Doug Ryan

There’s something about sailboats that just begs to be captured on film. The crashing waves, the creaking rigging, the human drama of being surrounded by nothing but sea and sky — sailing is tailor-made for the big screen. Luckily for us, filmmakers have been turning out some truly memorable sailing movies since the 1980s. Some … Read more

If you were anywhere near a yacht club, beach, or lake in the 1970s through the 1990s, you knew these boats. They were fast, fun, accessible, and—most importantly—raced in fleets big enough to make every start line a heart-pounding moment. Some are still going strong, others have faded into cult-classic status, but all of them … Read more

If you’ve spent any time poking around small marinas or browsing used sailboats online, chances are you’ve seen the name O’Day more than a few times. Maybe it was on the side of a sun-faded dinghy that’s been teaching kids to sail for decades. Maybe it was on a 22-footer with just enough space for … Read more

If you learned to sail in the 1970s, 80s, or 90s, chances are good you either owned—or at least sailed on—a Hunter. For decades, Hunter Marine was the go-to American sailboat builder for families who wanted to get out on the water without selling the house or taking out a second mortgage. Hunters weren’t always … Read more

If you walk the docks of any marina in the U.S., you’ll spot plenty of old fiberglass beauties from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Names like Pearson, O’Day, and Cal once ruled the waves—but today, those companies are gone. What happened? Let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at 10 American sailboat brands … Read more

If you follow the sailing world, the name Catalina Yachts carries weight—five decades of building sailboats defined by simplicity, strength, and value. Lately, however, rumors and high-profile moves are causing people to ask: is everything changing? With new ownership, bold design launches like the recently revealed Catalina 48, and whispers about factory shutdowns and unpaid … Read more