String Theory
Sails are a fascinating engineering statement, and when all is said and done, what’s sought after is the lightest material possible that will neither...
Choosing a Sailmaker
Sailmakers around the world have been printing up new business cards even though they continue to work for the same franchised lofts. Their new...
The Basics of Sailmaking
What’s important about good sail shape? As one sailmaker likes to explain it, using poorly shaped or blown-out sails is like driving on bald...
Getting Away From the Crowd Is Key
Boatowners who have the option of moving their boats to protected water before a hurricane strikes should consider rivers, canals, or backwater creeks instead...
The Lightweight Anchor
All anchors are a compromise. Since some anchor types work best in certain bottoms, it is a good idea to carry anchors of different...
Design Analysis
Physical measurements of anchors cannot produce definitive conclusions about anchor performance, but they offer clues to likely performance in different conditions.
Our analysis found that...
Anchors Reset Tests
When a sailor hooks his beloved boat to good, old Mother Earth, he hopes his anchor will stay put—for lunch, for a good night’s...
Better Mousetraps
And what of the new anchors not yet on the market? Anchoring is a subject that seems to fascinate inventors. It’s not just “build...
Anchors Move
The mud tests suggest that when looking for a good anchorage a sand bottom is worth seeking out—because it’s easier for any anchor to...
Nylon Rope Endurance Test
Nylon three-strand dock lines, anchor rodes, and mooring pendants are the sailor’s safety net, so to speak, and have been for nearly a century....
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.