Distress

Aqua Vigil Alarm Is Simple but Quirky

Nothing is scarier than seeing water coming into your boat. If you're not aboard to see the spectacle, you'll be safe — but it might be curtains for your boat.

Abandon Ship Bags: Don’t Leave the Boat Without Them

At $100, West Marine’s bag is a Best Buy, but no one beats Landfall Navigation’s watertight construction.

WAAS Up? New Acronym Stands For Better GPS Accuracy

Raytheon's Raychart 320 is consistently more accurate than two conventional DGPS units from Raytheon and Garmin — and it's less expensive.

Safety Alert: Life Raft Repacker Cited

On September 15, 2000 the US Coast Guards 1st District issued a Safety Alert to warn life raft owners who had rafts serviced by...

Lifeline Stanchions: New Aluminum Matella Is Super Strong

Cast bases outperform welded ones, so look to Spartan and Suncor.

US Coast Guard To Test 406 MHz EPIRBs

Carrying a 406 MHz EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)-a big improvement over older 121.5 MHz beacons-is an effective way to make sure youre...

3-Brand Inflatable PFD Evaluation

In-the-water tests of USCG-approved PFDs from Sospenders, Mustang and Stearns.

Johnson & Johnson and Orion Our Picks Among Marine Medical Kits

When we conduct used-boat inspections we look everywhere, including inside medicine cabinets. Especially on boats that are more than five years old, we are...

Offshore Log:Do You Know Where Your Emergency Tiller Is?

The great racing sailor, Paul Elvstrom, preferred the superior sensitivity of tiller steering to wheel steering even on larger offshore boats. Elvstrom, however, seems...

Lifesling Goes Throwable

Were safety conscious at Practical Sailor. Readers know that, from the numerous articles about our in-the-water and bench tests. We rarely fail to comment...

Fast, Beautiful, and Practical – Meet the New Beneteau First 30

The Beneteau First 30 isn’t just another 30-foot cruiser — it’s the Porsche 911 of sailboats. Heritage performance, everyday usability, and thrilling design come...

Latest Sailboat Review

Pearson 30 Used Boat Review

The Pearson 30 was designed as a family cruiser and daysailer with a good turn of speed. The boat is actively raced throughout the country, however, with some holding IOR certificates, and many more racing in PHRF, MORC, and one-design fleets.