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Practical Projects
April issue on sale today!
The April issue of PBO is out in the shops today and it's packed full of tips, advice and reviews
Your project here!
If you’re enjoying our Practical Projects section, why not send us your practical tips, techniques and ideas? We pay at least £30 for each one published in the magazine. Contact…
Seizing a shackle – with another shackle
Paul Young seizes his mooring shackle... with another shackle to ensure it doesn't come undone
Waterproof your trailer light plug
Boat trailer electrics, especially trailer light plugs are very susceptible to damage, either through the wires being pulled out or through corrosion. I have a sure way of avoiding this…
Stop genoa sheets catching when tacking
Peter Lyle stops lines snagging on a stored spinnaker pole when tacking his Jeanneau 36i
Step for an old sea dog
Our border collie, Floss, is getting on in years and finds the companionway steps on our Southerly 115 Dulcibella II too steep to manage in either direction. After considering various…
Charging a battery from an outboard motor
Peter Fildes builds a circuit to effectively charge his batteries from his outboard motor’s lighting coil
Make an outboard motor hoist
Bill Martin makes a budget crane to hoist his outboard motor from his dinghy to his boat
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…