In 1971, aboard a 59-foot ketch named British Steel, Chay Blyth became the first person to sail non-stop around the world going west—against the prevailing winds and currents…
Affordable Sailing
One couple cruised and sailed on an inexpensive, small and comfortable sailboat without spending a small fortune. Read over 100 boatowner boat reviews.
Which is it? The Intracoastal Waterway or the Intercoastal Waterway?
By Steve Morrell I once wrote about an experience I had on the Intracoastal Waterway. I had someone recently mention it in conversation, and they called this waterway, the “Intercoastal” Waterway. Which is it? Let’s settle this once and for all, and maybe we can increase sailors’ knowledge of our waters by a couple of…
Mooring Fields and Marinas as Businesses
Mooring Fields and Marinas as Businesses By Steve Morrell Although mooring fields have been around in Florida for decades, most of them today have been created since 2000. They are a relatively new idea in Florida. Anchorages, as we all know, have been around wherever there’s water for a few thousand years. But they, and…
Boatyard University
Boatyards can be a real eye-opener and teacher of boating maintenance and work. The first time in a boatyard with a boat is always a memorable experience
Wear Your PFD Full Time on the Water?
We don’t need a law that mandates full-time use of personal flotation devices for adults. We need better education and better sailors and boaters, but not a law mandating wearing a PFD
Are Random Boardings Unconstitutional?
Many states have laws that prohibit random boardings by the state and local marine patrol. Many contend these boardings are unconstitutional. It’s time Florida outlawed them also
How to Create a Cruiser-Friendly Florida
By Steve Morrell During the Great Recession that started in 2008, chartering in the Caribbean declined and the owner of a Florida charter company told me business was doing well—in spite of the slow economy—and that many boaters were giving up on a charter in the Caribbean, or some other far-off spot, and instead chartering…
Anchoring off a Lee Shore
January 2009 Anchoring Off a Lee Shore By Steve Morrell Somebody recently recounted a story about friends who spent a worrisome and windy night anchored off a lee shore. This brought to mind one night I spent on a charter trip in the Sea of Cortez off La Paz, Mexico. It was in November 1996,…
Hurricanes and Boat Insurance
By Steve Morrell Hurricanes and Boat Insurance Crisis? After the big hurricane years of 2004-5, boat insurance skyrocketed, making ownership of a boat in Florida impossible for many. What happened? Let’s not place all the blame on those two hurricane years. A problem was brewing for many years. I am going to put a lot…