In our latest My Boat column, we’d like to introduce you to Casey Wilkinson and his sweet looking Didi 23, Koru. After searching for several years for a sailboat that he could use with his family, Casey decided to build the boat by himself from a set of plans, starting in May of 2020 and launching in October of 2022. He wanted something that had enough room to sleep four, had a separate enclosed head, decent headroom, and could be trailered and launched easily. With its raising keel, the Didi 23 design ticked those boxes beautifully, and can fit on a low trailer and be launched at almost any r ..read more

Well known around the Pacific Northwest, the 160-foot Schooner Zodiac will celebrate its 100th birthday at an Open House on Sunday, May 19th, at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven from 11 a.m – 4 p.m. The ship operates from March to October with varied trips from student groups to themed trips into the San Juan Islands to 3-hour sails on Bellingham Bay. Celebrating a 100th birthday is a remarkable feat for a wooden vessel, and some special events have been planned to commemorate the event. Displays highlighting Zodiac’s history and the ship itself will be open for deck tours ..read more

» Weems & Plath BRIGHTWind Knowing that real estate is limited on the top of the mast, Weems & Plath set out to create the world’s first ultrasonic wind sensor/LED triColor/LED anchor light combination—and they did it! Aptly named, BRIGHTWind, this unique, state-of-the-art pairing combines the ultra-low-powered, non-mechanical wind sensor (created by Spanish manufacturer, Calypso Instruments) with Weems & Plath’s powerful, yet energy efficient, LX TriColor/Anchor LED Navigation Light with Strobe and Photodiode. This combination was designed exclusively for sailors seeking unparalle ..read more

In our latest Throwback Thursday, we jump back to the March 2018 “Learn to Sail” issue of 48° North with some timeless tips on choosing a sailing school by Stu Gilfillen. The famed author John Rousmarine once wrote, “The idea of sailing a boat upon the sea can seduce even the happiest farmer or mountain climber.” While the folks at FarmersOnly.com don’t seem to have jumped on the sailing bandwagon yet, I would agree with John that sailing is a sport with broad appeal that is accessible to everyone. However, distinguishing between types of sailing or various educational opportunities can somet ..read more

A windy day on Johnstone Strait. After cruising the British Columbia and Alaska coasts for more than 40 years, we’ve reached the conclusion that some of the best cruising lies just north of Cape Caution. The problem is getting there, and then successfully rounding this notorious promontory. British Columbia’s Cape Caution is at the southwest corner of the British Columbia mainland across Queen Charlotte Strait from the northern tip of Vancouver Island, where the more protected waters east of the island meet the Pacific Ocean.   Cape Caution is intimidating to many boaters, due in no small ..read more

The Bellingham Yacht Club launches the 2024 boating season on May 4 with an afternoon “Here Comes the Sun” boat parade for all and special events for members and dignitaries throughout the day. Membership is not needed to join in the parade. “BYC is a year-round social as well as boating club,” explained Mike Unger, Fleet Captain. “We are mostly volunteer operated, so it’s easy to get involved and make new friends, just like in 1925 when the Club started with fifty members and ten boats.” Anniversaries are on tap this year as the Bellingham Yacht Club celebrates the 50th renown Pitch Rega ..read more

Shopping for a new sailboat or considering changing the current setup onboard your own boat to provide extra space behind the engine? Since the dawn of inboard engines aboard vessels, sailboats have been equipped with direct drive propulsion and it has proven to be a success in design and function over the years. But nowadays, almost a third of new boats are being built with a saildrive. So, what’s the big deal? Are they something to run away from? Are they better than the tried-and-true direct drive system most of us know well? What are the pros and cons of each, and which would you want to h ..read more

In our latest destinations installment courtesy of SalishSeaPilot.com‘s Lynne Picard and Jim Burgoyne, we discover some of the many anchorages in the Broughton Archipelago. When one studies nautical charts detailing the many islands and inlets in and around the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park, it can be daunting to decide on a cruising itinerary, especially if you are limited for time. If it’s your first visit, you may turn to a library of cruising guides — which might even include ours! — to read about all the anchorages and docks, and then head for those that sound best. It’s a bit ov ..read more

Minnehaha, Kirsten’s Cape George 36. South African sailor and adventurer, Kirsten Neuschäfer earned worldwide acclaim for winning the “retro” Golden Globe Race around the world in 2023. She recently visited the Pacific Northwest, and gave a sold-out presentation in Port Townsend, where her boat was built. In this first portion of a two-part interview, 48° North Managing Editor Joe Cline and two-time R2AK-winning skipper, Jeanne Goussev, sat down with Kirsten to gain some insight into the sailor whose 235-day nonstop circumnavigation wowed the sailing world; but whose competence, temperament, a ..read more

Due to Rosario’s uncertain availability, this year’s Eastsound Spring Regatta will be held on West Sound on April 13-14 and promises to be great fun! Sponsored by the Orcas Island Yacht Club (OIYC) and part of the North Sound Party Circuit, the party will be at the club’s facilities after racing on Saturday with dinner and music . After planning many youth regattas, I assumed planning yacht club events would be somewhat easier. Adults can find their own housing, feed themselves, and don’t require chaperones or safety boats. I naively believed that so long as you have a good RC, awards, so ..read more