Whats Going On With Sailmakers?
During our recent cruises through boat shows and seminars, we were surprised that changes in sailmaking are occurring as rapidly as consolidations in the...
Are Masts Getting Too Skinny, Too Fragile?
Dear Editor: Some time ago you published a letter from a marine surveyor who said he’d seen three boats whose masts failed when sailing...
Consider The Self-Tending Jib
During the 1960s, the CCA (Cruising Club of America) rating rule promoted boats with large mainsails and smaller foretriangles. Despite the fact that many...
Offshore Log: Rigged For Downwind
A cruising boat has for downwind sailing much the same hardware as a racing boat. The only difference is that the cruising boat is...
Harken Boasts Best Overall Quality Among Backstay Adjusters
In these times when everyone seems interested in tight tacking angles, a taut forestay is the ticket to ride. And to create a...
Sail Track Lubes: Slide-All Lasts Longest
Whether fitted with slides and shackles on a metal track or plastic slugs in a mast slot, mainsails can be difficult to hoist or...
Top 10 Products for 1999
Choosing the best gear for sailboats isn't easy. But at Practical Sailor were used to doing just that. The job is easiest when empirical...
Offshore Log: A New Sail Inventory
PS readers sometimes comment on our seemingly profligate ways: trying one thing, getting rid of it if it doesn’t perform perfectly, replacing with something...
A Foolproof (and Simple) Way to Set Jib Leads
An excellent, surprisingly simple way to set jib leads is to use jib luff telltales as a guide. This technique applies to all types...
PS Advisor
Dutchman vs. Lazy JacksIm in the market for some kind of sail flaking system and need advice. Have you compared the lazy jack method...
HIDDEN Costs of a BRAND NEW Hallberg Rassy 44
Are you buying a brand new sailboat and worried about the real cost with all the options? The name Hallberg Rassy is synonymous with...
Latest Sailboat Review
Island Packet 440
For nearly 30 years under the direction of designer and CEO Bob Johnson, Island Packet accomplished what few modern boatbuilders have been able to...