Powering Your Boat Through a Storm
A sailing auxiliary engine should never be fully relied upon to bash into a storm; they are not sized for that. In many boats,...
Marine Diesel Repower Part 3: Sea Trial
This is the last of a three-part series describing the planning and installation of an inboard diesel engine in my previously engine-free Cape Dory...
Estimating Total Capacity in an Old Battery
Volt meters, ammeters, and bank monitors can all give you part of the story, but only a draw-down test, performed over 6-24 hours will...
Solar Power and Battery Checkup
Batteries and solar panels can be a black box. We can’t see or hear or feel what is going on inside. They’re not complicated...
Rhumb Lines: Yes, We Are the Lucky Ones
Slow down. Stretch. Breathe.
Before we let the coming summer carry us away, dreamy, windswept, mouth wide open, ready to inhale each sultry moment and...
Diesel Repower From Scratch Part II
This is Part II of a three-part series detailing the installation of a complete inboard engine system into our highly modified Cape Dory 36...
PS Advisor: Tacking and Jibing with a Tiller Pilot
In very light winds the tiller pilot will make corrections that are too small and the boat will not turn quickly enough to complete...
Diesel Repower From Scratch Pt. 1
This is a multi-part article detailing the installation of an inboard diesel engine into my modified Cape Dory 36 Far Reach. I rebuilt the Far Reach from...
The $15 Do-it-Yourself Tiller Lock
An electronic tiller pilot is a marvel for single handed sailors. It is a second crew member that never tires, holding a steady course...
Rhumb Lines: Tiller Versus Wheel, Again
Two articles this month focus on the simplest, most reliable form of steering, one that has persisted through the ages with little modification—the tiller....
Lithium Batteries on Sailboats: The 3 Mistakes Everyone Makes
Lithium batteries are one of the most popular sailboat upgrades today—but they’re also one of the most misunderstood. In this Practical Sailor Saturday episode,...
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.