Systems & Propulsion

The Case For Hydraulically Powered Sailboats

On a well-designed motor-yacht, it is possible to sleep peacefully in a stateroom immediately forward of an engine room containing two, 1,000-hp. diesel engines...

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...

Offshore Log:Life With The Little Wonder

The search for potable water is the bane of the long-distance cruisers existence. In the US, we take cheap, easily accessible water of decent...

Offshore Log:Life With The Little Wonder

The search for potable water is the bane of the long-distance cruisers existence. In the US, we take cheap, easily accessible water of decent...

In The Market For A Cooler? The Softsides Win For Convenience

Given evidence that beer making has been around some 10,000 years, keeping a frosty one cold has been a challenge for a long time....

Hawkeye Scope: A Bird’s Eye View of Your Pistons

Ever wish you could see what the parts inside your engines combustion chamber look like? Now you can with the Hawkeye borescope. Whenever you...

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...

This “Bulletproof” Cruiser Has a Serious Weak Spot Caliber 40 LRC...

If you’re shopping for a serious cruising sailboat, the Caliber 40 LRC is often described as “bulletproof.” Heavy displacement, huge tankage, conservative construction, and...

Latest Sailboat Review

Union 36 Used Boat Review

While not the best boat for light-air sailing, the Union 36 is a good sailboat for the bluewater cruiser. It wont get you there fast, but it will get you there comfortably and in one piece. The boats teak decks and lavish use of interior wood is attractive but requires much upkeep and maintenance. A product of the Taiwan-U.S. boatbuilding industry, the Union 36 is a heavy-displacement, full-keel, cutter-rigged double-ender designed for ocean sailing. The Union 36 is nearly identical to several other boats built during the same period: the Hans Christian 36, Mariner Polaris 36, and the EO36. According to well-known naval architect Bob Perry, the Union 36 and its cousins are all based on the design of a 34-footer that Perry was commissioned to create back in the early 70s.