Our 10th Annual Bottom Paint Test
Micron Optima rates best at preventing growth on hulls, but its short pot life makes runners-up Trinidad SR, ACP Ultima and Micron CSC Extra look equally good.û
Tommy Tape is Tops
Used for mast boots, turnbuckles, hose leaks and wrapping electrical wire, self-amalgamating tape is a chemical marvel.
Spare Parts 3/01
Micrologic RepairReader Carl Love wrote to say, You might want to add Bay Country Electronics to your list at 4 Dock St., Annapolis, Maryland,...
Offshore Log: In Search of the Magic Finish
Most varnishes don’t last long in the tropics and, unfortunately for Nick, Calypso has a laminated captrail that requires protection.
Wiz Oil Filter Cutter
All too often boat owners keep tabs on the condition of their engines by simply running them: If they start and run smoothly...
Waterline Stain Removers
Y-10 took off some tough stains and was a lot easier on our lungs than the more-potent products from Aurora and MaryKate.
Offshore Log: A Crude Problem
Approaching Singapore, we spotted a debris-coated slick about a mile long and 50 yards wide. Concerned about sucking debris into the engine raw water intake, we gingerly picked our way through a narrow gap in the spill.
DIY Interior Liner Replacement
A perservering couple strips the old vinyl from their Prout catamaran and installs a new liner.
Spring Maintenance:Smith & Co. CEPS and Honey Teak Best Gloss Teak Treatments
A trend in recent years has been the gradual elimination of exterior teak on boats. This is understandable, given the amount of time and...
Spring Maintenance: Antifouling Tests ’99
There are many rites of spring-trees bud, houses are cleaned, young mens fancies turn and boaters get ready for a new season on...
Lithium Batteries on Sailboats: The 3 Mistakes Everyone Makes
Lithium batteries are one of the most popular sailboat upgrades today—but they’re also one of the most misunderstood. In this Practical Sailor Saturday episode,...
Latest Sailboat Review
Island Packet Estero Used Boat Review
Florida-based Island Packet targets a relatively narrow niche, so the toughest competitors to its new boats are often older Island Packets. Introduced in 2010, the 36-foot, shoal-draft Estero is the company’s latest attempt to introduce a distinctive model that doesn’t stray too far from the company’s proven formula for success: moderate displacement, full-keel cruisers designed to be lived on, sailed far and in comfort, and endure the bumps, scrapes, and storms that cruising boats inevitably encounter. After sailing the Estero on Florida’s Sarasota Bay and inspecting its interior, construction, and systems, Practical Sailor testers noted that the shoal-water cruiser will appeal strongest to Island Packet fans who’ve been waiting for a shoal-draft, easy-to-sail boat that compares to the IP37 in terms of interior space. These strengths will be most apparent on intracoastal or riverine adventures like the Great Loop.