I’ve been a boater and regular reader of Soundings for years. Caps off to Pim Van Hemmen for successfully running common threads through several great articles over a few recent issues. Take, for instance, “The River That Flows Both Ways” (October 20

Many boat owners have a healthy obsession with commercial craft and fantasize about the possibility of owning one at some point. Sam Devlin, on the other hand, designed and built his own personal working tug. Devlin is principal at Devlin Designing B

As newly elected officials descend on Washington, D.C., marine-industry lobbyists armed with a new set of data are hoping—after years of trying with the Environmental Protection Agency—to get better consumer warning labels about the dangers of ethano

I learned my knots the hard way as a young crew member on a two-person delivery. The captain asked for a rolling hitch. When he received rolling eyes instead, he reacted by drilling me practically to tears. I was sure he was a sadist, demanding bowli

JOHN HARRIS is a bit of a Renaissance man. A trained musician who loves not only jazz but just about any sort of music, he also is the founder and owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, a build-your-own-boat company that sells complete kits and plans for e

As he tells the story today, Curtis Green, 43, figures he has about 90 percent of the strength back in his right hand, even with the scars. But a year ago, as he sat in a hospital with one side of that hand looking like it had been raked across a che

The wilds of the Pacific Northwest are not to be taken lightly. Though beautiful, the rocky shores, verdant outcrops and deserted scenery—much of it accessible only by boat—come with their own unique challenges. Hard-to-spot deadheads float in the wa

The year is 1800 and Britain is at war with Denmark. A squadron of ships under the command of Rear Admiral Richard Bolitho is dispatched to the Baltic to blockade the enemy fleet. Here, we see the deck of his 74-gun flagship, Benbow, as he embarks on

Situated about 40 miles north-northwest of Seattle, Washington, and sandwiched between Port Townsend and Discovery bays, is the Quimper Peninsula, an area that’s home to one of the most diverse traditional boatbuilding communities in the Pacific Nort

I’ve always loved the clean, uninterrupted lines of lobster boats, and like the traditionalists who say you can’t put an outboard on one, I balked when builders of Downeast-style boats said they were going to build outboard-powered models. But in 201

Boating has always been in his blood. Mike Cantor, who grew up in New Jersey and spent many summers cruising offshore, still remembers the conversations he had as a boy with his grandfather, who had a passion for motoryachts, having owned an Elco, a

Steve White is president of Brooklin Boat Yard in Brooklin, Maine, a full-service facility on Eggemoggin Reach between Blue Hill and Penobscot bays that specializes in wooden boat design, construction and repair. White’s father, designer Joel White,

The Power Ski, pictured here, was an important link in the evolution of personal watercraft. A unique craft in its own right, it provided a transition between the aquaplane of the 20th century and the Kawasaki Jet Ski. Aquaplaning was a major sport,

I’ve owned only production boats. Not one has been the most interesting design in any anchorage, but each has firmly met the needs of my family. Even so, there are days when we catch sight of a really special custom boat from our cockpit. Our crew wi

What happens to all that plastic shrink-wrap after your boatyard crew pulls it off and launches your boat in the spring? That’s the question the Rhode Island-based nonprofit Clean Ocean Access wants boaters all across the United States to ask as part

When it comes to fishing boats, it’s difficult to beat the brand recognition and reputation enjoyed by Robalo Boats, which has been building solid, value-focused craft for anglers for more than 50 years. The latest to join the stable is the company’s

The tuna were biting offshore and the boat was loaded with bait, tackle, crushed ice and an excited charter party ready for action. As the fish were taking up residence in the Hudson Canyon off the New Jersey coast 75 miles from Manasquan Inlet, the

QUACK, QUACK Scott Smith is on a mission to build a boat. The policeman from New York state turned novice boatbuilder has for the last nearly four years been toiling away in his backyard boat shed building a 41-foot, George-Buehler-designed Diesel Du

A lot can happen in two years, and so it has with the America’s Cup. In the blink of an eye, the American Magic syndicate went from flying its half-scale test boat, The Mule, for the first time in October 2018, to delivering its brand-new, second-gen

About a year ago, boat lovers around the globe marveled at the 25-foot-long 3Dirigo, the world’s largest 3Dprinted boat. Her creators at the University of Maine built her using the planet’s largest prototype polymer 3D printer. Nobody called that boa

In offshore fishing circles, the 42-foot Merritt is instantly recognizable. The design combines a seaworthy hull and timeless good looks with the critical elements needed for big-game fishing. And the best of the best covet these boats because they w

Fort Pierce, Florida, is an angler’s dream town. Located on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), it boasts a deep-water channel providing a quick route to Fort Pierce Inlet and the Atlantic. “Sailfish Alley,” a famous hotspot during the winter months, li

This is not the way it was supposed to go for the Dutch barque Europa and her crew. They were supposed to be heading west across the South Pacific to revel in the splendors of Easter Island, Tahiti and Tonga as they sailed for Australia. Instead, aft

During his more than 50 years as a designer for Viking Yachts, Bruce Wilson has created some of the company’s most iconic models, having drawn on the close mentorship he received from company co-founder Bill Healey. Before retiring in 2018, Bruce als

Geoff Hunt’s works are well-known to the many readers who have followed the adventures of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in Patrick O’Brian’s historical sea novels, as they are the chosen cover art for these beloved books. The British artist’s oil p

Many of us hop on our boats for a good time. But occasionally you meet people who use their boats to have fun and do good. Paul Robertson, shown above at left, is one. Robertson grew up in Ocean City, Maryland, where he began boating at a young age.

John Howell is one of those boaters who has spent most of his life on the water. The retired industrial arts teacher from Long Island, New York, has logged countless hours at sea, traveling as far as the shores of South America. Along the way, the 45