Your New Feature-Packed VHF Radio
In the ever-evolving realm of maritime communication, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) have emerged as game-changers within the latest models...
Preparing A Boat to Sail Solo
You have probably heard people say sailing solo is dangerous or irresponsible. How can you keep a proper watch? What happens if you have...
Solar Panels: Go Rigid If You have the Space…
Movies can be corny, but Jack Sparrow nicely summarized the romance of sailing: Thats what a ship is, you know. Its not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, thats what a ship needs but what a ship is ... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom.
Leaping Into Lithium
Your dock neighbor just switched out her old 12-volt lead-acid batteries for lithium-ion batteries. Should you? The lithium solution will be more expensive, but...
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...
Install a Standalone Sounder Without Drilling
Are you one of those sailors who believes there are too many holes in the hull of your boat? Have you ever wondered if...
The Tricked Out Tillerpilot
Self-contained tillerpilots are a simple and darn handy means of steering a smaller sailboat, particularly when sailing solo. For the singlehander a tillerpilot is...
Resolving Common Steering Problems
Your steering packed it in and you are stuck with either your emergency tiller or an emergency rudder and tiller. These often require the...
Sketching Out Installation Options
I worked through the alternative steering geometries and forces using trigonometry. An easier way to evaluate various installations is to use a triangle, ruler,...
Essential Tillerpilot Accessories
Tillerpilots don’t come with the even the most basic accessories we need, so our options are to order overpriced widgets or to improvise.
RETAINER (PHOTO...
Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean – Alberg 37
Are you looking for a family sailboat that can cross the ocean and sail the Caribbean in safety and comfort? Carl Alberg designed the...
Latest Sailboat Review
Hunter 45DS Used Boat Review
Hunter Marine unveiled its latest large cruising monohull, the Hunter 45DS, in late 2007. The boat is essentially an upgrade of the 44DS, with twin wheels, a new transom, new styling, and a roomier, reconfigured interior. Hunter has sold 152 hulls since the boats debut, making it a fairly successful endeavor. To increase the Hunter 45DSs interior volume, designer Glenn Henderson opted for relatively high freeboard and additional length. Henderson also matched a nearly elliptical rudder with a smaller keel. The 54-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary engine moved the Hunter through calm water at 8 knots at 3,000 rpm. Testers sailed the 45-footer in flat water and 13.5 knots of wind, making 5.8 knots and were able to tack through 110 degrees. The current base price of the Hunter is $268,990.