Assessing the Anchor Kellet
One of all-chain rodes most popular features among cruising sailors has little to do with anchoring-and everything to do with stowing. With a well-designed...
Selecting the Right Anchor Size
Over the years Practical Sailor has conducted dozens of anchor tests, and like many publications, we've repeated the common guidance that cruising sailors should...
Fixing Laminate Sails Part II
If this were a follow-up article on polyester sail repair, we would have waited two years at least. Wed have added a few stitches...
Lightening Up the Sailing Load
Still trying to find a place to stow everything for that big summer cruise? Here are a few organizing accessories that we've found handy...
Marking Lines for Safe Sailing
Boats sail better when rode, docklines, running rigging, and sail control lines are properly adjusted, and many lines are easier to adjust if common...
Deck-level Wind Vanes
There are two primary wind indicators on a sailboat. First, we watch the sails. Sailing to windward we watch the jib for luffing and...
Selecting a Stern Anchor
I have a 30-foot sailboat and I was considering keeping an emergency anchor ready to lower quickly as a temporary way to stop drifting...
Overheating Ropes
We have a love-hate relationship with nylon rope. When it comes to absorbing shock, it offers the best available combination of strength, elasticity, and...
Cam Cleat Wisdom
Sailing is all about pulling and securing strings. For infrequent securing, a horn cleat works fine. Others are constantly tweaked and require something more...
Adding a Polyester Cover to Dyneema Single Braid
Extremely low friction allows Amsteel and other high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE) lines to run like lightening through low friction rings. Unfortunately, they also...
Catalina 34 Used Boat Review
Are you shopping for a 30 to 36 foot sailboat? One of the hottest selling mid thirty footers on the used sailboat market right...
Latest Sailboat Review
Caliber 40 LRC Used Boat Review
Brothers George and Michael McCreary, and Marshall Jones, formed Caliber Yachts Inc. as a backyard boatbuilding company in 1979. No strangers to the sailing...