Mainsail Track Hardware
The three S's of mainsail handling get a lot of attention. Rightfully so, too. Whether it's a small family sloop or a flat-out ocean...
Raytheon Dominates RadarTesting; JRC 1500 Is A Best Buy
Small-boat radar has advanced considerably over the past few years. Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have gone from being a poor compromise to the standard...
Marine Electronics:SEA 159, Icom M45 and M49 Are Top Fixed-Mount VHF Radios
What with all the current interest in handheld GPS and LCD radar, its easy to forget that most fundamental and important piece of marine...
Offshore Log: Robertson AP 300CS on Trial. Bob Earns His Keep
Our trip from Venezuela to Bonaire was the first real test of Bob, our Robertson AP 300CX autopilot. He passed with flying colors.Although I...
A New Era in Weather Forecasts
Benjamin Franklin is credited with the quote “the weatherwise and the otherwise.” It remains savvy advice for all sailors, and thanks to modern oceanographic...
Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing
Last week, I covered some of the things I suggest you need to think through on the boat before heading out solo. Now, what...
The Hunt is on for a Quality, Well-placed Emergency Tiller
A decade ago, Practical Sailor editors began scouring boat shows for the perfect emergency tiller and an ideal stowage system for it. Little more...
PS Advisor: Resurrecting a Windlass
I’ve got an old manual anchor windlass with a badly corroded gypsy that needs to be replaced. There is a 1:1 bronze "cross" on...
Stabilizing Cameras and Video Cameras Underway
Anyone who has ever tried to stabilize a camera aboard a moving boat knows how difficult it can be to keep the equipment dry,...
Portable Sailing Tools for Tracking and Tuning Boat Speed
The marine GPS receiver in its purest form is meant to answer three important questions: Where are we? What direction are we going? How...