Bill Martin makes a budget crane to hoist his outboard motor from his dinghy to his boat
Ben Meakins
Clever socket for mounting tiller pilot
Robin Benjamin goes on a one-man mission to eliminate unnecessary holes, starting with mounting his tiller pilot using an antenna bracket
Antifouling – how to remember how far you’ve got
It is amazing how crew always seem to disappear when boat maintenance time comes. I always end up painting the black antifouling of my Hanse 311 on my own! If…
Marking a boot top line
It is very common on boats of all types to paint a boot-top or stripe around the waterline. At first glance this line may seem like a simple bit of…
Mooring line chafe protection for stony quays
Rough quays are a problem now and again and certainly something to be mindful of when mooring up for the night. It’s a difficulty that arises in both tidal areas…
Tow bar winch for easier launching and recovery
The article on launching and retrieving a trailer boat in the Summer issue of PBO reminded me of the frustration I suffered years ago when I first tried to recover…
Avon dinghy seat
When I recently purchased my Samphire 23, Nutmeg, she came complete with an Avon dinghy of indeterminate age, an Evinrude outboard and a stainless steel outboard bracket. However she no…
Easy-store telescopic boarding ladder
As I usually sail single-handed, I needed a safe way to get back on board my Drascombe Dabber if I ever fell over the side. Rope ladders are cheap, but…
Installing mast steps with rivetnuts
When we first launched our Leisure 27, Windrush, we noticed that the anemometer cups were missing. A few weeks later the Windex also vanished. My son Chris, a keen rock…
DIY sprayhood for a Red Fox
The Scottish scenery is fashioned by the weather so proper protection was essential for our planned trip there. However, I was quoted around £1,000 for a professional sprayhood including frame…
Make your own dinghy wheels
A 2.7m dinghy with a solid aluminium floor is great, until it comes to moving it around on land – it weighs more than 45kg and is quite a lump.…
Small boat waterproof chart holder
My 23ft Westerly Pageant does not have a navigation area, so I needed a waterproof chart holder that I could use in the cabin and also take into the cockpit…
How to prepare for a lifeboat tow
Imagine that the lifeboat is on the way to take you in tow. Do you sit and wait, in the knowledge that the lifeboat’s crew will assess the situation and…
How to catch fish while sailing
Catching supper with hook and line is a pastime most yachtsmen will attempt at some time or other, but why do some fishermen enjoy more luck with the rod than…
Adding a rudder to a small outboard
Jim Miller suggests a neat way to add a rudder to a Honda BF2.3 outboard motor to aid steering at low speed
Protect your transducers
The forward under-seat locker in the saloon of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2 is of a fairly generous size, but its use is somewhat restricted due to the possibility of…
Keeping a cockpit locker organised
Having upgraded from a Hurley 22 to a Westerly Griffon we now have a cockpit locker that can easily swallow whatever we throw into it. The problem is, everything seems…
Adding a second battery to a boat
When I bought her new, my boat had just a single 75Ah domestic battery, best described as adequate if you remained frugal with the amps. But having sunk the children’s…
Baking bread on a boat
Baking bread on a boat need not create a floury mess and produce sinkfuls of washing-up. When victualling for your cruise, pack into a sealable two-litre oblong plastic container one…
Singlehanded mooring aid
Single-handed sailing requires forethought and a little extra preparation – no more so than when coming alongside. I had this idea a few years ago which cost virtually nothing and…