
The Lost Art of Dead Reckoning
For all the precision of modern technology, sometimes there’s no substitute for the tried-and-true art of dead reckoning.

For all the precision of modern technology, sometimes there’s no substitute for the tried-and-true art of dead reckoning.


Take a stroll down the memory lane of navigation. Many years ago, during what often seems like another lifetime, it was my job as a U.S. Merchant Marine officer to shoot a couple sun sights a day with a sextant, weather permitting. The task was a pleasure, really. It called for a set of physical skills that a guy like me could first learn, then practice, and then finally master in an almost artsy, albeit seriously practical way.

The three-stateroom, semidisplacement model has a range of power options and a low air draft.

A solar-power system on our classic trawler lets us spend time moored or anchored with more than enough juice to meet our energy needs.

America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association has been helping boaters complete the ultimate voyage for a quarter century.

The steel-hull Nightfall, designed by William Garden, connects generations of this family through a love of cruising.

Larry Graf, the founder, designer and lead engineer of Aspen Power Catamarans, talks about Aspen’s proa hull designs and adventure cruising on his own creations from the Arctic to the Sea of Cortez.

With her vertical bow, reverse raked windshield and indoor-outdoor living space, the Galeon 430 EXP defies categorization.

It is called a razor because it shaves away unnecessary complexities, providing a simple solution to complicated questions.

Remembering Lifelong Marine Journalist Chris Caswell

A Master of Quiet Cruising

This imposing 55-footer is a comfortable, well-appointed coastal cruiser primed to take on more ambitious journeys.