Classic wooden boats, offshore passage making, ocean racing, and solo sailing
The golden era of American wooden boatbuilding — Herreshoff, Alden, Nevins — and why a well-maintained 1960s wood boat can cost less to own than a neglected 1990s fiberglass hull.
The difference between "ocean capable" marketing and actual bluewater design — full keel vs fin keel, the boats that have proven themselves, and the systems that determine whether you arrive.
2,225 miles of Pacific Ocean — the oldest offshore race in the Western Hemisphere, run since 1906. The history, the boats, the trade wind experience, the records, and how to get aboard as crew.
Why people sail alone, the gear that makes it possible — windvane vs autopilot, AIS, collision alarms — the great solo races, and what to practice before you attempt an ocean passage alone.