The Pre-Launch Checklist
Away we go. A well earned summer of sailing is fast upon us. If your boat isn't already in the water, it will be...
More Great Tips for Stopping Boat Stink
It's not often I get to see photos of an intact, but excruciatingly stinky holding tank get wedged and jimmied through cutouts in the...
Understanding Dew Point to Prevent Boat Mildew
With all the rain this spring, boaters in almost every region of the U.S. are dealing with mildew on their boat. For many of...
Estimating Solar Panel Size for Boats
The starting point for a successful solar panel installation is quantifying your requirements. We present here a simple analysis based on the test boat...
Keep it Simple Sail Repair Kit
If you're going to sail you'll be doing some stitching-no two ways about it. That doesn't mean you have to go overboard with sail...
Refinishing Your Boat’s Non-skid Deck
While the consequence of letting your varnish and hull paint to fade is usually no worse than a blow to your ego, you don't...
Testing Cam Cleat Durability and ‘Appetite’
Practical Sailor has tested cam cleats several times during the past 50 years. Our first head-to-head cam-cleat test was back in the late 70s....
Velcro Aboard: Fast Tips for Quick Fasteners
Hook and loop fasteners are familiar from jacket cuffs and companionway bug screens, but during our many years of fiddling around boats, we've come...
Hard Antifouling Paints and Haulouts
Some of our best performing antifouling paints in our past tests have been hard, modified epoxy paints. These paints generally carry a higher percentage...
How Well Do Anchor Swivels Reduce Chain Twist?
We know the theory behind using an anchor swivel: The swivel releases any twists in the chain when an anchored boat swings through 360...
Fast Cruising Sailboat J 45
Are you interested in a very fast and capable 45 foot cruising sailboat? Today we bring you the J Boats J/45 cruising sailboat which...
Latest Sailboat Review
Beneteau Oceanis 41 Used Boat Review
Beneteau has been building sailboats for 120 years, but it’s unlikely that patriarch Benjamin Beneteau ever envisioned his boatyard becoming a vertically integrated company...