Articles

In this bite sized lesson video we take a look at navigation aids. We explain the basic rules and talk about their colors, shapes and numbers.

Captain Cam Seamus from Harbor Sailboats in San Diego California shares a few tips about handling and understanding a Lee Shore. Understanding a lee shore, the possible consequences, and how to avoid them is a necessity for anyone, anywhere, who is behind the helm of a boat. It’s an important and yet often overlooked concept. In fact, as I started compiling my

In this lesson we take a look at some sailing terminology used when talking about wind. Learn what an easterly wind is and the difference between onshore and offshore breezes.

So you’re thinking about chartering a nice sized cruising cat or maybe you’re even thinking about buying one. Here’s a fun quiz to see what you know about these beautiful beasts that sail fast and are amazing at an anchorage.

Scenario: You crack open a cold one after a long day of sailing. Your buddy Jim finishes his first beer (rather quickly) and tosses the can overboard. When prodded about the environment, he confidently responds, “It’s just metal- it will break down naturally.” A debate starts, and you want it to stop so you can enjoy the sunset and your

Over the years American Sailing has promoted our Plastic Pollution Purge campaign. We have asked our fellow sailors to “bring back more plastic than you take to your boat”, and to have fun practicing your crew overboard drills as you recover trash on the water. But to break the vicious cycle of plastic pollution in the water we must prevent

By Bob Curley Writer, Editor and Sailor, Bob Curley, is a Rhode Island Expert who contributes to American Sailing on sailing New England and the Caribbean. When Hurricane Irma scored a direct hit on the British Virgin Islands in September 2017, it’s no exaggeration to say that the results were apocalyptic. Making landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, the eye

Over the last 25 years, catamarans have seen a massive rise in popularity among charterers, cruisers, and even the casual daysailor. Curious about catamaran sailing? Here’s some basic information you need to know: What is a Catamaran? A traditional sailboat is a monohull–in other words, it has only one hull centered around a heavy keel. A catamaran is balanced on

Writer, Editor and Sailor, Bob Curley, is a Rhode Island Expert who contributes to American Sailing on sailing New England and the Caribbean. The beauty, glory and occasional danger of sailing were all on display the third week of June in Newport, R.I., as the city hosted both the Newport Charter Yacht Show and the Newport Bermuda Race. A total