PS Advisor: 08/15/03
Solar Panel PowerYour review of solar panels left me with some "solar panels for dummies" type questions. For trickle-charging a battery, how do you...
Strippers and Crimpers
One crimp or two? In our test and survey, we again find that the well-made multi-purpose tool will suffice for most wiring jobs. If you have more serious work to do, try Klein's #1005 crimper and Ancor's 702030 automatic stripper.
Solar Panel Survey 2003
PS readers weigh in here with opinions on their solar panels. With types and configurations available for all situations, it's hard to imagine any instance when having a panel or two aboard would be a bad idea.
Towed Water Generator
In our experiments last summer, the Hamilton Ferris generator did very well with a spinner in the water, less well with its optional wind blade.
Breaker Panels
Blue Sea gives the old vets, PanelTronics and Marinetics, a run for their money, and wins on the website front. Tech support for do-it-yourselfers is key.
Low-Power, Simple Living
A couple of summers ago I spent two weeks aboard a 30-foot sloop in the British Virgin Islands with my wife, my teenaged son,...
PS Advisor: 01/15/02
Disappearing ZincsWhen I got my Cabo Rico 38, with nine bronze through-hulls, all bonded, she lived in the brackish waters of Tampa Bay. But...
Cool Currents: A/C on DC?
Practical Sailor published articles on air-conditioning (A/C) in the December 2000 and January 1, 2001 issues. Shortly thereafter we received some letters from readers asking...
Rocker Switches, Pin-Stop Lead Cars, FendFast
One of the good names in marine electrical equipment is Cole Hersee, maker of switches. Boat owners are probably most familiar with its line...
Small Batteries, Chargers, and How To Recharge on Board
You can recharge household batteries with your 12-volt system via an inverter. We test nine chargers and a brace of batteries.
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – September 2026
In September we tour the Hans Christian 48T — the offshore cruiser many sailors call the holy grail — walk the custom Antigua 60...
Video: The 11.5 Knot Cruiser – Bavaria Match 42 Yacht Tour
Could this be the fastest family cruiser you’ve never heard of? The Bavaria Match 42 is a genuine performance sailboat hiding beneath the interior...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Cal 2-27 Used Boat Review
Our story begins in 1970, with the introduction of the Cal 29. Looking for something similar but a bit smaller, the company asked designer Bill Lapworth for a 27-footer, which at first was the Cal 27, a fin keel, spade rudder design with a convertible pop top; another incarnation of this basic hull was the T/2. But the concept of the 29 found its full expression in the Cal 2-27, which began production in 1975 and continued to 1977, after which it was again modified and called simply the Cal 27...again. Production of it ceased in 1986.
