Shop Talk

The Boatyard Business Plan

February 3, 2020

Getting ready for a boatyard visit? These tips will save time and money.

Tools of the Trade

August 19, 2019

Time spent working at an iconic Annapolis chandlery was one of the best things to happen to the author

Great Loop Shoptalk

May 15, 2018

A conversation with Kim Russo, the Executive Director of the American Great Loop Cruising Association.

Shop Talk with Delphine Andre, Product and Engineering Manager for the Beneteau Swift Trawler line

December 12, 2016

At the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in early November I had the pleasure of meeting Delphine André, from Beneteau Yachts, onboard the new Swift Trawler 30.

ShopTalk: Interview With Cruiser, Filmmaker, Yacht Designer Tony Fleming

January 26, 2016

Tony Fleming has a lot to say about living a nautical life of adventure, and rightfully so. In the second part of his ShopTalk interview, get a closer look at what makes his film-making mind tick.

ShopTalk: When A Boat, A Whale, And Fate Collide

May 11, 2015

I had to chuckle earlier when Adam told me his primary reason for installing the FLIR thermal camera on Spirit of Adventure was due to his major fear of running into a whale at night. But then…

Shop Talk: PassageMaker Scores A First Ever

February 21, 2015

We have lift-off. A pesky buzz, like that from a chorus of humming birds, lifted our photo drone from the hands of its minder and into the air to capture a Greenline 48 and out little place in history.

A wide, eye-level shot of a small, white wooden fishing boat named "DAMIEN I NICE" cruising through a calm harbor, leaving a gentle wake in the foreground. A single fisherman sits at the stern near the outboard tiller. In the background, a bustling marina is packed with dozens of docked sailboats and white vendor tents along the waterfront, bordered by a dense hillside of European-style apartment buildings under a clear blue sky.

Dash of Salt: Now We’re Talking

Let’s bring back these nautical words and terms. They’re better than the way we communicate today.

A side three-quarter view of a large, rugged expedition trawler named "PAUL JOHANSEN" cruising through calm open water. The vessel features a dark blue hull creating a white wake at the bow, paired with a cream-colored superstructure and a high pilothouse. A tall central mast holds multiple radar domes and communication antennas, while the upper deck carries a white tender and a bright yellow kayak. An American flag flies from the stern under a grey, overcast sky.

Straight Life

Once a rescue craft, this Norway-built steel trawler is the ticket to ride for a venturesome crew.

When Minutes Matter

Island time is great, except in an emergency. This medevac service is for boaters who need help fast.

A high-angle, eye-level shot looking toward the bow cabin of a large white trawler yacht docked in a marina. A worker in dark blue clothes stands atop the cabin roof structure, using a long-handled brush to scrub the fiberglass surface next to a yellow water hose. The boat features a forward-slanted windshield with multiple wipers, a dark wood-planked foredeck, and stainless steel railings. Other luxury yachts are closely docked on either side under a bright, partly cloudy blue sky.

Stain Masters

Black streaks, yellow mustaches and rust all require different solutions to keep a boat looking clean.

Project Langosta

A Down East icon provides inspiration for this gentlemanly cruiser.

$A wide, eye-level shot capturing a majestic and treacherous Arctic landscape filled with massive white and blue icebergs floating in a calm, dark blue ocean. In the immediate left foreground, a towering wall of sheer ice rises sharply, showing deep fissures and dynamic textures. Behind it, a sweeping, mountainous glacier structure dominates the background under a pale, overcast sky, while a smaller, vibrant turquoise iceberg block sits low in the water on the right, displaying bright, light-refracting edges.$