Composting Marine Heads
Sun-Mar's Ecolet Mobile and the Air Head are pondered upon for a season. The Ecolet is more of a fire-and-forget vehicle, but demands more power and space. The Air Head requires you to commune more closely with nature.
Manual Galley Pumps
Three major brands - Whale, Fynspray and Wilcox-Crittenden - and three major types -lever and vertical hand pumps, plus three foot pumps - are evaluated.
Refrigeration Survey 2002
PS readers are almost universally pleased with their choices in DC-powered refrigeration. The technology is well-developed and reliable.
Portable Heads
The Thetford AquaMate, with its bells and whistles and impressive three-year warranty, is our top choice. The simple but comfortable SeaLand Sanipottie earns Best Buy honors.
Techni-Ice: So Long, Blue Bricks
Techni-Ice, invented in Australia, is meant to act as a substitute for ice, and it does a good job of it—better, in our opinion,...
Test of Six 12-volt Watermakers
In this test, we look at high-output watermakers from five manufacturers, ranging from systems from industry giants such as Village Marine to small shops...
PS Advisor 01/15/98
From Freshwater to SaltI plan to move from the Chicago area to North Carolina. My Catalina 30 has spent its entire life on Lake...
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....
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...
Latest Logbook
Practical Sailor Logbook – October 2026
This month leans into used-boat value and hands-on maintenance: Tim Labute tours the traditional, shoal-draft Bayfield 32, Nick Nicholson revisits the much-requested Morgan 38/382,...
Video: Catalina 356 Review – The First Boat of the Comeback
Catalina Yachts is BACK! After a change in ownership and a pause in production, Catalina has returned to building sailboats in America, and we're...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Tartan 31 Piper: Used Boat Review
The Tartan 31 is one of the new line of performance cruising yachts from the venerable-and durable--Grand River, Ohio boatbuilder. In the last few years, Tartan Marine has come out with a range of new models, including the T-28, the 3500 and the 4600. A 41-footer is in the works. Both the 28 and the latest version of the 31 are part of the new Piper series, which are marketed in sailaway condition. Tartan has a reputation for solid construction and good workmanship and that's what the 31 is: solid and well put together. The hull is hand-laminated with alternating layers of chopped strand mat and unidirectional E glass. Behind the NPG/ISO gelcoat there's a layer of vinylester resin, which so far appears to provide the best osmotic blister protection available.
