Tiller Extensions: Forespars Cobra and Spinlocks E-series
We try fixed-length and telescoping hiking sticks from Forespar, RWO, Ronstan, Spinlock and Wichard.
Busy Hands in Switzerland
We have reported several times in the past about instruments imported by an entrepreneur named David Laylin. He keeps a few Swiss working (some...
Mailport 05/01/00
Battery BurnupIn your January 1, 2000 issue, Mr. Dale Botwin reported his experience with an inexpensive Group 24 starting battery getting very hot and...
Comings and Goings
Weve been aware for some years that the Loran navigation system is presumably on the way out, this despite the fact that the global...
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...
Handbearing Compasses: Plastimo Iris
One of the most time-consuming chores at Practical Sailor is finding, selecting and assembling the products to be tested. Even before we figure out...
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.
ChartView Edges MaxSea in Nav Software Matchup
Though MaxSea is very easy to use, and works with Macs, ChartView has more capabilities.
Cabin Fan Test: Hella, Caframo Blow Best Breeze for the Buck
Oscillating models fail early in long-term testing.
Offshore Log: An Evolution in EPIRBs
New GPS-connected EPIRBs and ACR's forthcoming Personal Locator Beacon promise to improve search and rescue operations at sea.
Should We Rescue This Free Sailboat??
A friend is giving away an old sailboat for free, and now we have to answer the dangerous question every sailor secretly loves: is...
Latest Sailboat Review
Bob Perry’s Salty Tayana 37-Footer: Boat Review
With several hundred boats sailing the seas of the world, the Tayana 37 has been one of the most successful products of the U.S.s Taiwan-built boat invasion that began in the early 1970s. Its shapely Baltic stern, scribed plank seams molded into the glass hull, and lavish use of teak above and belowdecks have come to epitomize the image associated with Oriental boats.