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Practical Sailor

What Your Boat and the Baltimore Super Container Ship May Have in Common

When the mega container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 1:28 am on Tuesday, March 26, the world saw a remote video record of a ship-wide power outage seconds before impact. Dali was propelled by a single low-speed two-stroke crosshead diesel engine...
Practical Sailor

Solar Panels: Go Rigid If You have the Space…

Movies can be corny, but Jack Sparrow nicely summarized the romance of sailing: "That's what a ship is, you know. Is not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is ......
Practical Sailor

Ericson 34-2 Finds Sweet Spot

To begin with, let’s make clear which Ericson 34 we’re reviewing about here because Ericson Yachts has a handful of boats in the 35-foot range. Back in 1967, the first Ericson 35 was a typical Cruising Club of America cruising boat, with a long...
Practical Sailor

How to Handle the Head

Many pumpout facilities are actually dumped in municipal wastewater treatment facilities that can be overwhelmed by the addition of treatment chemicals. Spring is boat prep season, which is followed closely by the first cruise of the season. As the author of many articles on marine...
Practical Sailor

Check Your Shorepower System for Hidden Dangers

One of the often overlooked maintenance items in the pre-season rush to the water is the AC shorepower system. Over the years of surveying, I've amassed a small collection of scary photos from past surveys showing the common examples of neglect to this critical...

40-Footer Boat Tours – With Some Big Surprises! | Boat Tour

Join us at the Miami Boat Show as we get on four 40-footers for boat tours! A Beneteau 37.1, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410, Dufour...