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Make sure someone is always keeping a lookout on the horizon while the tillerpilot is engaged. If there are a few crew onboard, it helps to rotate who is on watch so everyone else can relax.

Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions

Autopilot is not autodrive. The International Rules of the Road (COLREGS) makes your responsibility clear: You must keep watch. There are no exemptions for...
Irwin Vise-Grip Wire Stripper. (Photo/ Adam Morris)

Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors

If you own a cruising boat, you will have to learn to be an electrician (in addition to a painter, a detailer, a mechanic,...
600-watt solar panel system on Summer Twins 28 sailing catamaran Caribbean Soul 2. (Photo/ Clifford Burgess)

Thinking Through a Solar Power Installation

The practical aspects of your solar panel system will be governed by the design and size of your sailboat, your overall project budget (%...

How Does the Gulf Stream Influence our Weather?

“Big High, Blue Sky, Goodbye…” All you need to get started, right? ...Not so fast. Heed another quote from Captain Ron, hero of the 1992...
A lithium conversion requires a willing owner and a capable craft. Enter the Privilege 435 catamaran Confianza.

Can You Run a Marine Air-Conditioner on Battery Power?

Our 16,000 BTU MarinAire A/C is sufficient to maintain our Privilege 435 catamaran at under 26.5°C (80°F) on days up to around 35°C (95°F)....

Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing

Last week, I covered some of the things I suggest you need to think through on the boat before heading out solo. Now, what...

Your New Feature-Packed VHF Radio

In the ever-evolving realm of maritime communication, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) have emerged as game-changers within the latest models...

Preparing A Boat to Sail Solo

You have probably heard people say sailing solo is dangerous or irresponsible. How can you keep a proper watch? What happens if you have...

Solar Panels: Go Rigid If You have the Space…

Movies can be corny, but Jack Sparrow nicely summarized the romance of sailing: "That's what a ship is, you know. Is not just a...

Leaping Into Lithium

Your dock neighbor just switched out her old 12-volt lead-acid batteries for lithium-ion batteries. Should you? The lithium solution will be more expensive, but...

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...