Marine refrigeration: Thermoelectric Cooler Test

The main drawback of thermoelectric coolers is power usage. This will likely be an issue during extended use or for boats with small battery banks and anemic charging systems. The 106-130 amp load, over a 24-hour period, is about twice as much demand as a built-in evaporative sytem and about three times the demand of the most efficient-and most expensive-installed systems. Also, thermoelectric units are limited in their ability to cool internal temperatures, usually to a maximum of about 40 degrees below the ambient temperature.

Mailport: 12/06

MARINE INSURANCE REDUXI have been reading with much interest your articles about marine insurance this year (April and May 2006).

Rhumb Lines — Getting a Fix on Reality

It was mid-July 1990 on the Caicos Banks, a stretch of shallow, gin-clear water extending for about 70 miles east to west in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Along with a dozen other cruisers whod chosen to thumb our noses at hurricane season (ah, those were simpler times), we were pausing in Providenciales before heading south. …

Two-burner Cooktops

Force 10 takes top honors; Origo named Budget Buy.

Compact Cookers

Petite, portable, and powerful: Single-burners face off.

Pint-Sized Propane Locker

Explosive and heavier than air, propane is not the sort of thing you want beneath your bunk. The grills we tested this month (See...

The Great Grill-a-thon

Testing the toys of summer: 4 grills, 2 kettles, 36 burgers.

The practical griller

We get a masochistic sort of pleasure out of our messier tests, but we don't typically share those details. This months grill test is...

PS Finds Out Whos Keeping It Cool

Zero Degrees is a bargain at $20; CIs Music Cooler delivers tunes to boot.

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Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026

In September we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...

Video: Why Are Tartans So Expensive? Inside the Tartan 3700

If you’re researching Tartan Yachts, looking for the best traditional cruising sailboat, comparing premium used sailboats, shopping for a bluewater cruiser, or considering a...

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Morgan 38/382 Used Boat Review

In 1977, the Morgan 382 was introduced, designed by Ted Brewer, Jack Corey and the Morgan Design Team. According to Brewer, the boat was loosely based on the Nelson/Marek-designed Morgan 36 IOR One Ton. The most obvious difference between the 38 and 382 was the elimination of the centerboard and the addition of a cruising fin keel (NACA 64 012 foil) with skeg-mounted rudder. They are two completely different designs from two different eras in yacht design.

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