Surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies has advice on how to avoid the major pitfalls when contemplating restoring a boat write-off
Practical
Giving a blown-up Seadog a new lease of life
Max Liberson adopts a down at heel Seadog – blown up in a gas explosion – and decides to give the boat a new lease of life
Rebuilding a damaged mast step
Rupert Holmes repairs a compressed water-damaged mast step – a common problem for boats with a deck-stepped mast - and saves £700
Diesel engine heat exchanger and manifold repair
Barry Pickthall explains how he carried out engine repairs on a budget after a couple of years of Covid-19 lockdown neglect
Understanding electrics: insulating & signal wire connectors
Oliver Ballam and Pat Manley demystify boat electrics and explain various types of electrical connectors and their uses on board
Making clamps from copper pipe: step by step
Used copper piping can be repurposed to make pipe and cable clamps, explains Tony Davies
How to build a rudder for your boat
Hitting a submerged object destroyed Mike Gudmunsen’s rudder...so he set about making a new one
How to fit coaxial plugs and sockets
Tony Davies shows how to fit coaxial plugs and sockets to make a reliable VHF cable joint
Gelcoat repair: How to make an invisible repair
Everything you need to know to make an invisible gelcoat repair, from preparation and filling to topcoat and polishing
How I converted a 17ft powercat into my perfect Canadian hybrid boat
The province of Ontario in Canada provides a huge range of boating opportunities, from historic man-made canals to more than 250,000 inland lakes, the 30,000 islands archipelago of Georgian Bay,…
Boat engine mount replacement: step by step guide
Mike Reynolds shares the lessons he learned about undertaking a boat engine mount replacement
Why isn’t fuel pre-treated to prevent diesel bug? Ask the experts
Glynn Jones writes: “If I have understood the issue correctly, the addition by the oil industry of biodiesel to our boat fuel is the main reason that ‘diesel bug’ is…
Quiz a sailmaker – everything you need to know about sails
Whilst deciding what cut and sailcloth to chose for the PBO Project Boat, we quizzed technical manager Daryl Morgan from Bainbridge International – one of the world’s oldest sailcloth manufacturers…
Sail design – using 3D software and laser technology to cut new sails
During the survey of our Maxi 84, the PBO Project Boat Maximus, we were warned by a marine surveyor that there was only so much he could tell us about…
How to measure your yacht for new sails
Measuring your boat for new sails is a job for the sailmaker, so when our PBO Project Boat Maximus needed new sails, we called in sailmaker Daryl Morgan, technical manager…
Understanding electrical wiring connections for boats
Pat Manley and Oliver Ballam demystify boat electrics and explain how to use and make secure electrical wiring connections
Engine revs sliding away: PBO’s engine whisperer has the answer!
Phil Symonds is struggling to find out why the engine revs on his yacht keep falling away. PBO's Stu Davies has the answer
How to make a boat fridge: step by step
Keith Calton converts an under-seat locker into a bespoke boat fridge for under £450
What’s the best way to clean an outboard? Ask the experts
Graeme Robinson writes: “At the end of the sailing season I always clean up my 5hp Yamaha outboard. One exercise is to run it through with fresh water, which I…
What to expect to learn on a boat building course
Fancy building or restoring your own boat? Ali Wood takes a tour of the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis