Chartplotter-Sounder Conversions
You can add a conversion kit and transducer to a chartplotter/radar display, and have robust sounder capabilities without needing another screen. We evaluate conversion kits from Garmin, Furuno and Raymarine.
Walker Bay RIDs
There will be added drag in some conditions, and the nine-footer is tough for one person to carry. Minor gripes aside, though, Walker Bay's addition of an inflatable tube was a great move.
Offshore Log: The Volvo Open 70
This new class of round-the-world racers has just been introduced. The boats will be designed for even more speed than their 60-foot predecessors, but also engineered for more safety.
PS Advisor: 10/15/03
Lifesling Recovery OptionsI've read about the difficulty of getting a crewmember back aboard once s/he's fallen into the water. It's not hard to imagine...
Offshore Log: Back to School
We harp on the theme of learning and maintaining piloting skills. People tire of it, but it must be done. Here's another example.
Electronic Cartography Update
Ever get confused about the names and types of electronic charts out there, and what runs on what, and where the data comes from? We do, too, so here's a review, and a reference guide.
Monochrome GPS Plotter-Sounders
Need a sounder and a chartplotter but don’t have the space or the money for two separate units? A monochrome combination unit might be the answer. Pickin's are slim: either Garmin or Lowrance.
Offshore Log: A Pitch for Adjusting Pitch
We shouldn't take prop pitch for granted. The Max-Prop VP prop is adjustable underwater. It costs a lot, but so does a haulout.
406 MHz EPIRBs
The ACR Global Fix 406 with internal GPS is the top pick, followed by the Pains Wessex SOS Precision. The NAT Satfind lacks an integral GPS, but has a user-changeable battery.
PS Advisor: 07/01/03
Data, Displays, and the NMEAI currently own navigation equipment from three different companies, primarily because I felt they were the best value or provided...
Why Sailors Love to Hate the MacGregor 26
The MacGregor 26 might be the most controversial sailboat ever built. Half sailboat. Half powerboat. Water ballast. A 50-horsepower outboard. Capable of sailing… and...
Latest Sailboat Review
Catalina Morgan 440 Used Boat Review
The Catalina Morgan 440 is a massive ocean-capable design from the drafting board of Gerry Douglas, a prolific designer for Catalina Yachts for over...