Inside Practical Sailor

The Disappearing Do-it-Yourself Boatyard

As I review the preliminary results from our most recent bottom paint report, I'm again haunted by a recurring nightmare. The details change, but...

Sailboat Winter Covers: What to Look For

The post-pandemic rush to the sea has brought a whole new group of readers into the Practical Sailor family, so although many of you...

Stay Warm, Stay Safe

About this time of year, sailors in the temperate zones are looking for inexpensive ways to warm the cabin. We've done several reports on...
j/24 and Olympic Circle Sailing Club

Keep Calm and Carry On Cursing

Every once a while, we have a good malapropism wash over the transom and into our Mailport section. This letter dates from several years...

Dealing with Dirty Sails

If you've been looking for Practical Sailor's guidance on sail-cleaning, this blog post is a good place to start. We published a PS Advisor on...

Ian Exposes Risks to Boats in Hurricane Zone

With our Southwest Florida office so near to the path of Hurricane Ian’s eye, we’re getting a sad, up-close look at the storm’s impact...

Stay Safe While Saving a Storm-damaged Boat

When people are hurt and homes and precious possessions are destroyed or lost forever, a wrecked recreational sailboat seems wholly unimportant. But for many...

Choosing the Perfect Hurricane Hole

With Tropical Storm Ian entering the Gulf of Mexico and the projected path bringing storm force winds to the Florida Keys by as early...

How Sailors Can Be Citizen Scientists

When I took over the helm of Practical Sailor more than 15 years ago, although it was never explicitly stated, the mission seemed pretty...

Quest for the Sailboat Cupholder

Cupholders are so ubiquitous on cars today, that it’s hard to imagine a time when there wasn’t a place to put your coffee mug...

The 51 Foot Wharram Catamaran He Finally Found!

If you’ve ever wanted to build your own sailboat, you’ve undoubtedly come across Wharram Catamarans. These home-built DIY sailboat plans are a big hit...

Latest Sailboat Review

Vancouver 27 Used Boat Review

I was single handed on our Islander Bahama 30 on a spectacular fall afternoon, white caps dancing on the blue waters of Plumper Sound...