Head Start Is there room for a new marine toilet? Albin Pump Marine thinks so, having just introduced its line of Swedish-built heads—ranging from compact to full-size models—to the American market. The toilets feature vitreous porcelain bowls and either wooden or thermoplastic ...read more
Brass Yacht Lamp Does someone on your gift list spend the whole winter missing the warm days on the water? Let them bring a little bit of nautical atmosphere home with this new lamp from Weems & Plath. The glass enclosure means the flame cannot be blown out even by ...read more
Sense the Wind B&G has launched a new line of wind sensors, including the WS320, a wireless system that is suitable for masts up to 80ft. Wireless wind sensor technology has been hit-and-miss, with some users reporting intermittent signal failure on tall rigs, but B&G, citing ...read more
Mary McKSchmidt’s new memoir tells the honest and impactful story of finding purpose through sailing and advocacy. As a young successful businesswoman, she was taught to sail by her soon-to-be-husband, Rubin. Not only that, but while she fell in love with the ...read more
Plug & Play Stereo It can be a real pain to install a marine stereo inside a boat, what with the tiresome business of running cables through cramped spaces and finding somewhere sensible to locate the speakers. The audiophiles at Fusion thought about this and came up with the ...read more
Block Party The elegance of these new X3M Flight blocks from Ubi Maior conceals the fact that they can handle loads of up to 15 tons. Designed to be used with a variety of textile loops, as fixed or snatch blocks, the X3M blocks have resin frames to carry the loops and anodized ...read more
Furl Power Are you afraid of flying—spinnakers, that is? Harken’s new Reflex 3 top-down furler will tame A-sails on monohulls from 44-58ft and multis from 39-55ft, and Code 0’s on 39-54ft monos and 36-50ft multis. All you do is heave on the furling line and the sail will roll up ...read more
For a long time, I really liked my old Tohatsu 3.5 outboard, smelly little two-stroke that it was, for its willing power and easy starting. Then it started to not want to start. Then, once started, it would run fine just long enough to get me a decent distance from the boat, ...read more
Block Party The elegance of these new X3M Flight blocks from Ubi Maior conceals the fact that they can handle loads of up to 15 tons. Designed to be used with a variety of textile loops, as fixed or snatch blocks, the X3M blocks have resin frames to carry the loops and anodized ...read more
Dock like a Pro If you’ve used electric bow thrusters, you’ll know you have to be careful not to overheat the motors. Not so with Vetus’s new Bow Pro thrusters. The innovative brushless motors generate much less heat, and combined with a new controller means almost unlimited ...read more
Short Yourself It’s not that easy to find a good pair of sailing shorts—the usual cotton cargo shorts tend to soak up salt and stay damp for ages—but Gill’s new FG12 Expedition Shorts look like the way ahead for savvy sailors. The stretchy softshell fabric is water-repellent and ...read more
CHECK THESE If you’re sailing with new crew this summer or your kids have suddenly and inexplicably started to look up from their phones and take an interest in the finer points of cruising, these Quick Reference Cards from Davis are a great way to further their boating ...read more
TOUCHSCREEN STEREO New Zealand audio specialists Fusion has introduced the first-ever marine stereo with a glass touchscreen display. The Apollo RA770 sets a high bar for boat entertainment systems; among a host of other features it has built-in WiFi streaming and features ...read more
COOL SLEEP You’re fast asleep in a snug anchorage, forehatch open to catch the breeze, when you’re rudely awakened by a sneaky rain squall. Now you’re not only awake and wet, you’re sweltering with the hatch closed. Sucks, right? That’s why ATN came up with the Dorcap, an ...read more
IN HOT WATER Sweden’s Albin Pump Marine has introduced its line of marine water heaters to the United States. Complete with 130V or 230V AC electric elements, the heaters can be plumbed into the engine cooling system. They feature ceramic-lined cylindrical tanks in 5, 8, 12 and ...read more
Doctor Your Sails If one of your sails gets a rip or the stitches start coming out, you want to repair it right away–especially if you’re just embarking on a cruise or are about to start a race. These nifty Sailkits from Dr. Sails contain enough sailcloth for a repair, along ...read more
A BETTER VISION Vesper Marine’s Watchmate series has long been the gold standard for user-friendly AIS displays, and the new Watchmate Vision2 transponder improves an already fine product that not only displays AIS data, but can be connected to up to eight devices, including ...read more
BMW Oracle Racing’s 2010 ascent to America’s Cup glory with Jimmy Spithill at the helm may be one of the best-known tales in the annals of modern sailing, but you haven’t heard it like this before. Spithill’s autobiography, Chasing the Cup, is a must-read for anyone following ...read more
WATCH THIS If you’re in the market for a high-end sailing timepiece with a few tricks up its electronic sleeve, the Breitling Exospace B55 Yachting belongs on your wrist. Not only does it tell the time with uncanny precision, it is equipped with a race timer system that has a ...read more
SHARK BITE If there’s one thing that ruins a great day on the water, it’s a fouled propeller. At best it’ll hold you up while you take an icy swim to free your prop; at worst, your running gear could be badly damaged. Wise cruisers guard against such scenarios by installing a ...read more
Nathaniel Philbrick Amidst today’s tales of high-tech yacht design and the pros battling it out in seemingly impossible conditions, Second Wind is the gorgeously simple story of a man who loves two things: his boat and his family. A former Sunfish champion, Nathaniel Philbrick, ...read more
Set sail without losing service. KVH, a manufacturer best known for its satellite-based marine communications systems, just changed the connectivity game for sailors with its new TracPhone LTE-1 marine communications system. The new cellular device combines LTE Advanced cellular ...read more
SILENT RUNNERS Alternative-fuel outboards are gaining ground, thanks to the problems with ethanol-spiked gasoline. An innovative new range of lithium ion battery-powered electric motors from Hong Kong-based Epropulsion has just arrived in the United States. The Lagoon is a ...read more
Heavy Duty Jacket Musto’s new MPX Pro Offshore Jacket features the same waterproof, breathable three-layer Gore-Tex fabric as its predecessors, but weighs 15 percent less. Changes to the hood make it easier to adjust and the fleece-lined collar and hood pod provide both warmth ...read more