Varnish Touch-ups and Take-downs
To keep brightwork healthy, approach it as you (hopefully) do your own health. Set a regular maintenance schedule (like an annual checkup), keep a...
What Old Gear Do You Swear By (or at)?
Often when undertaking a major refit, we have to decide whether to try to repair an expensive piece of tired or broken equipment, or...
Going Overboard in Icy Water
Should you find yourself cast into icy water, there are few things you can do that may help.
Acclimatize. As a year round kayaker and...
Capt. Marx Memorial Safety at Sea Seminar
Join Practical Sailor Editor-at-large Ralph Naranjo for a day-long Safety at Sea Seminar in Hampton Roads, VA on February 24th. The Capt. Henry Marx...
Anchor Design for Soft Mud
Soft mud seabeds are relatively common, particularly in shallow estuaries and at the mouths of large rivers. In many cases, the soft mud gives...
Rope Washing Advice from the Pros
Maybe you spent the past season anchored near a highway, airport, or power plant, or maybe you just dragged your mildewed lines out of...
Fuel Storage Tips for Sailors
Practical Sailor contributor, Chesapeake Bay sailing blogger, and chemistry guru Drew Frye is back in the lab with his beakers, test tubes, and mason...
Propellor Paints Versus Barnacles
A cheap, effective antifouling paint for a propeller is as rare as a good pun. The coating must not only ward off all marine...
Complacency and the Modern Sailor
This summer 18 sailors set out in the 50th Anniversary Golden Globe Race, a retro race which sought to recreate the circumstances of the...
Drysuit vs. Survival Suit for Offshore Sailing
My post about cold weather apparel for sailing neglected to mention one of the more interesting ways that some offshore sailors, particularly racing sailors...
The BEST and WORST Boat Washing Machines
Are you looking into how to wash clothes on a boat? I set out to figure out which washing machine to install on my...
Latest Sailboat Review
Cape Dory 30 Used Boat Review
When the Cape Dory 30 entered production in 1976, it was the largest boat in the expanding line of the Taunton, Massachusetts boatbuilder. In...