Sail Commons https://sailcommons.com/ Edition 26.09.22: sailing and marina news from Canada and the US, translated for a teenager with a borrowed dinghy, a parent, an instructor, or a returner. en-CA Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Two inflatable PFDs, and the real difference between a vest and a belt pack https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-budget-inflatable-pfds/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-budget-inflatable-pfds/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 A vest-style inflatable PFD and a belt-pack inflatable, compared on price and what each is approved for, including who shouldn't wear either one. Twelve names Canada is adding to its Sailing Hall of Fame this fall https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-canadian-sailing-hall-of-fame/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-canadian-sailing-hall-of-fame/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Canada's Sailing Hall of Fame inducts twelve names in Halifax on October 4, including the Bluenose's skipper and an associate of Alexander Graham Bell. Hurricane season isn't over, and your policy has fine print worth reading now https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-hurricane-insurance-prep/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-hurricane-insurance-prep/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Atlantic hurricane season runs through November. What a named-storm deductible actually costs, and the insurance questions worth asking before a storm. US Sailing just funded eleven youth sailing centers, and what the money does https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-reach-grants/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-reach-grants/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 US Sailing's 2026 Reach grants went to eleven youth sailing centers, funded by Rolex and donors. What the grants actually pay for, and who got one. Guylain Noël is Sail Canada's 2026 Instructor of the Year https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-sail-canada-coach-of-the-year/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.22-sail-canada-coach-of-the-year/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Guylain Noël has taught sailing for 35 years and just won Sail Canada's Instructor of the Year award. What the award recognizes, and why it matters here. Two small electric outboards, and what they actually cost against a gas one https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-electric-outboards-gear/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-electric-outboards-gear/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Two small electric outboards compared on price, power, and runtime, against what a secondhand gas outboard still costs. Sixteen skippers, no electronic navigation: the Golden Globe Race starts https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-golden-globe-race/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-golden-globe-race/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Sixteen skippers started the Golden Globe Race with no electronic navigation. What the sealed-emergency-gear rule means, and why the fundamentals still matter. Two marinas just raised rates sharply, and what that means for your own slip https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-marina-slip-rates/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-marina-slip-rates/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Two marinas raised slip rates sharply this year, citing storm damage and rising insurance costs. What that means if you keep a boat in a slip. A real grant for sailing programs on a shoestring, and when to apply https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-reach-initiative-grants/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-reach-initiative-grants/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 US Sailing's Reach Initiative grants fund youth sailing programs up to $3,500. When this cycle closed, and when to apply for the next one. What the right whale speed rule actually requires, and doesn't https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-right-whale-speed-rule/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-right-whale-speed-rule/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The right whale vessel speed rule only covers boats 65 feet and up. The full regulatory timeline, and what it actually requires if you sail the US East Coast. CORK, Kingston, and how a kid actually gets into a big youth regatta https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-sail-canada-cork-youth-fest/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-sail-canada-cork-youth-fest/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Sail Canada's Youth Fest drew 280 sailors to CORK in Kingston, Ontario. What CORK is, what a Club 420 is, and how a kid actually gets into a big youth regatta. What a serious junior sailing pathway actually looks like https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-us-sailing-youth-national-team/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-us-sailing-youth-national-team/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 US Sailing's 2026 Youth National Team has 61 sailors across six boat classes. What the pathway from a first sail to a national team actually looks like. Why a soft powerboat market is good news for a first sailboat https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-used-boat-market/ https://sailcommons.com/articles/26.09.06-used-boat-market/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 New boat sales are softening across every segment, and the used boat market has turned in buyers' favour. What the actual NMMA data shows.