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...
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...
Headsail Roller Furlers
Time was, roller-furling systems were regarded as fragile, fair-weather gear. Now they're a must-have for most—even offshore. Here's a scan of major manufacturers, and the results of our reader survey.
Plea-Free Tacking
I wonder how many people have given up sailing because of the effort it takes to tack a genoa shorthanded. Aside from hitting hard...
Sailmakers’ Advice and Prices
Last month we heard from a group of top sailmakers about the technology and design behind their products, and their loft philosophies. This month they're here to sell sails.
PS Advisor: 10/01/03
Riding Sails Ive read several articles about the benefits of riding sails while atanchor, on a mooring, even during hurricanes.What size is right so...
Market Scan: Sails and Sailmakers
Sailmakers tend to be competitors on the water, and it carries over into the marketplace. But while bragging rights used to come only from the race course, cruising sailors carry real clout today.
PS Advisor: 07/15/03
Storm Jib ProvenanceA barely used, but well constructed, Haarstick storm jib was included with our recently purchased Tartan 34. The clew grommet seems undersized-...
High-Tech Rope Shackles
The future is here, and it looks quite a bit like the past. Within a couple of years, rope may be replacing stainless shackles on boats of all stripes and budgets.
Marinas Are Quietly Banning Older Boats
Are marinas starting to quietly ban older boats? Across California and other high-demand coastal areas, boat owners are reporting increasing difficulty getting slips for...
Latest Sailboat Review
Morgan 34 Used Boat Review
By today's standards, the Morgan 34 is a small boat, comparable in accommodations to a lot of 30-footers. When the boat was designed, she was as big as most other boats of her overall length. In profile, the boat has a sweeping, moderately concave sheer. The ends of the boat are beautifully balanced: the bow profile is a slight convex curve, the overhanging counter aft is slightly concave. Esthetically, hull shapes of this period from the best designers are still hard to beat.