Raising Sail in the Digital Age: Attracting the Next Generation of Sailboat Buyers
Walk the docks at most marinas or check out the bars at your local yacht club and it’s obvious that the average boat owner...
A Marine Book with Staying Power: Book Review
We love marine books at Practical Sailor, but we recognize their shelf life can be limited. After you’ve read, enjoyed and absorbed, they might...
Giving Old Winches New Grip
On Natasha, our 1978 Islander Bahama 30, the Barient two speed sheet winches were showing their age—a dull chrome surface and the drum were...
Engineless and Adrift in Panama: How Seamanship Saved Atlas IV
“Is everything okay? Your EPIRB was set off.”
It’s a call no sailor wants to receive.
For Josh Verstoep and Sierra Grant, that call set off...
Inside Sail America’s Plan to Grow the Sport and the Industry
Sail America’s mission is to “promote the health and growth of sailing.” Thus, you’d think alarm bells would be going off there given that...
What Dog Breed is Best Suited for Cruising?
Despite their anatomical handicaps, some dog breeds are pretty well adapted to boats and the water. The dog lovers among our readers have helped us put together this list of relatively small dogs, good traveling dogs that like the water and are happy to curl up in tight spaces during passages. Here is a list of the most popular breeds that were recommended.
Not All That Glitters Is Gold: A Surveyor’s Cautionary Tale
I received a message regarding surveying a 1980 CS 36: “I bought a sailboat with two friends and need a survey,” the WhatsApp message...
Old Boats, New Generations: The Real Value of Our Cruising Life
I often ask myself the point of all the effort and expense of owning a well-aged sailboat. This usually happens after I crack a...
Caring for Damaged Foul Weather Gear
Manufacturers will recommend returning damaged foul weather gear for evaluation, and in some cases there may be remedies under warranty. On the other hand,...
Essential Knots and How To Tie Them
Like most sailors, you’ve probably seen many articles and books about knots. You’ve probably also seen the hundreds, if not thousands, of social media...
Latest Logbook
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: If You See This on a Used Sailboat, Walk Away
If you’re searching the used sailboat market, comparing sailboats for sale, or learning how to inspect a sailboat before buying, these are the red...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Cal 2-27 Used Boat Review
Our story begins in 1970, with the introduction of the Cal 29. Looking for something similar but a bit smaller, the company asked designer Bill Lapworth for a 27-footer, which at first was the Cal 27, a fin keel, spade rudder design with a convertible pop top; another incarnation of this basic hull was the T/2. But the concept of the 29 found its full expression in the Cal 2-27, which began production in 1975 and continued to 1977, after which it was again modified and called simply the Cal 27...again. Production of it ceased in 1986.
