The new year is a time for reflection and fresh starts. Each January we reflect on the top stories of the previous year in our Year In Review feature. If you haven’t picked up your copy of January’s Latitude 38 yet — delivery started on Friday — they should be available at your favorite pick-up spot by now (or will be soon). If you’re one of the unlucky ones who don’t live near a distribution outlet, you can read the full issue — ads and all! — online for free. In it you’ll find not only our annual Year in Review article, but the second installment of the Season Champions, a story about a very different cruising family, a midwinters feature and, of course, so much more.

While you’re out picking up your January Latitude, don’t forget to nab a copy of the 2013 Northern California Sailing Calendar & YRA Master Schedule. The Calendar includes much more than just dates and times of races. In it you’ll also find maps of race courses, current info, equipment requirements, signal flag guides and much more — all in one place and all for free! Seriously, every boat — not just race boats — should have a copy aboard. It’s also available as a free download, in either PDF or eBook format.

In case you’ve forgotten, here are a handful of the top sailing stories of the year below.