June 2004
PS Advisor: 06/04
EPIRB Test
Subscribers Only An independent evaluation of GPS-equipped 406-MHz EPIRBs leads to the suspension of sales of two models from McMurdo.
Chandlery 06/04: Tape Wars and Defender Stow Bag
Subscribers Only
Battery Boxes and Trays
Subscribers Only In fully covered battery boxes, we like the pricy Blue Seas. If tray-type hold-downs are your preference, go for West or Gil.
Non-Skid Compounds and Paints
Subscribers Only We continue our experiments in finding combinations of paint and non-skid compounds that provide more traction with less abrasion, and longevity without gnarliness.
Telstar 28
Subscribers Only Though a predecessor went by the Telstar name in the '80s, the T2 is brand new in every sense.
Water Repellents for Fabric
Subscribers Only 303 Fabric Guard outdoes our old favorite, Scotch Gard Heavy Duty, for about the same price. ReviveX is another top performer, but costs a lot per ounce.
Headings: Navigation, Then and Now
Subscribers Only Between Marion-Bermuda and Newport-Bermuda events, June 18 will mark Nick Nicholson's 18th race to the Onion Patch, and his 25th year as an offshore navigator. He compares the racing navigator's role and methods in 1979 with those in 2004.
Garmin 188C vs. Si-Tex Combo
Subscribers Only In a two-on-one chartplotter/sounder shootout, a pair of Si-Tex units takes on a single Garmin combo machine.
Color Plotter/Sounders: Furuno's GP-1850 WF and Simrad's CE 33
Subscribers Only Furuno's upgraded screen tilts the balance against the feature-rich Simrad.
Mailport: 06/04
Change of Watch
Inside Practical Sailor Blog
San Fran 'Stand-down' = Government Meddling?
by Darrell Nicholson on May 15, 2012
The Coast Guard’s request late last month that sailors “stand-down” and suspend any offshore racing outside San Francisco Bay in the wake of last month’s tragedy in the San Francisco Yacht Club’s Farallones Race rankled more than a few Bay area sailors. The response was not surprising. Critics decried the move as draconian, driven by overzealous safety mavens, an example virulent government intrusion, trampling of personal freedoms, etc. etc. etc. It is a…
