The West Advisor^® Articles

The West Advisor has been a trusted source for technical boating information since we published our first Master Catalog in 1987. Based on experience gained from thousands of miles of boating on a wide variety of craft, building and maintaining power and sail vessels and fixing stuff on our own boats, you'll find the West Advisor to be helpful, frequently opinionated and always entertaining.

Anchor and Docking

Boats and Engines

Clothing

Deck Hardware

Marine Cabinet Hardware

Rail Fittings

Electrical

Electronics

Engine Systems

Fishing

Tom Burden
West Marine Technical Writer

Some folks are passionate about sailing, and then there are over-the-top people like Tom Burden, who writes and edits our West Advisor informational articles. Tom and his partner Trish have a nautical version of a “blended family,” with a total of ten boats. Their boating Brady Bunch includes a Newport 30 cruising sailboat, an Ultimate 20 racing sportboat, two Lasers they race in Masters events, a Byte that Trish uses to dominate the local women's fleet, three El Toro dinghies, an Achilles outboard inflatable and a Sevylor two-person kayak.

Interior, Cabin & Galley