Articles in the category "Sailing History"

Charting Seas and Dreams: Jimmy Cornell’s Lifetime of Sailing Adventure & Essential Voyage Planning Insights

Discover the remarkable life of sailing legend Jimmy Cornell. Explore his adventures, from circumnavigations to remote expeditions, and gain essential voyage planning insights. Join his online class with American Sailing for expert guidance in navigating today's maritime challenges. Enroll online now and embark on your own sailing odyssey.

Women in American Sailing History

Dive into the remarkable stories of three influential women on the water. Join us as we celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing the powerful impact women have had in the sailing community.

Sailing Trivia

So you are at a dinner party, and it comes time for some trivia. Are you prepared with some sailing facts that would stump the competition?  Are you intrigued by tidbits of information that might spark a conversation? Take a look at some sailing facts that might get you the win on trivia night. 

Farewell and Fair Winds, Jimmy Buffett

The American Sailing crew was saddened along with the rest of the world to see a legend sail on from this life this past Friday. We tip our hats to the innumerable contributions Jimmy Buffett made to help make the cruising life what it is. He was a true embodiment of the spirit of freedom, friendship, and good times so many have come to know as the setting in which the sailing life is best lived.

Barcolana – The Biggest Sailing Race Around

The Barcolana is an annual sailing event and regatta in the Gulf of Trieste, located in the northeastern part of the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the largest and most famous sailing races in Europe and the world. Held during the first weekend of October, the regatta attracts thousands of participants and spectators, making it a significant cultural and sporting event in the region.

40 Sailing Phrases to Know

Sailors have a way of speaking, and the sport has its own language. Some sailing phrases are common in everyday language, while others are only really used on a sailboat. The ones common in our everyday language have a nautical origin that will make you a more enlightened sailor, as well. The ones used only on a sailboat? Well, the sailing lifestyle lends itself to a specific language to describe situations and offer comedic relief when we are at the mercy of the conditions, and those will make you smarter and more adaptable in real life as well. Check out 40 sailing phrases you should know.

Nautical Flags: Origins, Meanings, and Resources

If you've ever wondered about the curious world of nautical flags, their origins, uses, and all of their various meanings, here's the primer to get you started and further resources to expand your horizons.

Five Sailing Superstitions to Retire and One That Should Be Kept

Sailing superstitions go back to the dawn of modern civilization - we take a look at some of them and decide whether or not there is any truth to them!

History of the Yacht

When does a boat become a yacht? One answer has always been, you can tell a yacht when you see one. But, It really has nothing to do with size of the boat, weight of the boat, its style, sleeping quarters, heads, tillers, or a wheel. A yacht is a boat that was designed for the express pleasure of its

10 Phrases You Never Knew Came From Sailing

Sailing was the hinge of western civilization for hundreds of years, as result sailors’ slang & terminology are rooted in the English lexicon and still exists profoundly to this day.

Frederick Douglass: The Sailor You Should Know

In October of 2021, I sailed on the Chesapeake Bay on an American Sailing Charter. As with all of these charters, I am fortunate enough to meet many great people who love to sail. We anchored in Cambridge, Maryland, on this particular charter and went ashore. I am almost embarrassed to admit to this, but I never really understood the

Let’s Talk About Sextants!

Old and Great!

In honor of Father’s Day we created a list of some amazing older sailors that won’t let the burden of age squash their sailing pursuits.

Top 5 Historic Skippers of All Time

There were many other unknown historic skippers that forged paths for these more famous sailors but we’re just having a bit of fun here so roll with it...

Two Sailors That Happened to be Presidents

On this Presidents Day we, of course, asked ourselves the question: Did our former Presidents sail? The answer is yes, but two presidents are especially worth spotlighting...

ASA’s Top 6 Female Sailors

Sailing is mostly a male dominated arena but that doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing female sailors. More and more we’re seeing women sailors who get after it and dominate.

Top Seven Celebrity Sailors

ASAs list of the 7 most interesting high-profile people who we consider true sailors. Did your favorite celebrity sailors make the list?

5 Greatest Sailors of the Modern Era

Here are our picks for the top five great sailors of modern age