Buying a used boat can feel like a roller-coaster, with all the thrills and a smidge of terror, particularly in a red-hot market. If you’ve tried to buy a used boat in the past three years, you’re probably nodding along (and maybe feeling a bit queasy)! So, to help you get your bearings, I decided to have a chat with Chris Perera, the president and founder of boatblurb.com and boatdealers.ca, where thousands of boats get bought and sold.  Chris has seen it all in the boat market and so I wanted to get his top tips for buying a used boat in 2023. To hear our full conversation, check o ..read more

Choosing the right liveaboard marina can make the difference between feeling like you’re camping full-time or living in a luxurious floating apartment. We were lucky enough to spend two years living at Spruce Harbour Marina, the best liveaboard marina in Vancouver, BC—complete with a sauna, clubhouse, and woodworking shop! The services and amenities at a liveaboard marina can have a big impact on your day-to-day life, from the basics like where you get your water, power, and pump-outs (emptying your holding tank) to fancy perks like pools, gyms, and clubhouses.  If you’re not sure if livi ..read more

Build your own sailboat solar arch or radar arch for a fraction of the price. We were outfitting our 1979 Dufour 35 for a multi-year sailing trip and had decided to install a 400-watt solar array. But how to best mount them? A structural arch made the most sense, and we didn’t have one. After a couple of quotes over $5000 USD for a ‘simple arch,’ we decided that we would have to build our own.  We sought opinions around the docks and almost universally received the advice, ‘Don’t do it…just don’t.’ But, being young and foolish we decided to try it anyway; what did we really have to l ..read more

There are a few essentials for living on a boat that will make it feel more like home (and less like camping). When we first moved onto our 35-foot sailboat, it took a while to feel settled in. We grappled with downsizing, finding ways to store food without a fridge, and learning how to conserve water. Over the years (and with much experimentation) we gradually developed systems that made living on a boat more comfortable and enjoyable. So, I thought I’d share some of the systems and gear that helped us transition to the liveaboard life. A quick note that this post contains affiliate links (so ..read more

Loading ..read more

Sailing around the world is a major undertaking, but you don’t have to be super rich, athletic, or have salt water running in your veins to do it. I know bluewater cruisers and round-the-world sailors from all walks of life: young couples, single women, families with kids, and an 85-year-old Reverand. Crossing the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was a wonderful milestone on our sailing tripOur story When I was in my late twenties, my husband, Robin, and I spent three years sailing 13,000 nautical miles from Vancouver, Canada to Mexico and then across the Pacific to Au ..read more

What are the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet? Last year we analyzed 2,000 offshore designs to bring you a list of the most popular bluewater sailboats. However, most people are searching for a boat in a particular size class. So, we decided to do a double-click and look at the best sailboats under 40 feet for offshore sailing. If you’re interested in an even smaller boat, there are plenty of great options under 30 feet in our list of the best small sailboats for sailing around the world. The characteristics that make a sailboat a bluewater sailboat are a hotly debated topic, so we wante ..read more

Downwind sail terminology can be baffling! If you’re looking to build out your downwind sail inventory for cruising you may find yourself awash with spinnaker codes, headsail overlap percentages, and trying to understand the difference between an asymmetric spinnaker, gennaker, and cruising chute. But don’t despair, the good news is: it’s not that complicated. All the marketing jargon aside, there are really just three types of downwind sails commonly used by cruisers and I’m going to cover them in this post. Headsails Asymmetric spinnakers Symmetric spinnakers We’ll also briefly touch on Co ..read more

For anyone who’s experienced an accidental jibe—with the boom whipping across the cockpit at dangerous velocities—the benefits of using a boom brake or jibe preventers will be obvious. These simple rigging systems are easy to set up and can reduce some of the risks associated with downwind sailing. Boom strikes can result in crew members being seriously injured or thrown overboard. According to a German study, boom strikes were identified as the most common cause of sailing injuries overall. Uncontrolled jibes are also hard on your boat. Boom brakes can reduce stress on the rigging and can pre ..read more

Some of my happiest sailing memories involve downwind sailing: coasting along with the spinnaker up, blissfully basking in the afternoon sun. I’ve also had some uncomfortable downwind rides, like sailing along the Washington-Oregon Coast with a cross swell and gusts of 40 knots. Me enjoying sailing downwind on an ocean passage Sailing downwind can vary a lot, depending on the conditions, but having the right sail configuration and trim is key and can make all the difference to your comfort and safety. Robin and I spent the better part of three years sailing (mostly downwind), but it wasn’t unt ..read more