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June 2010 issue of Practical Sailor is Now Available Online!

May 20, 2010

The June issue of Practical Sailor magazine is now available online. This month’s big test examines a class of products that is near and dear to my stomach: bosun chairs. After all, it was a suicidal wooden seat that left me with one of my most vivid memories from our cruising days. The details aren’t [...]

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Spacewalking tips for sailors

May 17, 2010

Marveling at the work of the crew aboard space shuttle Atlantis today reminded me that going to sea shares a lot in common with space exploration: the prolonged periods of isolation, the close quarters, the food and drinks sailing across the cabin.
If you accept the analogy, then climbing the mast while underway is the sailor’s [...]

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Label that Life Jacket

May 13, 2010

As the article “What is the Best Backup for a 406 EPIRB?” in the May 2010 issue of Practical Sailor pointed out, confirming that your EPIRB is properly registered is essential to ensuring a swift rescue. Registering an EPIRB identifies the owner, reducing the odds of the U.S. Coast Guard launching an expensive, and potentially [...]

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Practical Sailor field tests Seascoopa MOB device

April 30, 2010

In response to our January 2010 report on man-overboard recovery maneuvers, some readers wrote in, asking about devices that would enable a single crew to bring an unconscious MOB back onboard. We recently tested a prototype of one such device: the Seascoopa.
This video gives a brief look at the Seascoopa and Practical Sailor’s on-the-water tests [...]

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May Practical Sailor Now Online

April 29, 2010

The May issue of Practical Sailor is now online at www.practical-sailor.com. If you’ve got a teak deck that has been neglected for years, can’t live without an adrenaline rush, or are replacing your deck hardware, this is the issue for you. We look at teak cleaners, quick little multihulls, and those convenient little grippers known [...]

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Tips on Choosing Antifouling Paint

April 17, 2010

Unless you’re prepared for more prep work than a light sanding, the first step to selecting a bottom paint is finding one that’s compatible with what’s on your hull now. All of the manufacturers in Practical Sailor’s most recent antifouling paint test will provide guidance on this, either over the phone or on the company [...]

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Don't Trash that Old Garmin 48 GPS!

April 13, 2010

The dreaded “Memory Battery Low” error in your old Garmin GPS 48 doesn’t mean the unit is doomed . . .
I was rummaging around the dead letter office at Practical Sailor and came across this bit of advice tucked away in our old Mailport files. Knowing that many Practical Sailor readers, like me, are quite [...]

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Tips on Preventing Mildew Growth on Boats and Sails

March 29, 2010

I’ve been growing several interesting varieties of mold and mildew at home. It is glamorous work, I know. While my wife, Theresa, disagrees, I know that you understand.
This Practical Sailor project led me to our last test of mildew cleaners, and some helpful tips for keeping mildew at bay.
Having been closely involved in our mildew [...]

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