A New Spin on Dependable Crimps and Splices

Our test focused primarily on the small-wire connections tensile strength, with and without solder, but we also looked at their durability under tough environmental...

Practical Sailor Tests 4-horsepower Electric Outboard

Exploring the benefits of electric propulsion is an ongoing effort at Practical Sailor. As we test products currently on the market, we also keep...

Offshore Log: Shurflo Pump Lacks Oomph

Our Shurflo pump has been a disappointment. At the time we installed it, it was the highest-capacity pump of its style available, and smaller...

The Best Sailing Gear of 2010

With the end of the year approaching, Practical Sailor editorsoffer the annual selection of Editors Choice products for the Gear of the Year lineup....

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...

Ensuring a Safe Space for Batteries

When charging, lead acid batteries generate hydrogen from the electrolysis of water, and some acid gases, the amount of which vary with the battery...

Marine Wiring: Are the Pricey Options Worth the Cost?

Cruising sailors have long had a love-hate relationship with their onboard electronics for one simple reason: Water and electricity don't mix. Water with dissolved...

Testing Marine Battery Monitors

Our test gear comprised a ProMariner ProNautic 12-40P battery charger; West Marine-branded, flooded-cell, deep-cycle battery with a 75-amp hour rating; and two 120-volt, 70-watt...

Mix of Water, Amps, and Heat Calls for Caution

It is surprising to see equipment with no moving parts carry such an array of safety warnings. But any time water and higher-voltage AC...

Cabin Lights

Among all the energy demands aboard a modern boat—electronics, pressure-water systems, watermakers, autopilots, refrigeration, and so on—it's simple DC cabin lighting that's often the...

40-Footer Boat Tours – With Some Big Surprises! | Boat Tour

Join us at the Miami Boat Show as we get on four 40-footers for boat tours! A Beneteau 37.1, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410, Dufour...