The pioneers of small-boat leisure sailing had to start from scratch when designing and building early yachts – but some of those vessels are still around to offer inspiration today.
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Mad about the boat: Following the wake of history
Multiple circumnavigators include Moitessier, Knox-Johnston... and now Dave Selby
Smoothing the cruising – a buyers guide to ‘shock-absorbing’ boat gear and more!
The ability to soften that slamming motion of a fast boat at sea has been greatly helped with more advanced and compact designs of shock-absorbing seating, self-adjusting trim tabs and…
Pearl anniversary flag visits 60 National Coastwatch Institution stations in style
A 2,000-plus mile, station-to-station relay in honour of the National Coastwatch Institution's 30th anniversary year saw volunteer watchkeepers find innovative ways to pass on a specially-commissioned flag.
Boaters warned to mitigate against ‘shocks and impact’ in small vessels
Accumulative effects of shocks and impacts to boaters using small vessels at high speed or in rough water have been highlighted in an updated Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) marine…
Tributes to small boat legend John Guzzwell
Fair winds to trailblazing John Guzzwell, who in 1955 completed an unprecedented circumnavigation, aged 29, in a 21ft wooden yawl he had built himself.
Tributes paid to Drascombe stalwart Sharon Geary Harwood
Tributes paid to Sharon Geary Harwood, the managing director of Drascombe Boats Ltd, who passed away following a recent diagnosis of leukaemia
Cruising from Orkney to Kinlochbervie
Nick and Alison Boxall sail their 35ft 6in Southerly 110 from Mainland to mainland, from Orkney to Kinlochbervie, Scotland
Mad about the boat: Ever heard of a bumsprit?
Marina manoeuvres at the sharp end... Dave Selby's 'Mad about the boat' monthly musings, owner of a wooden 1953 Blackwater Sloop and a 23ft Sailfish
Channel Hopping: SV Delos Upgrade – Two Hulls for Version 2.0
Our resident YouTube aficionado has ideas for what to do if you're in the market for plans to build your own cruising multihull, but Wharrams aren’t your style...
Guernsey boat owners revolt against ‘hefty increases’ to mooring charges
Recreational boat owners are campaigning against any future increases above inflation by the Guernsey Ports.
Mad about the boat: The echoes of Essex past
PBO columnist Dave Selby laments the decline of oral history lessons at the Maldon branch of Essex University in the Queen’s Head pub
How to rig a spinnaker on a small yacht – what you need and where to fit it
If you want a spinnaker, but don’t have the necessary fittings or equipment on your boat, where do you start?
Mad about the boat: Cream tea carnage at sea
The crew’s ‘scone mad’ on a Thames sailing barge... PBO columnist Dave Selby speaks from experience
Easier check in and out requirements for sailors cruising to France
French officials have announced a new ‘protocol’ for small boats to enter France from outside of the European Union (EU).
Mad about the boat: Weather or not to go sailing
Ignore the apps: it’s much safer to swear by the weather wisdom of a local oracle, says PBO columnist Dave Selby
New race for solo and double-handed sailors who wish to sail the world in their own boat
"An opportunity for those sailors who want to take on the world in their own boat without the need to spend huge amounts of money", says the team behind WORLDSTAR…
“It was like doing a MOB recovery wearing a neck brace” – says Round the Island Race 2024 man overboard skipper
As if this year’s Round the Island Race wasn’t tough enough for competitors with winds gusting 45mph and a rough seastate with 3-4m waves, one boat had the additional challenge…
“Tough conditions” for Round the Island Race sailors and lifeboat crews providing safety cover
"The weather may not have been on our side for parts of the day, but what an incredible experience had by all", said a spokesperson from one of the many…
Several classes cancelled as strong winds forecast for Round the Island Race 2024
Several classes for the Round the Island Race around the Isle of Wight have been cancelled due to the strong wind forecast and all participants are being reminded to take…