Communications

GMDSS: Mass Confusion?

Recently we received the following e-mail from reader Gerard Lacroix, asking questions about radio communications that must be on the minds of others. Your...

Standard HX350S Is Top-Rated Waterproof Handheld VHF Radio

In our bench tests of seven waterproof models, the Garmin VHF 720 and Icom M-1+ failed their dunkings.

GPS 406 MHz EPIRBs: ACR vs. NAT

ACR and National Airborne Technology have taken two distinct approaches to transmitting position data along with distress signals. We favor NATs integral GPS over ACRs peripheral connection, but its twice as expensive.

Inexpensive E-mail: Magellan GSC 100 vs. SASCO OceanMail 2000

We prefer the SASCO OceanMail 2000

In-Your-Pocket Email

PocketMail is a current favorite of coastal cruisers. It’s inexpensive and reliable. Of two PDAs tested, we prefer the Sharp TM-20 over the BackFlip.

Close As A Pencil Point

On May 1, President Clinton announced that the selective availability (SA) system used to degrade GPS (global positioning system) signals was terminated, effective at...

Offshore Log: Essential Forecasting Tools

Our years of sailing in New England and the Caribbean, with their stable, predictable weather patterns, left us ill-prepared to deal with the vagaries...

Why This $1M+ Sailboat Might Be The Best Bluewater Cruiser in...

The Bluewater 56 is one of the most misunderstood offshore cruisers in the sailing world — and today we’re diving deep into what makes...

Latest Sailboat Review

Rethinking Sailboat Structure

When it comes to describing a sailboats most valuable attribute, its surprising how varied opinions can be. Staying afloat should be our first priority, and although you seldom read or hear much about it at boat shows, the structural elements that hold a sailboat together are an all-important consideration.