Gripping Hitches for Loaded Lines
Sailors use a variety of hitches to hold highly loaded line, chain, or wire. For instance, to remove a riding turn from a winch,...
A Look at the Latest Generation of Genoa Furlers
Engineering advances have improved roller-furling systems, and the latest units show refinements to original design and some promising new innovations. Today, third- and fourth-generation...
Synergy Dock Line Stands Up in Tests
In July 2008, Practical Sailor looked at products for docking, anchoring, or mooring in a storm. Among those mentioned was the Synergy docking line,...
Winch Makeover
The Winchmate is one answer for sailors who are considering upgrading to self-tailing winches but find the price tag too intimidating and have otherwise...
Furling-friendly Storm Sails: Are They a Sensible Solution?
The advent of roller furling and its rise to "must have" sailing gear status over the last few decades has inadvertently generated a new...
Boat Deck Hardware: Rope Clutch Test Update
In the March 2009 issue, Practical Sailor bench-tested eight rope clutches, including a prototype from Garhauer Marine, a California-based marine hardware maker. Garhauer recently...
Practical Sailor Tests and Reviews the Latest in Boat Ratchet Blocks
With an apology to dogs, blocks are a sailors best friend. Like dogs, they come in a variety of species, if you will: cheek,...
Shopping Sail Shape
I am a Florida coastal cruiser looking to replace the roller-furled 135-percent genoa on my Tartan 3500. One sailmaker says cross-cut is the only...
Practical Sailor Tests the Alado Jib Furler
Practical Sailor finds the Alado Nautica headsail furler to be easy to install and a worthwhile sail-handling tool. One feature that sets the Alado...
Heavy Weather Sailing Gear
From sea anchors, drogues, and trysails to forereaching and heaving to, tactics and gear for surviving a storm at sea vary greatly. During a...
$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...