Inside Practical Sailor

Six Things Worth Giving Thanks For

Of all the lessons the sea can teach, one of the greatest is humility. For going to sea is an act of submission, exposing...

Making Your Own Dimmable LED Light

One of my projects this winter will be to upgrade the interior lights on my 1971 Yankee 30 Opal that I am restoring. The...

Tiller Versus Wheel

The tiller on Tosca was rough-hewn piece of sawn ash, tough and springy. Where it fit in your hand it was about as big...

Choosing a Boat Broker

A few years ago, we looked at how a do-it-yourself boat sale can save thousands of dollars that would ordinarily go to a broker....

Doing ‘The Ditch’ Capt. Frank’s Way

As many sailors navigate unfamiliar waters on their way south, it's a good time to talk about ways to ease the stress of coastal...

Floating Through the Winter Season

As temperatures on Tampa Bay area dip into a bone chilling 49 degrees this morning, I again find myself sympathizing with my friends in...

Is Your Marine Diesel Winterizing Routine Complete?

Winterizing an inboard engine installation means a lot more than filling the cooling system with antifreeze and stuffing a rag in the exhaust outlet....

Tackling Fuel Tank Replacement

Patrick Childress October is the time of year when the procrastinating catches up to us. The big projects we avoided all summer stare us in...

Can You Have Too Many Zincs?

Sacrificial anodes are used to protect a sailboats metal components from galvanic corrosion, a process during which more noble, cathodic metals like stainless steel...

Cutless (not Cutlass!) Bearing Care

First, it's time to clear up a little nomenclature debate. We are speaking here about the cutless bearing, the bearing for propeller shafts, which...

Abandon Ship! Coast Guard Rescue Beneteau 523 in the Atlantic

What would cause the captain and crew to abandon ship in the Atlantic ocean? There was no sailboat disaster here, but a coast guard...

Latest Sailboat Review

J/109 Used Boat Review

The J/109 is a 35-ft. boat that races well and has some comforts for short term cruising. It is a true racer/cruiser. The first...