ground tackle

My Name is Anchor

December 1, 2022

Anchors provide freedom, the ability to go and stay places far and wide, and the chance to explore places of remoteness and quiet. It is time to regain some of that freedom.

Tips on Anchoring

June 17, 2019

Here are some great tips on anchoring from Chuck Hawley’s new Boaters University course, Anchors and Anchoring.

Hold Fast

November 30, 2017

Recently I took a walk down a dock that had a number of trawler-yachts tied up alongside. I was struck by how lightweight the anchors

Ball and Chain: Replacing Your Cruiser’s Tired Windlass

September 22, 2014

Heave Ho! Windlass a little tired? Ground tackle is one of the most vital pieces of equipment on your cruiser. No matter how diligently you maintain things, everything has an expiration date. It may be time to toss the darn thing and install a vibrant new one.

Bitten By A Wildcat

July 23, 2012

We had just finished the 190-mile crossing of the Sea of Cortez from Mazatlan, Mexico, to Bahia de Los Muertos (Bay of the Dead, in

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.

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