Yachting & Boat Life

How much solar power do you need on a sailboat? This practical guide explains why the real calculation starts with daily consumption, not panel size. Learn how a battery monitor can help measure your energy use, why daily solar yield matters more than watt-peak, and how shade, batteries, cruising style, and location affect your solar setup.

Can cats really live happily on sailboats? Some can, and some cannot. This honest Sailoscope guide looks at cat personality, outdoor vs indoor habits, deck safety, litter boxes, marina life, sailing underway, and what helps a cat feel safe and happy aboard.

Buying a sailboat for cruising is exciting, but it is easy to fall in love before asking the practical questions. This beginner-friendly guide explains what to check before buying a cruising sailboat, from hull, deck, rigging, engine, electrics, plumbing, toilets, storage, and layout to paperwork, survey, sea trial, and real-life comfort.

A boat battery never chooses a convenient time to die. This beginner-friendly guide explains why your boat battery keeps dying, from old batteries and weak solar to alternator problems, hidden loads, fridge use, charger issues, and battery banks that are too small for real boat life.

Boat toilets are not the glamorous side of sailing, but they are one of the most important systems on board. This beginner-friendly guide explains how marine heads work, what holding tanks and seacocks do, why toilets smell or block, and what new sailors should know before using one.

Starlink is changing its Roam plans in 2026, and cruisers need to pay attention. Global Roam is ending, Roam Unlimited now has a 30-day limit outside the home country, and international sailors may need to check travel registration, regional rules, Ocean Mode, and backup internet options.

Finding water in the bilge can feel worrying, but it does not always mean disaster. This guide explains the common reasons for bilge water, how to tell if it is fresh or salty, what to check first, and when sailors should take it seriously.

Living on a sailboat full-time can be beautiful, but it is not a permanent holiday. This beginner-friendly guide explains what full-time boat life is really like, from costs and maintenance to weather, space, internet, pets, paperwork, and the everyday reality of living aboard.