GMDSS: Mass Confusion?

Recently we received the following e-mail from reader Gerard Lacroix, asking questions about radio communications that must be on the minds of others. Your...

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...

Offshore Log: An Evolution in EPIRBs

New GPS-connected EPIRBs and ACR's forthcoming Personal Locator Beacon promise to improve search and rescue operations at sea.

Chandlery

Fire & Flame GuardIt's a clich but also true that theres nothing as scary as a fire on a boat, or anywhere else for...

GPS 406 MHz EPIRBs: ACR vs. NAT

ACR and National Airborne Technology have taken two distinct approaches to transmitting position data along with distress signals. We favor NATs integral GPS over ACRs peripheral connection, but its twice as expensive.

Safety Harness Tests

Results of the Sailing Foundation's tests of 25 harnesses. One fails catastrophically.

Top 10 Products for 1999

Our annual selection of outstanding equipment, headlined this year by the Spade anchor, Nexus instruments and the Isotemp water heater.

Hurricane Watch

When I moved from Michigan to Rhode Island in 1980, sailing my old Pearson Triton through the lakes, canals and Hudson River, it never...

Safety Harness Tether Test

Part II of the Sailing Foundation's tests of harnesses and tethers finds an astonishing 47% failure rate.

Not Quite A Life Raft

Following our three-part series on life rafts, we now briefly examine five inshore rescue platforms from Survival Products, Switlik and Winslow.

Latest Logbook

Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026

This month we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...

Video: Morgan 44 Review – The Catalina Cruiser Everyone Forgot

The 1989 Morgan 44 is a big center-cockpit cruising sailboat with Catalina DNA—but it may be one of the most overlooked boats of its...

Latest Sailboat Reviews

Bayfield 32 Used Boat Review

At first glance, the Bayfield 32 looks less like a fiberglass production boat from the 1980s and more like somebody shrank a traditional sailing...

Brewer 12.8/44 Used Boat Review

Antigua 60: Soolaimon

Pearson 35 Used Boat Review