Infant/Toddler PFDs
A good fit is key to choosing a life vest for your wee one.
Rhumb Lines – It’s Spider-Man to the rescue . . .
Life jacket regs for kids taking shape.
8 Bells for Dale Nouse
"Easy come, easy go."Those were nearly Dale Nouses last words to me. "Easy for you to say," I retorted. "Im the one who has to live with you gone."Our conversations were always frank. Thats the way he insisted they be-no social niceties.Id just learned that Dale had inoperable tumors in his abdominal lining; the doctors had given him just three or four months to live. Turned out, that forecast was exceedingly optimistic. Or maybe…
Its Not An Ordinary Ball Cap
[IMGCAP(1)]For those who havent heard the good word on boating from a dermatological standpoint: The sun is our enemy. One PS tester put it this way: "Im always on the lookout for products that reduce the amount of things frozen, scraped, or burned off my hide by the dermatologist."Enter the ExtremeShade Cap from Dermafend. The ExtremeShade Cap looks like a typical ball cap, but easily transforms into a "Personal Shade System" complete with side flaps…
Take a Load Off with E-SeaRider
[IMGCAP(1)]A bean bag on a boat? Thats absurd, you may say. They belong in front of basement TVs and in kids playrooms.We were skeptical, too. But Practical Sailor crew have been using two of the bags from E-SeaRider of St. Petersburg, Fla., for about a year-and we like them a lot. Theyre appropriate for daysailing, but for anything but larger boats, storing the bulky bags would be difficult. …
Dale Nouse: 1921-2006
Last month, Practical Sailor lost a good friend, a crotchety editor and talented writer, who reminded us that beneath the ceaseless stream of devices, gear, and boats that grace these pages, there lies a story. If youve ever been amused and entertained, or educated on matters of music, art, history, or science while reading Practical Sailor, the article was probably written by Dale Nouse. …
Life at the Extreme
Offshore racing defines risk, pushing everything to the limit—and beyond.
The Technological Edge
Its always interesting putting together a report on sails because you are bound to find some strong opinions, not only from the pros who make the sails, but the sailors who buy them.[IMGCA[(1)]With such a range of preferences (quirks, some might say), cruisers can be a sailmakers nightmare. Each cruising sail must be, to some degree, custom-built. As our market scan of asymmetrical sails (See "Riding the A-train," page 13) reveals, the road to…
Roll with the Tide
If you keep your boat in tidal waters, where particular attention must be paid to the docking or mooring lines, you’ll be interested to...
Fillet Knives Test Gets to the Point
Dexter Russell is the perfect balance of strength, sharpness, flexibility.
This 40 Foot Sailboat Has the Best Owner’s Bed Ever Built...
If you’re shopping for a 40-foot cruising sailboat and actually plan to live aboard or cruise, comfort matters — and nowhere does that matter...
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.