Simple Steps Will Keep Salt Out of the System
Depending on the collection area and the sailing, salt can be a primary problem. Spray falls and dries, layer after layer, until the decks...
Winterizing Wisdom from the Chemistry Lab
Each winter sailors must tackle the project of winterizing their potable water system. Our preferred method is to dry the system completely (see PS...
Lessons from the Storms
Every storm is a learning experience, but sometimes it takes time to deconstruct the events and recognize what worked and what didnt-and what can...
Trouble-Free Winter Sailing
For most sailors the off-season begins on Labor Day, which is a shame because fall brings the best sailing of the year in many...
Short Scope Anchor Test
In the process of our ongoing investigation on the effect of time and wind gusts on anchor setting and holding capacity, we performed limited...
Stopping Anchor Chain Twist
When an anchored boat spins, the anchor chain twists, and the anchor can come up backward. One solution is an anchor swivel, but failures...
Setting an Anchor in a Small Boat
In our ongoing study of ways to compare, and hopefully improve the way our anchors set, weve learned that it takes time and slow,...
Sleep Routines for Long Passages
The US Navy has finally gotten around to a serious study of watch standing schedules (https://goo.gl/dE4W4R). As an active duty Navy Medical Officer, I...
The Best Kayak Paddle and Stroke
A paddle should be selected with the same care you buy a shoe, since it is your connection to the water. For long-term cruising...
Fire Extinguisher Tips for Cruising Sailors
While portable dry chemical fire extinguishers are a common sight aboard any sailboat, their installation, upkeep, and use is almost sinful. During marine surveys...
A Fast Small Sailboat from Saffier
If you're looking for a fast sailboat to use as a day sailer, then Saffier Yachts may have just the sailboat to buy. With...
Latest Sailboat Review
Grampian 26 Used Boat Review
The first fiberglass auxiliary sailboats were built in the late 1950s; for the record, the first was the 40-foot Philip Rhodes-designed Bounty II (1956),...