Rethinking the Use of Inflatable PFDs
In the early 1800s Norwegian sailors started wearing cork filled vests dubbed the Seamans Friend. And over the next two centuries, life jacket design and the materials used have continued to evolve. One of the most promising offshoots has been the inflatable personal flotation device (PFD)-invented and patented by Peter Markus and one thats drawn our interest for over three decades.
Luck and the Urge to Duck
At night, when only the counted seconds between the lightning flash and thunder-crack offer any clue of what is to come, the intertropical convergence zone seems otherworldly.
Prevention Plan for Finger Tendon Injuries
As an avid climber I pay attention to my aches and pains. To blindly ignore them puts myself and others at risk. The same is true for sailing.
Anchoring Legal Responsibility
We often get questions about anchoring rights. While it is commonly understood that the first boat arriving in an anchorage has privileges, many see this as a matter of etiquette, but it is also a legal issue. The below citations are from the case Juniata 124 F. 861 US Admiralty Court, E.D. Virginia, 1903. Other rulings we reviewed generally agree.]
Ditch Kit for Small Sailboats
When we had a larger boat and made offshore hops, conventional ditch bag thinking made sense. But when I downsized to a 24-foot trimaran, it dawned on me that with just a little adjustment, my day bag could ably serve my near-shore sailing needs. (See What to Pack in a Ditch Kit, PS May 2014, Abandon Ship Bags: Dont Leave the Boat Without Them, PS March 2001, and Bags Fit for Sea Life, PS December 2012, and The Get Home Toolkit, October 2018.)
Ditch Bag for the Daysailer
A closer look inside a ditch bag for the coastal daysailer
Rescue Safety Lights & Strobes II
A personal rescue strobe is a small signaling light intended to be attached to a PFD so if a boat crew member goes overboard, their position will be visible to those left on board. Since we last looked at personal rescue strobes theres been some new developments in the intensity of the light that can be generated from a small handheld strobe (see PS February 2016). Strobes can be manual or automatic (water activated) and…
Boat Gas Detectors and False Alarms
Gas detectors are not magic gadgets, quantifying specific chemicals and then alarming when they reach a precise level. Because of the simplicity of the detection algorithm, sensors are subject to interferences from other gases, some harmless and some that are themselves a problem.
Cold Water Survival
When we read about a sailor lost overboard in the storm, we think about PFDs and personal locator beacons, and accept the sea is unforgiving. When we read of novice boaters drowning in a local lake, were sad, but say that will not happen us because we wear PFDs. But when we read of a PFD-equipped sailor falling overboard and dying within minutes its a real eye-opener.
Beware of the Gasp Reflex
Should you find yourself cast in icy water, there are few things you can do that may help.
Before You Buy a Beneteau Watch This First – Hanse 430E...
Thinking about buying a 40–45 foot cruising sailboat? Before you default to a Beneteau, Jeanneau, Catalina, or Hunter, this in-depth Practical Sailor review takes...
Latest Sailboat Review
Tartan 33 Used Boat Review
In 1978, Tartan brought out the Tartan Ten, a 33', fairly light, fractionally-rigged "offshore one design." The boat was a huge success: fast, easy to sail, and unencumbered by the design limitations of a rating rule. But the Tartan Ten had one big problem: limited accommodations with stooping headroom, an interior most kindly described as spartan. A hardy crew could take the Tartan Ten on a multi-day race such as the Mackinac, and you might even coax your family aboard for a weekend of camping out. But cruising or extended racing in comfort? Forget it!