Sea Anchor Match-up
Determining the size and length of the rode you use in conjunction with a sea anchor are important considerations. "It is essential," wrote Hinz...
Belt-style Inflatable PFDs
ConclusionBelt-style flotation devices are generally less expensive and are more comfortable to wear than their vest-style brethren. But unlike the vests, belts require you...
PS Advisor: 10/01/04
Quick-Stop Defined Dan Dickison's editorial mentions "the Quick-Stop." I thought I knew of most of the MOB-type products, but I haven't heard of this...
Inflatable PFDs Put to the Test
On land, we found the Stearns vest easy to don and adjust to fit. Once on, it has a comfortable fit. Like some others,...
Headings: The Bare Essentials
]Distress SignalsThe law requires most boats to carry audible and visual distress signals. The most ear-ringing sound signal I know is the old-fashioned, environmentally...
EPIRB Update: 09/04
In the wake of independent tests conducted by the Equipped to Survive Foundation (ETS), wherein the GPS components of two EPIRB models from McMurdo...
Safe and Sound
As of this summer, Practical Sailor enters its fourth decade as a journal of fact and opinion pertaining to the gear and equipment we...
EPIRB Test
Chandler said McMurdo plans to include Ritter in its testing. "We welcome his input. We want to come up with an actual solution to...
Fee-Based Weather Forecasts
In years gone by, sailors going offshore would watch the barometer and keep a weather eye. Nowadays, there's plenty of weather information available, on...
Sailor’s Knives: 18 Blades Tested
There can be no overstating the importance of a good knife to a sailor. It does everything from routine maintenance to saving life and...