PS Advisor: 02/01/05
Eyeglass QuandaryDo you have any suggestions for sailing in the rain while wearing eyeglasses? I need my glasses for both distance and reading, so...
Kiwi Slides and Handle Holster
Kiwi SlidesNo matter how beautiful or well-made working sails are, their efficiency is greatly affected by the manner in which they are attached to...
Flashlight Death-Match
For good old fashioned reliability and brightness, we like Rayovac's Roughneck. Pelican's Super Sabrelite is a good choice for portability, and either of two LED models would make sense for your ditch bag.
Enter the Keen Shoe
In our ongoing quest to discover optimal personal gear, we think this California company is on to something with its hybrid sandal-shoe.
LED Flashlights
The SureFire L1 Lumamax and the Tektite Expedition Star take Best Buy honors. Incandescents may not pale in comparison, but they're fading fast.
Binoculars: 7×50, Waterproof, With Compasses
Optical acuity was very good across the board, but the devil's in the details. Steiner and Fujinon are still superb - at great cost. West Marine and Nikon share Best Buy honors.
Foul Weather Jackets
The Henri Lloyd Rapid Coastal takes top honors among the coastal jackets, followed by the Best Buy, Ronstan's Inshore. Of the offshore jackets tested, we liked the Gill Atlantic best.
Glove Up!
There's a big market these days for "exam" gloves—the kind that used to be reserved for doctors and dentists, but are now used...
Compact Binoculars
For onboard back-ups and excursions ashore, a set of good compact binox are almost required. Nikon fielded a strong team—their Mountaineers are a Best Buy. But the race is also to the Swift.
LED Lights: Low-Power, Long Life
The revolution continues. LEDs serve a growing range of uses on board.
Video: Why Are Sailboats So Cheap?
Why are sailboats so cheap right now? The used sailboat market is flooded with affordable boats from the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Brewer 12.8/44 Used Boat Review
The Brewer 12.8 and the Brewer 44 are developments of the Whitby 42, a cruising boat from the board of Ted Brewer. Brewer is one of the great modern cruising boat designers. His boats are well-mannered, attractive and practical. To improve windward performance, a high aspect ratio centerboard extends through the bottom of the 12.8's shallow keel. Since the board is not ballasted, it does not affect stability, but can be used when reaching to shift the center of lateral resistance.
