This 24-7 live-aboard sailor writes for anyone who's ever wanted to go to another place on a boat. No matter whether you're a weekend or vacation boater, a full-time cruiser, a sailor or a powerboater, Tom -- with his wit and Southern charm -- has advice and first-hand experience to share.

Latest Log: How to Beat "Marine" Label High Prices – When I buy for my boat, I usually buy gear that is allegedly made for marine use.  There’s a reason. It’s basically that I’m more interested in hanging on to my backside than I am in hanging on to my bucks.  And much of the stuff made for use in houses and cars may, directly or indirectly, create a safety issue when used in a boat. So I’m ready to pay more for the marine product because it, in theory, costs more to make. But here’s the rub. Unfortunately, some products with “marine” stamped on them have nothing of “marine” quality other than the stamp. And we end up with a piece of crumbling junk for which we paid far too much.  How do we deal with this?

They’ve been out cruising for two decades, working along the way, and seeing where the cruising life takes them. Join the 51-foot sailboat Feel Free for an adventure that has become a rich and rewarding life for this resourceful couple.

Latest Log: Leaving The Med - Just by looking at a map of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, you might guess that the Strait of Gibraltar that separates the two would prove to be an interesting body of water for sailors negotiating its 30-mile length. You’d be right.

In 2005 Jim and Lisa Favors retired, sold their house in Traverse City, Michigan, and set out for a 10-month, 6,000-mile Great American Loop adventure aboard their new Fathom 40. They explored the American river system, ICW, lakes, and the Abacos. Jim and Lisa decided to head out again, but this time they will be “Loopers” for two years, and have a boat built for the purpose. Join the Favors on Kismet, as they depart their homeport of Charlevoix, Michigan, for a two-year Loop adventure on their new boat- a journey into the American heartland. One such couple is Mike and Carol Gordon, who live in Fairhope. We met them in 2005 in Chicago, where they were on their Nordhavn, Evelyn J, shortly after starting our first Loop.

Latest Log: You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello - As Lisa and I pulled out of Solomons Yachting Center, our home base for the summer, I couldn’t help but reminisce about our five-month adventure in the Chesapeake Bay area. It seemed like just yesterday we were arriving when Quinton, our new harbormaster, helped us into our slip for the first time. It was here we began our exploration of the Bay, meeting the locals, taking road trips to Washington, having friends and family visits, immersing ourselves in local events, sampling the food, all the while trying to learn as much about our temporary summer home’s rich history. Just like the Beatles hit song “Hello, Goodbye” we were saying our hellos not ever thinking that someday we’d have to say our goodbyes. Although we were on the Bay for five months, the goodbyes seemed to come way too quickly.

Cruising kids from near and far, and of different ages, tell their stories. Find out from them firsthand what it's like to live aboard, where they went, and what they liked best about the whole experience.

Latest Log: My Two-Year Caribbean Adventure - By Olivia Collins
Waves rustle against the hull of Zora. A seagull shrieks to the rising sun as I open my hatch. Beyond the deck, a white-sand beach stretches off into the distance. Light dances in the turquoise waves. Later in the day, I might go for a snorkel or collect shells in that pristine sand. No, it isn’t a happy dream. It was my life for two years.