Bob Goode shows how you can increase your accommodation by making a custom boom tent
Ben Meakins
Deputy Editor’s welcome to the May issue – on sale today!
Letting PBO readers in on a Secret... deputy editor Ben Meakins reveals the next PBO Project Boat and welcomes you to the latest issue.
10 Teak Cleaners tested
We get scrubbing to find out what effect a variety of teak cleaners have on the woodwork of a Sigma 38 moored on the River Itchen
Cheap but effective anchor light
John Macdonald makes a low-wattage anchor light from odds and ends – plus an outlay of 99p
‘It’s over there!’
Ron Sykes adds numbers to help avoid confusion when identifying ships and marks
A cure for leaky chainplates
The illustration shows the only way I have been able to stop through-deck chainplates from leaking. The ‘bonnet’ is made of ¼in (6mm) canvas Bakelite, also known as Tufnol or…
Ikea wine rack makes a great boat bookcase
David Taylor adapts an Ikea wine rack to build a serviceable bookcase
10 top causes of boat engine failure – and how to avoid them
During his 15 years as a marine engineer with the breakdown service Sea Start, Nick Eales has seen it all. He talks to Jake Kavanagh and offers PBO readers tips…
Rafting up the stress-free way
Sooner or later most cruising skippers are likely to be faced with having to raft up in a harbour. But it needn’t be a stressful experience...
Making a boat tent from a polytunnel
John Owen constructs a versatile and economical boat tent from a polytunnel
Resealing boat windows – DIY project on a Sadler 32
Stephen Wallace demonstrates how he went about removing, resealing and reinstalling the windows on his Sadler 32
The truth about teak decks
Shipwright Robin Benjamin says modern, thin teak decks need lots of regular care, and so it’s vital to follow his advice on how to keep them looking good
Pilotage: 14 ways to get a fix
14 traditional pilotage tips to help you obtain and maintain a fix of your position
Making headlining panels
The finishing touch to the interior of many boats is the vinyl-covered headlining panel, which can be detached to access under-deck fittings. Jake Kavanagh watches upholsterer Alan Dring make one…
Replacing headlinings: How to cure the droop
It happens to us all eventually – things start to sag, and it’s particularly true of foam-backed vinyls. For boatbuilders, vinyl is comparatively cheap and easy to install, so it’s…
Pushpit gate
Peter Crick makes a gate in his pushpit - which then goes on to save a life!
Simple small boat shower
Rick Allender goes back to basics with a low-cost and simple way to shower on a small boat
Repairing holes in GRP
If you need to plug a hole in your glassfibre boat, fear not – repairs are easy to make. Jake Kavanagh shows how it’s done and offers some useful tips
Whisker pole from a Laser topmast
The spinnaker pole that came with my Jeanneau SO34.2 is stout and reasonably strong, but is a little short to use as whisker pole when goose winging the genoa. More…
Make your own cleat boots
How to make your own cleat boots