We slipped out of Brighton Marina in early October intending to make a non-stop passage to A Coruña. We finally arrived in Baiona a month later, but what a lot…
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Free download – how to check in to a marina when you don’t speak the language
My French is fairly profficient, but when I was in Italy recently (I don’t speak Italian), I started work on a document that would give the marina office all the information…
Woodworking tools – a DIY boat owner’s guide to getting a professional finish
Part 1 (below) appeared in January 2020 issue of PBO. Part 2 is in Feb 2020 issue – on sale 27 December It’s not difficult to achieve a professional finish…
SV Delos Youtube sailing channel exclusive – behind the scenes with The Tribe
My skin was encrusted with a thin layer of salt from an afternoon at the beach. Having only arrived in Grenada a few weeks earlier, my husband and I and…
50ft multihull Hallucine is first ARC yacht to arrive in St Lucia
The lead yachts in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers are now arriving in St Lucia, with 50ft multihull, Hallucine, being the first to cross the line on Friday 06 December.…
Essential boat buyer’s guide: Sealing the deal on a new boat
Once you’ve found a boat with enough potential to make an offer for it, a whole lot more questions open up. How much to offer? Is there a set formula…
Essential boat buyer’s guide: Crucial checks when viewing a boat
By the time you start viewing a shortlist of boats, you should already have a clear idea of how you plan to use your new vessel. You’ll have assessed its…
Essential boat buyer’s guide: Choosing your next boat
Buying a boat is a long-term proposition that needs careful thought and preparation. Yet second-hand boats have never been cheaper in real terms and since the economic crunch of 2008,…
ARC 2019 sets sail from Gran Canaria
PBO waved off the ARC fleet yesterday as they set sail on the 2,700-mile voyage from Gran Canaria to St Lucia. Over a thousand sailors from 53 nations are taking…
Essential Boat Maintenance book – back by popular demand!
The Essential Boat Maintenance book (second edition) is now available at the click of a button from Amazon. Boat owners on every continent can purchase a copy in paperback or…
How to buy an old boat as a project – DIY yacht restoration advice
Growing up sailing on the East Coast it’s fair to say that I caught the bug pretty early on. Family sailing on my father’s yachts and starting in dinghies from…
Restoring a Watson 41: The wrecked RNLI lifeboat they laughed at
It all began when my husband Rob’s work took him down to Southampton where, on his travels, he happened to spot an old boatyard. Of course he had to have…
Tried and tested: Fenwick’s Over Wintering coating on Treadmaster decking
In January 2018 I reviewed Fenwick’s Tent and Awning Cleaner – a product chiefly marketed to caravan owners – to see how well it would perform at removing stubborn mould…
High and dry: How to lay up your boat for winter storage at home
When you start looking at cranes on eBay to help you store more boats on your property, it might be time to get help. Or maybe that’s not such a…
Casting off with confidence – safe ways for solo sailors to get off the dock
Getting a boat on and off the dock – coming alongside and casting off – can be stressful and, done badly, the experience can ruin a perfectly good weekend. Boating…
Boat show success for Oarsome Chance despite not finding bidder for Project Boat
Oarsome Chance, the youth support charity that took over building the PBO Project Boat in late 2018 has declared the PBO Project Boat stand at the Southampton Boat Show a…
Bidding opens on PBO Project Boat auction at Southampton Boat Show
Stunning weather on the South Coast of the UK today as PBO editor, Rob Melotti, officially launched the PBO Project Boat auction to raise funds for youth support charity Oarsome…
Southampton Boat Show 2019: PBO’s picks of what to see
The Southampton Boat Show has been a staple of the British boating calendar for five decades, but for the uninitiated it can be easy to get lost among the hundreds…
PBO Project Boat auction – your chance to own a unique gaff cutter
The PBO Project Boat will be sold to the highest bidder in a charity auction to be run online during Southampton Boat Show. Register to bid on the Secret 20…
Restore and revive faded gelcoat: Three different methods to try
Few things irk me more than dirty, chalky and stained gelcoat. Like an engine that is corroded – or lines that are chafed – worn gelcoat is a sure sign…