Close to the Water: The Log of Row Bird
March 22, 2023
No matter the size of the vessel, a log book still has a place aboard. When I tell fellow sailors that I keep a log for my 18-foot sail and oar boat, they mostly look puzzled. Why would I want to do that? I see them wonder.…
Close to the Water: A Dream Boat Saved
January 3, 2023
Boats are dreams. The ones we want, the ones we build — even the ones that just sit collecting rainwater. All of them embody those aspirations. The dream boat represents different aspects of our identity and personifies the…
Close to the Water: My Boat Crush
November 15, 2022
For some people, a friendly sailing community is a…
Wooden Boat Festival 2022: A River of Stories
September 16, 2022
I’ve always thought of the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend as a broad, winding river full of stories and adventures. Each time I attend, I jump in with a destination in mind, but once in the current, I’m pulled along…
Seamanship & Navigation,Featured
Close to the Water: Becoming a Sailor
June 10, 2022
From the June 2022 issue of 48° North.
At the…

Sailing a small boat is…
Joining the party aboard the…
Able to be carried, Tim’s peapod is a good…
The author rows across a calm stretch of…
The author works on a sewing project for his…