After sailing through a field of lobsters pots and getting entangled, Gerard and Gina Versluis explain why they are backing the Cruising Association’s Lobster Pot Campaign
Latest
The will to survive: how one sailor spent two hours lost at sea without a lifejacket before rescue
Overboard without a lifejacket in the dark Irish Sea, Prue Nash had to tread water for two hours before she was rescued. But what was…
Boat launching and recovery without the drama
Launching a boat off a trailer should be a piece of cake, but tricky slipways can easily turn your dream day out into a disaster.…
Fair winds to George Taylor – the co-founder who put the ‘practical’ in PBO
George Taylor, co-founder, assistant editor and later editor of Practical Boat Owner magazine has passed away in his 90th year.
Maintenance
Fed up with people staring into your saloon? Here’s how to make a companionway cover for privacy and shelter on your boat
Keep your cabin dry and private with this simple canvas companionway cover project that anyone with a robust sewing machine can tackle.
DIY chainplate redesign: how one skipper made his rig stronger
After a chainplate snapped on his Albin Cumulus 85, Joe Magee explains how he designed and fitted new ones
We tested 10 wifi gateway options under £250 to find the best smartphone navigation system
With modern tablets and smartphones becoming an increasingly popular choice for electronic navigation, we investigated the core of any onboard wifi network: the multiplexer wifi…
How secure is your boat’s mast spreader?
When was the last time you had your mast spreader checked? PBO reader Jane Burton was shocked to find the spreader on her boat was…
Amazing adventures
Pip Hare: a masterclass in resiliance
Big C solo sailor Andrew Bedwell rescued while attempting to cross the Atlantic in his 100cm boat
20 Years of the Jester Challenge: Celebrating Low-Budget, Single-Handed Seamanship
Glaciers, williwaw gusts & dodging drifting ice: Cruising the Beagle Channel with a French legend
Practical Projects
How to make your own ensign flagstaff
How to prevent wave slap on the hull
Anchor windlass repairs to extend its life
How to make a carbon fibre spinnaker pole
Boat windscreen wiper motor repair: how one boat owner fixed the seized motor
DIY automated fog horn for £30
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…