Ben Meakins

John Taylor finds a car steering rack gaiter stops leaks from the lifting cable of his swing keel

Fire extinguishers are generally fixed where everyone can see them on a cruising yacht. However, other safety gear like the flares and the foghorn are often hidden away in lockers…

When I bought Sacha, my Beneteau Oceanis 381, five years ago I changed the cam belt on the engine. It is a Volvo Penta MD22L B, basically a Perkins Prima…

lifejacket lights tested

When was the last time you gave a second thought to your lifejacket light? They sit inside your packed lifejacket, largely neglected, and you hope they’ll work when you need…

These two models from ACR, the ACR Firefly 3 SOLAS and the ACR Firefly 3 Waterbug are identical except that the Waterbug is also water-activated. Both take 2xAA batteries, and you can…

ACR C Strobe lifejacket light

This is ACR’s strobe version of the C-Lite. It takes 2xAA batteries, and is activated with a twist of the strobe housing. Like the C-Lite, it can be mounted either…

C-lite lifejacket light on test

This was the cheapest and simplest design we tested. It takes 2xAA batteries and comes with two mounting options – either via a clip onto the oral inflation tube or…

UML Seaflash lifejacket light

These two lifejacket lights from United Moulders are identical in appearance and price: the difference is that one offers a long flash while the UML SeaFlash Multi offers a range…

This is Ocean Safety’s latest LED light version of their classic AQ40 incandescent bulb. While not as bright as the cold-tinted Crewsaver light we tested, it was nonetheless highly visible.…

The Spinlock Pylon lifejacket light is a departure from the norm – a flashing LED (just under a second per flash) atop a semi-flexible post. It attaches by Velcro around…

Crewsaver Lifejacket light

The Crewsaver lifejacket light mounts via a PVC loop around the base of the inflation tube. Its domed LED light was visible for about 270° when viewed from deck level,…

With the advent of cheaper LEDs, a number of new lifebuoy lights have appeared on the market. On a dark winter’s night PBO tested six of the most readily available…

Premium bonding: some techniques for getting the most out of sealant without ending up covered in the sticky stuff!

New sails are a big investment – but are they worth it? The PBO team compared the old with the new on the project boat, Hantu Biru, as David Harding

Hoegh Osaka

Photos from Sunday 4th January of the car carrier Hoegh Osaka which ran aground on the tail of the Bramble Bank after encountering difficulties en route from Southampton to Germany

Will Sayer_Ostar

Is racing across the Atlantic in a boat bought with a student loan really feasible? Here's the story of PBO reader Will Sayer's preparations to compete in the OSTAR in…