best sailboat head

The Lowdown on Headsail Options

Having the right headsail for the job is important. In this article, Quantum experts break down the different headsails that may make up your sail inventory.  

Many factors determine the best headsail inventory for you: the type of sailing you do, the conditions you typically sail in, and the design, size, and shape of your boat. You’ll also need a mix of sails that can perform at upwind, reaching, and downwind angles. Upwind sails optimize lift at the tightest angles to the wind; reaching sails optimize driving force across the wind; and downwind sails optimize drive when in “push mode.” Understanding how air flows across the sails helps to explain why sails are cut and sized differently for those angles and will help to inform the best usage of each headsail. 

Most boats won’t have all the headsails listed in this article, and inventories can differ drastically from boat to boat. While we’re focused on headsails for racing in this article, whether you’re a racer or a cruiser, understanding the differences in headsails will help you optimize your inventory for the kind of sailing you do. 

Upwind Headsails 

The ability to create lift through efficient sail shape is paramount for an upwind headsail. As with the mainsail, lift is generated when the camber, or curve of the sail, creates smooth but differing air flow speed on the windward and leeward sides of the sail. In different apparent wind speeds and angles, different sail sizes and shapes are needed to keep the boat at its optimal angle of heel and speed. As a rule of thumb, deeper sails create a driving force that is more aft (lower lift/drag ratio), and flatter sails create a driving force that is angled closer to the wind (higher lift/drag ratio). All sails create some drag that pulls the yacht sideways that the keel must counter. The ability to balance side force versus driving force is the secret to a well-designed sail.

Upwind headsails go through a narrow range of apparent wind angles, but they see the greatest change in apparent wind speed of any of the sails. Because of this change, what works best in five knots of wind speed will not be your best sail option in 25 knots of wind speed. When racing, upwind headsails are limited in area to keep a yacht’s handicap rating from becoming too high. For this reason, in lighter winds they don’t make good reaching sails. When rating isn’t in play, you can combine a few upwind and reaching sails for better performance. In a perfect world, yachts would have multiple rigs, much like windsurfers or 18-foot skiffs, and these rigs would have sails that are appropriately sized with depths for optimum performance in a given wind speed. But we don’t live (or sail) in a perfect world, so all yachts go through a transition upwind from being underpowered to having too much sail area. You will need to find ways to increase power with smaller sails and then reduce sail. The ability to change headsails is the most efficient way to accomplish this. 

If your headsail is large enough to overlap part of the mainsail, it is classified as a genoa. Light genoas, or G1s and Number 1s, are designed to be deep and powerful in lighter winds to maximize drive, even at the expense of added drag and side force. Similar to a Number 1 genoa, the lighter jibs are designed to produce as much power as possible. But as the wind increases, these sails become overly powerful and create too much side force, and you will need to flatten the sails. Your J2 or medium jib/genoa will still give you an efficient sail shape at maximum area. Once the wind speed increases, you cannot flatten a sail enough while maintaining efficiency, so you must reduce sail area. Some yachts will have several heavy air specialty sails that get smaller and smaller, though most yachts with genoas will switch to J3, J3.5, J4, and J5 jibs. As the numbers increase, the sail size decreases.

A note on cruising upwind headsails:  A typical upwind cruising headsail inventory may contain a J1, J2, and J3, or more frequently, only one upwind headsail, which makes sense since cruisers are often sailing short-handed or with crew who have a mixed bag of skill levels. Cruisers tend to rely more on furling to depower rather than switching to a smaller or flatter sail. For this reason, cruising sails are designed with furling in mind so sails can perform up-range yet still maintain desired sail shape and performance when furled. Stay tuned for a follow-up article that shares information on headsails designed for cruising.

Reaching Sails

When sailing upwind or downwind, you can find an optimal angle that balances speed with velocity made good (VMG), but when reaching you want to go as fast as possible across the wind toward your next mark or waypoint. Therefore, reaching sails must be designed and built to accommodate for this difference. One similarity reaching sails have with upwind headsails is that they transition quickly from not having enough power to having too much power as the wind speed increases. Reaching sails also see a variety of both apparent wind angles and apparent wind speeds. In some wind speeds, a spinnaker can work for reaching, but the boat will perform better at that angle if you change the area and shape of the sail. Many asymmetrical spinnakers will also overpower you in heavier air at reaching angles.

While we prefer to use specialty reaching sails, some racing rules require only jibs or asymmetrical spinnakers. The problem with using downwind sails while reaching is related to materials, loads, and apparent wind angles. New materials aren't as fragile as they once were but reaching with sails not designed for the increased loads of sailing at these angles can be problematic. There is so much corner load when reaching that sails built for reaching need to be reinforced with stronger materials. As you start to reach closer to the wind direction, your apparent wind speed increases rapidly. This also increases the heeling movement sails produce, which is typically the limiting factor in determining which reaching sail you can use. Unlike headsails that you can luff, a free-flying headsail such as an asymmetric spinnaker will just flap if you try to sail it too high. If you could fill the sail, it would generate too much side force because it is optimized to drag a yacht downwind. When reaching, we want a sail that is more wing-shaped and can drive the yacht forward, not backward. 

CODE ZEROS/AWA 40, AWA 60, AWA 80

A solution to the materials, loads, and apparent wind angles equation lies with specialty reaching sails. Often referred to as code zeros or AWA sails , these sails are designed to cover a wide range of reaching angles. While classified under most rating rules as a spinnaker or downwind sail, codes and AWAs are flat enough to handle points of sail closer to the wind without excessive drag. Because of their wide range of angles, AWAs and code zeros are a useful tool for bridging the gap between downwind and upwind sails. AWA sails and code zeros are often used in both racing and cruising inventories . There are also plenty of other specialty reaching headsail options such as wind seekers, jib top reachers, blast reachers, genoa staysails, and spinnaker staysails that can be used to complement code zeros, AWA sails, and spinnakers. These sails are typically used in larger racing inventories.

Downwind Sails

Downwind headsails are generally made for “push mode,” meaning they’re built with more curve to enhance driving force when sailing with the breeze. Downwind symmetrical kites can sail deep angles as the wind is meant to flow into them and then separate and create as much drag as possible, unlike asymmetrical kites that, similar to reaching sails, allow the wind to flow across the sail to create more lift. 

ASYMMETRICAL KITES

Now we’re focusing on yachts carrying asymmetrical kites. A downwind sail’s main purpose is to allow a yacht to sail its optimal VMG angle downwind as fast as possible. Like upwind sails, the area of the sail will be limited when racing ratings are in play to achieve a more favorable rating. A larger kite will go faster downwind until its geometry becomes too deep and wide. Yachts are usually rated for the optimal area for lighter air kites. Heavier air kites are sometimes slightly smaller than you would make in absence of any rules because most yachts spend the majority of their time racing in 12 knots or less. In lighter winds, the best wind angle will always be to sail higher than dead downwind to increase apparent wind speed, which allows the yacht to transfer as much kinetic energy from the wind as possible. By sailing higher angles in lighter wind, you can double your apparent wind speed and increase the power your yacht harnesses from the wind by almost four times while sailing only 15 percent more distance. 

As your apparent wind speed increases and your sail angles tighten, your apparent wind angle decreases. Lighter air kites made of lighter cloth and flatter shapes operate in narrower apparent wind angles and have less apparent wind speed than heavy air kites. As you sail wider angles, optimum depth for your kite increases as the wider apparent wind angle acts to push the yacht, making a deeper sail more efficient. Lighter yachts that sail across the wind because they can sail faster speeds tend to have flatter kites compared to yachts that are heavier and sail more directly downwind.

DETERMINING HEADSAIL OPTIONS

Many factors go into selecting the perfect headsail, among them rig type, typical conditions, typical wind range, type of sailing, and racing ratings. Take time to assess these variables and what types of headsails will best serve you upwind, downwind, and reaching. If you have questions or would like help making a sail plan, give your local loft a call. Quantum experts can expand on any of the headsails in this article and help determine where the gaps in your inventory may be. But be prepared: You might discover your new secret weapon!

The Discussion

You mention both Code Zeros and Blast Reachers in this article but not Jib Tops. Have Code Zeros effectively replaced the need for Jib Top sails on boats with overlapping headsails in reaching conditions or is there still a roll for Jib Tops?

Blast Reacher and Jib Top are interchangeable for all practical purposes. Rarely do yachts these days have both sails. In the past, they may have had a 155% LP Jib Top and a 110% LP Blast Reacher. These days, esp with most yachts having non-overlapping sails, they have one reacher, which is called either the JT or the BR. This means to me that a Jib Top (155%) may still be applicable to an overlapping headsail sailplan in lighter/moderate winds and a blast reacher used in heavier air. The big difference is that a JT would not be in the inventory of a non-overlapping headsail inventory. Beacuse Chris's article was referencing the non-overlapping sailplan the JT was left out. I hope that answers your questions. If I can help further you can reach me at [email protected]. Thanks for the feedback on the article.

Thank you for the information. Trying to understand where is the different between headsail to code zero and Aso. Blast reacher can seem as mini code zero. Which rule will determine and differ between the two sails? Thank you in advance for your answer. Yehuda

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5 Types of Marine Heads: Which is Better?

If you have ever been on a train, airplane, or other forms of public transportation and had to use the bathroom, your nostrils have probably never forgiven you for the experience. In addition, your elbows may still be calloused from smacking up against the sides every time you had to make a minor adjustment.

Unfortunately, this had been a reality for sailors and boat passengers for far too long. Thankfully, sanitation standards and new head technology has made going to the bathroom pleasurable again.

That said, I hope to flush out the old perceptions of shipboard potties. This article aims to inform you of the different types of marine heads you can pick from when choosing a bathroom package for your new boat or if trying to decide on a replacement for your older vessel’s sanitation system.

Table of Contents

What Is A Marine Head?

Different types of marine heads, marine sanitation laws to be aware of, quick tips for using a marine head.

If you haven’t guessed it already, a head is a mariners term for the bathroom. The word derived from sailing vessels of times past when the crew’s nature center was towards the bow (front) or the head of the ship for strategic cleaning purposes.

I’m going to spare you the details of how sailors in the past flushed away or discharged their waste. Instead, I would like to have us explore the different types of marine heads together and discuss how each of them works.

The 5 Types Of Marine Heads include:

• Porta-Potti
• Manual Head
• Electric Head
• Vacuum Head
• Composting Head

1. Porta-Potti

You have likely seen or even used some model of the Porta-Potti, whether when passing a construction zone or attending a more significant public event outdoors like a state or county fair.

In any case, the Porta-Potti is a comfortable, durable, and self-contained toilet that is entirely portable-requiring no permanent plumbing system.

Porta-Potties are an excellent option for cabinless boats that do not have the allocated space for a fully installed sanitation system. You should consider investing in this useful tag-a-long accessory if you own a smaller fishing or recreational boat and plan on being out on the water for the majority of the day.

The Porta-Potti 145 is Thetfords medium-size portable toilet fit with a bellow pump and capable of holding up to 12 liters of waste. You can easily find one of these toilets for less than seventy-five bucks, which is worth the investment.

Thetford offers luxury models in their portable toilet line-up with a range of different flushing options. However, remember that you will have to physically empty the contents within the holding tank once back on dry land.

Although it sounds like a reasonably unpleasant job, if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, nothing should poop up the process.

2. Manual Head

The next tier above the Porta-Pottie is the manual head. As the name implies, you utilize a hand pump to draw up water (post-use) and flush down the generated waste into a holding tank.

There are many different size holding tanks available; however, the most suitable size for your bathroom setup depends on several factors:

• the space you have available on your boat
• boat capacity (a manual head system adds at least 25 pounds of weight to your boat)
• how many passengers are on board, and
• the time you plan on being away from a marina

The physics being operating a manual head is pretty straightforward. Still, some preferred techniques to implement to ensure your sanitation system maintains clean and clog-free lines (and odor-free is always lovely too).

PRO-TIP: David Schmidt, from CruisingWorld, suggests, “users pump a small amount of water into the bowl, complete their business as normal, and then flush by first flipping a selector switch (typically mounted by the pump), and pumping the handle to drain the bowl.”

Manual heads do not require power and are reasonably easy to maintain and repair, even while out at sea. In addition, manual head systems are usually the least expensive option next to portable toilets.

Remember, you will empty your manual head’s storage tank at your closest marina’s pump-out facility. Consider ABSCO as your trusted manufacturer of manual marine heads.

3. Electric Heads

We all like the convenience of controlling something by the press of a button- an electrical head utilizes power to drive waste down into your sanitation systems holding tank after performing your duties at sea.

Running an electric head off a separate circuit would be wise; each flush will use a brief load burst of approximately 20 to 30 amps. So you may want to still store a Porta-Pottie somewhere on board in case you lose power while out at sea.

One excellent feature that comes standard with most electric heads is a macerator that works to prevent clogs- a group of blades that shred up waste before passing through the boat’s sanitation system lines.

Though manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to improve electric heads, they are notably loud and more challenging to maintain due to having more moving parts than more basic marine head types .

4. Vacuum Heads

Vacuum heads also utilize power to operate the systems vacuum pump activated upon flushing the toilet. Typically, the vacuum pump will remain on until the system repressurizes and automatically s off (about one minute).

Vacuum heads clean out the toilet’s contents with freshwater, sucking down waste up to speeds of seven feet per second.

Vacuum heads are a preferable sanitation system to consider if you upgrade your boat’s outdated mechanical toilet. To install one of these systems on your boat, you need three main parts:

• a vacuum pump and accumulator, and
• a holding tank

VacuFlush is an industry leader for these types of marine heads.

5. Composting Head

There is no better alternative for the most environmentally conscious than the composting head. Typically composting heads have two chambers: one for liquids and one for solids.

Nature’s Head is likely the most popular solution for outdoor enthusiasts and naturalists, no matter if you live aboard a vessel or out in a small cabin in the woods.

As a sailor, you will be happy to hear that this particular brand is also USCG certified. In addition, composting toilets eliminate the need for electric power and give you back that precious storage space you surrendered for installing the holding tank on your older sanitation system.

With composting toilets, you save on weight, space, complicated mechanics and get to skip out on waiting in line at the marina pump-out station as well.

The process is pretty simple- you go to the bathroom and let nature take care of the rest. Then, you sprinkle some peat moss into the solid waste chamber. As it sits, a natural healing process occurs, which eradicates dangerous bacteria.

In the end, the only remains of your waste will be a blackened powder that you must dispose of onshore or use as a sustainable fertilizer for non-edible garden landscaping.

Suppose you choose a permanently installed marine head for your boat. In that case, you must comply with various USCG regulations that regulate disposal and discharge procedures to protect the environment and others.

The Environmental Protection Agency establishes No Discharge Zones where discharged waste is prohibited. You can see a list of the No-Discharge Zones (NDZs) by State here. In addition, you cannot discharge treated or untreated waste in freshwater lakes and some rivers.

Be sure not to discharge waste within three miles from shore unless it has been treated by “U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I or Type II MSD. Alternatively, sewage may be stored onboard in a holding tank (Type III MSD).”

If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the United States Coast Guard or contact your region’s EPA Ambassador for more information.

• Although permanently installed sanitation systems can generally use freshwater or saltwater for flushes, experts recommend freshwater. Freshwater flushes help control odor by eliminating any interaction between your waste and tiny marine organisms.
• Use biodegradable toilet paper and refrain from flushing any other foreign objects down the toilet- Keep It Natural, so you don’t have to deal with the nasty job of clearing out clogs.
• Stick to marine-only cleaning chemicals and other additives. House products can significantly reduce the lifespan of plastics, seals, and other marine head hardware . If you decide on revamping your vessel’s bathroom with a composting toilet, remember only to use organic sphagnum peat moss.
• Schedule a regular cleaning and maintenance program for your marine head. Stick to your manufacturer’s guidelines and only treat or clean with approved products.
• Use It But Don’t Abuse It- the best way to ensure a marine head that lasts.

Investing in the most suitable marine head involves considering several factors, including an individual’s sustainability index, available onboard space, and intended boat use (extended trips vs. a couple of hours out at the lake).

As you think about your boat’s capacity and sanitation needs, please do not hesitate to leave any questions or concerns you may have in the comment section below.

Joseph Fabiano is a writer, nature enthusiast, and stay-at-home father of two wild and free boys. He enjoys starting his day with a good run, hot mug of coffee, and a jump in the Ionian Sea, no matter the weather. Currently based in the Apuglia region of southern Italy, he enjoys discovering the world with his best traveling buddies (his little monkey’s and beautiful wife) at every given opportunity. Every trip, long or far, should be made an adventure according to Joseph as he believes inspiration and creation is right in front of you.

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Which headsail rig is best for cruising?

The headsail is usually the most important item in a yacht’s sail wardrobe. Not only does it typically provide the lion’s share of the power, it’s generally the first sail that the moving air comes in contact with. It has a cleaner airflow than the mainsail (no mast to cause turbulence at the leading edge) which enables the sailboat to point a bit higher, and it increases the speed of the air passing over the main. The ease of tacking and reefing are key considerations when choosing and sizing a headsail, and so is durability, especially on a cruising yacht where it’s usually left exposed for the whole sailing season. Headsails don’t have an easy life!

Jib or genoa?

Headsails are available in many different sizes and are usually measured as a percentage of J, which is the distance perpendicular from the mast to the point where the forestay meets the deck. This is the length of the foretriangle base. If a headsail is longer than J, it overlaps the mast and is known as a genoa, if it is shorter than J, it’s non-overlapping and called a jib. The ‘overlap’ is the amount that the sail exceeds the J measurement. For example, a 130% genoa will measure 1.3 times the J length, and it will overlap the mast by 30% of the J measurement.

Is a single forestay enough?

Our standard headsail configuration is a sloop rig – a single forestay with a jib or genoa. This gives the best pointing ability and it’s the lowest-cost option. Depending on where you sail and the type of sailing you do, the sail could be a self-tacking jib or a 120% to 135% genoa. You may have noticed that on colder days the wind feels stronger than the same wind speed on warmer days. This isn’t entirely due to the greater difference between air temperature and body temperature, it’s also because warm air is less dense, and hence lighter, than cold air.

A temperature drop of 3°C increases air density by about 1% and in cold weather, the denser air exerts more force on the sails. If you are planning to sail in areas that regularly experience stronger and colder winds, like northern Europe or Canada, then a 120% genoa would be preferred. If you are keeping your yacht in warmer climes where the wind is generally hotter with lower wind speeds, you may wish to consider a 135% genoa.

Benefits of a solent rig

The most popular option on our range of deck saloon yachts is a solent rig (which also has the less attractive name of a “slutter” rig because it’s a cross between a sloop and a cutter), 98% of all our yachts have been built with this rig since 2010. Instead of a single headsail, we fit an inner forestay, giving two forestays to fly two headsails. The forward stay has a genoa and the inner stay has a 97% jib, which is usually self-tacking.

The advantage of the solent rig is that you have a full-sized jib which can be used from around 10 knots (force 3) true wind and it will tack itself on a track, making it much easier to sail to windward up narrow rivers or in crowded areas. Tacking is as easy as turning the wheel; there are no sheets to pull in with every tack, no scrabble for winch handles, no winching. The jib is the primary sail for going to windward but when sailing off the wind – and also in light airs, when sailing close-hauled in open water – you still have the option of using the larger, more powerful genoa.

As the wind increases, rather than reefing the genoa by partly furling – which ruins the shape of the sail in no time and makes it less efficient – it can be fully furled and the jib unfurled. This gives you an efficient sail configuration up to around a force 7. After that, you can reduce the headsail area further by starting to furl the jib.

The advantage of the solent rig is that you have the sails you need ready to go, so it makes your sailing safer, more comfortable and faster.

Imagine coming down to your sloop rigged boat, the big genoa attached ready to go, the forecast is for light winds – there is no need to swap to the smaller sail that you keep in the forepeak. Once out there, you realise the winds are stronger than expected, have changed direction or you change your plans and need to reduce the headsail. You have two options, partly furl the big genoa and suffer poor pointing, increased heeling and worse performance; or you retrieve the jib that’s in the forepeak, remove the big and probably wet genoa, and feed in the new smaller jib which is a job for both you and your companion. Once you go through the rigmarole of changing sails the winds may well go light again.

With the solent rig you can furl the genoa and unfurl the jib in less than two minutes, on your own, all from the safety of the cockpit. You always have the best sail for the conditions you find yourself in. Having reduced sail area if, later on, you round a headland, island or reach a waypoint and need to bear away, you can furl the jib and get the full power of the genoa and have a great sail to your destination.

Downsides of two headsails

One downside of the solent rig is that the inner forestay needs to be close to the outer forestay, which does make the flow of air over the luff of the inner sail a bit more turbulent. Moving the inner stay further aft (as in a traditional cutter rig) would make the size of the jib less practical, reducing it to the size of a storm jib. Also, if we were to bring the inner stay aft, the deck would need reinforcement, which would intrude into the large, open space of the forecabin. An internal brace would be needed in the middle of the berth to take the loads – not very practical. Moving the outer stay forward onto a bowsprit would increase the overall length of the boat, which might make your marina or harbourmaster happy as you’ll have to pay them more.

Having the inner and outer forestays close together means that when tacking the genoa, it needs to be furled so it can pass between the two stays, then unfurled again afterwards. For cruising boats like ours that don’t get into competitive tacking duels very often, we feel it’s a small price to pay for the added versatility – especially if you have an electric winch or furling system. When you do find yourself tacking to windward you can make longer tacks or just use the self-tacking jib if furling and unfurling the genoa is too much hassle. Sailing into the wind increases the apparent wind so in practice you’ll find that the jib works very well in a wide range of true wind speeds and the genoa will only be used in light winds anyway.

The hybrid option

Another downside of a twin headsail rig is that it effectively doubles the cost: two sails, two stays, two furling units and you still don’t have an offwind sail configuration for light winds. So why not choose to keep the standard single forestay and have either a self-tacking jib or a smaller 110% genoa, to keep the headsail easy to tack (or very easy in the case of the self-tacking jib) and opt for an asymmetric sail on a removable furler?

The most popular sail for this purpose is a 150% (or more) code zero. This is like an oversized genoa that is used in winds up to 13 knots and set on a removable furler attached to a bowsprit. While this sounds and is a possible solution as a code zero works between 2 and 13 knots and the jib most perfectly from 12 knots onwards, you may find yourself between a rock and a hard place in 10-15 knots of wind – the kind of breeze people love most. You may find the jib on the small side and only effective upwind or the code zero too much of a handful and you’re unable to point to windward.

In practice, however, the extra work of attaching the code zero is rarely done when it’s cold or wet (and if it’s wet the sail needs to be dried out to prevent mould and mildew) which is why most of our owners opt for the solent rig.

General Manager – Torsten Schmidt SIRIUS-WERFT GmbH Ascheberger Straße 68 24306 Plön/Holstein

Fax: 0049 – 4522 – 744 61-29

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7 Trailerable Sailboats That Have Standing Headroom

Trailering your boat is a great way to sail in a lot of different places while keeping your boat budget in control. You can take a smaller boat a long way to launch it somewhere new, and you don't get saddled with a lot of mooring and dockage fees while your boat sits around unused.

That sounds great, but one key word in about trailerable sailboats is small . To move a boat on a street legal trailer without special permits and problems, it has to stay within certain size limits.

You may struggle to find a trailer sailer with head room when you're down below. But there are some out there that an average person doesn't have to sit to work in the galley, and we've put together a list of seven great pocket cruisers you can stand up in (if you're not too tall!).

On this page:

Standing headroom and trailering, westerly pageant, catalina 25, grampian 26, beneteau first 27, macgregor 26m / tattoo 26, corsair 760.

Our list includes some old classics dating back to the 70s, new boats in production today, and even a high performance multihull. The range of trailer sailers to pick from is enormous, but if you want something you can stand up in, here's a good place to start.

• Catalina 25 (poptop)
• MacGregor 26

The terms "trailerable" and "standing headroom" are both a little vague. Many boats can be moved by trailer, but you wouldn't want to move them that way every weekend. Bigger boats require heavier trucks and trailers, and once they get past eight feet of beam, you may need permits, special routing, and commercial equipment. Just because you can get it on a trailer doesn't mean it's "trailerable" in this context.

And standing headroom means something very different to different people. It's not just tall and short people who need different space, but what space in the boat you can stand in. Most people can stand up inside a small boat with the companionway open, but can you cook standing up with your head out in the cockpit? Or stand and stretch on a rainy day?

For our purposes, we're going to use the following definitions:

A trailerable boat is one you can launched, rig, and recover with the crew which sails it, an move on normal roads with no special permits or commercial tow vehicles. Many boats will fit on a trailer, but to be "trailerable" it needs to be reasonable to use for a trip on a long weekend, starting from and ending on a trailer. Most roads in North America have a vehicle width limit of a little over eight feet without special permits. This eliminates any boat with a beam much over eight and a half feet.

Standing headroom for this discussion means a person of average height (5'10" or 178 cm for men) can stand inside the main saloon, out of the elements. It doesn't mean you can stand everywhere down below, but you should be able to stand and move around a bit, get dressed and undressed without doing calisthenics, and hopefully work in the galley if there is one. "Headroom" on a boat is a very fuzzy measurement, and is distorted by marketing hype and wishful thinking. There isn't a standardized measurement for it, so we'll work with our own.

Within these parameters, there are many boats. If you can deal with some inconvenience in your trailering, or you only plan to move your boat by trailer once or twice a season, you can get more boat and still get the headroom you want. But that's not what's on our list.

Built by Westerly Marine in the 1970s, the Pageant is a 23' bilge keeled cruiser with full standing headroom in the saloon. At 4,300 pounds, it's heavy for its size and is known more for comfort than speed. The bilge keels may make getting onto a trailer interesting and require modifications to accommodate its under water layout.

There is a fin keeled version marketed as the Kendal 23/24, with a four-foot draft and two hundred pounds less displacement. They built only a few, so they're difficult to find.

The Catalina 25 is one of the most popular pocket cruisers built, with almost 6,000 hulls built between 1978 and 1994. A variety of keel styles and rigs were built, including a fin keel, swing keel, winged keel, and a tall rig. But the most distinctive feature of these boats is the "pop top" over the companionway, which enabled the entire area in the saloon under the companionway to lift for standing headroom. Some owners built covers and sides, enclosing this area into a true part of the belowdecks space.

The pop top was an option prior to 1987, but became standard after that through the end of the production run. It's important to know the build year for any Catalina 25 you consider, since the features varied considerably. Always check pictures for the pop top!

This trimaran is fast, but still has six feet of headroom. With the amas folded, the boat is narrow enough to trailer and with a 3,000 displacement is light and easy to move. While you won't have the interior beam of an eight-foot wide monohull in the living space, you will have quite a comfortable space with room to stand. But unlike most of the shallow draft, trailerable monohulls on this list, this one can hit fifteen knots under sail.

The Canadian-built Grampian 26 was built from the late sixties through the late seventies, and many of the almost 1,000 boats that were built are still around. It has six feet of headroom inside, an enclosed head, and a galley. It's an ideal weekender for a couple, or even a couple with a small child. Some boats had inboard engines, others had outboards. Additional options were for a keel or a centerboard model; with 4'3" of draft, the keel model is still easy to trailer.

One of the few new and in production boats in this list, the Beneteau First 27 is a fraction of an inch under our 5'10" qualifier (technically 5′9 5/16"), but it's such a roomy and quick boat that it seems appropriate to waive a few millimeters. This lightweight boat has sleeping space for up to six, and has a galley, fridge, and a proper marine head.

Don't confuse this boat with the earlier First 27 from 1978 or the First 27 SE (for "Seascape"), sold as the First 27 from 2018 to 2020 after Beneteau acquired Seascape. Those were quite different boats, though they had their own merits and strengths. They didn't have quite the headroom or interior volume as the newest model, and the earlier boat had too much beam for easy trailering.

Finds specs here

The MacGregor 26 series of boats is the most popular trailer sailor ever built. The first "Mac 26" was built in 1986, and went through several design upgrades and enhancements, including the 25D (dagger board), 26S (centerboard), 26X (dual rudder, motor sailing) culminating in the 26M (motorsailor with a rotating spar) built from 2002 though 2013. Earlier models have less headroom, but all are water ballasted, lightweight trailerable boats. The later 26X and 26M models can be equipped with rather large outboards (for sailboats) which could hit almost 20 knots under power.

Though the rigs on these boats are undersized and they're lightly built, they're spacious near shore and inland cruisers you can easily rig and de-rig for a weekend of sailing.

The founder of MacGregor Boats, Roger MacGregor, retired in 2013, and his daughter Laura founded Tattoo Yachts and bought the tooling for the 26M. Tattoo continues to build the Tattoo 26, which is a Macgregor 26M with a few modernizations and enhancements.

Corsair Trimarans offers several trailerable tris which meet the headroom test. The Corsair 760 is the smallest current production model, and like the Catalina 25, this 24' trimaran uses a clever pop-top over the companionway to get more headroom. It's sleeps two in the default configuration, though a foldable table can convert to sleep four.

Corsair designs their trimarans for easy setup and breakdown of the amas, and can be setup and launched in under an hour. The very shallow draft allows for anchoring in areas many boats can not, and even beaching.

The larger Corsair 970 is also trailerable with standing headroom, as is the older F-31.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Dream daysailers: 13 of the best boats for a great day out on the water

• Toby Hodges
• July 16, 2020

Toby Hodges looks at the best daysailer yachts on the market, from ultra-modern cruisers to classically-styled masterpieces

Modern daysailers

1. saffier se 33 ud.

Saffier Yachts now has eight designs between 21ft and 37ft. The investment and knowhow the Hennevanger brothers have put into the production facility really shows too – the vacuum-infused builds and finish quality are top class.

Saffier builds seaworthy designs , tests all new models thoroughly in the North Sea and ensures its yachts can be sailed easily single-handedly.

Launched in 2014, the Saffier Se 33 is a sporty design but with a practical self-draining cockpit and optional solid sprayhood, which help it handle most weather conditions. It has a fast underwater shape, a generous sailplan and a fixed carbon bowsprit. The extra-large cockpit features 2m benches and a folding transom and there is space enough for four to sleep below.

Saffier’s brand new Se 27 also looks like a seriously fun design and has been averaging speeds in the mid-teens with the kite up, clocking over 20 knots in its early trials this spring.

Prices for the Se 33 start at €114,500 (ex. VAT).

2. Domani S30

The S30, launched in 2018, is Belgian company Domani’s first model – a trailable sportsboat designed to be comfortable, fast and beautiful, says founder Michael Goddaert.

Inspired by Riva’s Aquarama motor boat , it has a large minimalist cockpit, spacious aft sunbed and a classy-looking compact interior. The narrow-beamed S30 weighs only 1,700kg, is offered with a long, two-part carbon rig, and has an electric drive as standard. A Lounge version is being developed which is similar to the Tofinou 9.7 in terms of deck layout.

Price ex. VAT: €88,000.

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3. Black Pepper Code 0.1

Those lucky enough to have sailed at Les Voiles de St Tropez may have seen these neo-classic daysailers from chic brand Black Pepper.

As well as this range of Code-branded daysailers/weekenders, the yard has just launched a new Sam Manuard-designed, scow-bowed IMOCA 60 for Armel Tripon’s Vendée Globe campaign.

The original Code 0, by Marc Lombard, is a high-performance dayboat with a distinctive squared coachroof, which is built light in carbon and epoxy with half its displacement in the keel bulb.

A new Code 0.1 version (pictured) launched last year, and is available in Open and Spirit (performance/regatta) versions.

Price ex. VAT: £148,000.

4. A-Yachts A27 / A33

A-Yachts founder. Michael Gilhofer helped to develop the original B30 (pictured below) and was distributor for B-Yachts in Germany for 17 years. He commissioned the in-demand Lorenzo Argento, who formerly worked with Luca Brenta, to design a new range of luxury daysailers built in Slovenia and finished in Austria.

The first two A-Yachts models (the A27 is pictured above) are focused on performance daysailing, whereas B-Yachts has gone for more cruising comfort below. An exciting new model, the A39, is due for launch in 2021.

Prices ex. VAT: A27 €98,500, A33 €215,000.

5. B-Yachts B30 / B34

The Brenta B30 is the iconic Italian daysailer. A real looker to keep berthed at your Portofino residence, it has a lightweight carbon/epoxy build and a high ballast ratio, for tantalising light airs sailing. B-Yachts is the brand that took the daysailing concept to the limit with the fiendishly indulgent (and very white) B60, which we tested, open-mouthed, back in 2008.

Although stagnant for some years, the company was acquired by Luca Brenta’s cousin Alberto Castiglioni in late 2018. Brenta, along with designer Alessia Lee, has worked up the design for a new B34 model due to launch this year, and they are now working on a B40.

The B30 (above) is now a modern classic, with more than 40 built, but the refreshed company has made some upgrades including a new rudder profile, fixed bowsprit, revised deck gear, a more functional interior and the option for an electric engine. But it’s still got those killer lines.

Prices ex. VAT: B30 €118,000, B34 €190,000.

6. Esse 330

This is the sixth model from Josef Schuchter’s yard on Lake Zurich, which builds fast, stiff and sporty designs. The new 330 is the first Esse that offers the ability for weekend/overnight sailing. Schuchter told us it is designed more for pleasure sailing than racing but has the same performance as the yard’s 990, using a 1m shorter mast and with greater stability and comfort.

Umberto Felci designed the 330 with a self-tacking jib, a carbon deck-stepped mast with no backstay and a high ballast ratio to help ensure it can easily be sailed short-handed. A lifting keel reduces draught to 1.55m and an electric drive is offered.

Price ex. VAT: €134,000.

A plumb stem and square coachroof give an alluring pilot classic style to this Judel/Vrolijk design, but it is the materials from which it is crafted that are most intriguing. Built by Bremen-based Greenboats, the flax (plant) or linen (fibre) is vacuum-infused with bio epoxy and can be given a clearcoat finish to help show off the fibres.

The focus is on weight-saving for this performance daysailer, using recycled PET as the core material. The deck is made from cork, the ropes are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles and the sails are recyclable.

Price ex. VAT, ready to sail: €126,000.

Modern-classic daysailers

8. eagle 38.

The Boersma brothers founded Leonardo Yachts in the northern part of the Netherlands to build top quality gentleman’s daysailers and weekenders.

Its range of gorgeous designs are inspired by the timeless lines and overhangs of the J Class , but with modern appendages.

The new Hoek-designed Eagle 38 is the smallest of a range that now extends to 70ft. It is devised for easy handling, with jib winches in reach of the helmsman/tiller, in a deep self-draining cockpit that can seat six in comfort.

The varnished mahogany interior can sleep three and includes cooking facilities and a neatly hidden toilet.

Price ex. VAT: €177,500.

9. Wally Nano MkII

Wally stunned us with the unveiling of its incomparable Nano in 2009. The Andre Hoek-designed masterpiece certainly elevated the standard of extravagance (and price) for a daysailer. This Wally Nano MkII model released eight years later is a refined version of the achingly cool design, which marries Italian styling with Dutch workmanship and ingenuity.

A pilot cutter-influenced plumb bow, bowsprit and low, squared coachroof set off a retro style, finished by an elegantly overhanging counter. These classic lines meet contemporary construction and attention to detail at Joop Doomernik’s traditional Dragon building yard. The top class composite work includes a keel grid built from 33 layers of carbon. Believe me, the result on the water is a truly intoxicating ride, both upwind and down!

Price ex. VAT: €390,000.

10. Rustler 33

The Stephen Jones design has the elegant lines and overhangs of the Cornish yard’s earlier Rustler 24, but with a comfortable handmade interior that makes it enticing to overnight on too – there is a proper heads compartment including wet hanging area.

With the addition of stanchions, this becomes a Class B offshore yacht. It’s a stiff boat to sail with a deep, dry cockpit, in which it is comfortable to sit, perch on the chunky coaming or stand to handle the tiller.

Rustler says recent clients for the Rustler 33 are ordering them with carbon masts and electric engines.

Price ex. VAT: £165,000.

11. Morris 29

Fusing S&S lines with modern lightweight materials such as carbon and epoxy, the Morris 29 is a quintessential daysailer that’s easy to rig and maintain, a witch to sail and is as handsome as they come.

And there’s a deep, long cockpit and comfortable saloon below to keep any guests content while you hog the tiller. Now built by Hinckley and priced from US$266,500.

12. Alerion 28 / 33

Cleverly marketed as ‘the 90-minute’ getaway, the iconic Alerion daysailer fleet, from 20-33ft, is designed to get people afloat easily and with the most enjoyment possible. Above is the Alerion 33.

Often seen sporting optional Hoyt jib booms, the models are easy and a delight to sail and have inviting and well-finished interiors.

Rarely do beauty, speed and single-handed ease combine this fluidly and successfully. Prices are available on application only.

13. Friendship 36 / 40

The elegantly timeless look of the Friendship 40, its classic lines, including pronounced tumblehome and wineglass counter, are by Rhode Island’s Ted Fontaine. A Friendship’s deep cockpit and wonderfully inviting and well-appointed interior invite you to sail on through the weekend and beyond.

Fontaine says both the 36 and 40 are still available to order, but at top prices: “The Friendship 40 would be built by Yachting Developments in New Zealand where the moulds are presently stored,” (priced in the region of US $1,350,000).

“And the Friendship 36 is being offered as a cold-moulded wood epoxy built boat that would be built by Rockport Marine in Maine – the yard that built the first 36.”

First published in the June 2020 edition of Yachting World.

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• Inside Practical Sailor

Masthead Wind Sensors: Wired vs. Wireless

Does a wireless masthead wind indicator make sense? This is a good question, and there are certainly some pros and cons to consider. For sailors with wiring-unfriendly masts, the wireless approach is a good one. These include wooden spars, ones with conduits that are already full with other wiring, and masts that are regularly unstepped. The downside of going wireless is that the batteries will need to be changed on occasion, and in some cases, signal interference is possible.

Testers looked closely the Garmin/Nexus gWind/nWind and Raymarine Tackticks wind sensor batteries. The gWinds NiMH battery life is about three to four years, depending on usage; it is easy to replace and costs about $20. The Tacktick TA100s battery life, according to Raymarine, depends on usage. The replaceable lithium batteries cost about $65 and are fairly easy to install, but they may require removal to allow easier access. All current Tacktick Micronet displays have replaceable batteries with an estimated 10-year life.

Wireless interference issues are possible in a few cases. The Tacktick system uses 916 MHz for wireless data transmission. This is close to the frequencies of some GSM-based cellphones and other wireless devices such as PC keyboards/mouses and some hobbyist gear. The nWind/gWind system transmits at 2.4 GHz. This frequency is also in the Bluetooth range, along with some WiFi devices, cordless phones, and older microwave ovens. Overall, reports of interference problems are few. Sailors should note that typically anything that conducts electrical current can act as a radio frequency block, and this can include sails with high carbon-fiber content.

Bottom line: For sailors who want wind data and and have wiring-adverse spars, wireless is the way to go. On the whole, we had no issues with the tested wireless systems. Both promptly connected and worked well. The Tacktick display does need to have close to a line-of-sight location relative to the wind sensor. The Nexus/Garmin system offers additional flexibly because the wireless receivers location can be optimized. If you don’t need wireless capability, stay with the hardwired systems.

Sarasota-based marine electronics installer Bill Bishop blogs at the Marine Installer’s Rant. One of his recent blog posts describes efforts to create a modern open data format for marine use called Signal K that would be compatible with NMEA devices like chartplotters, friendly to WiFi, cellphones, tablets, and the Internet-a format available to everyone, where anyone can contribute.

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Composting Heads for Cruising Sailboats

• By Heather Francis
• Updated: August 2, 2021

I first got a whiff of the composting-toilet trend a couple of years ago when my Instagram feed exploded with stories of cruisers replacing their regular marine toilets with modern composting versions. It didn’t even occur to me that one day we would join the composting-toilet movement too. Then, after 10 years of trouble-free use, we started getting blockages in the head.

This new development, along with a pervasive “toilet funk” in the cupboards—not so much stale salt water but an odor more like a dirty public bathroom—led us to believe that after a decade, the hard sanitation hose that connected the toilet discharge to the overboard seacock had deteriorated. But we also needed to address another fault in the system: the lack of a reasonable-­size holding tank.

When we bought Kate , our 1973 Newport 41, in 2008, the seller had recently installed a holding tank to comply with US Coast Guard regulations. The undersize 5-gallon holding tank may have been compliant, but it didn’t have the capacity to keep up with everyday use. Since none of the authorities in the 13 countries we have sailed to ever inquired about our holding tank, this hadn’t been an issue.

However, our next stops were Borneo and Malaysia, where marina stays would be possible and regulations are reportedly followed. A functioning holding tank would be necessary. As we drew straws to decide who got the job of jumping overboard to snake the discharge through-hull, and hopefully free the blockage, we decided it was finally time to find a solution to our toilet troubles.

A Composting Toilet?

So what, exactly, is a composting toilet? Simply put, it’s a type of sanitation system that does not use water to dispose of human waste. This “dry” system promotes decomposition through controlled aerobic conditions, or composting. Unlike a port-a-potty or chemical toilet, composting toilets separate liquid and solid waste, which speeds up ­decomposition and reduces odors. To control moisture content and further aid in odor elimination, urine-­diversion dry composting toilets (UDDC) line the solids tank with a naturally sourced medium such as coconut coir or peat moss. As well, most units vent to the outside via a small extraction fan and ductwork.

The two most popular brands of UDDC toilets on the market today are Nature’s Head and Air Head. Both are constructed from ABS plastic and are ­similarly priced ($925 and $1,030, respectively, online) but vary slightly in overall design. We decided on the Air Head for two main reasons. First, the toilet seat is both the same size and shape as our previous marine toilet. We hoped that this would give the user a feel that we were accustomed to. Second, the design of the Air Head makes it possible to remove the liquid tank without opening the solid tank. This thoughtful design feature alone makes it preferable to the competition. Add the smaller footprint and a lack of sharp corners, and the Air Head seemed like the perfect fit for our boat.

The Installation

Installing our Air Head composting toilet was extremely easy. Due to its compact size, we were able to place the unit where our original toilet had been mounted, without modifying any cabinetry. Our only stumbling block was that our traditional ceramic toilet was mounted on a raised pedestal to bring it up to a standard user height, 14 inches from floor to seat. To ­accommodate the built-in solids tank, the Air Head measures 19 ­inches from floor to seat. This “comfort height” is installed in wheelchair-accessible stalls in public bathrooms. When we placed the Air Head on top of our raised pedestal, it measured 25 inches from floor to seat. This elevation made it feel more like you are perching on the edge of the toilet rather than sitting squarely atop it. We investigated removing the pedestal but quickly discovered that it concealed the curve of the hull. Removing it would give us a few inches but not a level surface. We continued with Plan A and waited to see if the toilet height would be a pain in the butt. Literally.

The Air Head toilet is held in place with four simple stainless-steel brackets. Screwed down to the floor, the brackets capture bolts on the sides of both the solid and liquid tanks, which tighten down with simple wingnuts to secure the toilet in place. The only other thing to do is run the ventilation hose and wire in a small fan.

Included with the Air Head is a short length of flexible hose and a ventilation cam, which houses the fan. To avoid cutting more holes in the boat, we chose to repurpose the solar vent in the cabin top, which had failed the season before. It was still necessary to run wires to the 12-volt fan, but with the exterior housing of the solar vent in place, the exhaust fan was weather-protected.

Our installation isn’t ­winning any design awards, but it took less than an hour and didn’t require any structural modifications—a rare bragging point when discussing boat projects. Besides, when it comes to toilets, ­function is more important than aesthetics. After ­installation, there is only one thing you need to do to prep the Air Head for use: Add the coconut coir to the solids tank.

Prepping for Use

Coconut coir is a natural, renewable product made from coconut husks. Sold at garden centers mainly as a growing medium, it is readily ­available worldwide. Coconut coir comes in dry, compressed blocks that are reconstituted with water, making them easy to store. A single 10-by-4-by-2-inch block will fluff up to about 8 liters of mulch. The Air Head comes with one coconut coir brick, but we have found that using one and a half bricks creates a better starting volume. Add too little coconut coir, and there won’t be enough to cover the waste when you “stir” it after use; add too much, and you are taking up valuable space in the tank.

RELATED: Sailing Totem: A Frank Discussion of Marine Heads

When working with a natural product, it’s important to remember that no two bricks will be the same, so it is difficult to state the exact amount of water needed. However, the instructions say that the coconut should be hydrated into a “moist sawdust-like consistency” that resembles “damp crumbly earth” but should not look “muddy.” It is also important to consider that the coconut coir will absorb moisture from the solid waste when the toilet is in use. So, as we found out the hard way, erring on the side of dry is preferable.

Using the Toilet

The Air Head toilet bowl looks strangely small and shallow, and we wondered if it would work as claimed. Not surprisingly, the designers put a lot of thought into the shape and function of the toilet, and I am happy to report that we’ve had no troubles at all after six months of daily use.

Other than remembering to flip the handle to open the trap door to the solids tank before use, and to stir the solids after use using the crank on the side of the tank, the Air Head functions the same as a standard toilet. There is no splash back when you pee, and the urine is neatly diverted into the liquids tank. Similarly, the size of the opening to the solids tank worked fine. No mess, no fuss.

After use, I usually wipe down the basin with a bit of toilet paper and use a little spritz of diluted vinegar every couple of days just to keep things tidy. Between uses, keep the gasketed lid closed. Easy. The only trouble we encountered was a noticeable odor for the first week or so of use. This was not the “pleasant earthy” smell as often described in reviews of composting toilets, but rather a definite manure stink wafting from the vent. Happily, adding a handful of dry coconut coir to the solids tank remedied the issue. Less moisture equals less odor.

Emptying the Toilet

A composting toilet is a closed system that requires the solids and liquids tanks to be emptied regularly. The liquids tank has a small, opaque sight glass at the top, which indicates when it is full. Removing the liquids tank is as simple as backing off two wingnuts and slipping out the tank. A screw-on cap is supplied to ensure a dry run to the dump location. The amount of people on board and frequency of use will dictate how often the tank needs to be emptied.

As expected, urine that sits in a tank for a few days will be a bit smelly, so a good rinse after emptying is necessary. Do not use bleach to clean the liquids tank because chlorine and the ammonia in urine combine to create a very toxic chloramine gas. A simple soap-and-water wash will suffice. After several weeks of use, the tank can accumulate crystalline deposits. Adding a handful of rice or dried beans to the wash cycle is enough to knock off any scale.

I must admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect the first time I prepared to empty the solids tank. The manual describes it as the “highlight of the tour,” and although I think that’s a bit of hyperbole, it was not completely unpleasant. We did get the estimated 60 uses into the tank before it needed to be emptied, but even when full, it did not smell when opened and was more loamy compost than toilet tank.

The seat is removed by easing off four wingnuts, turning the top slightly, and separating the bowl from the solids tank. A flat lid, which locks in the same way, is included to seal the tank for transport. The whole tank is removed from the mounting brackets and taken to a dump site. Because all the solids are organic, they can be dumped into a sewage system or disposed of like a soiled diaper. There is no need to rinse the solids tank. In fact, it is good to have a little organic matter clinging to the sides because this will kick-start the next composting process. As well, Air Head includes a small packet of enzymes that can be added to the solids tank to boost decomposition if things seem slow.

Final Thoughts

We installed the Air Head toilet in February 2020 while we were on the hard in the Philippines. Weeks later, before we had a chance to relaunch, the COVID-19 ­pandemic shut down the world. At press time, I have been stranded in the boatyard, alone and on board, for several months and counting. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having a private, functioning, odor-free, comfortable toilet that works while the boat is out of the water.

The Air Head is considered a Type III Marine Sanitation Device, which means that we are now compliant with the international IMO MARPOL 73/78 regulations. Between the ease of installation, maintenance-free use, and peace of mind knowing that we can use the head anytime and anywhere, our composting toilet is one of the best upgrades we’ve ever done on board.

Heather Francis is from Nova Scotia, Canada, and has lived and worked on boats throughout the world. Since 2008, she has been sailing aboard Kate , a Newport 41, with her Aussie partner, Steve. They are currently in the Philippines. Follow them at yachtkate.com .

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10 Best Small Sailboats (Under 20 Feet)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Compact, easy to trailer, simple to rig, easy to maintain and manage, and affordable, the best small boats all have one thing in common: they offer loads of fun while out there on the water.

So whether you're on a budget or just looking for something that can offer ultimate daytime rides without compromising on safety, aesthetic sensibilities, alternate propulsion, and speed, the best small sailboats under 20 feet should be the only way to go.

Let's be brutally honest here; not everyone needs a 30-foot sailboat to go sailing. They come with lots of features such as electronics, entertainment, refrigeration, bunks, a galley, and even a head. But do you really need all these features to go sailing? We don't think so.

All you need to go sailing is a hull, a mast, rudder, and, of course, a sail. And whether you refer to them as daysailers, trailerable sailboats , a weekender sailboat, or pocket cruisers, there's no better way to enjoy the thrills of coastal sailing than on small sailboats.

There are a wide range of small boats measuring less than 20 feet available in the market. These are hot products in the market given that they offer immense thrills out on the sea without the commitment required to cruise on a 30-footer. A small sailboat will not only give you the feel of every breeze but will also give you the chance to instantly sense every change in trim.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 best small sailboats under 20 feet . Most models in this list are time-tested, easy to rig, simple to sail, extremely fun, and perfect either for solo sailing or for sailing with friends and family. So if you've been looking for a list of some of the best small sailboats , you've come to the right place.

So without further ado, let's roll on.

Table of contents

{{boat-info="/boats/hunter-15"}}

The Marlow-Hunter 15 is not only easy to own since it's one of the most affordable small sailboats but also lots of fun to sail. This is a safe and versatile sailboat for everyone. Whether you're sailing with your family or as a greenhorn, you'll love the Hunter 15 thanks to its raised boom, high freeboard, and sturdy FRP construction.

With high sides, a comfortable wide beam, a contoured self-bailing cockpit, and fiberglass construction, the Hunter 15 is certainly designed with the novice sailor in mind. This is why you can do a lot with this boat without falling out, breaking it, or capsizing. Its contoured self-baiting cockpit will enable you to find a fast exit while its wide beam will keep it steady and stable no matter what jibes or weight shifts happen along the way.

This is a small sailboat that can hold up to four people. It's designed to give you a confident feeling and peace of mind even when sailing with kids. It's easy to trailer, easy to rig, and easy to launch. With a price tag of about $10k, the Hunter 15 is a fun, affordable, and versatile boat that is perfect for both seasoned sailors and novices. It's a low-maintenance sailboat that can be great for teaching kids a thing or two about sailing.

Catalina 16.5

{{boat-info="/boats/catalina-16-5"}}

Catalina Yachts are synonymous with bigger boats but they have some great and smaller boats too such as Catalina 16.5. This is one of the best small sailboats that are ideal for family outings given that it has a big and roomy cockpit, as well as a large storage locker. Designed with a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop, the Catalina 16.5 is versatile and is available in two designs: the centerboard model and the keel model.

The centerboard model is designed with a powerful sailplane that remains balanced as a result of the fiberglass centerboard, the stable hull form, and the rudder. It also comes with a tiller extension, adjustable hiking straps, and adjustable overhaul. It's important to note that these are standard equipment in the two models.

As far as the keel model is concerned, this is designed with a high aspect keel as the cast lead and is attached with stainless steel keel bolts, which makes this model perfect for mooring or docking whenever it's not in use. In essence, the centerboard model is perfect if you'll store it in a trailer while the keel model can remain at the dock.

All in all, the Catalina 16.5 is one of the best small sailboats that you can get your hands on for as low as $10,000. This is certainly a great example of exactly what a daysailer should be.

{{boat-info="/boats/hobie-16"}}

There's no list of small, trailerable, and fun sailboats that can be complete without the inclusion of the classic Hobie 16. This is a durable design that has been around and diligently graced various waters across the globe since its debut way back in 1969 in Southern California. In addition to being durable, the Hobie 16 is trailerable, great for speed, weighs only 320 pounds, great for four people, and more importantly, offers absolute fun.

With a remarkable figure of over 100,000 launched since its debut, it's easy to see that the Hobie 16 is highly popular. Part of this popularity comes from its asymmetric fiberglass-and-foam sandwiched hulls that include kick-up rudders. This is a great feature that allows it to sail up to the beach.

For about $12,000, the Hobie 16 will provide you with endless fun throughout the summer. It's equipped with a spinnaker, trailer, and douse kit. This is a high-speed sailboat that has a large trampoline to offer lots of space not just for your feet but also to hand off the double trapezes.

Montgomery 17

{{boat-info="/boats/montgomery-17"}}

Popularly known as the M-17, The Montgomery 17 was designed by Lyle C. Hess in conjunction with Jerry Montgomery in Ontario, California for Montgomery Boats. Designed either with keel or centerboard models, the M-17 is more stable than most boats of her size. This boat is small enough to be trailered but also capable of doing moderate offshore passages.

This small sailboat is designed with a masthead and toe rail that can fit most foresails. It also has enough space for two thanks to its cuddly cabin, which offers a sitting headroom, a portable toilet, a pair of bunks, a DC power, and optional shore, and a proper amount of storage. That's not all; you can easily raise the deck-stepped mast using a four-part tackle.

In terms of performance, the M-17 is one of the giant-killers out there. This is a small sailboat that will excel in the extremes and make its way past larger boats such as the Catalina 22. It glides along beautifully and is a dog in light air, though it won't sail against a 25-knot wind, which can be frustrating. Other than that, the Montgomery 17 is a great small sailboat that can be yours for about $14,000.

Norseboat 17.5

{{boat-info="/boats/norseboat-17-5"}}

As a versatile daysailer, Norseboat 17.5 follows a simple concept of seaworthiness and high-performance. This small sailboat perfectly combines both contemporary construction and traditional aesthetics. Imagine a sailboat that calls itself the "Swiss Army Knife of Boats!" Well, this is a boat that can sail and row equally well.

Whether you're stepping down from a larger cruiser or stepping up from a sea kayak, the unique Norseboat 17.5 is balanced, attractive, and salty. It has curvaceous wishbone gaff, it is saucy, and has a stubby bow-sprit that makes it attractive to the eyes. In addition to her beauty, the Norseboat 17.5 offers an energy-pinching challenge, is self-sufficient, and offers more than what you're used to.

This is a small, lightweight, low-maintenance sailboat that offers a ticket to both sailing and rowing adventures all at the same time. At about 400 pounds, it's very portable and highly convenient. Its mainsails may look small but you'll be surprised at how the boat is responsive to it. With a $12,500 price tag, this is a good small sailboat that offers you the versatility to either row or sail.

{{boat-info="/boats/sage-marine-sage-17"}}

If you've been looking for a pocket cruiser that inspires confidence, especially in shoal water, look no further than the Sage 17. Designed by Jerry Montgomery in 2009, the Sage 17 is stable and should heel to 10 degrees while stiffening up. And because you want to feel secure while sailing, stability is an integral feature of the Sage 17.

This is a sailboat that will remain solid and stable no matter which part of the boat you stand on. Its cabin roof and the balsa-cored carbon-fiber deck are so strong that the mast doesn't require any form of compression post. The self-draining cockpit is long enough and capable of sleeping at 6 feet 6 inches.

The Sage 17 may be expensive at $25k but is a true sea warrior that's worth look at. This is a boat that will not only serve you right but will also turn heads at the marina.    

{{boat-info="/boats/laserperformance-laser-sb3"}}

Having been chosen as the overall boat of the year for 2008 by the Sailing World Magazine, the Laser SB3 is one of the coolest boats you'll ever encounter. When sailing upwind, this boat will lock into the groove while its absolute simplicity is legendary. In terms of downwind sailing, having this boat will be a dream come true while it remains incredibly stable even at extraordinary speed.

Since its debut in 2004, the Laser SB3 has surged in terms of popularity thanks to the fact that it's designed to put all the controls at your fingertips. In addition to a lightweight mast, its T- bulb keel can be hauled and launched painlessly. For about $18,000, the Laser SB3 ushers you into the world of sports sailing and what it feels to own and use a sports boat.

{{boat-info="/boats/fareast-18"}}

As a manufacturer, Fareast is a Chinese boat manufacturer that has been around for less than two decades. But even with that, the Fareast 18 remains a very capable cruiser-racer that will take your sailing to the next level. In addition to its good looks, this boat comes with a retractable keel with ballast bulb, a powerful rig, and an enclosed cabin.

Its narrow design with a closed stern may be rare in sailboats of this size, but that's not a problem for the Fareast 18. This design not only emphasizes speed but also makes it a lot easier to maintain this boat. Perfect for about 6 people, this boat punches above its weight. It's, however, designed to be rigged and launched by one person.

This is a relatively affordable boat. It's agile, safe, well-thought-out, well built, and very sporty.

{{boat-info="/boats/chuck-paine-paine-14"}}

If you're in the market looking for a small sailboat that offers contemporary performance with classic beauty, the Paine 14 should be your ideal option. Named after its famous designer, Chuck Paine, this boat is intentionally designed after the classic Herreshoff 12.5 both in terms of dimensions and features.

This is a lightweight design that brings forth modern fin keel and spade rudder, which makes it agile, stable, and faster. The Paine 14 is built using cold-molded wood or west epoxy. It has varnished gunnels and transoms to give it an old-time charm. To make it somehow modern, this boat is designed with a carbon mast and a modern way to attach sails so that it's ready to sail in minutes.

You can rest easy knowing that the Paine 14 will not only serve you well but will turn heads while out there.

{{boat-info="/boats/wd-schock-lido-14"}}

Many sailors will attest that their first sailing outing was in a Lido 14. This is a classic sailboat that has been around for over four decades and still proves to be a perfect match to modern small boats, especially for those still learning the ropes of sailing.

With seating for six people, the Lido 14 can be perfect for solo sailing , single-handed sailing, or if you're planning for shorthanded sailing. While new Lido 14 boats are no longer available, go for a functional used Lido 14 and you'll never regret this decision. It will serve you well and your kids will probably fall in love with sailing if Lido 14 becomes their main vessel during weekends or long summer holidays.

Bottom Line

There you have it; these are some of the best small sailboats you can go for. While there are endless small sailboats in the market, the above-described sailboat will serve you right and make you enjoy the wind.

Choose the perfect sailboat, invest in it, and go out there and have some good fun!

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The Best Places to Learn How to Sail, From the Greek Islands to the Florida Keys

By Hannah Towey

Sailing is one of the best ways to explore some of the most beautiful, untouched coastal destinations around the globe. But from the outside, learning how to sail might seem like an intimidating—and expensive—pursuit.

However, learning to sail isn’t as difficult as it might seem. And contrary to what some may believe, “sailing is for everyone,” Zeke Quezada, the Director of Communications at the American Sailing Association (ASA) tells Condé Nast Traveler.

“It is important to understand that anyone can sail, and it is really easy to learn,” Quezada says. “Sailing is not just for the affluent; head into a community sailing club at your local marina, and you'll have options to get out on the water for little to no cost.”

While mastering the art of sailing takes consistent practice, hopeful captains looking for a crash-course to jumpstart their journey may consider a sailing vacation . These educational charters allow you to fully immerse yourself in the nautical lifestyle —and you can earn official certifications along the way. On these types of trips, “you have a qualified skipper on board who is offering instruction, as well as advice on how to become a safe and confident sailor,” Quezada explains. “The best part is that you can have your family onboard, and everyone is having a vacation while you check off the bucket list item of learning to sail.”

When planning your first sailing trip , look for trips and schools that offer credentialed schools and instructors; organizations such as ASA, US Sailing, and the Royal Yacht Association are internationally recognized. By following these certification tracks, you can become licensed to sail a charter without a captain on board, also known as a “bareboat charter.” Though not required in some places, a bareboat certification makes it much easier (and safer) to rent your own boat .

No matter which route you take, sailing is a lifelong skill that will open doors to a community of people passionate about getting out on the water and protecting the oceans. “Most importantly, you will learn how to sit back, turn off the phone, and feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face,” says Quezada. “You might start listening to Jimmy Buffet as well.”

Below, we’ve rounded up the best places around the world for learning how to sail—including destinations in North America , Europe , Asia , and Australia —plus, the sailing courses and trips to book in 2024.

The Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands and US Virgin Islands are some of the best training grounds for novice sailors “because of their line-of-sight sailing, predictable wind, and sailor-friendly destinations,” Quezada says. “In the BVI, you can learn to sail and have a beach vacation simultaneously.”

If you’re looking to get your bareboat license, there are several ASA-certified sailing schools in the BVI and US Virgin Islands. Offshore Sailing School , one of the world's preeminent sailing institutions, offers fast track courses for all levels of sailing. Alternatively, charter a captained catamaran, one of the most popular ways to explore the Caribbean.

Florida Keys

Warm temperatures, calm turquoise waters, and consistent easterly winds make the Florida Keys one of the best places to learn to sail in the US. Stay at the Key Lime Sailing Club and cottages resort on Buttonwood Sound in Key Largo and take lessons at the American Sailing Academy , located onsite.

Alternatively, outdoor education organization Outward Bound, which offers program scholarships, is hosting a Florida Keys sailing excursion for adults in March/April 2025. Participants will live on a 30-foot open sailboat for slightly over a week learning beginner, intermediate, and advanced skills in chart and compass navigation, small boat seamanship, weather observation, and anchoring.

Greek Islands

With its calm, clear waters and warm Mediterranean climate, the Ionian sea offers ideal conditions for beginner sailors. Quezada recommends sailing down the western coast of Greece and the island of Corfu, where Fairwinds Sailing School offers “learn to sail” vacations from April to October. For a route closer to Athens, join a flotilla and hop between the Argo-Saronic Islands in the Aegean Sea, but be aware that the Meltemi winds, which are especially strong during July and August, can make for trickier sailing conditions in this region.

Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Sail through crystal clear waters between a whopping 971 uninhabited islands in the Sea of Cortez, located between the Baja peninsula and mainland Mexico. Nautilus Sailing offers liveaboard courses on catamaran and monohull ships for sailors looking to earn their ASA 101, 103, 104, and 114 certifications from January–June and October–December. The curriculum covers sailboat terminology, engine operation, docking procedures, sail trimming, navigation rules, anchoring, weather, and maritime safety, among other skills. Plus, expect to encounter some stunning marine life, including sea turtles, whale sharks, dolphins, and humpback whales.

Kimberly Wilson

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New England

There’s no better way to experience a quintessential New England summer than by sailboat. The sailing season in the Northeast runs from April to October, with ASA and US Sailing accredited schools located in major metropolitans like New York City and Boston as well as coastal enclaves like Newport and Cape Cod .

For adults seeking a basic introduction to the sport, US Sailing offers “first sail” lessons in dozens of locations up and down the Eastern seaboard. Pull on a striped sweater, pack a bottle of rosé, and you’re good to go!

Croatia’s Adriatic Coast is home to a vibrant sailing community with picture-perfect weather conditions. Beginner sailors will appreciate the gentle winds of Dubrovnik, the Split Islands, and Kornati National Park , whose sheltered coves and bays supply calm and predictable winds. Enjoy incredible natural wonders only accessible by boat, like the famous Blue Cave.

Student sailors can earn beginner, intermediate, and advanced ASA certifications aboard 8-day learn to sail vacations in July, August, and September 2024. Hosted by American Sailing partner Sailing Virgins, the catamaran and monohull ships—each a minimum of 40 feet with 3-5 cabins—visit the Croatian islands of Brac, Korčula, Šćedro, Komiža, Vis, and Hvar.

Gulf of Thailand

The Gulf of Thailand offers lovely year-round sailing conditions, making it an accessible and exciting destination for both beginner and advanced sailors. Most sailing schools and marinas in Thailand are based in Pattaya. Island Spirit Sailing Schoo l offers an eleven-day “zero to hero” course that combines crew and skipper training, including land-based and overnight sea lessons.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Located in Northeast Australia, the Whitsunday Islands are a year-round sailing mecca and idyllic gateway to the Great Barrier Reef . Brisk southeast trade winds blow throughout the winter season, attracting sailors from across the country to annual sailing races hosted on Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach. For beginner sailors, Mainstay Sailing offers introductory courses certified by the internationally-recognized Royal Yacht Association out of the Coral Sea Marina.

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Rams Coach Sean McVay: Best Recruiter in NFL?

• Author: Jonah Morgan

In this story:

The Los Angeles Rams have been able to make quite a few moves in free agency, and that comes as a result of the great recruiting talents of head coach Sean McVay .

The team has made some solid additions such as young and upcoming safety Kamren Curl, tight end Colby Parkinson, and solid backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, among others. 

© Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The common theme between all of these players is the fact that they have all said that McVay was a deciding factor in them choosing Los Angeles. The 38-year-old coach is known as one of the best minds that the league has to offer, and a lot of players would like to be on the same sideline as him.

One of the key factors in making a decision as a free agent is seeing which coaches you would like to play for. If a team does not have a head coach who is appealing to incoming guys, then they are a lot less likely to get the free agents that they want.

Said newcomer Kamren Curl, signed away from Washington, of the L.A. draw: "Really just his football mind. Just seeing stuff here and there, him talking about the game and explaining stuff. It's just like he lives football. ...

"You can just tell we're ready to run through a brick wall for him, so that's the type of guys I want to play for."

Kamren Curl 'Ready To Run Through Brick Wall' for Sean McVay

Thankfully, the Rams have no worries when it comes to the coach as a lure, as McVay is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL. The Rams players would, it seems, do almost anything for their head coach, and that is because he would do anything for them.

The Rams will be looking to make the playoffs again and contend this year, and if they do, McVay's magnetism as a recruiter and as a coach will be a reason why.

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How Do You Paddle a Disappearing River?

Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float.

The Rio Grande trickling through the Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park in March. Credit... Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times

Supported by

By Daniel Modlin

Daniel Modlin is a reporter who has covered Far West Texas extensively.

• March 22, 2024

I had barely unbuckled my seatbelt and was already wondering if I had driven six hours across Texas for nothing. A once-in-a-lifetime river adventure had seemingly evaporated with some disappointing news.

It was the promise of a four-day, 33-mile canoe journey in Big Bend National Park, snaking through awe-inspiring canyons on a mighty river, that had lured me across the state. My partner’s brother, Michael Stangl, an occasional guide with Hidden Dagger Adventures , had offered to take me on the Rio Grande, one of the country’s longest rivers, which stretches from central Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico. I had only previously visited Big Bend on foot, and I was excited to see it from the water.

The moment I pulled into Michael’s driveway in Alpine, Texas, after driving there from Austin last April, he told me: We wouldn’t be going through the park anymore.

“Unless you want to go hiking with a canoe, we should run a different part of the river,” he said. Having just returned from that segment of the river — between Rio Grande Village, a small campground within Big Bend, and Heath Canyon Ranch, just outside the park — he said it had been “more work than fun,” and that he had been dragging the canoe for a quarter of a mile at a time over nearly dry riverbeds.

Instead, we would be doing the Temple Canyon route: an 11-mile, two-night, three-day stretch of the Rio Grande following the United States-Mexico border, more than 30 miles from where our original trip was supposed to begin. This different river segment, entirely outside and downstream from Big Bend, was instead within a desert bighorn sheep restoration area known as Black Gap.

Even though I was disappointed, I came to learn that last-minute changes to adventures involving the Rio Grande were common.

“If the river were a heart, it would be flatlining”

The Rio Grande is in peril: Its water is being depleted by farmers and cities , while a climate-change-induced megadrought that has desiccated the American Southwest for more than two decades is threatening hopes of its recovery. In 2022, the river ran dry in Albuquerque for the first time in four decades. In the same year, the picturesque Santa Elena Canyon, one of the most popular sights in Big Bend, also ran dry for the first time in at least 15 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“If the river were a heart, it would be flatlining,” said Samuel Sandoval-Solis, an associate professor at the University of California, Davis, studying water management.

For the West Texan river guides, it’s simply another precarious reality of life in the Chihuahuan Desert. “In my lifetime, I expect river trips to no longer be feasible,” said Charlie Angell of Angell Expeditions , a tour guide service based in Redford, Texas.

For now, those booking paddling tours on the Rio Grande can expect last-minute switch-ups if they want their boats to actually float.

“When guests book over the phone, we tell them, ‘You’re gonna go where we tell you we’re going,’” said Mike Naccarato, the founder of Far West Texas Outfitters , an adventure company based in Presidio, Texas. “And if they still insist on wanting to go to Big Bend National Park when the levels are low, we tell them it’s their choice: We can either do it by dragging the boat up and down the river, or we can go do this very, very pretty trip outside of the park, but still on the Rio Grande, instead.”

While the high season for river trips is typically March through May, and following monsoon season from September through November, local tour operators are struggling to predict when the water levels will be high enough.

“It’s really hard to say anything is normal nowadays — we’ve started calling it ‘non-soon’ season,” said Mr. Naccarato.

Dragging, zigzagging and head-butting

After an hourlong drive with canoes strapped to Michael’s truck, we stood on the edge of the river outside Heath Canyon Ranch, staring at an out-of-commission bridge stretching across the border to Mexico. While the sun was hidden behind clouds, I was already drenched in sweat from lugging the gear-filled canoes to the bank.

It was soon clear our “easier,” 11-mile journey would still be hard work because of the river’s lower-than-normal water levels.

Within about 30 seconds of pushing off, Michael and I reached our first rapid section and I, a river novice, was ill prepared. The lower water levels had left protruding rocks that we would have to navigate. Michael hopped out of his canoe and grabbed my bow. “You’re going to have to angle the nose directly toward that Y, where the river’s splitting and it’s turning white, then tilt the nose quickly right, then quickly left,” he instructed.

My canoe ended up jammed on a gravel bed, and I was forced to hump it over rocks until the river deepened. It happened again and again: At nearly every rapid section — and it felt as if one came around every time I started to gain confidence — my boat ended up beached. I must have spent more time out of my boat pushing it than in it paddling.

Even in sections where the river deepened, it wasn’t easy. Instead of the current pulling us swiftly down the middle, the lower water levels forced our boats to drift in a serpentine formation, back and forth across the banks of the river. The banks provided another problem: For most of our trip, the right bank of the river — the Mexican side — was dominated by carrizo cane. Also known as border bamboo or giant reed, the cane, an invasive species, stretched off the bank for what I estimated as up to 15 feet high.

The turbulent and narrow river dragged my boat right into the cane, which cut up my arms and legs, and clotheslined me into the water. Michael instructed me to — counterintuitively — lean forward into the cane, not away from it. When I heeded his advice, my (unhelmeted) head became a blunt object upon which the cane snapped itself in half. It was significantly better than capsizing.

That night, blistered, bruised and damp, I asked Michael as we sat on our sleeping pads if floating the Rio was always this strenuous and riddled with obstacles. “Not when there’s really water,” he said. In fact, as I later learned, most of the difficulties I encountered (beyond stepping in cow dung near the campsite), could be attributed to the river’s lower water levels and signs of the landscape shifting as a result, said Jeff Bennett, a hydrologist for the Rio Grande Joint Venture , a conservation group that strives to protect the river habitat.

“Boulders, gravel, sand and this invasive cane are no longer getting washed downstream,” Mr. Bennett said in a phone interview. “A flood would remedy all of that.”

A journey worth the bruises

On the last morning of the trip, we salvaged a few soggy sandwiches from the bottom of our coolers and shoved off. The river was calm for the few miles we had left, and we saw turtles called Big Bend sliders sunbathing on the rocks.

The last challenge the river dealt us was leaving it. We floated right past the takeout point, which was shrouded in cane, and we had to paddle back upstream for a quarter of a mile.

Unlike the previous spots on the river where we had pulled our canoes ashore, this one was surprisingly deep, with the river rising to my chest. Instead of a gentle slope, like the places where we had made camp along our journey, the takeout was, more or less, a 60-degree sand dune stretching for 20 yards.

After lugging my boat through the sand, I collapsed, wet, bruised and spent, with only enough energy to dissociate into the cloudless sky.

“We think the river has changed, but really, we have changed the river,” Dr. Sandoval-Solis, the U.C. Davis associate professor, told me months later, when I was back home among my creature comforts, adding that he believed it was still possible to return the river to its once powerful state through proper water management practices. “The river has a much better memory than we do.”

He is correct about its memory: When the rains come, the river remembers its identity as an eons-old canyon carver, even if we know it only as a gasping, dwindling giant.

He is correct about our flawed memory, too. Because when I think of my trip, the cane thwacking me, stepping in cow dung or the change of plans isn’t what I recall first. Instead, I think of lying out under a blanket of stars, passing a bottle of mezcal back and forth in between hands of cards, listening to the brays of burros echoing from cliff to cliff, canyon to canyon, bank to bank. And I want to do it — all of it — again. I just hope there’s enough river for next time.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

America’s Vulnerable Water Systems

Paying the Price: Siemens and other corporations vowed to fix water woes in Mississippi and save cities across the state millions. The deals racked up debt instead , leaving many worse off than before.

A Tax on Groundwater: While American farmers elsewhere can freely pump the water beneath their land, growers in California’s Pajaro Valley pay hefty fees. Experts say the approach is a case study in how to save a vital resource .

A Diet Feeding a Crisis: America’s dietary shift toward far more chicken and cheese in recent decades has taken a major toll on underground water supplies .

First Come, First Served?: As the world warms, California is re-examining claims to its water that are  based on a cherished frontier principle and have gone unchallenged for generations.

Jets Powered by Corn: America’s airlines want to replace jet fuel with ethanol to fight global warming. That would require lots of corn, and lots of water .

Blocking Change :  Groundwater is dwindling in much of the United States, but only a powerful few have a say over its use. Meet the people fighting conservation efforts .

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