Underwater Patching Compounds
Maybe it's more fun to contemplate a new handheld GPS, but there may come a moment when a good underwater repair compound will be the most interesting thing in your life.
Hull Hole Damage Control
The idea of serious hull damage offshore isn't one people like to dwell on, but preparation makes sense. PS interviewed offshore experts on how they plan and what they carry.
Seasickness Remedies: Start With the Least Invasive
For one chronic seasickness sufferer, the $7 Sea-Band worked pretty well. The $45 ReliefBand also worked, at the price of a sore wrist. Ginger didn't do the trick.
Emergency Rigging Cutters
The new Toolova Shootit 12 is a no-brainer at the high end-it cuts wire and rod almost like butter. At the low end, the old hacksaw does pretty well, too.
Daytime Distress Signals: Flares Shine in the Wind
No matter how you put out a call for help on the water—VHF, EPIRB, cell phone, or mental telepathy—sooner or later you'll need to...
PFDs Set Straight
Confused about today’s growing number of types and styles of life jackets? No wonder. Here's a primer on the rules, as well as some common-sense advice.
Wrestling With PFDs
We have a good article on PFDs this month, and it's worried me every time I've looked at it. These worries can probably be...
Brinkmann, LSI, Optronics Shine Bright in Spotlight Test
Sixteen lights from six manufacturers.
Fire Extinguishers: A Good Bunch, But Get More than the Minimum
They all performed comparably, but we'd pick the Kidde 1044, which was somewhat effective on Class-A fires and discharged for three seconds longer than the others.
Dead-Reckoning
A friend recently made a short delivery on a boat whose compass was fully 30 degrees deviated. No one worried about it. No one...
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – October 2026
This month leans into used-boat value and hands-on maintenance: Tim Labute tours the traditional, shoal-draft Bayfield 32, Nick Nicholson revisits the much-requested Morgan 38/382,...
Video: Why Does Every Sailboat Have Twin Helms?
From the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 to the Catalina 425, twin helms have become increasingly common on modern cruising sailboats....
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Maya: A John Atkin-Designed Gem in New Zealand
“When I’m out sailing, people come up next to the boat and tell me it is the most beautiful boat they’ve ever seen,” says...
