Boats

A fortuitous pierhead jump

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

June 2023 By Donald Street In mid-September, while in Rhode Island, I happened to spot a massive sailing yacht at a marina in Jamestown. I love to wander through boatyards and marinas, looking at the variety of vessels, so I walked to the end of the dock, discovering that theRead More

Photo courtesy Chuck RoastThe author’s humble plywood skiff. It’s nothing fancy, but it provided many years of adventures. When he sold his boat, he kept the skiff.

Ode to the mighty Sturdy

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

Boiled down, it was really an old beat up dinghy that provided me with the most joy in cruising

Photo courtesy Jean KerrThe author and her husband, as newlyweds, aboard Opus.

A wooden boat called Opus

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

Seeking new owners for the love of their lives

Photo by Albert PresgravesMotoring in the Chesapeake with first mate Gus Karlsen at the helm.

The saga of Bagheera

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

One of many sea tales to be spun about a century-old 72-foot Maine schooner that left wakes across the Atlantic, to the Caribbean, and into the South Pacific. This one concerns a wild, 500-mile delivery.

The Jock Williams imperative

The Jock Williams imperative

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

Sustaining lifelong relationships with mariners, as well as building, selling and maintaining boats, has been the foundation of John “Jock” Williams’ vision for a boatyard for the past half-century.

Photo by Christopher BirchWho needs showers when you have warm crystal-clear water like this just over the rail?

Bathe elsewhere

May 22, 2023 at 12:00 am

June 2023 By Christopher Birch The key to liveaboard life? Follow the “Rule of Elsewhere”: Store your stuff elsewhere, have your mail delivered elsewhere, house your overnight guests elsewhere and bathe elsewhere. A simple, small, clutter-free boat works best for housing a liveaboard sailor, and the Rule of Elsewhere makesRead More

Christened Wings by its builder, the 15-foot home-built runabout moved along nicely powered by a 20hp Tohatsu outboard. Below, the author and his wife Doris pose in the forward cockpit of the boat in the author’s workshop.Photos courtesy Herb Smith

Fast run to Damariscove

April 24, 2023 at 12:00 am

Returning from Roque Island in our outboard canoe, I asked Doris if she’d like to visit other Maine islands. “Not in this unstable boat,” she replied. And here’s where this speedy day-cruise tale begins.

Photo by Molly MulhernThis herring gull is as common as can be, yet her arrival and brief stay on our boat was magical.

Watchmates

April 24, 2023 at 12:00 am

This herring gull is as common as can be, yet her arrival and brief stay on our boat was magical.

Photo by Marilyn Pond BrighamWe picked up a hitchhiking sparrow during a passage between Provincetown and Gloucester.

Stranger things have happened

April 24, 2023 at 12:00 am

Squirrels in the mast, a hitchhiking bird and end-of-season haul out trouble. Just another season on the water.

Photo by Chris BirchThough life aboard a modestly sized sailboat is generally one of minimalism, the perks include being able to change the scenery while dining.

Boat ownership and the KISS rule

April 24, 2023 at 12:00 am

A successful liveaboard life requires that you keep things simple.