Essential Sailing Gear that Lasts
Our long-term testing at Practical Sailor may have the initial appeal of a tortoise race, but things do heat up at the finish line....
Custom-Made Hard Top Biminis
I was wondering if there is any information regarding the protocol for replacing canvas with a rigid Bimini/dodger on a small 36-foot catamaran. I...
Regalvanizing G70 Chain
As high tensile G70 chain becomes more prevalent in the marine market, Practical Sailor has been busy testing the limits of this material, which...
Fixing Tears in Sunbrella Boat Canvas
Sooner or later, chafe, UV rays, and sharp edges take their toll on our canvas. A misplaced screw or simple friction will eat holes...
Using a Jordan Series Drogue for Steering
Thanks for this discussion of using drogues for controlling a boat with a rudder lost or jammed over (see Sailing Without a Rudder, Practical...
Controlling Jibes With Boom Brakes
Ten years ago, you may recall having seen the Walder boom brake demonstrated at sailboat shows. There wasn't anything quite like it. The device...
Tools to Tame the Jibe
The loads of a flying jibe in late summer squall are enough to shred sails, rip out deck or boom fittings, bend or break...
The Best Prevention is a Preventer
Ideally, you don't put yourself in a position where an accidental jibe can happen, but even an experienced sailor can get caught off guard...
Ideal Drogue setup will require experiments
For maximum maneuverability, the control lines-one port, one starboard-should attach at the widest part of the boat. This maximizes leverage and places the effort...
Snap shackles not advisable for snubbers.
In regard to your ongoing investigations of snubber hooks (Snubber Chain Hooks Revisited, February 2017), I want to add another idea to the mix....
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...
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...