Where Credit Is Due: November 2013

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IOTA

Our boat came with an Iota battery charger installed. The cooling fan started squealing three years after we bought the boat, but theres no telling how old the charger was. Iotas website (www.iotaengineering.com) has photos and emails for the company president, vice president, sales, and tech-support people. Thats fantastic compared to other companies in the marine industry where its like pulling teeth to reach anyone. And they sent me a replacement fan-no charge, no shipping cost.

Bill Dixon
1979 Hunter
Via email

The Canvas Store

This is a shoutout for The Canvas Store in Huntington, N.Y. (www.thecanvasstore.com). I recently had a winter cover and a dodger made for my restored Pearson Triton. Both items needed adjustment because of design changes during the restoration. The Canvas Store made the changes willingly and with great customer service. The best surprise was that they made the changes free of charge! The owner explained: “When you become a customer of ours, you become part of our family. We want to make sure you are fully satisfied.”

Charles McMellon
Childhoods End, Pearson Triton
Block Island, R.I.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.