Sailing Guides

Transom, telescoping and dive ladders compared, and how deep the bottom step must be for crew recovery.

Length, locks, hook shapes and floating designs for docking and mooring pickups.

USCG requirements by boat length, 5-B vs 20-B, the 12-year rule, and the best marine extinguishers.

Short, long and full-finger sailing gloves compared for grip, durability and dexterity.

Card size, heel, mounting, lighting and deviation: choosing a magnetic compass for a sailboat.

Countdown controls, water resistance, readability and battery care: choosing a practical watch for racing and cruising.

Plain and serrated blades, locks, multitools and saltwater care—with a clear distinction between maintenance and rescue.

Sloops, cutters, ketches, catamarans and more — how the major sailboat rigs and hull types compare.

Waterproof marine speakers and stereo head units compared — power draw, NMEA 2000, mounting and wiring.

Fender sizing by boat length, cylindrical vs ball vs flat fenders, hanging height, lines and top picks.

Why 7x50 is the sailing standard, compass and stabilized binoculars, and our top picks at every budget.

Automatic vs hydrostatic inflation, harness life jackets, ratings and rearming — plus the best picks for sailors.

How to choose a chartplotter for cruising — screen size, charts, networking, and top picks at each budget.

Raymarine, B&G, Garmin, Simrad and Pelagic autopilots compared — drives, sailing modes, and integration.

Spectra, Rainman, Katadyn and more — which watermakers match cruising energy budgets and boat sizes.

LiFePO4 house-bank picks and how to plan a lithium conversion — Battle Born, Victron, Renogy, Epoch, Dakota.

RIBs, rollups, and outboards compared — how to pick the right dinghy and motor for your boat and cruising style.

Modern anchor and windlass picks that hold hard and lift reliably — Rocna, Mantus, Spade, Lewmar, Maxwell.

Offshore-certified life raft picks and buying guidance for cruising sailors — Viking, Winslow, Ocean Safety, Revere.

Rigid vs flexible marine solar panels, how to size an array for your house bank, and top picks for cruising sailors.

How to choose a marine inverter/charger — sizing, LFP compatibility, integration, and the units we'd install today.

Forced-air and radiant diesel heaters for cruising sailboats — how to choose, install, and avoid the top failure modes.

When electric propulsion makes sense on a sailboat, how to size batteries and regen, and the electric drive systems worth buying.

Headsail furlers, in-mast, and in-boom furling systems compared — trade-offs, top picks, and what to install today.

Standing rigging replacement guide — 1x19 wire, rod, Dyneema, terminal types, and when to re-rig.

Storm jibs, trysails, and drogues — how to size, choose, and actually deploy heavy-weather tactics offshore.

How to size, grade, and rig anchor chain and rode — G4, G7, calibrated European chain, snubbers, and chain hooks.

Davit systems for cruising sailboats — Kato, Weaver, Garhauer, and stern-arch options.

How to size and choose sailboat winches — Harken, Lewmar, Andersen, and electric winches.

AIS transponders for cruising sailboats — Vesper Cortex, em-trak, integrated VHF options, and why SOTDMA matters.

Satellite comms for cruising sailboats — Starlink Mini, Iridium GO, Garmin inReach, and how to combine them.

How to choose an EPIRB or PLB for your sailboat — Category I vs II, return-link, and why offshore crews carry both.

Marine refrigeration — Isotherm, Nova Kool, Frigoboat keel-cooler conversions, and how to minimize energy use.

Marine toilets for cruising sailboats — Nature's Head composting, Raritan electric, and manual heads compared.

Fixed-mount and handheld marine GPS units compared — screens, charts, power draw, and picks at every budget.

Fixed-mount and handheld VHF radios with DSC, GPS and AIS — how to choose, install, and register an MMSI.

Solid-state and magnetron radar domes for cruising sailboats — Doppler tracking, mounting, power draw and picks.

Combo chartplotter/sonar units for sailboats — transducer choices, CHIRP sonar, screen sizes and top picks.

How to plan and wire an NMEA 2000 backbone — terminators, LEN power budgets, gateways and troubleshooting.

Handheld GPS and satellite units as chartplotter backup — waterproofing, battery life, charts and ditch-bag picks.

Eight proven offshore cruisers under 40 feet compared — hull form, build quality, real weaknesses and refit costs.

Monohulls and catamarans compared for full-time living — space, running costs, comfort at anchor and systems.

Tow weights, ramp setup time, keel types and five trailer sailers worth owning, from Catalina 22 to Corsair 760.

The Lagoon 46 suits most families; couples should start with the Astréa 42. All 7 compared, with real running costs.

Dinghies, daysailers and a pocket cruiser compared — what each teaches, real downsides and first-season costs.

Shore-power chargers and DC-DC chargers compared — sizing output to your bank, lithium profiles, wiring and top picks.

What a wind generator really produces at anchor, noise and mounting reality, plus hydrogeneration for passagemaking.

Why voltage lies on lithium, how shunts measure state of charge, and which Victron, Balmar and Simarine monitors to fit.

Why a stock alternator overheats charging lithium, and how high-output alternators and smart regulators fix it.

Tiller, wheel, below-deck linear and hydraulic drives compared — how to size thrust and install one properly.

How wind, speed and depth instruments work together, what calibration matters, and how B&G, Raymarine and Garmin compare.

What radar, AIS and thermal cameras each see and miss at sea, and how to combine them for a real watchkeeping system.

How sail cloth fails, what Dacron, laminate and moulded membrane sails really cost per season, and how to order well.

Fabric, window material, frames and the visibility trade-offs — plus DIY kit vs canvas loft cost reality.

BTU sizing, self-contained vs split systems, 12V DC units for anchoring out, and the power problem nobody mentions.

How the three satellite networks differ at sea, what offshore coverage really costs, and how to layer broadband with a global backup.

Sizing horsepower, real installation costs, saildrive vs shaft, and how Beta Marine, Yanmar and Volvo Penta actually compare.

Converting sailboat winches to electric — kit vs new winch, wiring and battery demands, safety, and the best options compared.

How to size marine solar with an amp-hour audit, sun-hour math, derating and shading, MPPT sizing, and worked examples for three cruising boats.

How to size, rig and deploy a second (storm/kedge) anchor: holding power, seabeds, scope in 40+ knots, snubbers and dinghy deployment.

How to choose and install every pump on a cruising boat — fresh water, bilge, sump, washdown and manual backup — with real flow rates and failure modes.

How to sew your own sailboat canvas: the right machine, fabric, needle and thread, patterning and hardware — plus a realistic first-project ladder.

How propane, alcohol, diesel and induction galley stoves compare at sea, how to plumb propane safely, and which stove to buy for each fuel.

Ablative vs hard vs copper-free bottom paint, how much you need, yard costs, DIY safety gear, and when diver cleaning beats a haul-out.

How fin, full, bulb, wing, bilge and swing keels differ in draft, stability and handling, and which keel suits your sailing grounds.

A realistic annual budget for a 40-footer: dockage, insurance, haul-outs, rigging, sails, engine work and the costs owners forget.

What boat insurance costs, how navigation limits and named-storm clauses work, and the exclusions that catch cruisers out.

Range, motion, fuel and cost compared across trawlers, motorsailers and sailboats — which types can genuinely cross an ocean.

12V air conditioning, cabin fans and powered vents compared for life at anchor — power draw, real cooling and what actually works.

How to judge teak deck wear, what re-caulking and replacement really cost, and when removing the teak is the better decision.

Dry bags, hard cases and locker storage that actually keep water out aboard, from dinghy runs to electronics and ship's papers.

Inflatable paddleboards and kayaks that stow aboard a cruising sailboat — packed size, stability, pumps and what lasts in salt.

Electric, vacuum and composting marine heads compared — installation reality, power draw, odour causes and what a conversion costs.

Surface-supplied hookah rigs and dive compressors for sailors — costs, the safety rules that matter, and whether DIY hull cleaning pays.

Compare marine boat grills, mounting options and propane safety. Choose a cockpit grill that fits your rail, crew and storage space.

Choose sailing foul-weather gear by exposure, fit and layering. Compare coastal and offshore jackets, bibs, waterproofing and real trade-offs.

Choose marine sealants for deck fittings, through-hulls and repairs. Compare bond strength, cure time, substrates and future removal before buying.

Choose boat cleaner and marine wax by surface and stain. Compare deck cleaners, hull stain removers and gelcoat protection without making decks slippery.