VHFs for Hearing Challenged
Like an increasing number of senior sailors, I require hearing aids to effectively communicate. However, in the cockpit of a sailboat-with the wind blowing...
Testing Telemedicines Limits
Early into the 645-mile race between Marion, Mass., and the island of Bermuda in 2009, trouble brewed aboard the C&C 40 Corsair. The bizarre...
An Experiment in Boosting Wi-Fi the DIY Way
In November 2010, Practical Sailor posted a Reader Workbench article written by subscriber Ed Mini of Mystic, Conn., on a do-it-yourself Wi-Fi booster/antenna assembled...
The SPOT Sat Phone
The number and popularity of satellite-based communication gadgets have grown rapidly over the last few years. These devices range from one-way communication electronics like...
Comparing Class B AIS Transceivers
The popularity of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly among small- to mid-sized cruising sailboats. Lower costs have played...
Marine Handheld VHFs Test
While technologies like cellular and satellite phones have revolutionized onboard communication, they are still just supplements to the good-ole marine-band VHF radio. VHF radios...
Where Credit Is Due: April 2013
Raymarine and West MarineAbout six months ago, I bought a Raymarine Smart Controller remote for my autopilot. It is a great unit that I...
DeLorme inReach vs. Iridium Extreme
Many love the solitude that sailing offers, but not necessarily the limited (or non-existent) communications that can accompany it. For those sailors, there are...
Plotting Your Escape in the Age of Satcom
I wanted to try a little experiment this week. Something safe, with little risk of getting hurt. Something I could do while drinking coffee...
Satcom Moves a Little Closer to Affordable
The type and send feature lets users type messages on the fly and send them to contacts, selected social-media networks, or emergency personnel. The...
A Rival for Island Packet, Made in China – Outbound 46...
Like Kraken Yachts and some Passport sailboats, Outbound Yachts are made in China. It's heavy like an Island Packet, but fast like a Beneteau....
Latest Sailboat Review
Pearson 303 Used Boat Review
The Pearson 303, introduced in 1983, is a fairly typical example of the kind of work Pearson was doing in the mid-1980s, continuing until...