Boat Maintenance

Half a year in New England weather, '03 (cold and wet, followed by dank and muggy) has separated the contestants in the field.

It's no good wrasslin' with the main halyard on the hoist, or the luff on the douse. But don't call the 'marines.' Get Elmer to help.

The SureFire L1 Lumamax and the Tektite Expedition Star take Best Buy honors. Incandescents may not pale in comparison, but they're fading fast.

With the final ban of TBT paints, coatings makers have brought forth several products to fight the growth of barnacles and other beasts on metal surfaces underwater.

One crimp or two? In our test and survey, we again find that the well-made multi-purpose tool will suffice for most wiring jobs. If you have more serious work to do, try Klein's #1005 crimper and Ancor's 702030 automatic stripper.

Practical Sailor's guide to bringing back a gelcoat and keeping it glossy.

There's a big market these days for "exam" gloves—the kind that used to be reserved for doctors and dentists, but are now used...

It's baaack... Micron Optima earns the overall best rating. Interlux and the Kop-Coat companies take 10 of 13 'excellent' ratings, Sea Hawk gets two, and E-Paint one. Pettit Ultima SR looks good long-term.û

Here's the kick-off of a long-term 'test of the best'—products that have come out at the tops of their types, now pitted against each other.

One-part wonders Interlux Toplac and Epifanes Mono-Urethane give two-part brews a run for their money—a short way into a long event.