Simplifying Your Cleaning Chemicals Kit

Instead of requiring 30 random cleaning products, you would need only four or five with carefully targeted chemistry. Thats it-no more than five cleaners to serve most purposes. Here are the basics to building your own kit.

Taking Care of Your 12-Volt Lead-Acid Battery Bank

Marine boat batteries can fail due to various reasons, and understanding these potential failure modes is crucial for ensuring their reliability. Here are some...

Waste Not is the Rule. But How Do We Get There?

Along with sustainable sailing, green boating, and ocean conservation, you've probably heard the term "zero waste." And on the surface, for me, at least,...

What Your Boat and the Baltimore Super Container Ship May Have in Common

When the mega container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 1:28 am on Tuesday, March 26, the world saw a remote...

Check Your Shorepower System for Hidden Dangers

One of the often overlooked maintenance items in the pre-season rush to the water is the AC shorepower system. Over the years of surveying, Ive amassed a small collection of scary photos from past surveys showing the common examples of neglect to this critical system.

The Scraper-only Approach to Bottom Paint Removal

Spring is just around the corner. For many sailors, especially those with boats on the hard, it’s good time to consider the advantages of...

Can You Recoat Dyneema?

Dyneema fibers are given a thin polyurethane coating at the factory that reduces chafe, UV damage, and adds some stiffness. Hoping that an aftermarket...

Gonytia Hot Knife Proves its Mettle

A hot knife is a luxury item, but nothing is better for cutting and sealing synthetic rope and fabric. We find ourselves reaching for...

Where Winches Dare to Go

Cross sheeting—directing the leeward jib sheet from the working winch across the cockpit to a winch on the windward side—is common practice on sport...

Mildew-resistant Caulks for Boats

Choosing a marine caulk for use above the waterline comes down to which product offers the best resistance to weathering, dirt, mildew, and ability...

Performance Sailing – Beneteau First 44 Review

The Beneteau First 44 Performance is not just another modern cruiser. In this Practical Sailor boat tour, we take a close look at the...

Latest Sailboat Reviews

Tartan 395 Boat Review            

Co-founded by Charlie Britton in the early 1960s, Tartan Yachts was established on the shores of Lake Erie in Grand River, Ohio. The original...