[6] Canadian Yachting is Canada’s only national boating lifestyle magazine which features local, regional, national and international destinations, power and sailboat reviews, as well as how to articles on safety, seamanship, electronics, navigation, DIY repairs and upgrades, and entertaining.

[8] Canadian Yachting was founded in September 1976 (Volume 1, Number 1) by publisher Gerald Gordon Kidd, under the editorship of Ron Joiner, assisted by John Turnbull, working out of the Vancouver, British Columbia offices of Pacific Yachting Magazine[9] (also published by Gerald Kidd),[10] although a Church Street, Toronto address was listed as their formal address, and later headquarters.

"[9] Gerald Kidd eventually sold his entire publishing company to MacLean Hunter in 1978.

[9] With the acquisition came editor Doug Hunter, his colleague Iain MacMillan, along with Barry Redmayne and Carolyn Haltrect.

Adastra is a Latin phrase translated as “to the stars”[12] and was chosen, in part, to honour Jack Kerr, the founder of Kerrwil, and his service in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

[15] In its second year of publication a Canadian Yachting article titled "Tuning Racing Cats", written by Larry Woods, won a National Magazine Award for the Category: Science & Technology.