Need a New Headsail Furler? Here’s What’s Involved
Selden's 'complete package' approach to headsail furlers opens the door to the hands-on sailor.
Master the Sailing Basics: Never Stop Learning the Little Things
Seamanship is about big concepts and small skills. They work together, but we see them differently and they represent different types of learning. Big...
How to Mount Your Camera on Deck: Record Your Adventures with DIY Innovations
Most of the time I singlehand, so how do I take photographs for Practical Sailor without awkwardly holding a selfie stick? I have a...
Un-Stepping the Mast for America’s Great Loop
As a family on a sailboat traveling on the Great Loop, our crew of four aboard Fika was a bit out of the ordinary....
Headsails and Spinnakers: How to Explain Their Functions to a Beginner
Over the past few decades, we have seen a tremendous advancement in sail design technologies—innovative sail materials are now common in the marketplace and...
Practical Sailor Classic: The Load on Your Rode
Our time spent testing anchors has prompted some important musings; we offer the following thoughts regarding the forces and factors to be considered before purchasing anchors and rodes.
Anchor Rodes for Smaller Sailboats
The usual advice for anyone seeking all-rope anchor rode is usually to just get some three-strand nylon anchor. The makes sense. Three-strand nylon is inexpensive, wears best, and is easy to splice. But one size, or even one type of rope, does not necessarily fit all situations.
Ground Tackle Inspection Tips
Your anchoring system is only as strong as its weakest component, which includes not only the rode, but also shackles, splices, mooring bitts, cleats - in short, any gear used to secure your boat while at anchor. Proper maintenance includes inspection of these as well as laying the rode out for thorough examination at least annually.
Shoe Goo II Excels for Quick Sail Repairs
After various test during the last few years, we’ve found that sail repair tapes have proven durable for minor reinforcements and repairing worn spots...
When Should We Retire Dyneema Stays and Running Rigging?
About a decade ago, like many sailors, we began replacing wire and low-stretch double braid ropes with super strong single-braid ropes. These ropes were...
Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean – Alberg 37
Are you looking for a family sailboat that can cross the ocean and sail the Caribbean in safety and comfort? Carl Alberg designed the...
Latest Sailboat Review
Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review
The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.