In this month’s issue of Small Boats we are in England for two very different 15′ sailboats: the Wayfarer and the Windsong. The Wayfarer was designed in 1957 and for seven decades has remained popular for its versatility, being as well suited to cruising as it is to racing and training; Nigel Sharp finds out why. The Windsong is a new design with a wooden hull and a standing-lug mainsail, but despite its traditional leanings it’s capable of reaching remarkable speeds; Nic Compton joins the original fleet of four boats. Roger Barnes has been sailing small boats since childhood, and has been writing about his maritime exploits for more than 25 years; Jenny Bennett catches up with him to talk about small-boat voyaging, sailing a French lugger, and his preference for cruising without an engine. Christopher Cunningham designs and makes some simple sanding bows to help him shape oars, cleats, and other items with complex curves. In our gear reviews, Audrey and Kent Lewis explain why they have so many steel bar clamps, while Christopher Cunningham gets a good night’s sleep in a hammock with its own mosquito net and fly. And a class of seventh-graders come together to build a traditional bateau while learning about Benedict Arnold’s 1775 expedition to Québec City.

Featured above is a Wayfarer sailing dinghy, photograph by Chris Yerbury; and on our front cover is Roger Barnes in his Ilur, AVEL DRO, photograph by Mary Dooley.