American Sailing Archives - American Sailing

Articles in the category "American Sailing"

Two boats making contact, crews gesturing

Racing Rules Applied

Think you know the racing rules? Even experienced sailors get them wrong. It takes effort to learn how to race with real confidence.

Across the Pacific, One Mile at a Time: What It Takes to Win the Pacific Cup

In this inspiring conversation, American Sailing's Kira Maixner shares the incredible story of her Pacific Cup victory aboard Dorado, an Express 37 that claimed first place in the ORR4 division after an 11-day crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii.

How Savvy Navvy Smart Routing Helps Boaters Make Better Decisions at Sea

How Savvy Navvy Smart Routing Helps Boaters Make Better Decisions at Sea Learn how Smart Routing combines weather, tides, waves, and charts.
A sailor at sunset in San Francisco

Five Waters, Five Lessons

From Colorado reservoirs to ocean racing, every body of water teaches something different. Here’s what varied sailing environments can teach you.
colorful sailboats on the water under a blue sky

The Summer I Started Sailing

A sailor reflects on a transformative first summer learning the unglamorous realities of sailing — and discovering themselves in the process.
A sailboat on a sunny day

I Never Planned to Become a Sailor

One skeptical sail in Grenada turned into a passion for sailing and travel that reshaped her entire life—and now helps others find it too.

2026 Father’s Day Gift Guide for Sailors

Father’s Day is coming up, and if the dad in your life knows how to rig a reef, eyeball the wind, or crack a cold one after setting anchor, skip the usual socks and gadgets. Get him something that makes sense for the sailor he is—gear he’ll actually use, appreciate, and brag about on the dock.
Route map with catamaran

Informed Passage Planning in Offshore Sailing

Single forecasts aren't enough offshore. Learn how comparing models, wave data, and routing tools leads to safer, smarter passage planning.
SAILBOAT HEELED OVER IN THE WIND

What Type of Sailor Are You?

Are you a cruiser, a racer, an adventurer, or a liveaboard? Sailing has room for every personality — which type are you?

Best Learn to Sail Book

Sailing Made Easy Second Edition gives new sailors the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills needed to sail safely and enjoy life on the water.
An American Flag flies off the back of a saiboat in a calm harbor.

More Than a Discount

Memorial Day marks the start of summer on the water — but for the sailing and boating community, the commitment to veterans goes well beyond a long weekend.
Trailer sailing can open up new waters for exploration.

Encouraging Landlocked Sailors to Embrace Trailer Sailing

Trailer sailing makes sailing portable and helps inland sailors access new waters with confidence, flexibility, and freedom.

American Sailing Welcomes Nick Harvey to Its Board of Directors

American Sailing, the nation’s leading authority on sailing education and advocacy, today announced the appointment of Nick Harvey to its Board of Directors.

The 2025 Lenny Shabes Sailing Festival is in the Books

If you ever wondered what a vacation looks like when sailors, sunshine, and a whole lot of rum come together—this was it. The Lenny Shabes Sailing Festival brought the energy, the camaraderie, and the unforgettable moments that would’ve made Lenny himself raise a glass.

Understanding Lift

If you’ve ever wondered how a sailboat moves forward – even when it’s not running with the wind – you’re not alone. It seems almost magical: a boat with no engine gliding to windward under nothing more than a sheet of cloth. But there’s a beautiful explanation behind it all, rooted in physics and refined by sailors over centuries. The secret? Lift.

American Sailing and SeaPeople Join Forces to Enhance Sailing Education World-Wide

American Sailing and SeaPeople partner to offer unparalleled sailing educational tools and digital logbook capabilities to sailors worldwide.

Let’s Talk About the Ocean

Sailors are in a unique position to make a meaningful difference. We are the eyes and ears of the ocean. We see what others can’t. We witness the changes—floating plastic bottles, discarded fishing nets, and dying coral reefs. But we can also be the solution.

Deaf Sailors Navigating New Waters: Overcoming Challenges in Sailing Education

For deaf sailors, the thrill of taking to the water is paired with unique challenges. Learning to sail can be demanding for anyone, but for those who are deaf, the experience requires adjustments, patience, and often customized teaching methods. While instructors and students must work around these barriers, many deaf sailors successfully navigate the learning process and thrive.