Three Quick Maintenance Tips
Some of the most common issues our service teams have to deal with are preventable. Here are three areas to monitor and address, especially if you’ve just bought a boat.
The Latest on Financing & Maritime Law
Part Three of YBAA University: We recently returned from the annual Yacht Broker’s Assn of America University session. This is a gathering of yacht brokers and new boat sales people, along with industry experts in various fields. We collected lots of great information to share and this is the third and final article. Click here…
Is Sailboat Racing Too Expensive?
The Fallacy of Cost: Sailboat racing is often blamed for being too expensive. Yes, it can be, but it doesn’t always have to be. Looking at the fleet at the CanAm this past weekend, we see numerous boats that are between 20-40 years old, including many of the winners. These boats can be purchased quite inexpensively. Some have…
1st Thoughts on Sailing the First 36
We were finally able to take our stock boat out for a sea trial in Buffalo recently. We had Kris Werner of Quantum Sails in Rochester along with Tim, Dave and me. Kris made the sails, and we were all very pleased with them. We set up a base tune on the rig and went…
Boat Tips: Docking 101
Beginners generally find docking the boat one of the more challenging parts of learning to sail. It is worth the time spent in practicing, and when we sell someone a new boat this is an area we focus on. With proper technique anyone can learn to dock like a pro.
Vessel Surveys: What to Expect
‘Tis the time of year when used boats are selling rapidly and almost all of them need condition and valuation surveys. Marine surveyors are harder to find these days since many have retired, and their reports are more expensive. However, insurance companies and some lenders want a survey, and you would be wise to have…
From Sailboat to Powerboat
Circumnavigators talk taking the leap with Back Cove When Mike and Donna Hill decided to embark on the Great Loop, they knew they needed the right boat to take them on this new adventure. The Hills are not new to boating. They are veterans in every sense of the word—longtime sailors who have traveled 60,000…
J/9: The Ultimate Daysailer
The last two summers, I had the privilege of sailing our J/9—both non-spinnaker racing and daysailing. With that much time aboard, I feel very confident in writing about it. For starters, the J/9 was designed first and foremost as a daysailer; everything about it was created with that purpose in mind. Like all J models,…
The First 36: A Deep Dive Into the Details
I was finally able to look this new boat over in more detail, and the more I looked, the more impressed I became. We would like to point out some of the features that are new and different from most others we have seen. The boat is built in a Slovenian factory by different craftsmen…
Essential Boat Features for the Modern Owner
What are the must-haves for today’s boat buyers In keeping with what today’s customers expect in a new boat, the list of options and standard equipment includes many things not seen before, at least on most production boats. Some are to increase comfort and convenience, others are to allow new boaters to safely get up…