Ocean Testing the Best Sailing Gear
Circumnavigators Evans Starzinger gives Practical Sailor his unvarnished assessment of what sailing equipment holds up to the real-world tests of serious offshore cruising. Evans evaluates autopilots, winches, rope clutches, boom vangs, mainsail slides, sailing instruments, safety equipment, marine electronics, and more. His conclusion? A lot of equipment that is marketed for recreational sailors doesn't offer good value when compared to products designed for commercial, industrial, or non-marine purposes. Some of it plain doesn't work.
Mailport: 12/06
MARINE INSURANCE REDUXI have been reading with much interest your articles about marine insurance this year (April and May 2006).
Waterproof iPod Cases
Devices that keep your tunes dry, even when you're not.
Pint-size Navigators Put to the Test
PS gets a fix on which GPS handheld best suits the average Salty Joe.
Rhumb Lines — Getting a Fix on Reality
It was mid-July 1990 on the Caicos Banks, a stretch of shallow, gin-clear water extending for about 70 miles east to west in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Along with a dozen other cruisers whod chosen to thumb our noses at hurricane season (ah, those were simpler times), we were pausing in Providenciales before heading south. …
Nav Software Wars
Maptech masters the art of making sense; at 15 years old, The Capn charts a new course.
The Custom Marine Computer
Compact, energy efficient systems offer an affordable alternative to a laptop.
Getting a Handle on VHFs
Feature-filled Standard Horizon edges Icom.
Take One Deep Breath
With pre-recorded instructions, the rechargeable Safety Mate calmly talks you through a range of first-aid procedures, right down to counting the 30 chest compressions...
Diving into Plotter/Sounders
Navman out-pixels ’em all, and Furuno bests the rest.
O’Day 40 – A Budget Cruiser for the Bahamas
The O’Day 40 (1986) is one of those cruising sailboats that somehow slipped through the cracks of sailing history. Built during the final years...
Latest Sailboat Review
Island Packet Estero Used Boat Review
Florida-based Island Packet targets a relatively narrow niche, so the toughest competitors to its new boats are often older Island Packets. Introduced in 2010, the 36-foot, shoal-draft Estero is the company’s latest attempt to introduce a distinctive model that doesn’t stray too far from the company’s proven formula for success: moderate displacement, full-keel cruisers designed to be lived on, sailed far and in comfort, and endure the bumps, scrapes, and storms that cruising boats inevitably encounter. After sailing the Estero on Florida’s Sarasota Bay and inspecting its interior, construction, and systems, Practical Sailor testers noted that the shoal-water cruiser will appeal strongest to Island Packet fans who’ve been waiting for a shoal-draft, easy-to-sail boat that compares to the IP37 in terms of interior space. These strengths will be most apparent on intracoastal or riverine adventures like the Great Loop.