Close to the Water: A Sailor Makes Peace with Engines
A small boat, engineless sailor reminisces on his experiences with motors and makes peace with their useful purpose aboard. My first experiences on the water were all about velocity. Riding in the fiberglass ski boat my…
Working on Boats: A Space Odyssey
I’ll just come right out and say it — I’m one of those weirdos who actually enjoys working on boat projects nearly as much as I enjoy being out on the boat. Of all the upgrades and repairs we’ve made to our 1984 Passport 40…
Eight Bells: Steve Ward
Remembering and honoring the life and influence of a beloved sailor, writer, friend, and father. When Steve started contributing to 48° North in 1988, he kept pages turning with the fictional series "Adventures of Boomer…
Close to the Water: One More Foot
This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 48° North. It’s a rare sailor who is unfamiliar with the illness dubbed “one-foot-itis,” a malady which infects its hosts with the inexorable yearning for…
Artist’s View: Pickleweed
Salt-tolerant pickleweed is a unique bit of flora to look for near some Pacific Northwest anchorages. The Artist's View column for March is exclusively available right here at 48north.com. Most good anchorages in the…
Local Sailing Couples Share their Love, and Advice, on Valentine’s Day
We all know that love can be complicated — add boats and sailboat racing to the mix and the complexities can seem daunting. Of course, it can give us something truly special! Racing with the person you love can be…
An Enduring Sailmaking Legacy in a New Era
A legendary sailmaker passes the torch to a Port Townsend maritime trades collective. This article was originally published in the February 2022 issue of 48° North. For a time, it seemed that one of Port Townsend’s most…
The First Things to Know About Sailing
The following is Joe's Editor's note from the February 2022 issue of 48° North. As many of you know, my wife, Kaylin, and I welcomed our first child in mid-December. Baby Rowan is the best — she’s so sweet, she eats like a…
The Four Lessons from a 10-year Refit
This article was originally published in the January 2022 issue of 48° North. It was a miserable February day in 2012, a gray slush dripping from the leaden sky as my wife, Deborah, and I walked carefully down the dock at a…
Doctor Agua: Resolving to Sail More in the New Year
Let’s face it, experiencing 2021 was like drinking bilge water. With the never ending coronavirus, social justice challenges, politics, a global climate crisis, and jam packed waterways, there were times I couldn’t muster…