The Perils of Fantastic Plastics
This month’s Gear Graveyard called to mind the famous scene in the movie The Graduate when actor Dustin Hoffman is pulled aside at a...
Practical Sailor’s Picks for Fireside Reading
January and February are often the hardest months for sailors in the U.S. Freezing weather and short days limit our sailing adventures to those...
Mailport: January 2011
Could you do a test on anchor swivels? There are two primary manufacturers, Swiss Tech America WASI power ball and Ultra Flip Swivel. Since...
Update on 10 Long-term Practical Sailor Tests
Long-term testing is a tricky proposition. Products that seem good during initial testing can turn sour a few months or uses later. Products that...
Tiller Taming with Two Fingers
During the past decade, Practical Sailor has looked at a number of devices designed to hold the tiller while the helmsman can attend to...
A Short List of Stuff That Lasts a Long Time
This months feature on long-term product testing (pages 25-30) got me thinking about my own cruising experience between 1989 and 2000. My wife and...
Mailport: December 2010
I thought the letter in the November 2010 Mailport about how black antifouling paint worked better than other colors was interesting. I have not...
PS Advisor: Are Diaphragm Bilge Pumps OK?
My boat has an ITT/Jabsco 36600 diaphragm bilge pump that does not sit in the bilge and is rebuildable. With an 8-foot head on...
Broken Barnacle
The editors at Practical Sailorget a few reports of broken anchors each year. Typically, these are failed fluke welds on Danforth-style designs or bent...
Testers Examine Running Rigging Options
The first sign of cordage use dates back about 28,000 years. Archeological findings in Europe have carbon dating confirmation of twine imprints found in...
Everything You Need To Know: Vendée Globe Sailboat Race
To date, the Vendée Globe is the greatest sailing race round the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance. The event followed in the wake...
Latest Sailboat Review
Martin 16 Used Boat Review
The Martin 16 is designed for adaptive sailing so people with disabilities can easily control sails and steering. It is an excellent choice for...