New Harken Blocks
Harken’s quest for the lightest, easiest-running yacht blocks never ends. Harken makes a huge line of blocks, from tiny “Micro Blocks” with 22 mm...
Hydraulic Backstay Adjusters: Sailtec vs. Navtec
When seven mechanical backstay adjusters were reviewed (in last falls August 15 issue), a promise was made to examine hydraulic models. As it turns...
Stowing Inner Forestays
In the October 1, 1997 issue, we published a letter from Houston Car of West Bath, Maine, in which he asked how best to...
PS Advior 05/01/98
Rerigging QuestionI enjoyed your December 1997 article on replacing wire halyards with all rope. When I considered it a few years ago, my rigger...
Mast Steps: No Perfect Design
In this report, first published in 1998, we discuss various designs of mast steps for climbing, or for assisted climbing. Here is a link...
Standing Rigging: How Tight Is Right?
Standing rigging tension is a peculiarly under-addressed subject. Easy to see how it would worry a new boat owner or someone going to sea....
Going Up the Mast Alone
A certain appeal of sailing is its seeming limitlessness. One can spend a lifetime perfecting navigation skills. Remember Marvin Creamer, who circumnavigated by the...
Offshore Log: Up the Mast, One at a Time
Many PS readers undoubtedly found our articles on going aloft alone (July 1, 1998 and August 15, 1998) a little esoteric, but for the...
PS Advisor 01/01/99
Cutting Rope Can Be ToughBeing retired comfortably enough to indulge in some enjoyable and expensive foolishness, weve bought a big old yawl in magnificent...
A Busted Mast Step and a Popped Shackle
Shortly after we published the July 1, 1998 article on mast steps, reader Jim Lyons mailed off a little box. He lives in...
Bayfield 32 Boat Tour – The Canadian Cruiser That Crossed the...
In this Bayfield 32 boat tour, we explore the deck, cockpit, cabin layout, galley, sleeping accommodations, construction and sailing characteristics. We also look at...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
DIY Survey Checklist for Used-Boat Buying
Boat buying is an exciting, maddening exercise that can test the tolerance of even the most patient sailor. Most of the maddening part has to do with trying to ferret out a boats problems before buying it-and making the problems your own. Hiring a professional marine surveyor can be expensive when youre looking at multiple boats, so save yourself some money-and potential heartache-by learning how to examine a used sailboat, from stem to stern and mast to bilge. Practical Sailors DIY survey how-to details common problem areas (like engines and rigging), what issues are easy to remedy, and what red flags you should walk away from.
