Rudder Restoration: Eight Lessons Learned
Does your rudder feel unsteady, with play in the tiller or wheel? Do you experience vibration at certain speeds or slapping or thudding sounds...
DIY Kayak Boarding Assist Arm
Exploring beaches, marshes, shorelines—and yes, small towns—is one of sailing’s greatest joys. The challenge is getting in and out of a dinghy or kayak,...
Wireless Engine Cut-Off Switches Evolve Into Man-Overboard Alarm Systems
Even sailing greenhorns are familiar with those red coiled lanyards that are, theoretically, attached from an engine’s cut-off switch (ECOS) to the operator’s life...
Underwater Epoxy Test
Although laminating epoxies can tolerate some moisture, we know that excessive moisture can prevent a good cure. So how can we manage an emergency...
Spring Check: Are Your Onboard Alarms Actually Working?
The sailing season is here again and everyone is doing their spring checks. Something that is often overlooked are the alarms that may one...
Are Your Cleats in the Right Location?
Cleats are those ever-present little devices we all have on deck and, until a line must be tied, most boaters pay little or no...
Phosphate Conversion Coatings: The DIY Rust Fix That Also Protects
In the process of rediscovering my machining hobby, I dug out my long-ignored collection of machinist tools from a great uncle who worked in...
Liveaboard Insurance: Harder to Get, More Important Than Ever
For liveaboard sailors and long-range cruisers, marine insurance has shifted from a routine purchase to a strategic decision. The broader hull and liability market...
DIY Wooden Bowsprit
Bowsprits are a common feature on traditional boats as a way to extend the sail plan beyond the boat’s length over deck and create...
A Walk Through the Thomson Ship Collection
The waters roared off the coast of Sicily as the Grafton, Captain, and Breda closed in. They had set sail from England almost two...
Why Sailors Still Want This Slow Old Cruiser – Down East...
In this Practical Sailor boat tour, we take a deep look at the Downeaster 38, also known as the Down East 38, a classic...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Are Old Boats Worth Buying?
Shopping for a sailboat? Whether you are buying your first boat or just making a change, you will quickly come up against the classic...
