What’s New

Free hurricane planning videos, guides from BoatUS SPRINGFIELD, Va., July 31, 2020 – Hurricane Isaias is forecast to run up the East Coast, likely bringing heavy rains, high winds and storm surge from South Florida to potentially as far north as New England through next week. With the storm having reached Category 1 status (sustained winds of 74 mph) Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is urging boaters to be prepared. “It doesn’t take a…

As we noted in an earlier Ship’s Log post, our friend Tom Darling, a lifelong sailor and sailing author who wanted to combine the history and the romance and the genealogy of great vintage boats, has launched Conversations with Classic Boats, a podcast about classic boat designs and the stories behind them. Premiering May 6 with Episode 1 on the Herreshoff Newport 29, Dolphin, “the winningest boat sailing our waters today,” the series of 30-minute podcasts invites…

Free Admission May 23-29 Our friends at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut have announced that the Museum of America and the Sea will reopen to the public on Saturday, May 23. To celebrate the occasion and to thank the community for its support of the Museum during its closure, admission will be free May 23-29. Visitors will be welcome to explore the grounds, including the historic village and gardens, the shipyard, and the Mystic River waterfront….

Over the years, sailboat racing in Greenwich, Connecticut has been very popular. The competition is typically casual, particularly mid-week evening racing. And as important as the racing is, for many, the social aspect is equally critical. Following the racing, the Greenwich yacht clubs organize post-race gatherings so competitors can share stories of triumph and defeat. Yet in the age of Covid-19, activities such as sailing have had to be curtailed. With restrictions hopefully starting to loosen, it’s…

It’s been said that when one door closes, another opens. For Griffin Spinney, a Newport, Rhode Island resident who’s been sailing for most of his 18 years, the “prize behind door #2” turned out to be more fantastic than he could have imagined. A senior at Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire, Griff is an accomplished offshore sailor.  After his plans to build a wooden paddleboard for his senior project were waylaid by COVID-19, our friends at…

We like to think that volunteers who organize and run regattas for sailors with disabilities are “paying it forward,” meaning that if it were you in the boat, you’d want someone to be looking out for you, too. But paying forward isn’t always the only option. For the past twelve years, the hundreds of volunteers who have helped make the Robie Pierce Regattas for sailors with disabilities a success have had their contributions matched by financial underwriting…

Monday, May 11 is the rollout date for “Conversations with Classic Boats,” the website and podcast created by Tom Darling, a longtime WindCheck friend and contributor, featuring a unique look at what he calls “classic” boats. “A classic boat doesn’t have to be wood, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a yacht,” Darling explained. “It could be fiberglass – think of a Dyer Dhow – but everyone agrees that Bolero and Dorade are classics.” The website,…

Over the years, our friends at the Warrior Sailing and the USMMA Sailing Foundation have received a number of sail donations for vessels large and small. Many of these get put to use on program boats, while others are sold for fundraising purposes. “We started passing along sails to our friends at Sea Bags a while back to help supply them with plenty of raw material for their beautiful bags,” said Warrior Sailing Program Director Ben Poucher….

NEWPORT, R.I. (April 27, 2020) – While sailors are all facing challenges and uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two of the best coaches in the sport, Dave Perry and Dave Dellenbaugh, have stepped up to offer an alternative to in-person coaching with an online coaching program. “One of our board members saw on Scuttlebutt that Dave Perry and Dave Dellenbaugh have come up with coaching sessions available online, and given the coaching relationship the Clagett…

Essex, CT  (April 10, 2020)  The Connecticut Spring Boat Show, which was scheduled to be held Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3 at Safe Harbor Essex Island, Essex, CT has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The CT Spring Boat Show annually raises money for Sails Up 4 Cancer and is sponsored by Safe Harbor Essex Island, Yacht Brokers Association of America, Essex Boat Works, Essex Steam Train and Riverboat and YachtWorld. The cancelation of…