Mailport: 12/06
MARINE INSURANCE REDUXI have been reading with much interest your articles about marine insurance this year (April and May 2006).
The Custom Marine Computer
Compact, energy efficient systems offer an affordable alternative to a laptop.
Chandlery: 04/15/04
Suunto M9 Wristop ComputerIn the trend towards miniaturization in electronics, there's a fine line between true utility and whiz-bang cleverness for its own sake....
Sailing Simulator Software
Stentec is complicated to learn, but still tops for realism and value. Posey has kept developing, and now has a whole suite of programs for different sailing disciplines.
Chandlery: 02/15/03
PDA/GPS/Charting Package, ACR ThermaBlanket, Tool Leash
As the World Turns
We received a couple of letters this month from people who had trouble setting the tide functions on their Casio SPF-40 watches. One...
Navigation Software Update
Fugawi does the job at an attractive price. RayTech Navigator 4 shines as a real-time navigating tool. Maptech's Offshore Navigator delivers a complete planning/navigation package.
Choose Your Own Seductions
Here's a letter and response we were going to run in Mailport this month, but we'll run it in this space instead: ----------As I...
Website Shopping at the Big Four
West Marine's site has been carefully developed and tended for years, and it shows, across the board. The BoatU.S. site is also well-polished.
Marine Electronics:Garmin 48 Tops in Handheld GPS
As it is with notebook computers, GPS receivers continue to evolve into faster, smaller and more powerful devices. Our latest crop of test models...
Living on a Boat Off Grid: What No One Explains
Living on a boat off-grid sounds simple until you actually try it. No shore power. No marina hookups. No endless electricity. Just batteries, solar,...
Latest Sailboat Review
Union 36 Used Boat Review
While not the best boat for light-air sailing, the Union 36 is a good sailboat for the bluewater cruiser. It wont get you there fast, but it will get you there comfortably and in one piece. The boats teak decks and lavish use of interior wood is attractive but requires much upkeep and maintenance. A product of the Taiwan-U.S. boatbuilding industry, the Union 36 is a heavy-displacement, full-keel, cutter-rigged double-ender designed for ocean sailing. The Union 36 is nearly identical to several other boats built during the same period: the Hans Christian 36, Mariner Polaris 36, and the EO36. According to well-known naval architect Bob Perry, the Union 36 and its cousins are all based on the design of a 34-footer that Perry was commissioned to create back in the early 70s.