Learn. Sail. Explore. Repeat.

Welcome! NauticEd’s Sailing Blog is an extension of our sailing courses and charter vacations – a happy space where our team of pro sailors and collaborators share education and vacation information, tips, news, and sometimes just fun stuff. With over 850 articles and growing, we offer sailors a wealth of sailing information. If you are interested in powerboating, check out our new powerboating courses and blog. Cheers! Grant Headifen – NauticEd.

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Latest Posts.

Explore Greece's Sporades on a Mamma Mia sailing tour, Sept 2026. Join Nauticed Flotilla. Rocks, sea, and charming village view.

Tahiti Flotilla – October 2026

Sail through the stunning Sporades Islands — the real-life backdrop of Mamma Mia! Explore turquoise bays, charming harbors, and sun-soaked villages, all while enjoying the camaraderie of a guided flotilla. It’s the perfect mix of Greek island magic, adventure, and pure fun on the water.
AIS data flow delay diagram highlighting potential failure points in maritime communication: ship, satellite, internet.

AIS Safety vs Internet AIS: The Critical Difference Sailors Miss

AIS is one of today’s best safety tools—and one of the most misunderstood. AIS targets on your chartplotter aren’t the same as the ones in phone apps, and that difference matters. In this article, I break down how AIS really works, why some targets vanish, how vessels end up online, and the key distinction between AIS as an onboard safety system vs. an internet tracking tool.
Sailing boat heels with mast head pull technique on water.

Mast Head pull heeling versus wind heeling

Takeaways: Standing rigging isn’t the place to economize—it’s a load-management system. Use stretchy docklines for masthead pulls, avoid shock loads, and apply smooth, steady pressure. Snatch loads break rigs.
Grant steering sailboat, EDU-4 Approved Instructor: What is an EDU-4 Instructor? Why Should You Ask For One?

What is an American National Standards EDU-4 Instructor

EDU-4 is the American National Standard that describes what high-quality on-water instruction must look like: clear objectives, structured lessons, appropriate safety and student ratios, objective assessment, and continuous improvement. NauticEd requires its instructors to follow these principles in every training session.

“We have one very powerful principle. It is concentrated in one word: competence”

NauticEd is the leading International sailing and boating education company – offering over 20 best-in-class online sailing courses, a global network of sailing schools and private sailing instructors, and top-ranked sailing blog. NauticEd Sailing Vacations includes full-service yacht charter agents ready to assist you when planning a sailing vacation anywhere in the world. View courses and more at nauticed.org >

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Last updated on January 7th, 2025