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...

A Smart, Easy Way to Rewire

Running the wires for new electronics requires your best cursing vocabulary, lots of sweat, twisting body contortions, luck, and the occasional bandage. For tips...

AGM Batteries Test Update

In our recent test of absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries, we cycled five different batteries through 30 deep cycles to 11.7 volts but only...

Watering Batteries

Our May 2015 report on absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries got us thinking about wet cell-batteries. While it is easy to find distilled water...

Whats the Voltage for Charging Gel Cells?

I just received the latest Waypoints e-letter about gel batteries, where you state they must be charged at no more than about 14.1 volts....

Heart Replacement

Sixteen years ago, contributing writers Joe and Lee Minick equipped their Mason 43, Southern Cross, with a Heart Interface Freedom 20 charger/inverter and a...

Electrical Panel Upgrade

After several design iterations with both vendors, we settled on using Blue Sea Systems. Blue Sea Systems worked with us in designing the panel...

Imtra, Hella Dome Lights Shine

Cruising SolutionsCruising Solutions 6.5-inch dome light uses a 23-LED array with a triple emitter driver, mounted in a stainless-steel housing. Its 220-lumen rating delivered...

Marine Water Heater Test

Raritan 1706Raritans units are made in the U.S. (the only in our test), so finding hose barbs or other plumbing fixtures to fit the...

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...

Jeanneau’s New Rule Breaking Sailboat – Sun Odyssey 350 Boat Review

Are you interested in a 30 to 36 foot cruising sailboat? Shopping for a Jeanneau Sailboat? The new Sun Odyssey 350 replaces the wildly...
X Yachts X43 Sailboat Tour video from Practical Sailor

X Yachts X43 Sailboat Tour

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The current tally of Island Packets—"More than 1,800 sold"—is impressive for any boatbuilding company. Just over 20 years ago the first boats in the...