Gear & Electronics
Hydrovane vs Monitor: Choosing a Wind Vane for Shorthanded Passages
Auxiliary rudder or servo-pendulum? The mechanical difference drives every other tradeoff.
bluewater
Twin Gennakers with Structured Luffs: A New Era for Shorthanded Downwind Cruising
For the past three decades, downwind sailing on a cruising boat has meant choosing between compromise options. A symmetric spinnaker gives you maximum projected area but requires a
liveaboard
Offshore Refrigeration for Cruisers: Sizing, Architecture, and the Upgrades That Actually Pay Back
Refrigeration is the single biggest DC load on most liveaboard cruising sailboats, and getting it right is the difference between an electrical system that hums along in the
gear-review
Raymarine Axiom 2 First Look: The Incremental Upgrade Bluewater Sailors Have Been Waiting For
When Raymarine pulled the wraps off the Axiom 2 at the 2026 electronics trade circuit, the announcement felt less like a product launch and more like a quiet
gear-review
Raymarine RCU-1 Wireless Autopilot Remote: A Game-Changer for Shorthanded Sailors
Raymarine has finally cut the cord on autopilot remotes with the new RCU-1, a wireless control unit for the Evolution autopilot range scheduled for Q2 2026 release.
gear-review
Garmin GPSMap 9000xsv Series Review: The New 2026 MFD Benchmark
Garmin's new GPSMap 9000xsv series is the 2026 flagship MFD for cruising sailors, and after spending time with the 13-inch unit installed on a 47-
bluewater
Ground Tackle Decoded: Anchors, Rode, and Snubbers for Bluewater Cruising
The anchor is the single most important piece of equipment on a bluewater cruising boat. It is the difference between a peaceful night and a 3 a.m.
bluewater
Raymarine Axiom 2 Debuts at Palm Beach 2026 — What Bluewater Cruisers Actually Get
Raymarine used the 2026 Palm Beach International Boat Show to roll out the Axiom 2, the third and final leg of a platform overhaul that now includes the
Anchoring
Choosing Ground Tackle For Offshore Cruising: A System, Not A Shopping List
Every cruising sailor eventually discovers that ground tackle is not a commodity. A 45-pound anchor with three-eighths chain is not the same as another 45-pound
marine-electronics
Raymarine Axiom 2 and the 2026 Marine Electronics Refresh: What Sailors Should Know
The 2026 boating season is shaping up to be a real inflection point for cruising electronics. Raymarine rolled out the Axiom 2 family at the Palm Beach International
Safety
Cut the Cord: Garmin OnBoard and the New Era of Wireless MOB Safety
Man overboard situations are the nightmare scenario that every offshore sailor rehearses but prays never happens. The grim statistics haven’t changed much in decades — if you go
Safety
Thermal vs. Digital Night Vision: Which Technology Keeps Your Offshore Watch Safer?
The 0200 watch. You're alone in the cockpit, 200 miles from the nearest coast, and the radar screen shows nothing but sea clutter. Somewhere out there,