Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Splice Failure Linked to Fatality

You don't have to look far to find a case in point supporting our recent Practical Sailor Special Report on high-tech lines, which emphasized...

A Sure Way to Secure the Boom

When the wind really blows, the pleasant chiming of a marina takes on a different character. Above the howling of the wind is the...

Making Sail Repairs Last

Polyester has long been the workhorse sail fabric; durable, easy to sew and handle, and relatively stretch resistant. It is also relatively easier to...

Long-term Clear Vinyl Protection

When the clear vinyl on one of our multihull test boats began to crack and fade after approximately 10 years, the costs estimates for...

Best Sailing Gear of 2018

3)]DebondersIn an update to our January 2017 wide-ranging test of adhesive removers, we zeroed in on 3M 5200, looking for an antidote to its...

What Chain Connector Will Fit My Gypsy?

Regarding your recent article on joining chain segments (see Reliable Chain Connections, PS June 2018), I've been coastal cruising from Canada to Panama since...

A Riveting Report: Spar Fasteners

Every sailor eventually feels the pull to add hardware to their spars. Maybe a piece of hardware has broken off, or the fasteners look...

Deft Theft: Make & Find Your Own Marine Gear

Heres a bet: Someone at the next boat show will try to sell you something you already have. With more time than money on...

The Penny-Pinching PhD Sailor

For more than 30 years, Practical Sailor has provided serious sailors and DIY boat owners an unbiased source of evaluations. We've done our best...

Inspecting Rivets and Screws for Trouble

Drew Fry One of the interesting conclusions from our testing was the surprising strength among all of the test fasteners when loaded in the shear....

Diesel Overheating Dinghy Pump Hack

Bert Vermeer tells his story of an overheating Beta Marine 20 diesel sailboat engine with clogged sail drive intake ports and how he used...
Catalina 34 Used Boat Review video from Practical Sailor

Catalina 34 Used Boat Review

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...