Perfecting the Toss Requires Some Practice
Passing a line to a helper on shore is as basic a part of seamanship as tying a bowline. You've probably seen an old...
Horseshoe and Ring Buoy Mounts for PFDs
The December, 1993, issue contained an in-the-water test and evaluation of 16 different Type IV life preservers (cushions, horseshoes and ring buoys). Besides their...
In Search of Stability
On July 15, 1992, a sudden squall swept J/24 Fleet 128 during a Wednesday evening race off Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Nine of the...
Fenders and Lines for Seawalls
To the lubber, tying-up to a bulkhead seems like the simplest of all docking situations. Perhaps with floating docks this is true. You just...
Dodging a Bullet When Caught on Bulkhead
The following is aimed primarily at boats that are unable to leave an alongside dock or bulkhead before wind and seas become dangerous. Any...
Make Your Own Rugged Fender Boards
We described a simple home-built version several years ago (Practical Sailor, December 2011); here we present a few simple upgrades on the same basic...
Sailing Camps for Kids
This summer tens of thousands of children will take their first sail, with a friend or alone in their own little boat. They will...
Chest High Jacklines
Jacklines (also called jackstays) are rigged along the deck on either side or down the centerline. This is where you are supposed to clip...
The Pros and Cons of Chest-high Jacklines
World sailing offers fairly explicit expectations regarding jackstays. And PS offer its own additional advice, including one that recommends jacklines ideally be installed so...
Safety Gear Recalls
As you gear up for another summer of sailing, it is also a good time to double check that none of your essential safety...
Can A Lithium Battery Fry Your Alternator?
Are you interested in putting lithium batteries in your sailboat? Understanding how lithium batteries work and charge is important because lithium can damage your...
Latest Sailboat Review
The PDQ 32 Cruising Cat Used Boat Review
PDQ Yachts in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, launched the Alan Slater-designed PDQ 32 catamaran in 1994 and built 53 of the boats in the following...