Boat Maintenance

Update: Honey Teak Has Staying Power

Last March, we reported the initial results of a new long-term varnish exposure test. What a difference a year makes!

Hull Blisters: Know the Enemy

In 1990 Practical Sailor published Comtex Development's definitive findings about the causes of blisters on fiberglass hulls. The author was Rick Strand, then president...

PS Advisor: July 2001

Lexan vs. PlexiIm planning to replace my wooden companionway boards with translucent plastic. Is there a difference between Lexan and plexiglass? Can both be...

Personal Rescue Lights: Less Than Brilliant

ACR slightly outshone the rest of a dim group. These lights can help in a quick pick-up, but youre unlikely to see them beyond a half-mile in most sea conditions.

Sandpaper: Carborundum’s Premier Red Shines For The Price

Rare is the boat owner who is unacquainted with sandpaper. Those who do most of their own work are on intimate terms.

Sandpaper: Carborundum’s Premier Red Shines For The Price

Rare is the boat owner who is unacquainted with sandpaper. Those who do most of their own work are on intimate terms.

Varnish Exposure Test

20 different brands are brushed on teak panels and put out to weather in the sun, rain and snow. Here’s a 6-month report.

Our 10th Annual Bottom Paint Test

Micron Optima rates best at preventing growth on hulls, but its short pot life makes runners-up Trinidad SR, ACP Ultima and Micron CSC Extra look equally good.û

Tommy Tape is Tops

Used for mast boots, turnbuckles, hose leaks and wrapping electrical wire, self-amalgamating tape is a chemical marvel.

Spare Parts 3/01

Micrologic RepairReader Carl Love wrote to say, You might want to add Bay Country Electronics to your list at 4 Dock St., Annapolis, Maryland,...

The Tartan 365: A Modern Cruiser with Performance Pedigree

Welcome aboard the Tartan 365, a modern performance cruiser that blends innovative design, speed, and luxurious comfort. In this video, we take a detailed...

Latest Sailboat Review

Hunter 45DS Used Boat Review

Hunter Marine unveiled its latest large cruising monohull, the Hunter 45DS, in late 2007. The boat is essentially an upgrade of the 44DS, with twin wheels, a new transom, new styling, and a roomier, reconfigured interior. Hunter has sold 152 hulls since the boats debut, making it a fairly successful endeavor. To increase the Hunter 45DSs interior volume, designer Glenn Henderson opted for relatively high freeboard and additional length. Henderson also matched a nearly elliptical rudder with a smaller keel. The 54-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary engine moved the Hunter through calm water at 8 knots at 3,000 rpm. Testers sailed the 45-footer in flat water and 13.5 knots of wind, making 5.8 knots and were able to tack through 110 degrees. The current base price of the Hunter is $268,990.