The RS100 looks intimidating on land. Carbon deck and spars, lots of sail area, flared topsides and a narrow entry make the thing look mean. I imagined flipping that boat the moment I set foot on it. As a guy who hasn’t sailed a small boat in many years, I was a bit antsy. I haven’t had butterflies in my stomach prior to sailing in quite some time and it was a weird feeling, at first.

The design brief on the RS Sailing website states, “Spray rails on the chines give excellent water release and also a drier ride.” I saw the spray rails on the chines and I am sure that they aid in lessening the amount of spray from the bow, but nope – not a dry ride, at least for me. And that’s why I loved it. Sailing dinghies is fun – no doubt about it. It’s a liberating feeling for a big boat sailor like me to be that close to the water, get wet and not worry about capsize.

The combination of feeling worried about the high performance of the boat and the eagerness to find out culminated in a rush of adrenaline and ultimately, sheer joy.

(Milford, CT) - North U. is set to release a new match racing DVD called Welcome To Match Racing and will give away the first 1,000 copies free of charge. Hosted by three-time U.S. Match Racing Champion Dave Perry, who is the author of Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing and the coach of the U.S. Sailing Team AlphaGraphics Women’s Match Race Team, this DVD takes viewers through the basics of match racing from start to finish. With a release date set for the beginning of July, a generous donor who wants to expose match racing to as many people as possible in North America has funded the development and free distribution of the DVD.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to give away copies of Welcome to Match Racing,” said Bill Gladstone, Director of North U. “Dave Perry does an excellent job explaining the basics of match racing and introducing the sport to newcomers. After watching the DVD, viewers will have a better understanding of how to properly match race and how to get involved with match racing,” continued Gladstone. “Even for experienced match racers, this video is a great refresher and gives excellent examples of proper tactical decisions and the how’s and why’s of match racing.”

A new generation of LIVE Race Tracking is available from Kattack.

Enjoy the thrill of the race and see exactly what made the winner come out ahead. Kattack is an easy-to-use, affordable application that provides entertaining and enlightening sailboat race playback for yacht clubs, fleets, coaching and regattas. Developed by avid sailors, it is an invaluable tool to help improve starting, boat handling, tactics and strategy. Everyone enjoys reliving their victories on the racecourse.

Along with our Seasonal Subscription and Full Service Regatta Tracking package, new in 2010 is a Do-It-Yourself Regatta kit.

For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (860) 639-6425 or visit www.Kattack.com

A new generation of fast, reliable, and affordable satellite communications for voice, SMS, and broadband data.

Bringing true broadband Internet connections along for your next trip to sun-drenched harbors and distant locales with KVH's new ultra-compact satellite communications system - the TracPhone FB150 with Inmarsat FleetBroadband service.

The TracPhone FB150 antenna is the smallest in KVH's family of Inmarsat FleetBroadband-compatible TracPhone systems, perfect for leisure boats as small as 40 feet. The fully stabilized TracPhone FB150 offers IP data connections up to 150 Kbps and simultaneous voice and SMS service, all via Inmarsat's trusted FleetBroadband network with its new I-4 satellite constellation offering you service for the next 20 years and beyond!

Catalina 445 Wins Sail Magazine Best Boat Award for Best Cruising Monohull Under 50 ft.

The "WOW" factor is back at Catalina! The Catalina 445 starts a new path in design, function and features for Catalina. It surely fits Catalina's new marketing theme "The Closer You Look, The Better It Gets." This all-new model incorporates crisp, contemporary styling with proportions and features that make Catalinas comfortable and secure underway and on the hook. For more information call or go by Hellier Yachts, 128 Howard Street, New London, CT 06320. Phone: 860-442-1154 or visit us on the web: www.hellieryachts.com

Cruising World’s Boat of the Year Award for Best Midsize Cruiser

Whether one's needs are for weekending and family vacations or for extended cruising, the new Estero is uniquely qualified to deliver on all counts. Offering spirited sailing performance with exceptional ease of use, unrivaled safety and seakeeping, benchmark construction quality, plus livability, comfort and value that have earned Island Packet its worldwide reputation as America's Cruising Yacht Leader™, the Estero represents the best of everything Island Packet has learned in its thirty year history. For more information call or go by Hellier Yachts, 128 Howard Street, New London, CT 06320. Phone: 860-442-1154 or visit us on the web: www.hellieryachts.com

Every Boat Needs a TruPlug. Insert, Push & Twist. Forespar presents the modern alternative to wooden emergency plugs. Whether it's a round hole caused by hose or mechanical failure or an elongated tear due to impact. TruPlug's soft, cone shaped plug is designed to conform to the unpredictable irregular shape of a hull breach. The unique shape allows it to be compressed by hand or cut to fit. It gets into hard-to-reach locations and can be pushed into a gap with a screwdriver or similar tool. TruPlug is the true stop-gap solution for emergency leaks.

Tested for over a year in simulated and real life situations, TruPlug has already been successfully used to stop emergency leaks by west coast safety vessels. TruPlug is an essential addition to any boat's safety resources, but it is not guaranteed to stop or slow all water leaks. Order online at www.Forespar.com

"Hot Spot" Mini Galley has been updated to appeal to a wider range of boaters. Forespar's new "Hot Spot: Mini Galley” now features a hotter burner and a standard multi-purpose pot. The "Hot Spot" Mini Galley's biggest change is the use of a new adjustable 5000 btu burner. The Mini Galley also includes a standard coffee pot that doubles as a cookpot, and a removable propane tank base so the mini galley can be safely used without its traditional gimbaled swing mount. This allows it to be placed outside the boat on almost any stable flat surface including picnic tables, docks or a boat sole in calm conditions.

Mini Galley options include gourmet stainless steel Calphalon styled pot for precise cooking, a large capacity blue porcelain steel cook pot, and a stainless steel tea pot. Additional gimbal mounts can be purchased as well as railmounts for secure gimbaled topside use on most boat rails. Order online at www.Forespar.com.

Stop lugging around that massive coil of spare wire rope.

This compact, lightweight setup is all you'll need to replace a stay in a pinch. Colligo Marine's Emergency Shroud Kit contains all the parts you'll need to replace a failing shroud under way: 53 feet of synthetic line spliced to a Terminator thimble, an unspliced Terminator, lashing line, chafe protection, and instructions (included). Purchase online at www.colligomarine.com

LateSail offers you a chance to get away at the last minute and not empty your wallet. Latesail offers heavily discounted last minute and late bookings on hundreds of yachts from the world's leading charter operators in over 40 destinations. LateSail has been making these offers for over ten years in Europe and with the opening of its new U.S. office; these same special discounts are now available in the United States. To see the vast array of offerings or to “Request a Quote” tailored to your requirements, go to www.latesail.com. Remember you can also “Name Your Price” and LateSail will contact operators on your behalf. For more information, visit www.latesail.com or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Poly-Tec is the latest addition to our family of abrasion resistant covers. Developed in cooperation with the sailing worlds leading riggers and tested in the harshest of racing conditions (Transpac, Volvo, Trans-Atlantic, Key West to name a few) Poly-Tec passes and surpass the test.

The Poly-Tec cover is a blend of Technora and Polyester fibers. Technora offers excellent abrasion & cut resistance, heat dissipation and a level of grip that other high tech fibers don’t offer. We blend in polyester creating color & style thus providing differentiation for the various lines / applications. Poly-Tec is the ideal cover for mainsheets, spinnaker sheets, runners or wherever the need arises for increased abrasion resistance. It is available in cover only, so that you can maintain your existing investment in high tech core.

508-678-8200 www.neropes.com

7½ feet long and CG certified for 557 lb. (4 adults plus gear.) The Pudgy is a workhorse and indestructible. Very stable with foam filled bottom. Self bailing design with floor above water level. Two rowing stations with movable seat. Full length keel stub results in wonderful towing and motoring characteristics. Sailing rig and spars stores INSIDE the hull chamber. Rudder and leeboards store under the seat. A proven offshore life raft as well. Canopy and drogue available. Storage compartments for ditch bag.

Narragansett Sailing LLC in Bristol, RI www.narragansettsailing.com 401-649-1754