Boat Maintenance

Bottom Paint Removal Decision Time

Tempis fugit . . . times a-waistin’ . . . fast flies the irreparable hour . . . However you choose to use your...

Bulletproof Sailboat Deck Hardware

Rock-solid deck hardware installation begins with a tightly sealed core. Installing new hardware on a cored deck means sealing the core around every penetration. Skip...

Making Your Own Workshop Filter

It all started when I needed to make a number of large cuts inside the house and outside of the confines of my shop....

Antifouling Exposure Risks

One look at the safety data sheet for an antifouling paint, and a quick listen to the controversy surrounding the effects of antifouling paint...

Bottom Paints for Brackish Water

Prior PS bottom paint testing focused on saltwater locations in Florida and Massachusetts. This time we’ve moved our testing racks to the brackish waters...

Tool Kits For Every Possible Boat Job

Like all sailors that have a home shop and work on their boats, we’re constantly schlepping tools back and forth. I have multiples of...

PS Seeking Reports of 3M 4000 UV Failure

Six years ago (“Marine Sealant Adhesion Tests,” published November 2016) Practical Sailor began exposing samples of marine sealants to weather and sunlight to compare...

Hatch Tinting Test

UV is the enemy of both hatches and interior fabrics. Acrylic can resist UV for 15 years or more, but polycarbonate generally begins to...

Another Look at ‘Dustless’ Sanding

In “Dustless Sanding,” (see PS April 2016), we described a simple modification to a 5-gallon bucket that would make collecting dust from bottom painting...

Making the Dinghy Decision

Spring and fall on the Chesapeake Bay delivers cruising at its best. Last fall, we were ready to go, the crowds were gone, along...

What’s the Best Sailboats for Beginners?

Are you interested in learning how to sail? What is the best sailboat to learn to sail on? Which boat should you buy first?...

Latest Sailboat Review

Ericson 41 Used Boat Review

Sailing the Salish Sea on Canada’s west coast is the dream of many a sailor. With a lifetime of sailing dinghies and messing about...