DC Electrical Distribution Panels: Blue Sea Systems on Top
Blue Sea Systems' 8023, with its excellent warranty, intuitive labeling, and bright night lighting, is our choice for an accessory DC panel. Newmar's panels are easy to work with, but need better lighting.
Battery Selector Switches
We pushed 11 of the most popular battery selector switches on the market to their rated limits. Blue Seas edged BEP by a hair as the top standard-duty switch, while Perko has the best heavy-duty switch.
12-Volt Booster Packs
Wal-Mart's EverStart booster delivers a lot of cold cranking amps for the money, but lacks a light. The versatile Xantrex Powerpack 300 Plus, is a do-it-all booster and a good choice for smaller boats.
Portable Gas Generators
Excellent voltage stability gives the Yamaha top honors among the inverter-type gas generators. For a less expensive, but louder, option we'd take the Briggs & Stratton.
PS Advisor: 09/04
LEDs in EmergenceYou published a letter in your June 1 edition this year in which the writer questioned the feasibility of LED lights for...
EPIRB Update: 09/04
In the wake of independent tests conducted by the Equipped to Survive Foundation (ETS), wherein the GPS components of two EPIRB models from McMurdo...
Cabin Lights
The Alpenglow fluorescent is still a top-flight area light, and a good bet for a dome-light retrofit. Taylorbrites's new cold cathode lamp is a winner over the bunk, but new LED lights from Imtra and D.R. Smith are bright, not too cold, and easy on the power.
Battery Boxes and Trays
In fully covered battery boxes, we like the pricy Blue Seas. If tray-type hold-downs are your preference, go for West or Gil.
Digital Multimeters
Our choice for a high-quality, no-compromise digital multimeter is the new Fluke 111. We also investigated the Wire Tracker™ from Ancor. No more mystery cables?û
Battery Monitors
We recommend two CruzPro units and the Link 10. For simple amps and voltage data, the Microlog is a smart lower-cost choice.
The Fastest Cruising Sailboat in the World?
What is the fastest cruising sailboat in the world—and can a monohull really compete with catamarans for speed while still being livable? In this...
Latest Sailboat Review
Morgan 34 Used Boat Review
By today's standards, the Morgan 34 is a small boat, comparable in accommodations to a lot of 30-footers. When the boat was designed, she was as big as most other boats of her overall length. In profile, the boat has a sweeping, moderately concave sheer. The ends of the boat are beautifully balanced: the bow profile is a slight convex curve, the overhanging counter aft is slightly concave. Esthetically, hull shapes of this period from the best designers are still hard to beat.