sailing Articles

Everytime a sailor gets on the water, there are certain steps that must be taken. Whether it’s your first sail or the 400th sail, these tips will keep you smart, safe, and ready to have a great day sailing. In celebration of 40 years of educating the world’s sailors. Read More >

Sailors have a way of speaking, and the sport has its own language. Some sailing phrases are common in everyday language, while others are only really used on a sailboat. The ones common in our everyday language have a nautical origin that will make you a more enlightened sailor, as well. The ones used only on a sailboat? Well, the Read More >

There are as many sailing knots as there are stars in the night sky — or so it seems. But the reality is that most sailors can get along with only knowing a few, as long as they’re the right ones. In this blog I’ll single out three very important sailing knots, explaining what they’re used for and how to Read More >

I didn’t grow up on a boat.  I had been to the ocean and watched sailboats from the beach and I was intrigued.  It wasn’t until I had a job and a few responsibilities that I was able to take the plunge and buy a Catalina 27. I didn’t know how to sail, but I owned a boat.  My children, Read More >

It is that time of the year when we feel like expressing our love for the special people and things in our lives. This year I am professing my love for sailing. This is my public love letter to sailing. Share your love letters to sailing and we will publish some of them on the American Sailing website and on Read More >

Okay, you’ve checked out of 101, 103 & 104 and the sailing fever is still burning strong. You need to either check into a hospital or buy your first boat – you choose the latter. But what kind should you get? The magazines and websites have you drooling over boats that have tempted you with their sex appeal or indestructible Read More >

Not long ago I watched as a pair of newlyweds hired my 12-year-old to teach them how to sail. We were on vacation and my two boys had been zipping across the horizon for over an hour and as they sailed the Hobie Cat back onto the sand the newly married couple negotiated a chartered cruise right on the spot. Read More >

Weather can make or break your sailing adventure. Learn how to prepare for different weather scenarios, use the right tools and apps, and sail safely and smartly. These five tips are a must read before you set sail. Read More >

It’s a hard job, but somebody’s got to do it. I’ve just returned from a week of cruising on the Amalfi Coast, a region of southern Italy known for its stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, delicious seafood and the local speciality liquer–Limoncello. Though my trip was in late March, the tourist (and sailing) season doesn’t really get cranked up Read More >