Cruising World

Cruising World is your passport for exploring the world’s coastlines and oceans while voyaging under sail. Its contributors inspire and entertain through stories, pictures and videos that underscore the beauty and adventure of sailing, while providing instruction on the disciplines of seamanship, navigation and boat handling. The Cruising World community is made up of experienced, committed sailors and boat owners. No matter their long-range sailing plans, Cruising World’s mission is to nurture their dreams with practical how-to information and stirring real-life adventure features.

Editor’s Log • Fall was always my favorite season, spawning a kaleidoscope of memories I still treasure, particularly when I’m breaking a South Florida sweat while stuck in neutral waiting for the next bridge opening.

Cruising World

THE Noob FILES: GUY SAILS INTO a DOCK • As beginner cruiser and award-winning writer David Blake Fischer finds, rushing around the cockpit hysterically doesn’t make for better sailing.

UNDERWAY • EXPLORING the BEST of the CRUISING LIFESTYLE

READY OR NOT, SAILING BILLY PILGRIM SOUTH • We couldn’t know what unexpected themes would emerge until we did the unimaginable—untied our lines and set off.

On Watch • You really haven’t lived until you’re shouting your lat/lon into the VHF radio as your main battery banks go underwater.

Sailor & Galley • As I prepared to saute the fish, I had a moment of panic: I was out of cooking oil. Then, I thought of mayonnaise.

The GREAT COMPROMISE • Sized right for crews trading up or down, the BENETEAU OCEANIS 34.1 can be configured to suit a sailor’s style.

A CERTAIN Elan • Much like the manufacturer’s line of high-end skis, the stylish ELAN GT6 was conceived to slash and perform.

HIGH STAKES IN THE LOWCOUNTRY • A CATBOAT RALLY IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH FINDS THAT COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND SOUTHERN CHARM CAN BE ONE AND THE SAME.

WHEN SAILING IN FRENCH POLYNESIA, TIMING IS EVERYTHING • WIND PATTERNS AND SEASONAL SHIFTS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PLANNING PASSAGES BETWEEN THE FIVE ISLAND GROUPS.

THE SAIL TO NOWHERE • In a rather incongruous “polar navigation summit” held in the tropical Grenadines, a crew of writers and adventurers set sail for a “sea fall” offshore in the Caribbean, a jaunty trip to…nowhere.

THIS UNSEEN DANGER IS LURKING • Chainplates are often hidden belowdecks, which means sailors often forget about them until they fail.

CHANGE IS GOOD • When swapping out engine oil and filters, take these tips into consideration.

YOUR Check-in CHECKLIST • Returning a bareboat to the base should be a process that involves your whole crew.

Off Watch • When I boarded First Light at Mile 310 on the Intracoastal Waterway in Southport, North Carolina, the last thing I expected was to be enchanted. Then we got underway.