Safety & Seamanship

Bloatware in a Small Package

A couple of years ago, I worked briefly for an Internet company that was going to take over the world of sailing. By the...

Seasickness Remedies: Start With the Least Invasive

For one chronic seasickness sufferer, the $7 Sea-Band worked pretty well. The $45 ReliefBand also worked, at the price of a sore wrist. Ginger didn't do the trick.

Emergency Rigging Cutters

The new Toolova Shootit 12 is a no-brainer at the high end-it cuts wire and rod almost like butter. At the low end, the old hacksaw does pretty well, too.

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.

How Long Do Sails Last?

How long do sails actually last? Sailmakers often say cruising sails last around 10–15 years, but what happens when you discover a sail that’s...

Latest Sailboat Review

Jeanneau 55 Boat Review

This recent sailboat from Jeanneau may as well be a spaceship. They’ve taken all the time-honored designs of a monohull aft cockpit and turned...