Bruno Brown isn’t fazed by what seems a daunting task
Practical Boat Owner
Seamanship tips from a seasoned sailing instructor
Sticky Stapylton has sailed thousands of miles and taught numerous people how to sail. He shares some of his seamanship tips
A solo sailor shares his top safety tips
John Cotton describes the modifications he has made to his Albin Ballad to make her a safe and dependable yacht for Nordic single-handing
Lessons learned from a first Atlantic crossing
Ben Good, 60, swaps Drascombe pottering in the Suffolk estuaries for a “proper 60ft offshore yacht” to cross the North Atlantic
How to replace a leaking portlight
Roger Hughes digs out his tools and repairs the leaking portlight on his boat
Electric engine conversion on a Contessa 32
Norman Rubenis gets ‘Thunderstruck’ when he ditches the diesel and converts his Contessa 32 to run on a 10kW electric motor
Cape Horn to port – gaining confidence as a new skipper
Eugénie Nottebohm sails her Contessa 32 solo to the Azores and across the Atlantic, then with crew around Cape Horn
“I worried the mast might strike the rotor blades” – helicopter rescue from sailing boat
Talan Skeels-Piggins experiences a medical emergency in rough seas while attempting to sail around Britain in his Colvic UFO 34
Replacing Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS windows
Phil Symonds tackles the problem of aged bonding on the front windows of his 2008-model yacht to maintain value and usage
Sail cleaning the DIY way
Mike Attree shows how he spruced up his genoa in the garden
How to make a wind scoop for under £10
With a previous home-made wind scoop now showing its age, Ann Berry fashions an efficient replacement for less than £10
“The boat was knocked down, our lifejackets inflated, and then we saw Keith in the water!”
A knockdown wave inflated the crew's lifejackets and broke the skipper's leg as they tried to rescue a man overboard in 3-4m waves and 45mph gusts close to shore
How to service Monitor wind vane self-steering gear
Dena Hankins and James Lane show their Monitor wind vane self-steering gear some love and learn that patience is a virtue
Sailing in fog: tips to keep you safe
Fog looms large as one of the things sailors most fear – but circumstances mean it often can’t be avoided. There’s no need to panic, however. Sticky Stapylton has advice…
Refilling a liquid-filled compass
With a half-empty liquid-filled steering compass and no obvious sign of a leak, Norman Eastwood decided it was time to do something about it
8 expert pilotage tips for sailors
You’ve made a pilotage plan: now’s the time to put it to the test. Sticky Stapylton explains pilotage techniques that’ll keep you safe on the water
How to choose the right roller furling system for your boat
With a plethora of furlers on the market, Stan Cockeram weighs up a number of factors to help you decide which is best for your boat
Springing off and on a pontoon
Whether you’re getting into or out of a tight berth, getting alongside against a strong breeze or getting off a berth when being pinned on, a well-placed spring will give…
12 top tips for sailing around the UK
Charles Warlow has circumnavigated the UK twice, around Ireland and to the Faroes. He shares his advice for sailors planning on sailing around the UK
Smart boat: how to control your yacht remotely for under £400
Rob Ferenczi shows how you can have remote and onboard systems monitoring on your yacht for under £400