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Replacing AGMs with Blue Nova lithium batteries. This was way above my pay grade! After trying to install twice with the help of "mates," I eventually found a brilliant young engineer in Cape Town. (Photo/ Brett Campbell)

Lithium Batteries for Small Boats

We are now all familiar with the primary advantages (life expectancy, weight, usable capacity etc.) of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) batteries. What is absent,...
Hot Knife. We put this purchase off for too long. Nice for fabric and rope, and vital for carpet and bungee cord, which are difficult to heat seal. Multiple layers dont slow it down. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Five Best Specialty Tools

In fact our list is much, much longer than this, so we picked five specialty tools that we thought would help most sailors for...
Brione filling cylinders on Indioko, a Leopard 47 catamaran. (Photo/ Red Seas)

Adding a Dive Compressor to Your Boat

Cruising gives you the freedom to go to both popular places and remote, out-of-the-way locations. If you have scuba equipment on your boat, the...
If you frequently charter, then a "charter to ownership" model may appeal to you. A catamaran at Sandy Spit, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean. (Photo/ cdwheatley/ Getty)

Charter Boat Ownership Programs Explained: A Simple Financial Overview

The dream of owning a yacht appeals to many sailing enthusiasts, but the financial realities can make this dream seem out of reach or...
The Vakaros Atlas 2 mounted on the mast. It has a 4.4-in. transflective LCD screen, 320x240 pixel resolution (91 ppi) and red backlight. Photo courtesy of Vakaros.

Vakaros Atlas 2 Sailing Instrument: Profile

The Vakaros Atlas 2 sailing instrument is making waves in the sailing community. It bridges the gap between high-performance racing technology and practical cruising...
The right crew is as essential as the right boat for an enjoyable ocean crossing. (Photo/ Betsie Van Der Meer/ Getty)

Bluewater Planning: The Right Crew

Each crewmember doesn't have to be an RYA Yacht-master or 6-Pack captain—I have sailed across an ocean with a complete novice. My wife was...
Raymarine Axiom+

Which Chartplotter is Best for You?

Although there are only a limited number of mainstream chartplotter manufacturers in the North American market, the model lines within each company are dazzling,...
To prep items for selling online, make sure to clean them, take plenty of pictures and provide detailed descriptions, including specs. This pair of Barient #16 single-speed winches sold for $65.93 and netted the author $55.87. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)

How to Sell Old Sailing Equipment

There’s nothing more satisfying than installing a great new piece of equipment on your sailboat, unless it’s completing that upgrade and then selling the...
Using the Solis Lite mobile hotspot in the BVIs to access secure Wi-Fi. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

Mobile Hotspot Devices

Today, there are many ways to stay connected from almost anywhere in the world, even in the middle of our vast oceans, thanks to...
While bluewater sailing offers incredible experiences to explore remote places, proper preparation is essential to keep the crew and boat safe. (Photo/ Getty/ Anton Petrus)

Bluewater Planning: Proper Preparation

Being out in the ocean means you are going to have to deal with whatever the weather sends your way. It also means you...

Lagoon 55 – The Perfect Charter Boat for Your Caribbean Vacation

Looking for the ultimate sailing vacation in the Caribbean? Step aboard the Lagoon 55, a modern catamaran that combines luxury, comfort, and performance—making it...

Latest Sailboat Review

Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review

The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.