From batteries to windlasses

This year, as every year, Practical Sailor focused its testing on what our editors consider to be essential gear, products that few cruising boats can do without. This year’s look at cruising essentials took our testers from the bottom of the bilge to the tip of the bow roller, as they examined batteries, automatic bilge switches, and anchors for mud. On deck, they put self-tailing winches, mainsheet travelers, rigid boom vangs, and rope clutches through the wringer. And for the long-distance voyagers, they found a sophisticated charge controller that can boost the output of your solar panels. …