The myth that one-design racing produces cut-throat competition doesn’t apply to these classic classes. Head to any of the winter circuit regattas, weeknight races or even the national and world championships and you will find a atmosphere that is more like a family reunion than hard-core battle. Built on the philosophy that sailing is better with friends, and that lending a hand with tuning or rigging tips, these one-design classes are bringing new sailors into the sport with “more-the-merrier” attitudes. 

Features  19 Modern day Spanish Armada          Rollicking sailing, sublime beaches and  new friendships are found on a flotilla charter off Mallorca

Features  24 To Land’s End in a little boat One man’s quest to sail around every offshore lighthouse in Britain leads to big adventures in little boats 36 Touch of class One-design clas

In October 2015, the Nathanael Herreshoff-designed New York 40 Marilee was brought to the custom boatyard French and Webb in Belfast, Maine, for what was supposed to be a minor rebuild. It was discove

Features  Going old school The Golden Globe skippers are circumnavigating just as Robin Knox-Johnston did 50 years ago How to be a better sailorYou know how to sail, here’s how to 

Take a classLenny Shabes photo If you already sail, you might think that your ship has sailed as far as classes go. But learn-to-sail classes are just the tip of the iceberg. Most sailing schools

Features  Descent into madness Donald Crowhurst’s story is making it to the big screen in The Mercy 6 things every sailor should know Don’t head out to sea without knowing what t

A boom violently crashing across a cockpit can be deadly, toss a crewmember overboard or cause serious damage, so it’s worth making an effort to prevent it from happening whenever possible.&nbs

1 How  your life jacket worksSpinlock created a life jacket with an integrated harness and several other safety functions specifically for sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race, but it is available to

Features  Society Island escape A stress-free charter in one of the world’s most exotic locations was just the ticket for this happy group Sailing among the ruins A charter throu

Chartering is more popular than ever and charter companies have gotten creative about how to get people on boats easily. Crewed charters have always been offered, but companies now offer middle-of the-road options for sailors who lack the confidence for a full-on bareboat experience. Flotillas organized by schools and charter companies provide the comfort of sailing in a group with help at the ready should it be needed. Some companies, like Cruise Abaco, offer a hybrid solution where a captain sails with the boat during the day then is whisked away in a dinghy once the boat is at anchor for charterers to enjoy the evening.

There’s never been a better time to charter, with new bases popping up in both new locations and old favorites. Charter boats, whether monohulls or big cats, are getting more comfortable and easier

Get your boat in gear for the sailing season by tackling your to-do list now.

Most sailors aspire to own a brand-new boat, but the rising cost of boat ownership can make that dream seem out of reach. The good news is that the charter business has also ballooned in the last deca

Catamarans are by far the favored boat for charterers, and charter fleets, which are full of cruising catamarans with a handful of monohulls reflect that. And it’s easy to see why: Not only is there

From fun dinghies and classic cruisers to novel speedsters and luxurious cats, the class of new boats is exciting. Our editors share the most intriguing new designs coming to boat shows. 

Charter and privately owned boats that had been moored in the hurricane hole at Tortola's Paraquita Bay are stacked on top of each other following the passage of the devastatingly strong Hurricane Ir

SEPTEMBER 2017 Table of contents