There’s a lot to love about Scandinavian cruising. It’s said that Stockholm sailors rarely venture outside home waters themselves– and with 30,000 islands on their doorstep, who can blame them?…
boats
Cut your boating costs: The surprising benefits of ‘downsizing’ from motor to sail
Many sailors like to switch from a yacht to a motorboat as they get older – yet Debbie and Jeremy White did the opposite and saved a small fortune in…
The Flying Fifteen: the spirit of sailing
Clive Marsh sings the praises of the Flying Fifteen – an attractive, self-righting and popular fixed-keel dinghy that sails brilliantly
Dutch Inland Waterways: The best second-hand yachts for the Staande Mast Route
Phil Clandillon looks at the best second-hand yachts for sailing popular cruising grounds; this month, the Dutch inland seas and waterways
Leaving little wake: the joy of sailing slowly
Slow sailboats leave no wake, and the minimal water disturbance also means greater opportunities to observe marine life, says Clive Marsh
The story of the Uru: Sustainable shipbuilding lessons from an ocean-crossing sailboat made of reeds
There was a single sailboat in this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, but it’s probably not the kind you’re picturing. Forget GRP and aluminium: the Uru’s hull was made entirely of…
The best small Westerly yachts for family cruising on a budget
Westerly yachts can be seen at most UK ports and harbours: they’re roomy family boats and some are designed for racing. The smaller 20ft to 26ft yachts, can often be…
Classic boat restoration: uncertain future for the Garlandstone, the last West Country trading ketch
The Garlandstone is one of the last wooden trading vessels of its type. HE Ross questions why she sits derelict while sister ships thrive as charter vessels, and the future…
Globe 5.80 Performance Review: how the micro-yachts & gear fared after 10,000 miles of solo racing
After sailing thousands of miles offshore, the Mini Globe Race 2025 skippers share exactly how the Globe 5.80 and the gear on board stands up with Stephanie Jones.
These six legendary boats defined modern sailing: from the Optimist to the Mini 6.50
The history of sailing is not just a story of wind and water – it is also a story of boats. Of six boats in particular: the Optimist, the Hobiecat…
How I built a SCAMP boat so my sick dog could go sailing again
After my Australian Cattle Dog, Ozzie, had a health scar, I built a SCAMP boat, a popular dinghy cruiser design, so he could get back onto the water. Ozzie has…
Princess Anne visits Boat Building Academy to support endangered marine skills
On 6 October, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis to learn about the academy’s work and promote marine heritage crafts. In addition…
Comparing the Oyster 406 and 7 other designs
Lovers of the Oyster 406 and other centre cockpit concepts will know that the style has largely died out among smaller and mid-size yachts. Yet it remains very popular in…
Guide to buying your first motorboat
There are many reasons why people want to buy a motorboat – the recent Covid-19 pandemic (and a generally unstable world) being one of them. With immediate turn-key power, and…
Comparing the Sadler 34 and 9 other designs
During the 1970s and 1980s, Sadler Yachts was one of the UK’s best-known boatbuilders, producing a range of serious sea boats that remain popular as cruising yachts today, including the…
Clive’s Boats: comparing two Smacks Boats
In my quest to find the perfect trailer-sailer I’ve owned two Smacks Boats – one was fast, the other more comfortable. I’ve loved both, and purchasing the same model twice…
Your guide to different cockpit styles, and how to best use the space
Whether you’re buying a new boat or refitting an older one, the cockpit deserves consideration; probably more than you think. While a spacious saloon or forepeak cabin is appealing, the…
Boat rudders: everything you need to know
Delivery skipper Ben Lowings examines how different popular rudder designs affect handling, and explains how to maintain them
How I started my small-boat collection with an Invicta 12
There’s only the Invicta 12 to blame for getting me into collecting small boats. New Zealand is one of the better places to go boating but I was not based…
Why the Laser 16 is a “proper trailer sailer”
At last, a proper trailer sailer, says Wendy Fitzpatrick of the Laser 16 cruising dinghy, in a review for the December 1987 issue of Practical Boat Owner