Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

When Should We Retire Dyneema Stays and Running Rigging?

About a decade ago, like many sailors, we began replacing wire and low-stretch double braid ropes with super strong single-braid ropes. These ropes were...

Rethinking MOB Prevention

Man overboard gear standards are behind the times because the sample size is tiny and the facts surrounding an accident are often clouded and...

Top-notch Wind Indicators

That fragile plastic wind vane at the masthead looks like a child's toy to a lubber. Its a nautical curiosity perched at the top...

The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

Multihulls commonly have net or webbing trampolines that cover the large areas of deck. The trampoline is vital to both performance and seaworthiness. It...

In Search of the Snag-free Clew

Asmooth tack can be a thing of beauty, until a sheet hangs up and ruins it. A crew member must run forward to free...

The Cruising Sailor’s Argument for High-tech Fibers

We’re not racers. A few ounces doesn’t matter to us, so why should we be interested in Dyneema, or any of the other popular...

SNADs: Snaps Without Screws

No one likes drilling holes in their boat, and to drill holes for a simple snap seems like overkill. I love snaps for window...

Stickier Sail Tape with 3M Primer

Self-adhesive hardware-store hooks don’t stick well to bare fiberglass. Just last week we had one wash into the bilge-pump strainer on our test boat....

Mailport: Boat heaters, digital charts, photophobia, downsizing

HEATING EFFICIENCY I just saw, with interest, your article about onboard fireplace safety, with the emphasis on safety (see “LPG Fireplace Safety Guidelines,” Inside Practical Sailor)....

Hatching a Hatch Plan

Alazarette that closes at the wrong moment can cost you a broken finger—or worse. I should know. A failed latch on an oil field...

$650,000 Yacht Tour : Hanse 460 – This Luxury Cruising Sailboat...

In the $500,000+ cruising sailboat market, the competition for world traveling sailboats is full of exceptional sailing yachts like the Catalina 445, the Amel...

Latest Sailboat Review

MacGregor 26M Used Boat Review

MacGregor 26 has been a staple in the trailerable sailboat market for decades, and company literature claimed more than 7,000 of the original model...