Anchor Trip Line Tricks
An anchor trip line is a stout line connected from the after end of the anchor fluke to a marker buoy so that the...
Outboard Steering Tricks
Outboard powered boats can be slow to respond when maneuvering around the docks at low speed. With no prop wash over the rudder, it...
DIY Winch Feeder
It was snowing and I needed a project. Ever since the article on cross sheeting, “Where Winches Dare Go,” I’ve been wanting to add...
Yawing and Anchor Holding
I can’t leave a boat that’s yawing. I can’t sleep. Each time I’ve had an anchor fail suddenly it was caused by excessive yawing....
Line Stowage Bags and Hooks
Sailboat cockpits will happily collect spaghetti if we let them, each sheet, halyard, and new control line adding to the confusion. The chaos is...
Ultra Fairleads and Soft Padeyes
If a line does not approach a cam cleat close to level, the line may slip out or be hard to cleat or release....
Stickier Sail Tape with 3M Primer
Self-adhesive hardware-store hooks don’t stick well to bare fiberglass. Just last week we had one wash into the bilge-pump strainer on our test boat....
Dyneema Burn-Through By a Sheet
In the early 2000s, Dyneema was a breakthrough lifeline material. It is as strong as steel and much lighter, inexpensive, simple to install (at...
A Guide to Buying Your First Sailboat
So, you’re in the market for your first boat. Having just purchased my own vessel, the thrill and anxiety of the process are both...
Anchor Snubber Shock Load Test
In the past, a snubber was simply a device incorporated into the anchor rode to take the load off the windlass. We recently tested different types of snubber material, including nylon octoplait, rock-climbing rope, and rubber. Our tests were conducted as part of a long-term project on anchor-snubber selection, deployment, and care. Although there are some pre-fabricated snubbers on the market, most cruisers make their own, so this initial comparison was more generic in scope, focusing on common materials and designs.
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – October 2026
This month leans into used-boat value and hands-on maintenance: Tim Labute tours the traditional, shoal-draft Bayfield 32, Nick Nicholson revisits the much-requested Morgan 38/382,...
Video: How Old Is Too Old for Standing Rigging?
If you own an older sailboat, are shopping for a used sailboat, or are trying to understand the true cost of sailboat ownership, standing...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Tartan 31 Piper: Used Boat Review
The Tartan 31 is one of the new line of performance cruising yachts from the venerable-and durable--Grand River, Ohio boatbuilder. In the last few years, Tartan Marine has come out with a range of new models, including the T-28, the 3500 and the 4600. A 41-footer is in the works. Both the 28 and the latest version of the 31 are part of the new Piper series, which are marketed in sailaway condition. Tartan has a reputation for solid construction and good workmanship and that's what the 31 is: solid and well put together. The hull is hand-laminated with alternating layers of chopped strand mat and unidirectional E glass. Behind the NPG/ISO gelcoat there's a layer of vinylester resin, which so far appears to provide the best osmotic blister protection available.
