Boat Maintenance

Mailport: June 2013

How thick is too thick for the buildup of old layers of bottom paint? This question arises because I have just finished painting the...

Indoor Sailboat Refinishing

I am restoring old fiberglass sailing club boats (Rhodes 19s) in a confined, heated space in winter, and I need to paint the topsides,...

Practical Sailors Semi-annual Bottom Paint Test Checkup

After more than 30 years of testing bottom paint, you become a bit jaded when someone announces a revolutionary new formula. This time around,...

Topside-Paint Endurance Test 3-Year Checkup

The top-rated Awlgrip behaves much like the other two-part products in our paint reviews, and it delivers the very best results. The companys top-coat...

Practical Sailor Tests Reveal Best Bottom Paints

Our annual bottom paint report comes on the heels of some important news regarding the use of copper-based antifouling paint in California. Facing strong...

First Look at New Eco Paints and ‘Hard’ Ablatives

In late 2011, Practical Sailor launched a test that focused exclusively on new antifouling paints that had been introduced in the previous year or...

Antifouling for Aluminum Boats

Application and PerformanceApplication is difficult compared to conventional paints for fiberglass boats. If the boat has another type of coating or is uncoated, sandblasting...

Bottom Paint Test Checkup

383 When we last reported on bottom paint, several manufacturers were introducing new copper-free paints in response to increased pressure from environmental groups and regulatory...

Traction in Action: PS Tests DIY Nonskid Options

Photo by Frank Lanier Boat decks take a beating. Besides daily flogging by the sun and other merciless weather elements, they face constant foot traffic...

Bottom Paint Stripping

My husband, Ken was in the fiberglass business for over 25 years. We intend to take off all of our boat’s bottom paint (about...

Tayana 37: What You Should Know | Boat Review

Looking to buy a 35-40 foot sailboat? Considering a Tayana 37? See a Tayana 37 for sale? What are the pros and cons of...