Testing the DIY Dog Bone Shackle
Soft shackles became the cool thing nearly as soon as they appeared on race boats. Any savvy DIYer could make them using Dyneema single...
Sizing Up Improvements In Low Friction Rings
The first time I brought a handful of low friction rings (LFR) to the boat, I got funny looks from my partner. The plan...
What Color Bimini Top is Best for Summer?
So you want to build the awning described on page 7 of this issue, and were wondering what material to use. We’ve been using...
Revive Your Mast Like a Pro
Unobtainium is the metal at the top of every Naval Architect’s wish list. It’s a perfect marine material; light, strong, stiff yet flexible—it’s as...
Spinnaker Tips for Multihulls
A Practical Sailor reader recently reached out to me with a question regarding light air sails on catamarans: “I’ve owned two catamarans, and have...
Arborist Gear for Solo Mast Ascents
My introduction to rope walking ascent was caving back in the 1970s. Each trip started with 75-200 drop straight into a sink hole, followed...
A Second Look at Anchor Fluke Shape
The new anchoring myth making rounds on the internet is that a scoop shape is what makes an anchor hold. Though it seems logical,...
Chafe Tape Plan
No one like dings, but we accept them as part of active sailing. Most boats have black marks behind winch handle pockets and dings...
Coated Chafe Gear Tested
Assuming the COVID-19 restrictions allow us to launch this season, we have another worry on the horizon—hurricane season, which means chafe gear. Recently we...
Adjustable Snubber Bridle and Chain Hook
This report focuses on multihulls, because that is what we sail, but most of what we learned from this project can be applied to...
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
Learning by Doing on a $5,000 Catalina 30 Mk II
When Davis’s mother started talking about wanting to do something “big” for retirement, Davis and Gloria half-jokingly threw out an idea that seemed suitably...
