Gilbert Park explains the tweaks he has made to his boat to future-proofing his time afloat
Practical
How I replaced my boat’s shaft seal
When we were having issues with our boat’s shaft seal, every marine engineer we talked to has said that you need to realign your engine with the stern tube when…
How I pump fresh water for a galley sink
I recently wanted to fit a small Whale electric water pump into my water container to supply the galley spout of my boat here in Taupo, New Zealand. But to…
Understanding and mastering boat rigging
Your yacht’s rig remains upright thanks to the right balance of compression and deflection, as Owen Brown explains
How to attach deck fittings securely
Rupert Holmes explains how to strongly attach new or replacement fittings to decks – and how to fill redundant old bolt or screw holes
Sail cover repair you can do yourself
After 11 years under the harsh Australian sun John Tylor’s mainsail cover was falling apart. Here’s how he brought it back to life...
How I replaced my sailboat’s mast
Every had to go through a sailboat mast replacement? Phil Taylor has. Well past her 50th birthday, he writes, my Sabre 27 Tabitha’s original mast had served me well for…
When should I replace standing rigging on my boat?
When does standing rigging on your boat need to be replaced? Surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies has this sage advice
How I made my own DIY fridge
Richard Hare describes how he built the ply/epoxy fridge during the reconstruction of his Westerly Konsort galley
Improving the continuous rope splice
Roger Hughes shares his new technique for making a smooth, continuous rope splice in double-braided line
How I refreshed my deck with a gelcoat spray gun
Andy Pag fixes up his boat’s deck with the help of an affordable airless gelcoat spray gun, and shares his tips for getting a perfect finish even with a non-skid…
How I installed a smart engine monitoring system on my sailboat
Ever considered adding an engine monitoring system to your boat? This article follows on from my introduction Smart Boat article, which showed how to use Home Assistant (HA) and a…
Is it a good idea to weld anchor chain to lengthen it?
Practical Boat Owner reader Tom Fox ponders if a qualified welder could weld anchor chain. Metallurgist Vyv Cox explains what to consider
How important is headsail trim?
PBO reader Jenny Spear wants advice on how to improv the performance of her boat's headsail. Ian Brown has this brief guide to headsail trim
Should I move the mainsheet traveller?
What should you consider if you want to move the mainsheet traveller? OneSails' Wilf Chaplin and surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies share their thoughts
How to make multitool blades last longer
Dick Everitt takes a DIY approach to make multitool blades last a little bit longer
How to create additional berth space on your boat
To make the most of available space for overnight trips, David Parker shows how he built additional cockpit berths on his Seaward 23
Freeing a seized swivel car on foresail furling gear
Chris Mardon fixes his jammed foresail furling gear
How a black water pump replacement helped me narrowly avoid sinking
Gilbert Park shares lessons learned from a messy black water pump reinstallation job that may have saved his boat during a French cruising holiday
Industry insight: lithium marine batteries and other power options
A lot of people are wondering whether to switch to lithium marine batteries, but don’t actually know what they should be looking for when buying batteries to power their life…