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If one sport had the making of a compelling blog more than any other, it would have to be sailing. From the romanticized image of a lone sailor and their journal to the stunning TV footage of Ellen MacArthur’s round the world journey, blogging has carried on a tradition almost as long as sailing itself. In its current form, these independent online publications let not just competitors, but also recreational sailors, boat builders and others in the industry share their knowledge base, and so we at Seachest have hulled together 5 of the best sailing blogs for you to moor into your bookmarks bar.

#1 Zero to Cruising

Among all the various flavours of sailing blogs, cruising and travel diaries easily command the greatest number of hits and the most committed of audiences. Whilst it was hard to whittle these down, we felt Zero to Cruising – a blog following couple Mike and Rebecca on their round the world dream - had just the perfect mix of global sights, marvelous on deck photography and fine navigational explanation to hopefully inspire others to cast off and see the world as they have done.

#2 Sailing Anarchy

Wearing its self-sufficient appeal right on its sleeve, Sailing Anarchy produces editorials and insights into the world championship boating scene that aren’t beholden to sponsors or party lines. From blog posts that deconstruct the regulations of various competitions, to lighthearted reminiscing of classic vessels, Saling Anarchy also features a forum that welcomes diverse opinions, and where all your pressing questions can be answered by real honest experts.

#3 Paul’s Boat Blog

As well as resources for travelling cruisers and serious racers, the boating blogosphere also has lots to offer the hopeful or learned shipwright. Our undisputed favourite solo-written blog for boat builders is ‘Paul’s Boat Blog’; a regularly updated record of one man, Paul Atkins, and the boats that he’s built up since 2010. Sharing every inch of his vessel and the various solutions he’s found for fixing every ding or clearing out every inch of gunk, what we like is the unique methods he has for sharing his progress (including YouTube videos and stop-motion Gifs) and the way he relates his work to that of his boatbuilding father.

#4 Sailing Conductors

With a staggering amount of sailing blogs out there, it takes a really off-key idea to get noticed – something the Sailing Conductors played well. The concept: two German enthusiasts of boating and music travel across the world, sampling and sharing the work of local bands and players as they go. The key part is they have each musician cover and reinterpret the songs of the previous one, thus completely revolutionizing the concept of ‘world music’. With many incredible stories and sights in tow, this is an essential read for any lover of the high seas and good shanty tunes.

#5 JohnVigor

The last of our best sailing blogs, unlike the previous four, is completely devoid of photos or adventurous stories – but for good reason. The essential guide for boat care and sailing technique, John Vigor takes everything from navigation to design and expresses it with classic high seas character and vocab. To make every read memorable, each entry ends with a relevant thought from a famous thinker, as well a good ‘tailpiece’ joke.

If you want to see us feature more work from the best sailing blogs, keep an eye on the Seachest Facebook page, our Twitter and Google+.


Post By Nicole Sage