Using sawdust to plug leaks on wooden boats
Sawdust can be used to stem leaks between the wooden planks of a boat that’s been out of the water for some time. Richard Johnstone-Bryden…
PVC gunwale fitting: How to replace rotten teak with a sustainable synthetic alternative
Fitting a PVC gunwale strip to your boat is a sustainable, maintenance-free alternative to traditional teak that any competent DIYer can master, as Jake Kavanagh…
First prosecution under new watercraft safety laws
A motorboater who injured a teen kayaker in a “completely avoidable” collision is the first to be sentenced under new watercraft safety laws.
Maintenance
Fusion BB10 Black Box radio: DIY installation on a boat
Gilbert Park shows how he fitted an audio system controlled from his chartplotter and smartphone while underway
Practical tip: how to use a scanner for an accurate drilling template
Like many boat owners, I often fit new bits to my boat. Some of them come with templates that make drilling holes more precise. The…
The Beneteau 760 vs a ‘rogue’ wave
John Willis explains the consequences of cresting a bigger-than-expected wave while helming his 25ft motorboat
What is the best adhesive for sticking down Dek-King?
The Dek-King installed on the benches of Brian Stirling's yacht is coming unstuck. What is the best adhesive for making repairs
Amazing adventures
Clare Allcard, Rozelle Raynes & Peter Gerard: how these three sailors found independence through their wooden boats
40th ARC fleet members rally to give blood for fellow sailor
Barry Perrins: ‘I bought the boat and lived the dream’
The 40th anniversary Atlantic Rally for Cruisers ARC 2025 fleet set sail
Practical Projects
Boat windscreen wiper motor repair: how one boat owner fixed the seized motor
DIY automated fog horn for £30
How I installed a mast spotlight to stay safe in nighttime anchorages
How I built a DIY propeller puller to free a calcified prop and shaft
My tiller pilot went rogue: the surprising DIY repair that saved my Raymarine ST1000
Air Tools: The Secret to a Perfect Finish: Practical Boat Owner
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…