Long-term Clear Vinyl Protection
When the clear vinyl on one of our multihull test boats began to crack and fade after approximately 10 years, the costs estimates for...
The Cruising Sailors Sail Repair Toolkit
If you're going to sail you'll be doing some stitching. No two ways about it. Don't jump into the $100 do-everything kit. Start with...
Fixing the Storm-Damaged Boat
With $655 million dollars marine vessel insurance claims from the 2017 hurricanes Harvey and Irma, there is no shortage of broken boats accumulating in...
Welds on Your Boat Require Special Care
The irregular shape of welds makes them difficult to inspect using ultrasound technology. Visual inspections can also be deceiving-especially with new welds. The prettiest...
DIY Materials Testing
While many potential failures are easy to spot, some flaws are hidden under paint or within the structure, or are so small that a...
The Get-Home Sailboat Tool Kit
The tools and materials required to maintain and repair everything on a boat will barely fit in a room. Just the kit required to...
Wrapping Stainless Steel for Better Grip
The very first project tackled on my new-to-me catamaran a decade ago was to wrap the helm wheel with line. Our delivery trip home...
Best Sailing Gear of 2018
3)]DebondersIn an update to our January 2017 wide-ranging test of adhesive removers, we zeroed in on 3M 5200, looking for an antidote to its...
Coast Guard Seeks LED Input
Back in 2010, Practical Sailor and others raised the alert that a conversion to LED navigation lights can have some unintended consequences, including distorted...
Inspecting Rivets and Screws for Trouble
Drew Fry
One of the interesting conclusions from our testing was the surprising strength among all of the test fasteners when loaded in the shear....
How to Have Happy Boat Kids from Marisa Evans on Women...
Women who sail is a great topic and raising kids on a sailboat can be a lot of fun too. From life jackets to...
Latest Sailboat Review
MacGregor 26M Used Boat Review
MacGregor 26 has been a staple in the trailerable sailboat market for decades, and company literature claimed more than 7,000 of the original model...