Fabric Hatch Vents: The Breeze Booster Outdraws Windscoop
Breeze Booster preferred over three other brands.
Special Section – VentillationLet the Merry Breezes Blow!
Our comprehensive evaluation of ventilation accessories breaks them into four distinct categories: fans, fabric scoops, cowls and mushroom vents.
Soundown and Hough Put a Lid on Engine Noise
Engines make noise. Crew-especially when theyre trying to hold a conversation, sleep, or just relax-don't like noise. The solution? Isolate the crew from the engine noise and vibration. In this update of our May 1, 1993 report, 10 sound-attenuating products are tested and ranked.
Offshore Log: An Evolution in EPIRBs
New GPS-connected EPIRBs and ACR's forthcoming Personal Locator Beacon promise to improve search and rescue operations at sea.
Spare Parts
Kenyon InstrumentsReader Ernie Copp owns some old Kenyon instruments. The company has long been out of business. Following his successful search to find someone...
Battery Power Packs: Are They Too Good to Be True?
Batteries dead? Need to jump start your engine? We test four 17-lb., 17-Ah power packs that can do that job and others. The most expensive is also the best-the Solar ES-5000.
Top 10 Products for 1999
Our annual selection of outstanding equipment, headlined this year by the Spade anchor, Nexus instruments and the Isotemp water heater.
Battery Power Packs: Are They Too Good to Be True?
Batteries dead? Need to jump start your engine? We test four 17-lb., 17-Ah power packs that can do that job and others. The most expensive is also the best-the Solar ES-5000.
PS Advisor
That Slippery Shock CordCan you recommend a knot to be used successfully with shock cord? Marv SannesSalem, OregonShock cord is tough to tie. It...
Banish Junky Anchor Rode Markers
For the boat owner who thinks he has everything, there is yet still another bit of electronic wizardry…a widget that tells you how much...
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.