Marine Electronics:Garmin 48 Tops in Handheld GPS
As it is with notebook computers, GPS receivers continue to evolve into faster, smaller and more powerful devices. Our latest crop of test models...
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...
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...
Radar Poles: Edson Most Versatile, Garhauer the Best Buy
The marvel called radar is great to have aboard, especially when an approaching fog bank is about to compress your world into a small...
Sea Marshall Rescue Systems
The greatest fear of any sailor perhaps is the cry, “Man-overboard!” It’s not a common occurrence, but it can and does happen. Sometimes the...
Nexus Best Buy in Integrated Instruments
Today's systems are generally excellent, but sorting through them is very confusing.
Buyer’s Guide: Simrad CP32 and RayChart 520 Top Gray Scale GPS/Chartplotters
The Simrad CP32 and Raytheon RayChart 520 have the best combination of features and displays of 10 gray scale units tested.
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...
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...
Living on a Boat Off Grid: What No One Explains
Living on a boat off-grid sounds simple until you actually try it. No shore power. No marina hookups. No endless electricity. Just batteries, solar,...
Latest Sailboat Review
Union 36 Used Boat Review
While not the best boat for light-air sailing, the Union 36 is a good sailboat for the bluewater cruiser. It wont get you there fast, but it will get you there comfortably and in one piece. The boats teak decks and lavish use of interior wood is attractive but requires much upkeep and maintenance. A product of the Taiwan-U.S. boatbuilding industry, the Union 36 is a heavy-displacement, full-keel, cutter-rigged double-ender designed for ocean sailing. The Union 36 is nearly identical to several other boats built during the same period: the Hans Christian 36, Mariner Polaris 36, and the EO36. According to well-known naval architect Bob Perry, the Union 36 and its cousins are all based on the design of a 34-footer that Perry was commissioned to create back in the early 70s.