Repair, Tools & Materials

Tired Daysailer Hull Serves as Test Platform

Practical Sailor tested the compounds on the badly oxidized hull of a neglected 1974 ODay Javelin daysailer that has been stored uncovered in the...

Mailport: June 2013

How thick is too thick for the buildup of old layers of bottom paint? This question arises because I have just finished painting the...

Indoor Sailboat Refinishing

I am restoring old fiberglass sailing club boats (Rhodes 19s) in a confined, heated space in winter, and I need to paint the topsides,...

Best Boat Soaps for Regular Washdowns

Sticking to a regular boat bath regimen has multiple benefits. It not only keeps a boat looking good, but it also helps protect it...

Topside-Paint Endurance Test 3-Year Checkup

The top-rated Awlgrip behaves much like the other two-part products in our paint reviews, and it delivers the very best results. The companys top-coat...

Stuck Like Glue

Photos by Ralph Naranjo 300 Just about every sailboat owner has at some point mixed up a batch of epoxy to fill a hole, glue parts...

Ralph’s Great Adventures in Laminating

Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo equates spare time with boat projects. His basement shop/test facility has spawned a wide range of boats, boards, and parts...

Ralph’s Great Adventures in Laminating

Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo equates spare time with boat projects. His basement shop/test facility has spawned a wide range of boats, boards, and parts...

Stop That Leak!

The trick is to choose the right one. Some sealants get hard enough to sand or drill, and others stay supple. Some will stick...

Traction in Action: PS Tests DIY Nonskid Options

Photo by Frank Lanier Boat decks take a beating. Besides daily flogging by the sun and other merciless weather elements, they face constant foot traffic...

How to Clean Your Sail Track

Main sail giving you trouble? If hoisting or taking down your main sail is difficult, main sail track cleaning may be just what you...

Latest Sailboat Review

Cheoy Lee Clipper 36 & 42 Used Boat Review

Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong has been a commercial builder since the early 1900s and is one of the first molders of fiberglass...