Double Damned Racers Battle Light Winds to Halfway Finish in the Gorge
The infamous Double Damned brings sailors to the notoriously windy Columbia River Gorge for what’s supposed to be a 40-mile downwind rip full of planing, wipeouts, and as much fun as you can have on a sailboat. The forecast…
The Adventure Artists of R2AK 2023
Team We Brake for Whales at the start of Race to Alaska. Photo by Joe Cline. When the Race to Alaska fleet took to the water in Port Townsend on June 5, 2023, the sunrise was having a beauty face-off with the full moonset in…
Valkyrie Flies Again – 2023 Women at the Helm 1
A perennial favorite, STYC's Women at the Helm returned with great competition in light conditions, and so many incredible women sailors having a ball. Here's the report from Synergy 1000, Valkyrie. I’m happy to report that…
Paddle Path: A Pursuit All its Own
Shelby Mass and the author at the Seventy48 finish line. After writing about my solo Seventy48 adventure last year, I realized I was not alone. Any experience of this 70-mile human powered race from Tacoma to Port Townsend…
The Red Ruby Project: Round Isle of Wight Race
Boats are things that take us places. They can also be so much more, even a way to connect with old friends. When my regular doublehanded sailing partner Alyosha was unavailable for the Round Isle of Wight Race in England, I…
Sweet Home Anacortes – Race Week 2023
Race Week in Anacortes — the skies are so blue, the boat racing is fun and competitive, and the parties returned to their previous glory. In year three, Anacortes Race Week really hit its stride and felt like home. For me,…
Red Ruby Report: Spi Ouest Regatta
Alyosha and Jonathan had fun, learned a lot, and showed themselves to be a competitive duo! The idea of doing the Spi Ouest Regatta in La Trinité sur-Mer dawned on me and my co-skipper, Jonathan Mckee, while we were wrapping…
Why We Do Swiftsure
Terramoto sailing under jury-rig toward the finish in Victoria. True Wind Speed: 32, 34, 36, 39… BANG. The rig folded in half between the first and second spreader and collapsed to leeward. What had been a roaring and…
Behind the Boom: PNW J/70 Fleet Growth
Exploring The Rapid Growth Of The PNW J/70 Fleet J/Pod boats racing near Orcas Island. Let’s start with two facts. One, the J/70 — a 22.75-foot sport boat from J/Boats which debuted in 2012 — has quickly grown into one of…
Editor’s Letter: Investment Returns
Sailboat racing can be so stinkin’ fun and rewarding, something that affords extraordinary community. Of course, I know that lots of folks don’t share this opinion. They’ve had experiences that contradict those and any other…