DIY Fairing and Filling
Epoxy deserves its wonder resin status as a highly adhesive, water-resistant laminating resin. It is the secret sauce behind a shelf full of fillers, glues, and fairing compounds.
Non-Skid Refinishing with KiwiGrip
Like most sailboats from the heyday of factory production in the 70s and 80s, our 1978 Islander Bahama came with a textured non-skid gelcoat...
Wheel Thimbles for Synthetic Line Terminals
This is not a completely new concept. Spool thimbles have long been used on multi-pulley block beckets to increase the pin diameter to better...
Managing Holding Tank Odors: For Fresh Water and Salt Water
Like most boats I’ve been in, that unpleasant foul smell emanating from onboard sanitation systems is not uncommon. Some smell worse than others!
For those...
Restoring a Classic: How to Get into Sailboat Ownership on a Budget
Some sailboat buyers want (and can afford) to plunk down a boatload of money to get on the water right away. For others, restoring...
Tool Kits For Every Possible Boat Job
Like all sailors that have a home shop and work on their boats, we’re constantly schlepping tools back and forth. I have multiples of...
Hatch Tinting Test
UV is the enemy of both hatches and interior fabrics. Acrylic can resist UV for 15 years or more, but polycarbonate generally begins to...
Making Your Own Workshop Filter
It all started when I needed to make a number of large cuts inside the house and outside of the confines of my shop....
Pre-Purchase or Insurance Survey: Which One Do I Need?
You’ve been bitten by the sailing bug and every spare minute is spent searching online for that perfect vessel. You’ve narrowed it down to...
Bottom Sanding Hack To Save Your Back
If you own an older sailboat, you’ve most likely had the dubious joy of working on the bottom. Perhaps multiple coats of bottom paint...
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026
This month we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...
Video: Morgan 44 Review – The Catalina Cruiser Everyone Forgot
The 1989 Morgan 44 is a big center-cockpit cruising sailboat with Catalina DNA—but it may be one of the most overlooked boats of its...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Bayfield 32 Used Boat Review
At first glance, the Bayfield 32 looks less like a fiberglass production boat from the 1980s and more like somebody shrank a traditional sailing...
