ABOUT SALTWATER JOURNAL
A sailing life.
With a little more taste.
An independent sailing publication for people who love the ocean, good design and getting out there.
Our purpose
Saltwater Journal welcomes all ocean lovers, regardless of background or sailing experience.
Each month we publish first-hand sailing stories, thoughtfully chosen gear and practical guides for the curious, the committed and the almost-ready.
You don’t need to own a yacht or know all the sailing terms to belong here. Whether you’re finding your first crew opportunity, making a boat your home or planning your next adventure, there’s a place for you.
Social
@saltwater_journal
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How we choose, test & tell stories
Experience comes first.
Time on the water shapes what makes it into Saltwater Journal. Gear gets considered where it’s meant to be used: on deck, offshore, in the dinghy and ashore. The stories come from being there.
Good design earns its space.
Space on a boat is limited. I look for things that do their job, feel good to use and hold up to life on the water. Looking good matters too.
Useful
Well made
Comfortable
Long-lasting
Good-looking
Suited to life aboard
Recommendations with context.
A review should explain the experience behind it: where something was used, what worked, what didn’t and who it might suit. What’s right for one sailor won’t be right for everyone.
Clear about partnerships.
Gifted products, paid partnerships and affiliate links are identified so you can understand the relationship behind a story. Working with a brand doesn’t mean every product will suit every reader.
Letter from the Editor
Saltwater Journal Editor Tara Cooney on passage in the South Pacific
The crew — my whānau, family
Tara Cooney
FOUNDER & EDITOR · NEW ZEALAND
In 2017, Jeff and I bought a yacht before we knew how to sail. We were tired of paying rent, wanted to live more lightly, and the ocean was calling. So we borrowed $40K from my parents (negotiated a better interest rate than the bank and paid it back over 2 years), moved aboard and started learning.
I had plenty of questions. What would it really be like? Could a small boat feel like home? What adventures would we have? Many of my questions were unanswered online—we had to figure it out ourselves.
Saltwater Journal grew out of that gap. I wanted to share the useful details, the mistakes and the moments that make you glad you gave something a go.
Seven years of living aboard, coastal sailing and offshore passages later, that curiosity hasn’t gone away. Neither has my interest in things that are well designed, go the distance and look good. My background in design and the marine industry sits alongside everything I write here.
My dad loved sailing. He died when I was nine before we ever got a chance to sail together. That’s part of why I care about making room for adventure now, even when the timing isn’t perfect and you don’t have it all figured out.
I also want to leave a blueprint for my daughter, who’s nearly 20: how we bought a boat, made it a home and built a life aboard, with the practical details and lessons I wish I’d had when we started.
I hope you find something here that helps you take your own next step. Or at least a good story to read while you’re thinking about it.
Jan 2019 // Motuara Island, New Zealand — 41°05.5′S 174°16.5′E
Good company.
Brands I’ve worked with through Saltwater Journal.
Helly Hansen
Henri-Lloyd
Lusty & Blundell
Astral
Vallon
Ofishal
Mermaid’s Secret
Zorali
Smidge Suncare
Salt Shark
Skipper Training NZ
Island Cruising
I think Dad would be proud that I’m a salty kid too.
IN THE PRESS
PARTNER WITH SALTWATER JOURNAL
Good stories.
The right company.
Connect with people who care about sailing, the ocean and the things they bring into that life.
Gear testing & editorial
First-hand product reviews and useful stories built around real experience, with a clear editorial point of view.
Destination stories
Photography and features that show what it feels like to be there, alongside the practical details readers need.
Photography & content creation
Considered imagery, words and design for brands working in and around the ocean.
Have something in mind? Tell me about your brand, the project and what you’d like to achieve.