I stumbled on Sailing Zatara on Youtube a year or more ago and have watched a handful of their videos (unlike SV Delos, where I have watched every video). I've got a really good friend and his fiancé who have several young children living aboard a sailboat while slowly completing Great Loop. They le...

I finally made my way to the 1,000 Islands area yesterday with our 26X. My wife still is very insecure about going exploring new areas by boat, so to keep things easy, we took the Uncle Sam's 2 NationsTour boat from Alexandria Bay and spent a couple hours at Boldt Castle this afternoon. I wasn't pla...

Pitchpolehobie, that is quite the list of mods. We'll have to actually sail together next season! These things have a trailer for a reason. I'm planning on slipping the 26D next year and will bounce around from place to place on the X. I'm for sure interested in a group trip in the Northeast next su...

Where did you stow the mast and boom? This will be the first season I store my S in the yard and was planning on tarping it right to the mast and trailer like I've done with all of my previous boats. This is less than ideal, but I really don't want to buy, build, and store a whole a-frame structure...

A bit at a time, I'm going to upload pics from this season in reverse order from when they occurred. Quick pressure wash a day or two after haul out... she never really got cleaned before the season so the topsides were pretty funky. The bottom only had a bit of algae around the waterline. https://i...

Where did you stow the mast and boom? This will be the first season I store my S in the yard and was planning on tarping it right to the mast and trailer like I've done with all of my previous boats. This is less than ideal, but I really don't want to buy, build, and store a whole a-frame structure...

Another successful boating season in the books! This summer didn't pan out the way I expected, with an unexpected month of helping out an ill family member on the other side of the country. Even with that interruption, I was still able to enjoy a bunch short local trips plus a week of having the boa...

On my 26D, a 2015 6hp tohatsu sailpro extra long shaft and it's predecessor, a 1999 nissan 5hp long shaft (basically the same motor) have gotten me safely through everything Lake Erie has thrown at me. We don't have noticeable tides and currents but I've been motored through 4' waves in 25 to 30+ mp...

Dang, this was a heavy read for 730am on Sunday morning! A couple things I'd like to chime in on. First, the Fairlead vs pulley for your head sail: a fairlead is just a rounded ring, usually mounted to the deck that is sometimes just plastic but the nicer ones will have a stainless steel insert to r...

According to sailboatdata.com the "X" jib is 23' x 9.67'. Not sure how I missed that, but thank you. It looks like the jibs will fit interchangeably. I just scored what appears to be a new old stock Doyle jib labeled 26X for $225 shipped. I'll add it to the sail inventory for my 26D. Assu...

If you are looking for jib dimensions, I might be able to help a bit. I have a 26S, which is basically the same as the D when it comes to sails. The basic replacement 100% hank-on jib for this boat, as supplied by Blue Water Yachts, is a Rolly Tasker sail with the following dimensions: Luff 23.375'...

I've tried searching here and elsewhere but I can't find the info and give up... will the hank on jib from a 26X for on a 26D or vice versa?

My family and I anchored in Presque Isle Bay for a primo spot to watch last night's Boom on the Bay fireworks show. We anchored about 2 hours early early to claim a good spot without fear of encroaching on someone else's space. While waiting for darkness, I raised the mast and got the X all rigged u...

My family and I just got home from a week trip to Sandusky Ohio. My in laws rented a nice beach house about a half mile down the road from cedar point. I brought the 26X to use as my escape pod/quiet space. I ended up leaving the mast down for this trip because to get to our private beach to anchor,...

I stripped the covers from all of my interior cushions and washed the foam in a new LARGE garbage can filled with hot water (tankless water heater and garden hose to fill) and a borax/ vinegar mixture per some directions I found online. The mixture is supposed to kill and prevent mold. I did one foa...