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...
Be Careful with Boom Brakes
I love the idea of a preventer that can be engaged by pulling on just one line and that can be eased just as...
Controlling Jibes and Case Studies
We are vehemently against using a boom brake to prevent a jibe. Even using them to control a jibe introduces problems, requiring that we...
Anchorage Tactics for Sudden Storms
On August 18, a sudden, violent storm ripped through the island of Corsica, packing winds up to 140 mph and tossing once safely moored...
PS Advisor: Rope Coatings to Prolong Cordage Life
New lines run fast. They fly through tackles and tangles fall right out. But they are also hard to hold in our hands, on...
Setting Up Your Own ‘Floating’ Genoa Lead
When setting up a floating lead system, you need to establish the maximum range of positions you may need. With a track system, the...
Solid Rings in Running Rigging
Ball bearing blocks are the low-friction answer for most tackle on board. However, racers and even cruisers, are increasingly making the switch to low...
Do Cruisers Need Jib Leech Telltales?
Telltales on the body of the jib and leech of the main are commonplace, and most of us learned to sail using them. They...
PS Advisor: North-up Versus Heading-up Navigation
When a vigorous debate broke out recently at a local boat show over the ideal orientation of a chartplotter (north up vs. heading up),...
Bungee Lanyards Take the Shock Out of Tools Dropped from the Mast
Iput a nice dent in the deck several decades ago when I dropped a wrench from the masthead. It scared the crew too.
I haven’t...
3 DIY TIPS to Make Your Sailboat Gelcoat GLOW!
DIY Sailboat Maintenance doesn’t have to be hard. Practical Sailor is constantly finding new ways to help you with your sailboat projects. This week,...
Latest Sailboat Review
Valiant 40 Used Boat Review
The Valiant 40 has a long history. In 1972, Nathan Rothman decided to start a boatbuilding business and approached old friend Bob Perry to...