Belowdecks & Amenities

Here are a few product hacks to help keep your boat organized, bug free and lit properly. 3M COMMAND© VELCRO® STRIPS If you’re like me and...

In response to our summer report on chemical treatments for holding tanks, Practical Sailor readers wrote in, suggesting we check out the products that have kept their boats smelling sweet. Our initial look at odor-fighting agents included some disappointing deodorizing products as well as the latest generation of holding tank treatments-those that use enzymes, bacteria nutrients, and live bacteria to kill odors more naturally, and often more effectively. This round, we included additional new-generation products from Happy Camper, Zoal, Bactank T3, Raritan, Forespar, Yara Chemicals, and Rid-X. Once again, the bacterial products were favored over the disinfectants.

Were not naturally bug phobic, but when they eat our food, clothes, or boat, something needs to be done. Since we don't like heavy doses of pesticides in a space as small as a boat, lets first look at low impact approaches that focus on specific pests. After that, well look at the more potent approaches

Historically, the cook has always enjoyed a privileged position on board a boat. And no wonder, since the cook almost always works the hardest, whether the boat is underway or at anchor. While the navigator and helmsmans job is no less critical, the nerve-wracking labor of maintaining a steady course and plotting an accurate DR position has nearly evaporated in recent years, thanks to GPS, chartplotters, and autopilots. The cooks job, on the other hand, hasn't gotten a whole lot easier. So, in honor of the hardest working crew, Ive put together a list of five items that can help make a cooks life easier underway. Id be interested in hearing what other suggestions our readers have.

An efficient, clean rainwater catchment isn't just for cruisers venturing into remote areas. While biologically safe, many areas of the U.S. are served by well water that is not chlorinated, high in sulfate that makes it prone to going bad. When stored in the absence of oxygen, the sulfate becomes the preferred oxygen source for microorganisms and hydrogen sulfide is the byproduct. Only .05 parts per million (ppm) sulfide is required to make water distasteful. Even if the water at your next marina is fresh and sweet, filling from an unfamiliar source is always a roll of the dice.

As a full-time live-aboard, you learn to make some sacrifices. You ultimately become your own little island so you must learn to ration your...

We fired up gas models from five makers. The Force 10 is our overall winner, and Magma edges Si-Port II in a clash of kettles.

Vaporized alcohol stoves have long been praised for their safety and simplicity. For decades, Origo’s popular vaporizing alcohol stove dom­inated the small boat market,...

When we downsized from a cruising cat to a sporty trimaran, we also downsized to an Origo stove. Familiar to many small-boat sailors, the...

By law, ethanol is subject to considerable taxes and restrictions on sale unless denatured (rendered undrinkable) by adding solvents or other unpalatable ingredients. The...