Vinyl Boat Lettering DIY Application and Repair
One of the pleasures of boating, at least for me, is reading boat names! I enjoy the many humorous names and those that are...
Those Extras you Don’t Need But Love to Have
As a full-time live-aboard, you learn to make some sacrifices. You ultimately become your own little island so you must learn to ration your...
Spring Season Engine Start-Up for Winterized Engines
Two things, as they say, are certain in life: death and taxes. Perhaps a third would be that fuel cost will inevitably keep rising....
Hidden Maintenance Problems: Part 3 – Gremlins in the Electrics
The final area for hidden maintenance problems that I want to cover is the boat’s electrical system. Most modern boats rely heavily on their...
Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors
If you own a cruising boat, you will have to learn to be an electrician (in addition to a painter, a detailer, a mechanic,...
Seepage or Flooding? How To Keep Water Out of the Boat
Boats are made to live on water, but that does not mean they are impervious to the stuff. Some systems, like the electrical system...
Painting a New Bootstripe Like a Pro
Have you been wanting to add a bootstripe to your boat but aren’t sure how to do it? Perhaps you have a bootstripe already...
Penetrating Epoxy—Another Marketing Gimmick?
In “Stopping Wood Rot,” December 2023, Practical Sailor busted the myth that you can reliably seal wood with epoxy. Some sailors have suggested that...
The Best Tools for Bottom Painting
In the quest for speed, sailors endlessly debate sail trim, the best cloth, the hottest cut, and which folding prop will do everything. In...
The Hidden Maintenance Problems That Can Ruin Your Day: Part 1
What jobs can push down on your ‘to-do’ list for later, and will there come a time when you really regret doing that? Sometimes...
Hate Heeling? These Sailboats Stay More Upright
Do you—or someone you sail with—hate heeling? You’re not alone. For many sailors, excessive heel is the single biggest reason people feel uncomfortable on...
Latest Sailboat Review
Dragonfly 25-2 Boat Review
If you’ve ever dreamed of blasting across the water at 25 knots with the wind in your hair and the spray in your face...