Looking for the Perfect Inflatable Pump
The time it takes to fill an inflatable with air to the proper pressure is a function not only of the size of the...
Quicksilver QS-230 Airfloor Inflatable
In late 1996, Quicksilver (the parts and accessories arm of Mercury Marine) came out with a new line of air-floor inflatables. We missed testing...
Johnson & Johnson and Orion Our Picks Among Marine Medical Kits
When we conduct used-boat inspections we look everywhere, including inside medicine cabinets. Especially on boats that are more than five years old, we are...
Offshore Log: Re-inventing the Wheel
Calypso was designed and built to be steered by a tiller. With her double-ended hull form and big outboard rudder, fitting a wheel system...
Offshore Log: Bermuda-bound Trial by Water
We never seem to do things the easy way. In late November, Calypso left New England once again, this time bound first to Bermuda,...
Offshore Log:Do You Know Where Your Emergency Tiller Is?
The great racing sailor, Paul Elvstrom, preferred the superior sensitivity of tiller steering to wheel steering even on larger offshore boats. Elvstrom, however, seems...
GPS Plotters: Trimble NT200D and Raytheon 620 Our Top Picks
GPS plotters, which combine satellite positioning and charting functions, make a vast amount of information instantly available to the navigator. Relatively new on the...
Is 88% A Good Number?
If you want a nice vacation, a boat charter seems close to a sure thing. Readers who responded to a survey published in last...
Lifesling Goes Throwable
Were safety conscious at Practical Sailor. Readers know that, from the numerous articles about our in-the-water and bench tests. We rarely fail to comment...
Gimbaled Radar Mount Concern
Calypso is equipped with a Questus model 100 backstay-mounted gimbaling radar mount for her Furuno 1831 radar. We have always liked this system, since...
$40,000 for a 40 Foot Cruiser? The Bristol 40 Reality Check
You can find Bristol 39s and Bristol 40s for around $40,000 — and at first glance, that sounds like one of the best deals...
Latest Sailboat Review
Dragonfly 25-2 Boat Review
If you’ve ever dreamed of blasting across the water at 25 knots with the wind in your hair and the spray in your face...