Handling Anchors on Boats Without Anchor Lockers
How do you keep an anchor and its rode at the ready if you don’t have an anchor locker up at the bow? It’s...
Bluewater Design: Weight and Dynamic Stability
It is not enough for the boat to be able to handle the conditions, she also has to carry a crew and everything they...
Schaefer SnapFurl: Gear Graveyard
Sailors looking to add or replace a headsail furling system on a daysailer or small cruising boat in the 16-foot to 28-foot range will...
Advice on Buying a Pre-Owned Anchor
Since defects are usually obvious, anchors is one category of gear in which “what you see is what you get.” Certainly, there are counterfeits and home-welded one-offs that you’ll want to avoid, but the fakes and do-it-yourself anchors are usually easy to distinguish.
Before you buy a used anchor, you should have a very clear picture of the size, type, and brand of anchor will best suit your needs. Depending on the specific anchor you seek, you can save 30 to 50-percent on cost by purchasing a pre-owned anchor instead of a new one.
Mud Anchoring Wisdom
For as long as I can remember, and probably for generations, it has been Chesapeake Bay lore that the longer an anchor soaks the...
Dyneema Abrasion Test
As outlined in our previous report on lifelines, high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fiber rope has revolutionized sailboat rigging during the past decade (see Fiber lifeline Protection Plan, PS September 2015 online), however sailors arent the only ones benefitting from the introduction of this super-strong, low-stretch cordage. Virtually any application that once employed a stranded wire-rope-ranging from tow cables to hoists-is now also served by HMPE. The widespread availability of generic brands of this super-strong, low-stretch cordage made us curious. How do these non-marine brand products compare to known marine brands? And what types are best suited for the various sailboat applications?
Anti-Seize Coatings for Spars
If youve ever been humbled by a single impossibly stuck fastener, or plan on adding hardware to your spar, running gear, or deck, this report on anti-seize protectants is right up your alley.
Wheel Thimbles for Synthetic Line Terminals
This is not a completely new concept. Spool thimbles have long been used on multi-pulley block beckets to increase the pin diameter to better...
Pre-Purchase or Insurance Survey: Which One Do I Need?
You’ve been bitten by the sailing bug and every spare minute is spent searching online for that perfect vessel. You’ve narrowed it down to...
Do Twin Sheets Control the Mainsail Better?
The main traveler is one of those love-hate pieces of gear on a boat. We love that it separates control of twist and angle...
Bahamas Lightning Strikes Catamaran, FRIES EVERYTHING!
This week, we talk to Sailing Dark Angel about the Bahamas price increases for cruisers and their recent brush with disaster as light struck...
Latest Sailboat Review
Catalina 25 Used Boat Review
The Catalina 25 is not exceptionally fast, stylish, or spacious compared to newer widebody models, and while the construction and workmanship are adequate, they too are not exceptional. But because of the builder's strict adherence to a philosophy of offering a relatively spacious design, relatively well made, at a reasonable price, and backing up the product with generally good customer service, the Catalina 25 has turned out to be one of the most successful small cruising sailboats ever built, with 5,332 boats sold between 1976 and 1990, when the company ceased producing the model as demand tailed off.