Boat shaft seal replacement: expert tips
Getting to grips with replacing a stern shaft seal on a Contessa 32, Ben Lowings explains how it can be done with the boat in…
Coroner raises ‘industry-wide concerns’ about marina safety ladders after drowning
The tragic death of a liveaboard boater, who drowned after falling into cold water and struggling with a marina safety ladder, has prompted a hard-hitting…
End of Imray paper charts: historic publisher to phase out chart publishing in 2025
Imray, the leading publisher of nautical information for leisure sailors, will cease its paper chart publishing operations in 2025.
Maintenance
How to fit a folding propeller
Mark Ryan shares how he removed the old propeller on his Albin Ballad and replaced it with a two-bladed Flexofold folding prop
Sock bailer for a RIB: how to make your own
For a low-tech, high-reliability solution to getting a large amount of water out of a small, fast-moving motorboat, there’s nothing quite as efficient as sock…
How to winterise a boat engine
Engineer Stu Davies explains the steps you should take to make sure your boat’s engine is protected over the winter months
How to retrofit a bow thruster
Tony Moss and his wife, Marike, enhance the manoeuvrability of their Dufour 44 to make cruising life easier in their retirement years
Amazing adventures
Family boats lead transatlantic rally in ARC+ start
12 top tips for sailing around the UK
Sailing with a dog in the Mediterranean
Sailing the legendary 32ft cruiser, Damien from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica
Practical Projects
How to make curly cord as a DIY project
Casting a cutless bearing housing
How to make your boots non-scratch to save your boat decks
How to build a custom boat port
How to refurbish a scruffy outboard cowling
How to make a last-minute home-made dinghy spinnaker pole
PBO Project Boat
What does a sailmaker do?
Shortly before the Round the Island Race, one of the largest yacht races in the world, it’s all go at…
Shore power: solving tripping problems
Ali Wood gets a crash course in reverse polarity and smart charging when Project Boat Maximus’s shore power gets trippy…
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…
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…
Restoring a vintage Sailor radio
Ali Wood’s Sailor radio is given the VIP treatment
Seajet Bioclean silicone antifoul review: Our verdict after one year on the water
Does silicone antifouling work? It’s not flying off the shelves yet, according to suppliers, but the results from our Project…
Securing mast cable on our Maxi 84
With the help of ACM Marine, Ali Wood goes about securing mast cable on the Maxi 84 PBO project boat
Family sailing safety gear: TESTED!
Ali Wood discusses the sailing safety gear she chose for their first family cruise on board their Maxi 84, and…