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Mailport & PS Advisor

Mailport: Clew knots, sail paints, fighting mildew

LOVE HITCH AT THE CLEW Regarding your recent report “In Search of a Snag-free Clew,” (see PS February 2024), even luggage tags can catch on...

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.

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.

Mailport: Water heater mystery smell

WATER HEATER MYSTERY SMELL I just read your Waypoints blog post “Hot Water Heater Installation Tips,” and wanted to share my experience. I recently installed...

Mailport: Aftermarket exhaust; window replacement; epoxy blurp

AFTERMARKET EXHAUST I have really appreciated the refit series from John Stone you’ve published (see “Rebuilding a Cape Dory 36,” PS November 2022). As someone beginning to...

Gybing Spinnakers without Getting Snagged

Last month’s report on preventing jib sheets for snagging while tacking (see “In Search of the Snag-free Clew,” PS February 2024) brought up a...

Mailport: Marine plywood, fuel additives, through bolt options, winch handle holders

DIFFERENTIATING FIRS I enjoyed your destructive wood testing and your patience in waiting eight years to report comprehensive results (see PS December 2023, “Wood Rot...

The Cruising Sailor’s Argument for High-tech Fibers

We’re not racers. A few ounces doesn’t matter to us, so why should we be interested in Dyneema, or any of the other popular...

PS Advisor: Saving “Furry” Plywood Backing Plate

Recently, a reader asked us about the plywood backing plates for a through-hull on his boat. He said that the top laminate appeared “furry”...

Mailport: Winch handle holster, sea dogs, and core repair

MAST-CLIMBING ABOVE THE HOUNDS Regarding your recent blog post on mast climbing (see “Going Aloft Sans Butterflies,” Inside Practical Sailor), my fractional rigged boat has...

CATAMARAN SHOWDOWN – Outremer 52 vs Lagoon 52: It’s Not Even...

Get ready for one of the most entertaining catamaran reviews we’ve done yet. Today we’re looking at the Outremer 52, a lightweight, high-performance bluewater...

Latest Sailboat Review

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32 Used Boat Review

The Sun Odyssey 32 and Sun Fast 32i are two versions of the same boat, designed by Philippe Briand. The attractive combination may well capture a good share of the market in this size slot.