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The Get-Home Sailboat Tool Kit

Personal Gear & Apparel
The tools and materials required to maintain and repair everything on a boat will barely fit in a room. Just the kit required to maintain vital systems will raise the waterline of a large boat and is impractical in a smaller boat. Fortunately, when day sailing and even cruising locally, all we really need to do is get back to the dock...any dock.

Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review

Sailboat Reviews
The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.

Navigation App Review: Savvy Navvy

Apps and Computer Programs
When Savvy Navvy navigation app asked me to review the app and share my impressions, I was curious enough to do a little background research before accepting. From the onset, the...

Lithium Batteries for Small Boats: Troubleshooting

Marine Electronics
In “Lithium Batteries for Small Boats” we looked at some of the less frequently discussed differences between lead acid and LiFePO4 batteries. In “Lithium Batteries for Small Boats: Install Guide” we...

Extra Anchor Lighting

Electrical
When summer comes, a dozen or more sparkling white lights will adorn every popular anchorage. Visible from miles away, they promise to provide good warning to approaching boats that something is...

Six Best Homemade Boat Maintenance Tools

Boat Maintenance
OSHA has a thing against homemade tools. While a shortened extension on a paint roller won’t give them heartburn, modified power tools and attachments to power tools do. Ladders. Overhead lifting....

Lagoon 380 Used Boat Review

Multihulls
With over 35 years of bareboat chartering experience, I can honestly say, without any reservations, that when you’re more than one couple, a catamaran is definitely the way to go. Yes,...

Lithium Batteries for Small Boats: Install Guide

Marine Electronics
This article focuses on sailboat LiFePO4 battery installations and the equipment and wiring changes we need to make to the electrical system in order to install the technology. “Lithium Batteries for...

Rudder Mods for Low-speed Docking

Diesel Engines
Any sailor who has tried to wrestle a full-keel ketch with a barn-door rudder into a tight slip has probably wondered if they could modify the rudder to improve low-speed maneuvering...

DIY Electrical System Survey and Inspection

Electrical
So, you’ve finally purchased that new (or new-to-you) boat of your dreams. Now is a great time to familiarize yourself with its systems—a good place to start is by inspecting the...

Latest Videos

Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean - Alberg 37 video from Practical Sailor
Video

Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean – Alberg 37

Are you looking for a family sailboat that can cross the ocean and sail the Caribbean in safety and comfort? Carl Alberg designed the...
ASA Certification: Are Sailing Courses Really Worth It? video from Practical Sailor

ASA Certification: Are Sailing Courses Really Worth It?

Lagoon 55 - The Perfect Charter Boat for Your Caribbean Vacation video from Practical Sailor

Lagoon 55 – The Perfect Charter Boat for Your Caribbean Vacation

Bad Bottom Paint Slowing You Down? video from Practical Sailor

Bad Bottom Paint Slowing You Down?

Latest Sailboat Review

New Sailboats

Hunter 45DS Used Boat Review

Hunter Marine unveiled its latest large cruising monohull, the Hunter 45DS, in late 2007. The boat is essentially an upgrade of the 44DS, with twin wheels, a new transom, new styling, and a roomier, reconfigured interior. Hunter has sold 152 hulls since the boats debut, making it a fairly successful endeavor. To increase the Hunter 45DSs interior volume, designer Glenn Henderson opted for relatively high freeboard and additional length. Henderson also matched a nearly elliptical rudder with a smaller keel. The 54-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary engine moved the Hunter through calm water at 8 knots at 3,000 rpm. Testers sailed the 45-footer in flat water and 13.5 knots of wind, making 5.8 knots and were able to tack through 110 degrees. The current base price of the Hunter is $268,990.
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