Equipment Articles

If you’re just starting out with sailing, having the right gear is essential. Here’s a detailed guide to help you and your family select the best sailing gear to start your sailing adventures. Each recommendation comes with possible uses and the type of conditions they are suitable for, catering to both novice sailors and sailing enthusiasts. Read More >

There are many benefits to learning how to pack for the unique needs of traveling on a sailboat. We present a selection of our favorite soft-sided and water-resistant or waterproof bags to get you ready for travel season. Read More >

This Mother’s Day give women who sail the gifts they really want — Somand jackets, Sperry topsiders, Nomadix blankets, and Stream2Sea beauty. Read More >

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 crisis has changed our lives forever, and the sailing world is no different. From closed marinas to social distancing on sailboats, ASA has begun to re-examine what the new normal will look like once we are all allowed to return to our daily routines. One thing that ASA did learn is that there is Read More >

Do you know the difference between a junk and a sloop? What about a Yawl and a Ketch? This guide to sailboats will have you identifying boats like a lifelong sailor. Read More >

In the official language of the USCG, a wearable device that will keep you afloat should you fall in the water is a “personal flotation device” or “PFD.” Lifejacket and PFD are interchangeable terms. PFDs are officially classed as Types I, II, III, IV, and V, according to their design, construction, and intended use. The specific type required aboard depends Read More >

There are as many sailing knots as there are stars in the night sky — or so it seems. But the reality is that most sailors can get along with only knowing a few, as long as they’re the right ones. In this blog I’ll single out three very important sailing knots, explaining what they’re used for and how to Read More >

I don’t enjoy admitting this, but I am a messy sailor. I don’t always coil the lines correctly, and my knots don’t look as good as they should. In addition, my cockpit lacks organization, and when I look through some of the compartments on my boat, I start to rethink if I have what it takes to be called a Read More >

One of my long-lasting memories of bareboat chartering has become a ritual when in the perfect anchorage.  My family enjoys catamaran sailing so we typically bareboat charter a catamaran in the 40 to 48-foot range with a trampoline at the bow.   If you have the right hammock you attach it under the trampoline and you hover a few inches Read More >