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...
No GPS, No Problem: A Family’s Pacific Adventure
Forty years ago, I set sail from Victoria, Canada, with my former (now late) husband, Michael, and our two young boys, Sam, 10, and...
Hurricane Center Changes Every Skipper Should Know
With all the talk about a record El Niño coming this summer and climate change generally leading to more severe storms, we all need...
Energy Recovery Watermakers: Running a Watermaker on Solar and Batteries
Let's dig into the truth to the 75-80% power reduction claims for Energy Recovery Watermakers, review some comparison data, chat with the inventors, and...
Building a Boat, Building Knowledge: A Wharram Narai Mk IV in Practice
Along a stretch of Atlantic coastline in Brittany, France, a 41-foot wooden catamaran is taking shape in a modest workshop where the rusty corrugated...
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...
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...
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...
Seven Common Boat Problems You Can’t Ignore (and How to Fix Them)
As I approach twenty years of surveying boats, most issues that I encounter are repetitive. The root causes for these repeat problems usually involve...
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026
This month we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...
Video: Morgan 44 Review – The Catalina Cruiser Everyone Forgot
The 1989 Morgan 44 is a big center-cockpit cruising sailboat with Catalina DNA—but it may be one of the most overlooked boats of its...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Bayfield 32 Used Boat Review
At first glance, the Bayfield 32 looks less like a fiberglass production boat from the 1980s and more like somebody shrank a traditional sailing...
