#TBT: Turning Adversity into Adventure
June 1, 2023
In our latest Throwback Thursday, we're kicking it back to a near miss story in the October 2003 issue of 48° North by Lance Ekhart. It all started innocently enough. I am careful to always shorten my dinghy painter before…
A Tale of Two Passages: Colombia>Aruba>Curaçao
May 29, 2023
We've owned the good ship Yahtzee for 11 years now and, with all the passages in our wake and the places we've been, our family has learned a lot about life and the realities of living aboard a traveling sailboat. Besides…
The Outside Passage
May 12, 2023
The lightning started at 1 a.m. on night four of our 600-mile offshore passage from Craig, Alaska, to Neah Bay, Washington. We were 40 miles west of Vancouver Island and our 50 foot aluminum mast was providing the highest…
Cruising Stories,Boat Maintenance & Repairs,Featured
#TBT The ABSURDITY of Boat Projects
May 11, 2023
Pacific Northwest-based cruisers Becca and John sailed away on their Valiant 40 Halcyon and shared their great stories with 48° North for several years. In the time since, they've returned to our local waters, moved aboard a…
Close to the Water: Sketching the Sea
April 25, 2023
Sailing a small boat is like moving a paintbrush across the water. It’s slow, thoughtful, and requires a careful, continuous attention to detail. A typical cruising day for me covers just 10 to 15 nautical miles. On a pretty…
A Life Changing Weekend Cruise
April 13, 2023
The author's husband, Andrew, has spent his life around boats. I wasn’t born with a love of sailboats. In fact, I would say that I still don’t have a huge passion for them, even though I’ve owned one since 2018. They’ve been…
#TBT: Trekka Sails Again
April 6, 2023
In our latest Throwback Thursday, we revisit the relaunching of John Guzzwell's famous 20-foot yawl, Trekka, from the October 2005 issue of 48° North by Shirley Hewett. After 25 years on shore, one of the world’s most…
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:The Fourth Dimension
March 7, 2023
Joining the party aboard the E&E Paddlefish. It was well past my usual bedtime when I was invited aboard the Paddlefish, along with my friends Mia and RJ. The Bee Gees were pumping through speakers; tinsel and disco…
Sailing the Worries Away:Cruising with My Mother
February 23, 2023
The author's mother aboard Hecate in Princess Louisa Inlet. When I first got my 1965 Pearson Triton, I sent my mother an original advertisement for it along with the accompanying text, copied from the official Pearson Yachts…