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Maintenance and DIY

Snuggle Up Afloat

Why hang out in a hammock when you can cuddle up in a Cacoon? As a practical matter, a Cacoon only requires a single attachment point—think a halyard or topping lift, something that is obviously pretty easy to find on a sailboat.

Power on the Move

After proving itself in a number of offshore races, including last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre, the Watt&Sea hydrogenerator is now available in a cruising version.

Compact Folding Bicycle

The CarryMe compact folding bike is not only cute as a button, but practical. Weighing just 18lb, it can fit through a small hatch when collapsed and includes an aluminum-alloy frame that makes it corrosion-resistant as well.

High-Efficiency Autopilot Drive

The Simrad DD15 autopilot drive features a compact flat-wound DC electric motor, an elegant planetary reduction gear and a built-in rudder-angle feedback arm.

TitanStraps

Made from a stretchy, high-performance polymer, TitanStraps are specifically designed for lashing down equipment quickly, easily and reliably under extreme conditions.

Selden Spinnaker Furler

The key to Seldén’s new top-down asymmetric spinnaker furler is a swiveling tack attachment, which lets the foot fly free as the rest of the sail is being rolled down from the head on a torque rope.

Protect Your iPad

Smartphones are now commonplace offshore, but many sailors hesitate to expose their beloved iPads to the elements. Fear not—there’s a growing number of weatherproof cases that make it possible to take your tablet sailing.

Handy Duck Easy-Release Hook

The Handy Duck is a strong, lightweight, easy-to-attach and—equally important—easy-to-release hook that can be used to either grab a mooring temporarily or serve as a permanent attachment.

Quick Retractable Thrusters

Quick retractable thrusters can be installed in either the bow or stern or both, to make maneuvering in tight spaces virtually effortless. This past year Hunter Marine began offering the systems as an option on some of its larger boats.

Eco-Clad Bottom Paint

Eco-Clad antifouling paint features what manufacturer Luritek Inc. describes as a “biomimicry” process similar to what fish use to keep their bodies weed-free. The paint is engineered to create a naturally slimy biofilm.

This 2026 Top 10 winner is a functional and fashionable update to the 410.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 415

Developed in record time and on a shoestring budget, a new design hits the bullseye of the cruising market. 

Boat under shrinkwrap

Selecting a Marine Pro

Note: This story is excerpted from SAIL Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s upcoming book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance—a compendium of lessons learned during his

Squalls at night are no joke, but good preparation will get you through safely. Photo courtesy of Andy Schell

Storms & Sea Stories

The wind built faster than it was forecasted to. We ate dinner with full sail, close-reaching on a building SSW’ly breeze. Before dark we had

Photo: Lisa Smith Molinari

A Charter Passage Rewritten

Sailing on a schedule is famously a recipe for disaster, but on charter you don’t have much of a choice. The adventure is what you make of it. 

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