Marine Electronics

Touchscreen plotter-sounder test: Simrad NSS7 vs. Raymarine e7D

Since testing the Garmin 740s (PS, November 2011) and more recently, the new hybrid-touchscreen Raymarine e7D (July 2012), Practical Sailor has had the opportunity...

A Look at PLB Battery Life

Analyzing the resultsOnce all of Imanna’s numbers were crunched—decibels above 1 microvolt (dBμV) are converted to decibels above 1 milliwatt (dBm), the antenna gain...

Seeing Under the Sea

Aquabotix

Remote VHF Mics Test

0)]Standard Horizon RAM3Standard Horizon’s RAM3 remote microphone provides full remote control of its Quantum, Matrix, Quest-X, Quest+, and Phantom series fixed VHF radios. This...

Marine Stereos on a Budget

ConclusionsAll of the test kits worked well, performed as specified, and were fairly easy to install and hookup. The four kits are all good...

What to Look for in Quality Marine Stereos and Speakers

When shopping for a new stereo system, be sure to evaluate the following closely to be sure the package meets your needs.· Power amplifier:...

Is the SEND Device Message Loud and Clear?

Tracking AegeanAs a result of the Aegean incident, GEOS has changed its protocol for responding to alerts with no position data. Now, when a...

Feature Loaded High-end VHFs

Standard Horizon GX2150The GX2150 Matrix AIS+ has a built-in dual-channel AIS receiver that allows the VHF to display AIS target information, including MMSI, call...

A Rundown on Common VHF Features and Functions

AquaQuake: A draining function specific to Icom radios; a vibrating "buzz" clears water from the speaker grill.Noise-canceling: Reduces background noise, so you can be...

Raymarine e7 vs. Garmin 740s plotter-sounders

Ease of usePS testers found both units to be intuitive in menu layout and basic features functionality, but due to the e7D’s increased capabilities,...

Lagoon’s WILD NEW 43 Footer is Replacing the 42!

Are you interested in chartering a catamaran sailboat? This is Lagoons new entry level cat. The 43, and while you can still buy a...

Latest Sailboat Review

Cape Dory 30 Used Boat Review

When the Cape Dory 30 entered production in 1976, it was the largest boat in the expanding line of the Taunton, Massachusetts boatbuilder. In...