William has owned boats and sailed for over twenty years. On moving to Rhode Island in 1996, he and his wife bought their first boat together, a thirty-year-old Tartan 27. Over the next ten years they moved to a C&C 37 and started racing, then to a Beneteau First 40.7 which he raced around southern New England for five years.


While racing and cruising out of Narragansett Bay, William and his wife were planning long term. In 2006 they purchased their current boat, a Hallberg-Rassy 53, with plans to cruise the world with their family. He made his first true offshore passage bringing Evenstar home from Florida to Rhode Island. He spent the next six years learning the boat and understanding her complex systems and upgrading her preparatory to cruising full time.


In that time he took many courses in marine technology at a vocational school, served on the board of his yacht club and its junior sailing program, and cruised as far as Maine.


In 2012 William and his family finally threw off the dock lines, and he set sail with his wife and children (aged 15 and 12 at the time). Since then, they've sailed from the East Coast of the U.S. to Australia, spending time in the Caribbean, Panama, the Galapagos, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Fiji, and New Caledonia. Along the way the kids left for college, and now William and his wife are cruising as a couple.

All Articles by William Porter

What Is the Fastest Point of Sail? (Comfortable & Efficient)

In Beginner Info

How To Trim Sails: The Ultimate Guide (with Cheat Sheet)

In Learn to Sail

The Cost to Rebuild an Inboard Boat Engine

In Beginner Info

What's the Best Rig for Single-Handed Sailing?

In Beginner Info

How Much Does a Boat Engine Oil Change Cost?

In Beginner Info

10 Insider Tips to Learn to Sail Faster and Save Money

In Sailing Guides

The Perfect Size Catamaran to Sail Around the World

In Beginner Info

7 Trailerable Sailboats That Have Standing Headroom

In Sailing Guides

11 Expert Tips for Sleeping on a Boat in the Ocean

In Sailing Guides

NauticEd Online Sailing Course Review: Worth It?

In Resources

Sailing around Cape Hatteras (weather, tips & route)

In Destinations

The Best Boat for Caribbean Island Hopping (Type and Size)

In Beginner Info

The Best Time of Year to Boat from Florida to Bahamas

In Beginner Info

Sailing Time Between All Caribbean Islands (Tables & Tips)

In Destinations

Sailing Route from Florida to the Virgin Islands (with Map)

In Destinations

How Long to Sail from Florida to the Virgin Islands? (2 Routes)

In Destinations

9 Inside Tips for Sailing Through the Panama Canal

In Destinations

13 Popular Trailerable Sailboats with Lifting Keels

In Sailing Guides

How Long Does it Take to Sail from New Zealand to Tahiti?

In Beginner Info

Sailing from Hawaii to New Zealand (route, tips, prep)

In Sailing Guides

How Dangerous Is It to Sail Across the Pacific?

In Beginner Info

What's the Largest Sailboat You Can Trailer?

In Beginner Info

Sailing New Caledonia: 13 Tips by an Insider

In Destinations

How Long Does it Take to Sail from Tahiti to California?

In Destinations

How Much Does it Cost to Transport a Sailboat? (Road vs Crew)

In Beginner Info

Can You Sail With a Bimini Top Up?

In Beginner Info

Sailing from Australia to New Zealand (time, route, tips)

In Destinations

How Long Does it Take to Sail from California to Japan?

In Beginner Info

How Long Does it Take to Sail from Hawaii to Tahiti?

In Beginner Info

5 Surprising Advantages of a Full Keel Sailboat

In Sailing Guides

Raising the Mainsail Single Handed: 5 Pro Tips

In Sailing Guides

What Are the Fastest Types of Sailboat (and Why)?

In Beginner Info

Choosing the Best Family Sailboat (Tips by Expert)

In Sailing Guides

At What Temperature Will a Boat Engine Freeze?

In Beginner Info

10 Insider Tips to Save Money on Your Boat Ownership

In Sailing Guides

How Much Does a Dinghy Cost (With 14 Examples)

In Sailing Guides

Do You Need a License to Sail Around the World?

In Beginner Info

Spinnaker vs. Gennaker: the Difference Explained

In Beginner Info

Types of Dinghies: How to Pick the Right One For You

In Beginner Info

How To Drain Antifreeze and Coolant From Your Boat Engine

In Maintenance

How To Rig, Set Up & Hoist a Spinnaker: Full Guide

In Sailing Guides

Can You Use RV Antifreeze to Winterize a Boat?

In Beginner Info

I've Sold My Boat for Free (and You Can Too) - Here's How

In Sailing Guides

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Your Boat Privately

In Sailing Guides

10 Crucial Checks When Buying a Private Seller's Boat

In Sailing Guides

10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Buying a Boat

In Sailing Guides

Buying Etiquette: How To Make an Offer on a Boat

In Beginner Info

Do You Have to Use Antifreeze to Winterize a Boat?

In Maintenance

Do You Have to Winterize an Outboard Motor?

In Maintenance

How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Boat Starter?

In Maintenance

How Much Does it Cost to Antifoul a Boat? (Bottom Paint)

In Maintenance

How To Live on a Sailboat: Consider These 5 Things

In Beginner Info

The Fastest Boat Bottom Paints: Antifouling for Speed

In Maintenance

Pros and Cons of Shrink Wrapping a Boat - Worth It?

In Maintenance

9 Tips for Winterizing a Boat that Stays in the Water

In Maintenance

The Ultimate Checklist for Winterizing Your Boat (Detailed PDF)

In Maintenance

If You Don't Winterize Your Boat, Here's What Happens

In Maintenance

14 Beautiful Places to Sail on the U.S. East Coast

In Destinations

How Often Should You Antifoul a Boat?

In Beginner Info

Do I Need to Antifoul (Bottom Paint) my Boat? - Sometimes

In Maintenance
Sailboat half sunk under grey sky

Boat Insurance Should Cover These 10 Basic Things

In Beginner Info

Does Boat Insurance Cover Sinking?

In Beginner Info
Infographic for Marine Navigation Lights Rules based on sailboat size

Boat Navigation Lights Rules: Illustrated Beginners Guide

In Beginner Info
Sailboat with anchor chain in sand

How To Measure Your Anchor Chain Size (Two Ways)

In Beginner Info