Innehållsförteckning för April 2025 från Cruising World

In all the years since renowned 1950s yachtsman Carleton Mitchell coined the term “The Thorny Path” for the often difficult and taxing passage from Florida to the Virgin Islands via the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, sailors have, in great numbers, taken this well-trodden route. Numerous books and articles have addressed the tactics and the pitfalls to be overcome when making this classic run, and yet, it seems that many sailors are missing some of the simplest and most important strategies that can assure a relatively easy, if not completely painless, experience. The biggest problems most sailors face are the nearly incessant easterly trade winds and large sea conditions that prevail much of each year along the southern parts of this route, as well as winter cold fronts that can strongly…

It’s foggy on a dark night. Our boat is sailing through a narrow channel at 10 knots. We hear a foghorn. Two minutes later, the horn sounds closer. A few more horns are sounded. Out of the mist, a tugboat appears, crossing our bow at short range. As the vessel passes, I notice a hawser line extending from the stern into the water. I realize the tugboat is towing something. Instantly, I turn the wheel and sail 180 degrees away from the tugboat. Our crew could hear the waves of an oncoming craft. We watched in horror as the faint outline of a barge slipped past. Had I not maneuvered away, the barge would have rammed us. The sad episode took place more than 40 years ago, and I still…

Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit The WEST SYSTEM Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit has everything to you need to repair cracks and scrapes, gelcoat blisters, loose hardware, delaminated decks and panels, damaged keels and holes up to 1” diameter in solid laminates up to ¼” thick, and smaller holes in thicker laminates. Each Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit contains eight packets of WEST SYSTEM 105 Resin and 205 Fast Hardener, fiberglass fabric, adhesive filler, fairing filler, glue brushes, mixing pots, a reusable mixing stick, an application syringe, three pairs of protective gloves and illustrated instructions for completing a variety of common fiberglass repairs. All components are contained in a sturdy, resealable package that can be easily stowed aboard your boat. Six10® Thickened Epoxy Adhesive Six10® Thickened Epoxy Adhesive combines the strength and reliability…

When French businessman and sailor Olivier Kauffmann decided that it was time to buy a multihull and sail around the world with his family, his search for the right boat came up empty. Instead, he founded catamaran company Windelo and opened a shipyard in Canet-en-Roussillon, France, in 2018 with his son, Gautier, now the company’s operations manager. Their goals were to take advantage of the latest building techniques and materials, and to create an eco-friendlier sailboat with a premium on performance. The Windelo 54 that the Cruising World Boat of the Year jury got to inspect and sail at this past fall’s Annapolis Sailboat Show met those design criteria square-on. The big luxurious cat has a livable and uncommon interior layout. It sails well. And it’s built using composite materials…

The excitement was mounting as our plane closed in on our mid-Pacific holiday. We had little on the agenda but to dip our toes in crystalclear water and watch a dusky sun set on an aquatic horizon, rum punch in hand. There was just one problem: Our destination was submerged under a foot of water. There would be no shimmering black tarmac to provide a safe landing for our pilot. There was only one way in and one way out, and that was by sea. Few patches of submerged land hold the reputation of Minerva Reef. For South Pacific cruisers, it is the perfect break in a 1,200-mile passage between New Zealand and Tonga. The novelty of setting anchor in the middle of the ocean and watching the seas roll…

Anchored in paradise: Transient sailboats rest in the serene lagoon of Rangiroa, framed by shifting clouds over the South Pacific. This atoll in the Tuamotus offers more than just a scenic stopover; beneath the surface, its waters are home to a breathtaking marine world. Swimming alongside the resident reef sharks is a rite of passage, an experience that challenges fear and rewards with wonder. Turn to page 58 to read “Liquid Courage,” where award-winning author and sailor Brianna Randall takes an even deeper dive and discovers an unexpected connection with the ocean’s most misunderstood predators.…

A friend once said that the most reliable steering wheel is a tiller, but we live in an era when wheel steering prevails. Today, two rudders and two wheels have become de rigueur, with more linkage and points where corrosion and wear can become a problem. Losing steering might not be as bad as losing the rudder itself. Both result in an immediate loss of control, but the steering is usually easier to remedy. Most designers and naval architects build in an ability to insert an emergency tiller and operate the rudder even if a cable has snapped, or if the linkage fails. (A broken rudder or rudder stock is another story for a future column.) Chain-, wire-, pulley- and quadrant-type steering systems have proved reliable and relatively easy to service.…

It has been four years since my husband and I restepped the mast aboard our 1979 Cheoy Lee 41, Avocet, following weeks of DIY refit work. Our project list included upgrading the hardware, extensive sanding and, as the final touch, applying Nyalic as a protective coat. My husband would have preferred to leave the mast bare, but I wasn’t on board with the idea of aluminum looking shabby over time. Aluminum is one of the most popular metals for marine use because it’s durable and light-weight, and it forms a natural oxide coating that prevents corrosion. However, exposure to salt water can leave it looking rough, prompting many boat owners to turn to paint, which can fail, lead to corrosion, and deteriorate the mast. Paint can also starve aluminum of…

In the not-so-distant past, the top of the Catalina Yachts’ organizational chart listed two driving forces: owner Frank Butler and chief designer Gerry Douglas. Sadly, Butler died several years ago; Douglas is now enjoying a well-deserved retirement. As a brand, Catalina is still producing fine cruising boats. It’s one of the last of the major American production-boat builders to do so. For the 2025 Boat of the Year competition, from the new 6 Series line, the company entered a pair of nominees: the Catalina 356 and the Catalina 426 (formerly the Douglas-designed 355 and 425, respectively). The 6 Series collection includes a quintet of revamped and reimagined yachts—a collaborative result of in-house R&D with input from previous owners—ranging from 33 to 45 feet. The 446 is now the company’s flagship.…

The outgoing tide shot us through the narrow pass at 10 knots, spitting our C&C 43 into the beatific blue of the South Pacific. We’d just spent a few days anchored inside the tiny atoll of Kauehi, 100 miles northeast of Tahiti in French Polynesia’s Tuamotus archipelago, to recover from a five-day passage from the Marquesas Islands. We were heading to a bigger atoll to replenish provisions. But first, my husband, Rob, and I had a request of our captain: Let us jump overboard. He thought we were nuts. There were no boats in sight. No people for miles. Just the endless expanse of the Pacific ahead and 3,000 feet of water under our keel. Plus, one of the biggest feeding frenzies on Earth was about to begin. Hundreds of…

A SYDNEY Story The ferry pulled out of Circular Quay in downtown Sydney in early January, bound for the nearby coastal enclave of Manly, one of my favorite beach towns in all of Australia. Fittingly, as the vessel made its way into Sydney Harbour, it passed close abeam to the iconic Sydney Opera House, with its celebrated curved white roof that has often been compared to the billowing sails of ships at sea. It had been almost 20 years since I was last on these waters, but I was suddenly awash in a gusher of memories. Through the years, Sydney and sailboats have played powerful roles in charting my own course through life. My sister’s ex-husband was an Aussie America’s Cup sailor named Peter Shipway, which is how I found…

1 10-inch frozen pizza crust (or Quick Flatbread Crust, recipe below) olive oil, for brushing1 clove garlic, chopped finely (optional)½ cup pizza or tomato sauce1 cup mozzarella (or any soft cheese), shredded12-14 pepperoni slices¼ cup black olives, sliced a few fresh basil or arugula leaves, if available Lightly brush with oil a pizza pan, baking sheet, or heavy-duty aluminum foil, folded double. Lay dough or flatbread on top. Brush top of dough/flatbread with oil. With the back of a large spoon, spread sauce evenly over crust. Sprinkle garlic evenly over the sauce. Add ½ cup cheese. Place pepperoni at even intervals around pizza. Sprinkle with black olives. Add remaining ½ cup cheese. Heat propane grill to 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pizza or sheet pan on the grill,…

When Roger Hughes first laid eyes on the Down East 45 ketch that would become Britannia, he knew that it needed serious work—but nothing prepared him for the tangled mess of brittle, burned and abandoned wiring hidden beneath the decks. Faced with a complete electrical overhaul, he tackled the challenge head-on, methodically replacing old circuits, upgrading the master panel, and rerouting critical connections to bring the classic cruiser back to life. Along the way, he uncovered wiring dead ends, unexpected hazards and a few clever tricks that made the job more manageable. § Rewiring an old boat is more than just a technical project—it’s a test of patience, problem-solving and ingenuity. Hughes carefully selected multiconductor cable, ensured safe connections, and reorganized the electrical system to avoid a complete wiring disaster. Want…

AC and DC electrical systems are an integral part of any cruising vessel. While you might be able to sail without a functioning electrical system, it’s difficult to do much else, including navigate, be seen at night, retrieve an anchor, and communicate. So it should be a priority to make sure your electrical systems are in good working order. Spring is a good time to check if you want to have fewer problems once the summer boating season is in full swing. DC ELECTRICAL Begin with house and start batteries, and specifically with overcurrent protection, aka fuses and circuit breakers. With one exception, every wire connected to a battery’s positive terminal must have a fuse or circuit breaker within 7 inches of wire length, or within as much as 72…

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350 had a tough act to follow. In 2014, the French boatbuilder launched its Sun Odyssey 349, which was a commercial and critical success. It was Cruising World’s Overall Boat of the Year and ultimately sold more than 2,200 units—a remarkable production run by any measure. A decade later, the company commissioned the Marc Lombard design collective—Lombard had crafted the lines of the 349—and basically said, “Make it better.” Remarkably, at least in the opinion of our current Boat of the Year judging team, of which I was a member, that’s exactly what they did. The model has evolved significantly, so much so that it bas again been named a winner: the Best Midsize Cruiser for 2025. How, exactly, did Jeanneau accomplish such a feat? Let…

The cruising life thrives on a simple but powerful truth: Sharing knowledge strengthens the entire community. Out on the water, where self-reliance is key but no one succeeds alone, passing along hard-earned wisdom isn’t just helpful, but it’s also essential. § Whether it’s fixing an autopilot, plotting a tricky passage or simply pointing out the best local market, the acts of teaching and learning bind us together. It’s a cycle of giving and receiving that elevates the experience for everyone, turning a collection of independent sailors into something greater: a floating, ever-shifting village built on trust, generosity and shared adventure. § We learned this truth early on in our cruising journey. Anchored off Punta de Mita, Mexico, we watched our three young children splash in the surf, their laughter carrying…