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....
Know Your Gypsy
When buying chain, there are two things to look for. The first is quality, which we explore through our testing. The critical question, though,...
Mooring Chain Background
Almost all chain used for permanent moorings is made of welded steel alloy, galvanized to forestall corrosion not, in the long run, to prevent...
Decontaminating a Tainted Tank
Those of you who missed our report on how a weak winterizing solution can create a Sandals Beach Resort for waterborne bacteria may be...
Find the Cause of Head Odor
Good hose is useless if the unions are not well clamped. Barbed hose end fittings should be snug and securely sealed and, of course,...
Thermal Cooking Is a Great Option for Cooking Onboard
The humble vacuum flask, or thermos, is one of those 19th century technologies that has withstood the tests of time. Originally a delicate, double-walled,...
Waxing and Polishing Your Boat
With spring launch day looming for most of us, I am plunging once again into polishing and waxing fiberglass boat hulls. This post covers...
The Holy Grail of Wood Protectors
Did you ever wonder why its called “wood finish?” You’re never “finished” with it. Unfortunately, that rings true for most boat maintenance tasks. With...
Bad Holding Ground Primer
Modern anchors of the recommended size that are set and rigged properly offer plenty of holding power in good sand or mud. Except for...
Common Bottom Type Abbreviations
There are 15 basic bottom terms and 58 types listed on NOAA chart 1 (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/us-chart-1/ChartNo1.pdf), the guide to chart symbols. (We’ve listed only a...
Why You Might Regret Buying a Watermaker
Thinking about installing a boat watermaker? Before you buy a marine watermaker, there’s a lot more to understand than gallons per hour. In this...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Pearson 35 Used Boat Review
The Pearson 35 was introduced in 1968 and remained in production for the next 14 years. In all, 514 P35s were built, almost all for East Coast and Great Lakes owners attracted by the 35's shoal draft (3' 9" with centerboard up) and "classic" proportions. Even the popular Pearson 30, usually heralded as the enduring boat from a builder otherwise noted for its frequent introductions of new boats and short production runs, remained in production only 10 years, albeit with almost 1,200 boats built.
