Watching the Flashers
We don't have cable or satellite TV at home. We have an antenna-an amplified antenna, mind you-and we can pick up, in...
Static-Free Satellite Radio: XM and Sirius
Digital Satellite Audio Radio promises near-CD quality digital sound, but it hasn't taken off as expected. Is there good reason to subscribe to any of the companies?
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.
Color GPS Chartplotters
The Standard Horizon CP150C is a Best Buy. The small Si-Tex and Garmin units are also strong. At the higher end we like the Simrad machine, but wish it could run Garmin's BlueChart.
Handheld Holders
Ram Mounting Systems will put a firm grip on your GPS, VHF radio, or any other handheld. Less expensive products from Arkon and Davis work, too, but need some tweaking before you can feel confident about your gear slamming in a seaway.
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...
Waterproof Stereo Speakers
Bose 131 takes top honors, Poly-Planar MA5107 is best buy
Fishfinders (a.k.a. Scanning Depthsounders)
Why stick to a measly numerical readout if you can get a picture of the bottom? The Furuno LS6100 and Garmin 240 Blue finish one-two in our look at six units from $300 to $400.
Electronic Charting Evolution
The following report was written by RonDoescher, of Westford, MA. It started as a letter to Mailport, and turned into a very interesting...
Marinas Are Quietly Banning Older Boats
Are marinas starting to quietly ban older boats? Across California and other high-demand coastal areas, boat owners are reporting increasing difficulty getting slips for...
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.