racing middle ground. Advocates on eithe

2014 July 1

Growing the sport of sailing starts with knowing why

By Chris Caswell

Over the past few years, there has been a groundswell of fretting about the future of sailing. The number of participants is dwindling, some say, and produce statistics to prove their point.