Mailport & PS Advisor

PS Advisor: Silencing Halyard Noise at Anchor

Many sailors only visit the boat in fair weather and light winds, and they don’t know the mischief their berthed boat is up to...

Mailport: May 2022

DUMP LINES FOR FAST CATS Regarding your recent blog post on the manual mainsail dump line on the custom catamaran Whisper Dave (see the Inside...

Do Look Up: The Real Risk of Powerlines

Seven years ago, in my home cruising grounds of Chesapeake Bay, high voltage electricity arced from a powerline to the mast of a 35-foot...

Mailport: April 2022

DREMEL POLISHING BOBS Regarding your recent blog post on corrosion (see “Fighting Off Marine Electrical System Corrosion,” PS Online), when cleaning up corroded terminals and...

Is Your Dinghy Ready for the Unexpected?

Ever since my own brush with a breezy day that turned an afternoon dinghy sail into an arduous struggle to get back to shore,...

Passivating Stainless on Sails and Gear

Often stainless steel hardware on our sails will begin to rust under the cloth webbing, not only staining the fabric and webbing, but inviting...

Mailport: March 2022

NAVIGATION ADVICE Regarding your recent blog post on navigating in poorly chartered waters, all of your tips, plus make use of the masses of very...

Must I Remove Mast Hardware to Paint?

Refinishing hulls, decks and masts has been revolutionized by epoxy primers and two part polyurethane top coat material. Their adhesive quality, durability, longevity and...

Mailport: February 2022

SPLIT MAINSHEET Regarding your recent report on split mainsheets (see PS November 2020, “Do Twin Mainsheets Better Control the Mainsail?”), if you attach the preventers/...

The Orion 357 Electric Flare After 1 Year

In our report on the new electronic visual distress signalling devices (eVDSD) we mentioned in passing that a U.S. Coast Guard approved eVDSD might...

Tayana 37: What You Should Know | Boat Review

Looking to buy a 35-40 foot sailboat? Considering a Tayana 37? See a Tayana 37 for sale? What are the pros and cons of...