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Bill and Jean’s dinghy dock. View of the mooring field. (Photo/ Jaclyn Jeffrey)

El Salvador as a Hurricane Hole: Safe Haven or Risky Refuge?

Each spring, boats along Mexico’s Pacific Coast start making their summer plans. If they aren’t crossing the Pacific, most are deciding whether to head...
The author's 13-year-old Garmin GMR 18 HD radar served faithfully before failing early in the New England boating season, prompting a search through the secondhand marine electronics market for a compatible replacement. These are the stocked aisles at Marine Consignment of Wickford, Rhode Island. (Photo/ Todd Vorenkamp)

Navigating the Secondhand Marine Electronics Market

Electronics, unfortunately, don’t last forever. When an electronic component decides to fail on your boat, you will likely want to have it replaced. While...
Inside Catalina Yachts’ factory in Largo, FL, in 2007. (Photo/ Catalina 36/375 International Association)

Is U.S. Sailboat Manufacturing Facing Extinction?

2025 has not been a good year for U.S. sailboat manufacturing. Com Pac Yachts closed its doors in May and, as explained in this...

Don’t Poo-Poo Composting Heads Until You’ve Tried One

I never thought that I could get so excited about a toilet. When we first installed our new Nature’s Head composting toilet aboard our...
A J/Boats J/9 powered by the optional Torqeedo Cruise 6.0 pod drive, which is mounted in place of a saildrive. The throttle and battery monitor panel are visible on the starboard bench seat. The optional solar panel helps top up the battery when away from dockside power. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)

Quiet Power: Electric and Hybrid Propulsion at Annapolis

A tour of the 2025 Annapolis Sailboat Show showed signs of progress on the electrification of auxiliary power. Particularly notable was the emergence of...

The Wrong Angle: Why Your Cam Cleats Won’t Hold or Release

Cam cleats are a marvel for their ability to quickly hold and then release lines under moderate tension. They are found on the simplest...
This no-sew tiller pilot cover is made from a recycled dodger window. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

No-Sew DIY Tiller Pilot Cover

Although they are rated waterproof, the most common cause of death for tiller pilots is water intrusion. I've had one die from this. Like...
Skipper Chris Read at the helm, going to weather just north of Maui. (Photo/ Bert Vermeer)

Maui to Vic: A First Ocean Crossing Experience

A lifetime of sailing the protected waters of Vancouver Island on British Columbia’s west coast has given me a wealth of sailing experience. But...
Raymarine i50 Depth offers audible shallow and deep water alarms, along with depth trend indicators that help the helmsperson monitor changing conditions.

Waterline or Keel? Setting Your Depth Sounder

Ever since electronic or sonar/transducer type depth sounders have been around, sailors and captains have had love/hate debates over how a depth sounder should...
The author's boat, Raicilla, anchored at Agua Verde in the Sea of Cortez. (Photo/ Jaclyn Jeffrey)

Sailing the Sea of Cortez in Summer: Cruising Guide and Off Season Tips

When people think of the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, images from Steinbeck’s “The Log from the Sea of...

Beneteau 42CC The Center Cockpit Comeback That Didn’t Catch On… But...

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to center-cockpit cruising sailboats—and why they disappeared from mainstream production—today’s review takes you right into the heart of...

Latest Sailboat Review

Catalina Morgan 440 Used Boat Review

The Catalina Morgan 440 is a massive ocean-capable design from the drafting board of Gerry Douglas, a prolific designer for Catalina Yachts for over...