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...
Raytheon Still Top LCD Radar
Early radar antennas needed large, open radiator arrays with correspondingly large motors to turn them. These evolved into compact, enclosed antennas that weigh as...
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...
