After years of manufacturing orange liferafts, Viking Life-Saving Equipment is now making its rafts fluorescent yellow. Viking made the switch after extensive testing showed that yellow shows up better against the grays and blues of the ocean, as well as in fog. Viking has incorporated the color into its upgraded RescYou line of rafts, which also features a blue inner lining that is said to have
Whether its on a through-hull fitting or securing a hose on your diesel engine, a hose clamp is a critical piece of equipment, so it pays to use a good one that fits.With a Cruisers Pack stainless steel ABA hose clamp kit from Scandvik, you can be assured of having any and every hose clamp youll ever need.Each kit contains 56 clamps in six different sizes from 7/16in to 2 11/16in
The solar-powered RailLight Premium LED light comes with a QuickMount attachment system featuring multiple attachment options. These include a rail clamp that attaches to railings measuring 3/4in to 11/4in in diameter; a transom clamp that adjusts up to 2in, for use with cockpit coamings, toerails or the topsides of a dinghy and rowboat; and a post mount that attaches permanently to any deck,
Shakespeare’s Galaxy 5445 antenna and wind vane combination saves space at the top of the mast by combining multiple functions in a single piece of gear. The system is lightweight and minimizes windage aloft, while solderless connectors simplify installation and subsequent removal for storage. The antennas 3dB whip measures 3ft and a PL-259 connector and a 65ft RG-58 coax cable are included. The
After watching Steve Henkel collect brochures on trailerable boats for almost 50 years, his wife, Carol, asked why he was continuing to surround himself with mounds of seemingly obsolete files. With no room to maneuver, Henkel could only mumble that they were for a book he was planning to write. Starting when? his wife asked. Now, he meekly replied.Fortunately for us, the result is a
Often, buying a cruising boat is the realization of a lifelong dream. But with that dream comes financial, logistical and, yes, personal obligations. While all of them can be managed, it’s a lot easier when you understand the realities that go with boat ownership. Doane has owned many boats over the years—his latest is affectionately named Lunacy—and uses his acquired wisdom in an entertaining
The new Not for Navigation line of canvas bags makes it possible for you to have the nautical chart of your choice custom silk-screened onto one of any number of bag types. All bags are made from natural cotton canvas, and more than a dozen different styles are available, including smaller messenger bags, totes, duffels, ditty bags and wine holders. Silk-screened pillows are also
My J/105 is more of a racer than a cruiser, but every once in a while I put in a few nights aboard with the family. Im 6ft 3in, and the boat has about a foot less headroom than I need, so Ive always paid close attention to the weatherbeing stuck below on a rainy day for more than an hour or so would put a big damper on the trip. Last year I was offered a ShadeTree awning to try, and what a
So you want to plot a course while watching Google Earth, monitoring fuel efficiency, geo-referencing digital photos, checking the weather, tracking the tide and reading a cruisers forum to find a good dinner spot? Theres an app for that. In fact, there are hundreds of apps for all of that.Where once you had to combine information from cruising guides, almanacs, weather stations and
You may not be able to sail like Brazilian Olympic medalist Torben Grael or James Spithill, helmsman for recent Larry Ellisons recent Americas Cup winner, but now you can look like themat least a little. Fashion icon Prada recently unveiled a what it calls its Intrepid sunglassesthe same glasses BMW Oracle Racing configured with a heads-up display similar to that used aboard fighter jets,
It has been more than three weeks since Jacqueline Lawson last heard from her husband, Donald Lawson, aboard the ORMA 60 trimaran Defiant, which he
Are you happy with your boat? Few of us are, at least not 100%. There’s always something that could be improved or altered. There are
It’s really not fair. That’s what I was thinking perched on the weather rail of the Italia Yachts 14.98 Artemis while beating up Eastern Bay
I must admit, I cracked. The last voice shouting mansplanations at me about how to work the bow thruster that we didn’t have was the
Applications for The Magenta Project’s mentorship program are now open for the 2023-2024 cycle. This program aims to improve diversity and in particular support women
When the first gun sounds at the E Scow National Championship regatta this September, more than 100 boats are expected to be on the line
Xquisite catamarans are well known as comfortable, well-built long-distance cruising cats, with all of the luxury and accouterments one would expect—the antithesis, in other words,
The 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet race was one to remember, with extreme conditions wiping out a quarter of the fleet before tapering off
This column is usually about seamanship, a technical look at things to make us better sailors. But how does history play a part in that?
Fifty-four boats participated in the second annual Fast Mermaid Pursuit Race off Marblehead, Massachusetts, on Sunday, July 23, raising funds to help a local sailor
