June 2005
PS Advisor: 06/05
Update: Discount Options for Sails
Subscribers Only
Update: Synthetic Teak Deck Test
Subscribers Only After eight months with little change, Tek-Dek is still king.
Saga 409
Subscribers Only With a bullet-proof hull and a good turn of speed, this Canadian-built boat has a lot to offer serious sailors ... at a serious price.
Battery Selector Switches
Subscribers Only We pushed 11 of the most popular battery selector switches on the market to their rated limits. Blue Seas edged BEP by a hair as the top standard-duty switch, while Perko has the best heavy-duty switch.
Inflatable Boats Under $1,000
Subscribers Only Mercury's 200RU, with its stable, dry ride and standard seat, takes top honors, followed by the lighter, albeit wetter, Bombard AX-1.
Midsize Mainsheet Traveler Test
Subscribers Only Considerable evolution has taken place since our last traveler test. Now, Antal stands out for ergonomic design, functionality, and attention to detail, but Lewmar is our choice due to its pricing.
Fire Extinguisher Test
Subscribers Only The Kidde Pro Plus 5HM is our top choice among the clean-agent portables. The Sea-Fire, with its lower toxicity, makes sense for enclosed spaces. We also like the Kidde Foam Spray's ability to stop re-ignition.
Mailport: 06/05
On Your Behalf
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…
