Ali Wood weighs in on the Garmin chartplotter and other electronic navigation options from Furuno, Raymarine, B&G, Lowrance, Simrad, and Orca. Furuno Furuno’s NAVNet TZtouch 3 range is available in…
Alison Wood
Features Editor
A beginner’s guide to the chartplotter
Whether you’re new to boating or looking to enhance your navigation with a phone, tablet or MFD, Ali Wood runs through the different chartplotter options
Best marine sealants and adhesives for boat jobs
With help from adhesive and sealant expert Laurie Brebner, PBO’s Ali Wood explains which works best for different jobs on a boat
How I switched to electronic charts
Ali Wood recalls her first sailing passage using electronic charts
Summer sailing: how to have the best time afloat!
Ali Wood gets some top tips from experienced cruisers on preparing for the perfect summer cruise
How we live the dream: sailors share their routes into bluewater sailing
There are many paths to bluewater cruising. Here boat owners share their stories with Ali Wood ahead of their transatlantic crossings
Fouled propeller fix: top tips for solving the problem at sea
What should you do when you catch a line or fishing net and your prop becomes fouled? Ali Wood looks at the options
Sailing with family: tips to keep your children safe & happy on board
How do you juggle feeds, naps and tantrums while sailing around the world? Ali Wood gets top tips from the liveaboard Stevens family
Boat protection: how to prepare your yacht for a storm in harbour
PBO experts and readers share tips on keeping your boat safe in a blow
11 Practical Gift Ideas That Sailors Actually Want!
Finding decent gifts for boat owners is an unenviably tricky task, but luckily Practical Boat Owner is here to help! These might not all look to be the most exciting…
Hanneke Boon: Life after Wharram
Ali Wood learns how a shy 19-year-old – one of James Wharram’s ‘five girls’ – became a designer, skipper and head of a multihull business
Satellite communication at sea: staying connected from your boat
With Starlink’s high-speed internet, do sailors still need satellite phones on board while at sea? Ali Wood looks at the pros and cons of the different systems available to cruisers…
How well do the Helly Hansen Skagen F1 deck shoes perform on a charter holiday and while running dinghy sessions at the sailing club?
Ali Wood tests Helly Hansen's Skagen F1 deck shoes while on a charter holiday and running children's dinghy sessions at her local sailing club
How comfortable and practical is the Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 vest?
The Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 vest is light, water-repellent and can be packed down small. Ali Wood tests it while motoring the canals of France
Yachts bring tool kits to Grenada following hurricane
Transatlantic sailors arriving in Grenada have brought tool kits to aid relief in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The category 4 hurricane, which made landfall in July, toppled trees and…
MOB yacht Ocean Breeze arrives in St Lucia
Ocean Breeze, the yacht which tragically lost a crewmember during the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, has arrived in St Lucia. Swedish sailor Dag Eresund (33) went overboard in the Atlantic…
Winter sailing: top tips to keep you as snug as a bug on the water
Staying afloat this winter? Ali Wood has some top tips for keeping warm while winter sailing
Boat propeller: How to choose the right one for your boat
The correct prop can have a dramatic effect on your boat's performance. Ali Wood learns how you can save fuel, reduce drag and go faster
Transatlantic duo dive overboard to free fouled props
Two yachts got tangled in fishing gear last week on the first leg of the ARC+ rally, causing a skipper and crew to dive overboard in the Atlantic. Kristian Hægeland,…
Family boats lead transatlantic rally in ARC+ start
Three family boats led the fleet at the start of the ARC+ rally this afternoon in Gran Canaria, all of them Outremers. Sailing with 13-year-old twins, US-flagged Appa was in…