Boat Maintenance

Revisiting Odor & Tank Treatments

Sodium percarbonate (Na2H3CO6 ) is a hydrate formed between sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, and is more properly written 2 Na2CO3 + 3 H2O2...

Substitutes for Just in Case

We get a lot of chemistry questions, and a common thread lately seems to be the use of replacement solvents and green alternatives. While...

Products and Tips to Stop Wood Rot

Wood has lot going for it. It is strong and stiff per unit weight, easy to work with, attractive, and economical. Teak decks provide...

Digital Diagnostic Tools

In addition to a considerable inventory of tools, materials, parts, and old test inventory, we’ve collected a variety of laboratory and field testing equipment....

Even 2020 Yielded Some Great Gear

Once more, the bulk of the past year’s testing focused on maintenance products, safety essentials, and do-it-yourself substitutes for higher priced marine gear. Part...

Making Sailing Affordable

Every sailboat occasionally needs to leave the water. Sometimes it’s more of an emergency room visit, caused by a grounding, collision or rigging failure....

Epoxy Barrier Coat Update

There’s more than a little irony in the need to keep a fiberglass boat away from water. The reason revolves around chemistry and the...

Boat Disposal Options

Once upon a time, old wooden boats had the good sense to rot away. Not that I’m anti-wooden boat—there are some lovely examples in...

Mailport: Alexseal Topside Paint

Caution Aloft Regarding your recent “PS Advisor” on going aloft (see PS July 2020, “Simple Tricks on Going Aloft”), I don’t go aloft without a...

Step-by-Step Deck Core Repair

Last month we looked at the effectiveness of injecting resin to repair damaged core sections (see “Can Glue Injection Fix Rotten Core,” PS July...

Affordable AND Good? Sabre 34 Mk II Review

Can you buy a good sailboat for $25,000? In this video we take a deep dive into the Sabre 34 Mk II, a proven...
How Long Do Sails Last? video from Practical Sailor

How Long Do Sails Last?

Latest Sailboat Review

Hanse 430e Boat Review

We’re looking at a boat that sounds like a German electronics band but is actually a 43-ft. cruising sailboat—the Hanse 430e. If you’re shopping...