Yamaha 2.0, Merc 3.3 Our Picks Among Tiny Outboard Motors
A few years ago there were more than a dozen small outboard brands to choose from, including Mighty Mite, Tanaka, British Seagull, Suzuki and...
Yet Another Motor Hoist-the Kato
Lifting the outboard motor from the dinghy to its mount on the stern rail (or pushpit as the Brits say) has always been a...
Alkaline Battery Tests: Results Say It’s Bedtime For Bunny
The last time we tested alkaline batteries (June 15 and November 15, 1995), we reported that Duracell dominated the market, with Energizer and Rayovac...
Alkaline Battery Tests: Results Say It’s Bedtime For Bunny
The last time we tested alkaline batteries (June 15 and November 15, 1995), we reported that Duracell dominated the market, with Energizer and Rayovac...
Water Fixer Best Bet for Making Sure Your Drinking Supply is Safe
A vast infrastructure of utility companies and governmental agencies collects, filters, treats, purifies, and distributes water that comes from lakes, rivers, reservoirs and underground...
RIs No-Discharge Controversy
This isn't an item youve likely read about in your local newspaper, but here in Rhode Island, the EPAs designation of all Rhode Island...
Offshore Log: A Simple Outboard Lifting Crane
For two years, we struggled to get our 8-hp. Yamaha outboard from its storage location on the stern rail to the transom of our...
Isotemp and Super Stor Earn Best Ratings Among 7 Water Heaters
When one compares the list of standard equipment on a boat built in the late 1980s or 90s to a boat built during the...
marinCool Peltier Effect Refrigeration
Just as theres more than one way to skin a cat, theres more than one way to chill a beer. Serious cruisers usually opt...
PS Advisor 09/01/00
Inflatable vs. Hard DinghyI have recently bought a nice, old 38' Shannon ketch, and she has dinghy davits. I have no dinghy, but am...
Small Boat, Big Keel Why This 27 Footer Works
What makes a small sailboat truly seaworthy? In this video, we take a deep dive into the Pacific Seacraft Orion 27, a rugged, long-keel...
Latest Sailboat Review
Island Packet Estero Used Boat Review
Florida-based Island Packet targets a relatively narrow niche, so the toughest competitors to its new boats are often older Island Packets. Introduced in 2010, the 36-foot, shoal-draft Estero is the company’s latest attempt to introduce a distinctive model that doesn’t stray too far from the company’s proven formula for success: moderate displacement, full-keel cruisers designed to be lived on, sailed far and in comfort, and endure the bumps, scrapes, and storms that cruising boats inevitably encounter. After sailing the Estero on Florida’s Sarasota Bay and inspecting its interior, construction, and systems, Practical Sailor testers noted that the shoal-water cruiser will appeal strongest to Island Packet fans who’ve been waiting for a shoal-draft, easy-to-sail boat that compares to the IP37 in terms of interior space. These strengths will be most apparent on intracoastal or riverine adventures like the Great Loop.