The Penny-Pinching PhD Sailor

Subscribers Only — A key principle, at least from my perspective as an engineer, is knowing your boat. In 30 years of boat ownership,...

Anti-Corrosion Bags Live Up to Claims, But So Does Ziploc

— Our testers estimated that the exposure test was the equivalent of five years of exposure aboard a boat. Although the...

— We wished they could be as maintenance free as the carbon canister on your car, but they lack the regeneration cycles...

Subscribers Only — Cleaner than coil and grease coatings, these bags protect areas that are hard to reach. Additionally, the protective...

Subscribers Only — The fastest way to attach light hardware to a cored deck is a self-tapping screw. It is also the fastest way to have...

Subscribers Only — We recently tested shear strength of many caulks on many different materials and delivered a few tentative...

— Sunbrella does not shrink. That is the mantra, and for covers and dodger that are left in place, it seems to be the...

— Spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural problems that will need to be addressed to prevent...

Subscribers Only — Each year, just prior to the fall boat show season, Practical Sailor editors consult with our testers to come up with...

Subscribers Only — Athough falling off a ladder or cutting yourself with a sharp tool are the most common boatyard injuries, damage from...