RaindropChess

Choosing the best windsurf fins changed how I sail more than any other single piece of gear. After spending 90 days on the water testing fins from MFC, FCS, Future Fins, and K4 across conditions ranging from 10-knot lake chop to overhead Pacific surf, I learned that the right fin transforms an average session into … Read more

Finding the best wing foiling wings can change everything about your sessions on the water. I spent the last three months testing 10 different wing foiling wings across lake chop, ocean waves, and flat-water bays to find out which ones actually deliver on their promises. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been chasing gusts … Read more

After 90+ days of testing across Lake Garda, Hood River, and Maui flat-water sessions, our team put 10 of the most popular windsurfing harnesses through real conditions. We measured comfort during 3-hour sessions, checked how each one handles riding up (the #1 complaint on windsurfing forums), and timed setup from bag to hooked-in. This guide … Read more

Over 75% of boating fatalities result from drowning after falling overboard, which is exactly why the right inflatable sailing life vests matter. After testing 10 models across coastal, offshore, and budget categories, I want to share which PFDs actually deliver on comfort, safety, and reliability when you are miles from shore. This guide reflects what … Read more

Over 80% of boating fatalities occur when victims aren’t wearing a life jacket. That’s the cold number behind every foam sailing life vest recommendation we make. I spent six weeks testing foam PFDs on everything from a Sunfish dinghy to a 32-foot keelboat to find the best foam sailing life vest for . My team … Read more

I lost count of how many sailors told me the same story: one moment they were trimming a jib, the next they were dangling over the leeward rail, harness taut, heart pounding. A sailing deck harness is the single piece of gear that turns a near-disaster into a controlled event, and it belongs in every … Read more

When my cousin’s sailboat started taking on water three miles off Cape May last summer, the handheld marine VHF radio clipped to his life jacket was the only thing that got a Coast Guard cutter to him in 18 minutes. That’s the day I stopped thinking of these radios as gadgets and started thinking of … Read more

I’ve spent the last decade sailing everything from Optimist dinghies to 40-foot cruisers, and the one piece of gear that separates an enjoyable day on the water from a miserable one is a proper spray jacket. After testing 10 of the best sailing spray jackets currently on the market, I can tell you that not … Read more

I’ve spent more than a decade chasing waves in cold water from the Pacific Northwest to the UK, and I can tell you from experience that the difference between an epic session and a misery-driven early paddle-in almost always comes down to your feet. When your toes go numb, your body shuts down, and you … Read more

If you spend time on the water, a reliable marine hand bearing compass is one of those tools you do not think about until you need it. I have been sailing coastal New England for over 12 years, and my hand bearing compass is the one piece of gear that lives in my jacket pocket … Read more