Sailor’s Knives: 14 High-End Blades Tested
The Boye Dendritic Cobalt ‘Prophet’ tops the scoring, followed by three excellent models from Benchmade
20 Electric Bilge Pumps Tested
Top performers from Attwood, Lovett, Rule, West Marine and Whale vary considerably by model, but when all is said and done, we like the Whale Supersub, Rule-Mate and Lovett 1200.
SailorÂ’s Knives: 14 High-End Blades Tested
The Boye Dendritic Cobalt ‘Prophet’ tops the scoring, followed by three excellent models from Benchmade
Coastal Life Rafts: Eight-Model Evaluation
Part 2— In-the-water tests and detailed examinations of coastal life rafts from DBC, Plastimo, Switlik, West Marine and Winslow finds real differences in design, performance and equipment. Our ratings will help you make a sound, safe choice.
Offshore Log: Essential Forecasting Tools
Our years of sailing in New England and the Caribbean, with their stable, predictable weather patterns, left us ill-prepared to deal with the vagaries...
Offshore Log: From the Americas Cup To You
At the America's Cup, Nick Nicholson tells how high-tech trickles down to the rest of us.
Consumer Alert: Surveyor Problem
I purchased a 1990 Beneteau in Florida in 1995 for $75,000 that had been in charter for five years in Tortola. The boat was...
Sydney-Hobart Race: Rogue Waves Do The Damage
The report on the disaster that took six lives points the finger more directly at gear and seamanship than yacht design.
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026
In September we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...
Video: The BEST Sailboat You Can Buy for $35,000 – Catalina...
If you’re searching for a mid-30-foot sailboat, affordable cruising sailboat, liveaboard sailboat, first sailboat, or a capable used sailboat for coastal cruising, the Catalina...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Cal 2-27 Used Boat Review
Our story begins in 1970, with the introduction of the Cal 29. Looking for something similar but a bit smaller, the company asked designer Bill Lapworth for a 27-footer, which at first was the Cal 27, a fin keel, spade rudder design with a convertible pop top; another incarnation of this basic hull was the T/2. But the concept of the 29 found its full expression in the Cal 2-27, which began production in 1975 and continued to 1977, after which it was again modified and called simply the Cal 27...again. Production of it ceased in 1986.
