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Lithium Batteries for Small Boats: Troubleshooting

In “Lithium Batteries for Small Boats” we looked at some of the less frequently discussed differences between lead acid and LiFePO4 batteries. In “Lithium...
Bottom scraper. Easy to make and so much easier to use. Used for barnacles on the bottom and taking mud off the anchor. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Six Best Homemade Boat Maintenance Tools

OSHA has a thing against homemade tools. While a shortened extension on a paint roller won’t give them heartburn, modified power tools and attachments...
Saint Blue, a Lagoon 380 offered by BVI Yacht Charters, is this author's preferred boat for a relaxing tropical getaway. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

Lagoon 380 Used Boat Review

With over 35 years of bareboat chartering experience, I can honestly say, without any reservations, that when you’re more than one couple, a catamaran...
Blue Sea E Series Battery Switch. The author recommends retaining the manual combiner, first for its functionality as a high-capacity isolation switch but also for manual combining of the two systems in an emergency.

Lithium Batteries for Small Boats: Install Guide

This article focuses on sailboat LiFePO4 battery installations and the equipment and wiring changes we need to make to the electrical system in order...
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...

Swann 44 MKII – The Performance Family Cruising Sailboat

Step aboard the legendary Swan 44 MkII – a bluewater cruiser built for serious sailors. In this video, we give you a full tour...

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.