North Sails Factory Tour

North Sails Factory Tour

Learn To Sail, Sailboats

Sailmaking is an ever-changing, constantly developing and always interesting element of sailing so we like to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. North Sails is consistently on the cutting edge of sailmaking innovation and their 3 di sails are a shining example. ASA visited the loft in Minen Nevada where they produce sails that we see on the Volvo Ocean Race, the America’s Cup and nearly every other high profile race. For a sailors, it’s the most fascinating experience you’ll ever have in a desert! Enjoy the tour!
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Golden Globe Race

Bringin’ Back Tough – The Golden Globe Race is a Solo Round the World Race for Sailors Like Us

Sailing Fun

These days, when you think about round the world races, images of high tech surfboard-like carbon fiber boats with enormous black sails sailing downwind at 21-knots come to mind. There’s a square-jawed professional sailor at the helm, staring up the tall mast at a sail that bears the name of a company we all know. These wonders of technology are walking that tightrope of overall weight and durability. The skipper measures the weight of the hands on his watch and prays that carbon mast is as strong as they say.  It’s truly fun to watch and follow but is it relatable to the average sailor? Not so much…

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Interesting Things at the Top of World

Learn To Sail, ,

In 2018, the Earth’s Magnetic North Pole – a wandering location where lines of magnetic force enter the Earth perpendicularly – is predicted by computer modeling of satellite data to pass closer to the Geographic North Pole than at any other time in its recorded history after English philosopher William Gilbert first calculated its existence in 1590 (published in 1600). The reason we, as mariners and navigators, are interested in this is because of magnetic variation and its effect upon our ship’s compass – the difference in degrees between what our compass “feels” as Magnetic North versus True North.

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Plastic Pollution Purge

Operation “Plastic Pollution Purge”

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Operation “Plastic Pollution Purge” – Local Sailing Community Starts New Crusade to Clean Our Waterways

LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2018 – Plastic pollution is choking our oceans, trickling into our local rivers, lakes and streams, poisoning wildlife — and all of us. The United Nations estimates that by the year 2050, we will have more plastic debris in our oceans than fish. The restaurant industry and the European Union is fighting back by starting to ban plastic straws. And now the sailing industry is joining in the fight.

To help clean up our waterways, the American Sailing Association, the world’s largest sailing organization and America’s sail education authority, announces a new crusade called Operation “Plastic Pollution Purge.” Just in time for the annual June 21st Summer Sailstice, the global celebration of the longest sailing day of the year, boaters in our area and throughout the nation will join forces in this new initiative to clean up trash from our waterways.

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Meridian X

Gone In An Instant

Safety

A man overboard incident at the 2017 Chicago Race to Mackinac teaches important boat safety lessons. by Ken Quant (originally published in May 2018 issue of Lakeland Boating Magazine)

Falling overboard at night is every sailor’s worst nightmare. This exact scenario played out last July during Chicago Yacht Club’s annual Race to Mackinac. In just moments, visiting Chesapeake Bay boat Meridian X went from racing to emergency recovery efforts as their crewman, Mark Wheeler, was thrown overboard into the cold, choppy blackness of Lake Michigan. Amazingly, he was recovered about an hour later, but his near-death story highlights many good lessons for boaters of all kinds.

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Seamanship Gone to the Dogs!

Seamanship Gone to the Dogs!

Humor, Learn To Sail

Yes, your furry first mate is great to have around on a day-sail or cruise – they provide moral support, positive affirmation and usually a bit of comic relief. But ask them to trim the jib or hoist the main and they are useless! However, your four-legged crew can actually help you with your sailing skills… How? You ask. There are no basset hound certified sailing instructors! No Jack Russell has ever called tactics on a Wednesday night race!

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