Gear Lifts

A new hoist from Island Marine Products gave us a chance to revisit a little-changed field where fault is hard to find. We still like the Garhauer and Kato lifts.

Unibody Blocks

We were impressed with the Unibody blocks' finish quality and pricing. The milled blocks are more robustly rated than those with the folded aluminum...

Mailport: 08/15/04

Longer Winch HandlesYour review of winch handles (April 15) reminded me of one of the unsolved mysteries of the sea: Why are winch handles...

Furlers: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

What the best riggers in the business have to say about the systems they install, maintain, and repair.

PS Advisor: 08/01/04

Rigging TerminalsHas Practical Sailor conducted a study of swaged terminals vs. screw-on terminals? I've heard opinions recently that the screw-on ones are preferable because...

Bungy

Simple, clever, convenient, but not cheap, this little device can take the load off your rode.

PS Advisor: 05/01/04

Sailplan Balancing ActYour February 1 editorial on the benefits of small, self-tending headsails is thought-provoking. As I enter my golden years, I like the...

PS Advisor: 04/15/04

Stuffing Box HoseIve been scouring the Web to try and find what the specs are for stuffing box hose. I know one shouldn't use...

Winch Handles

Getting the most out of modern multi-speed, self-tailing winches requires strong, smooth-turning handles with good grips. Here's a scan of the crowd.

Chandlery: 04/15/04

Suunto M9 Wristop ComputerIn the trend towards miniaturization in electronics, there's a fine line between true utility and whiz-bang cleverness for its own sake....

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...

Cal 2-27 Used Boat Review

Brewer 12.8/44 Used Boat Review