Herb McCormick

2 weeks ago | cruisingworld.com | Herb McCormick

The wild world of long-distance solo yacht racing was launched by a select crew of relative madmen, guys like Robin Knox-Johnston and Eric Tabarly. But the sport has evolved in many ways over the years, and a long list of courageous women has since leveled the playing field, giving the he-men all they can handle. As a sailing journalist, I had the pleasure of covering some of the early pioneers, including Isabelle Autissier and Ellen MacArthur.

3 weeks ago | cruisingworld.com | Herb McCormick

Way back when, several decades ago, I scored my first ride aboard a cruising trimaran: a sweet, cold-molded beauty called Juniper. Today, naval architect Chris White is well-known for his long line of Atlantic catamarans, all of which are laid out with his signature feature: a forward cockpit for the helm and sail controls (something that several notable designers and brands, including Gunboat, have copied).

1 month ago | yachtingmagazine.com | Herb McCormick

The Tasmanian tourist board has a pithy, catchy slogan to attract visitors to Australia’s rugged island state, some 150 miles south of the continent’s southeastern coastline: “Come down for air.” Last winter, I paid my fourth visit to the wild isle widely referred to as “Tassie,” which is saying something, as most mainland Aussies consider it too remote and give it a wide berth.

1 month ago | cruisingworld.com | Herb McCormick

The late, great Larry Pardey—who, as a sailor, was ahead of his time in so many ways—was the most competitive cruiser I’ve ever met. Like many cruising sailors (myself included), Pardey was influenced as a young man by round-the-buoys and nearshore racing, long before he set off for distant horizons. And through the many books and articles that he co-authored with his wife, Lin, it was quite clear that he undertook the pursuit of offshore voyaging in a calculated, efficient manner.

2 months ago | cruisingworld.com | Herb McCormick

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350 had a tough act to follow. In 2014, the French boatbuilder launched its Sun Odyssey 349, which was a commercial and critical success. It was Cruising World’s Overall Boat of the Year and ultimately sold more than 2,200 units—a remarkable production run by any measure.