Your quick reference guide to safety and seamanship, still available in digital format
Practical
How to replace your sprayhood windows
Do you have a foggy view? Don’t throw away your expensive sprayhood or awning – you can replace the windows for just a few pounds, says Jake Kavanagh
How to repair big holes in GRP boats
Even wrecks can be rescued! Damaged boats can often be bought for a song and then successfully repaired – but it’s not a job for the faint-hearted. Jake Kavanagh explains…
How to check keel bolts
Colin Brown describes a series of checks you can carry out to assess the structural integrity of the bolts which attach the keel to your boat
10 top causes of engine breakdown – 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…
Making a boat tent from a polytunnel
John Owen constructs a versatile and economical boat tent from a polytunnel
Renovating boat windows
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
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…
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
Holding tank for a small boat
David Witton converts a caravan tank to make a holding tank for his small boat
Osmosis – the professional treatment
Even the worst cases of osmosis can be professionally treated, and while the process is expensive and time consuming, it will revive the boat and restore its value. Jake Kavanagh…
DIY Osmosis Repair
If you’ve found a few blisters on your gel coat, don’t despair. You may not need to do a full gel coat strip – which on cheaper boats may not…
Keelbolt Surgery
After a few knocks a yacht’s keelbolts can work a little loose – but that might be just the beginning, as the owners of Quartet discovered.
Tracing tricky leaks on a boat
Boat leaks are the bane of a sailor’s life, but with patience their source can be traced. Here are some ideas of where to start...
Installing a Automatic Charging Relay (ACR)
How to install an Automatic Charging Relay on board to upgrade charging two battery banks - a step-by-step guide
Charging two battery banks
There are basically four viable options for charging two battery banks on board: Battery switches, twin alternators, split charge diodes, and VSRs. Here's a brief guide to them...
Lay up for winter – check list
Simple steps to make the winter laying-up process straightforward, painless and effective
Reconditioning a turbocharger
A turbocharger on an engine is an effective way to get extra horsepower, improve fuel consumption and emissions. But when a turbo goes wrong it’s definitely time to call in…