Smart Chargers: Statpower TrueCharge+ Still Top Dog
For years, the battery charger has been the stone simple, ferroresonant type consisting of a transformer which takes 110 AC and steps it down...
When Do You Need A High-Output Alternator?
In our last report on high-output alternators (HOPA), in the September 1994 issue, five leading brands were tested. The conclusion was that there is...
Solar Tests: Kyocera and Uni-Solar
The September 1998 issue contained test results of 10 solar panels-the Siemens SP-70, SM-50, SM-46, SM-20, SM-10 and SM-6, Solarex MSX-18 and MSX-10L, and...
Battery Monitors: The E-Meter Vs. the Sophisticated SALT
In the February 15, 1997 issue, we reviewed battery monitors and stated that Cruising Equipments E-Meter was the only one of the four models...
7 Inverters Tested: Ace is Statpower
If the prospect of consistently available 120-volt AC power on your boat sounds enticing, you might be in the market for an inverter. An...
After 17,000 Miles
Building an efficient, easy-to-maintain cruising yacht is very much an exercise in compromise and experimentation. There are literally thousands of decisions that must be...
Crimp Connections: AMP Super Champ and Ancor Our Top Picks
One of the most nettlesome areas of boating electronics is making dependable wire connections that will last for years. Because marine elements are conspiring...
Pocket Inverters: Exeltech, Statpower Stand Out
In the February 15, 1998 issue we reviewed large inverters capable of producing up to 2500 watts. For those of you with smaller AC...
5-Model Genset Bench Test
An article in the June, 1997 issue about small gensets struck a chord with readers. The report was of the type we call a...
Odyssey: A Lightweight 12-volt With Punch
The first thing we can tell you about the 12-volt Odyssey battery is that it came in the mail—UPS to be exact—which is an...
Before You Buy a Beneteau Watch This First – Hanse 430E...
Thinking about buying a 40–45 foot cruising sailboat? Before you default to a Beneteau, Jeanneau, Catalina, or Hunter, this in-depth Practical Sailor review takes...
Latest Sailboat Review
Tartan 33 Used Boat Review
In 1978, Tartan brought out the Tartan Ten, a 33', fairly light, fractionally-rigged "offshore one design." The boat was a huge success: fast, easy to sail, and unencumbered by the design limitations of a rating rule. But the Tartan Ten had one big problem: limited accommodations with stooping headroom, an interior most kindly described as spartan. A hardy crew could take the Tartan Ten on a multi-day race such as the Mackinac, and you might even coax your family aboard for a weekend of camping out. But cruising or extended racing in comfort? Forget it!