Offshore Log: The Volvo 60: Not Your Mom’s Station Wagon
Practical Sailor's Nick Nicholson, one of three measurers for the Volvo Ocean Race, monitors the design and construction of the boats, sails, and equipment used.
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...
Offshore Log: European Safety Solutions
Nick Nicholson photographs man-overboard gear on the docks of Marmaris.
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.
Offshore Log: Mediterranean Idyll
Calypso checks the styles in Marmaris, and overhauls her chain.
Offshore Log: A Haulout in Turkey
With good facilities available, Calypso receives some standard TLC after traveling half the globe.
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.
Steering Compasses: Show Me the Way to Go Home
For this review, Practical Sailor collected, from the hundreds available, 18 steering compasses. Included are binnacle, bulkhead and bracket models, plus several interesting ones shown only in photos. Except for the bronze Telltale compass shown on page 7, all have 12V lighting and gimbal systems.
Why This $1M+ Sailboat Might Be The Best Bluewater Cruiser in...
The Bluewater 56 is one of the most misunderstood offshore cruisers in the sailing world — and today we’re diving deep into what makes...
Latest Sailboat Review
Rethinking Sailboat Structure
When it comes to describing a sailboats most valuable attribute, its surprising how varied opinions can be. Staying afloat should be our first priority, and although you seldom read or hear much about it at boat shows, the structural elements that hold a sailboat together are an all-important consideration.