Moisture Meters: Can You Trust Them? We Test Five Models
You've made an offer on a used boat and have retained a marine surveyor to examine the vessel prior to completing the transaction. One...
Lithium in Winter: Design for the Cold, Not Around It
Winter temperatures are challenging for year-round sailors. Appropriate clothing is vital, including waterproof socks, layering for the legs and midsection, finishing off with a...
The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning
We all want a crystal ball that tells us exactly what we will be in for during a passage, however long or short it...
Power Up: Planning Your Lithium Conversion on a Budget
I once heard of a sailor who prided himself on sailing “pure”—no motor, no electrical, just wood and canvas. How he could dock and...
Navigating the Secondhand Marine Electronics Market
Electronics, unfortunately, don’t last forever. When an electronic component decides to fail on your boat, you will likely want to have it replaced. While...
No-Sew DIY Tiller Pilot Cover
Although they are rated waterproof, the most common cause of death for tiller pilots is water intrusion. I've had one die from this. Like...
Waterline or Keel? Setting Your Depth Sounder
Ever since electronic or sonar/transducer type depth sounders have been around, sailors and captains have had love/hate debates over how a depth sounder should...
Waterproof Connectors: 4 Year Update of SAE 2-Pin Connectors
I’ve long hated proprietary 12 volt connectors. This project started six years ago when the power plug on my tiller pilot failed, falling to...
How To Maintain A Small Boat’s Electrical System
Well intentioned friends and relatives often make comments along the lines of, “Aren’t you scared of being out on the ocean, all alone, in...
Lightning Protection 101
We now have permanent research satellites in orbit whose sole function is to monitor and study global lightning activity. Like so many areas of...
The Fastest Cruising Sailboat in the World?
What is the fastest cruising sailboat in the world—and can a monohull really compete with catamarans for speed while still being livable? In this...
Latest Sailboat Review
Morgan 34 Used Boat Review
By today's standards, the Morgan 34 is a small boat, comparable in accommodations to a lot of 30-footers. When the boat was designed, she was as big as most other boats of her overall length. In profile, the boat has a sweeping, moderately concave sheer. The ends of the boat are beautifully balanced: the bow profile is a slight convex curve, the overhanging counter aft is slightly concave. Esthetically, hull shapes of this period from the best designers are still hard to beat.