A bilge alarm is an essential piece of kit on any boat. You can buy a bilge alarm on Amazon or at any chandlery or make your own using a…
Gear
Seadogs: 10 top tips for sailing with dogs
Sailing round the world with dogs requires months of preparation and research, stacks of paperwork, extra supplies and provisions, regular vaccinations, expensive updates for your vessel, and many hours of…
Best boat heaters – diesel, solid fuel or warm air central heating?
Diesel fuelled heating systems Having a warm boat can significantly lengthen the sailing season, but the best boat heater for you depends on budget, the size of your boat, and…
How to climb your mast and work aloft safely
As much as I love sailing, there is one thing (besides rebuilding the head) that I really have a problem with, and that is the height of the mast. No,…
What is AIS Class B+ and do I need it for my boat?
I ’d been thinking about buying an AIS transceiver for my Merry Fisher 855 for some time. I use my boat mainly in the Solent, where avoiding other vessels is…
How to make your own hammock or cockpit tent from a simple tarpaulin
You may find yourself in need of one (or all) of the following at some point: a sun awning and maybe something to keep the dew off in the evening…
Battery maintenance for boat owners: How to look after your boat batteries
For all but the smallest and simplest of craft a reliable supply of battery power is essential to keep both vital safety systems and domestic comforts running. They’re therefore an…
Electric winches, handles and furlers – a buyer’s guide
Maybe you want to spend more time sailing single-handed, or perhaps you’re reaching the age when winching up the mainsail by hand is starting to take the fun out of…
Tried and tested: Fenwick’s Over Wintering coating on Treadmaster decking
In January 2018 I reviewed Fenwick’s Tent and Awning Cleaner – a product chiefly marketed to caravan owners – to see how well it would perform at removing stubborn mould…
Boat propeller: How to choose the right one for your boat
Understanding boat propeller design can help solve performance problems that occur when a boat is being driven under power. The wrong prop may be wrong in a number of different…
Outboard maintenance tips – step by step 4-stroke guide
Wind, weather and the elements are the usual culprits when it comes to boat maintenance, however the 4-stroke outboard engine is best tended to from the inside out. Changing the…
Wifi on your boat: how to get online on the water this summer
Although many of us go sailing to get away from our hectic everyday lives, the Internet can have a variety of uses on board, writes Duncan Kent. From keeping in…
Tested: 12 bosun’s chairs
Are you sitting comfortably? Let’s hope so – especially when climbing the mast. Ben Meakins tests the comfort, safety and build quality of 12 bosun’s chairs
Best bilge cleaners: how to clean an oily, smelly bilge
Ben Meakins gets down and dirty in the pursuance of the most effective way to clean oily, malodorous bilges
7 mast climbing kits on test
Going aloft to the masthead can be tricky at the best of times on a calm day in a marina – and even more so at sea. In our November…
The Ultimate Gift Guide is now online!
PBO magazine and 14 other specialist Time Inc UK titles have joined forces to create the ultimate gift guide, with hundreds of recommended products.
Navtex: obsolete or essential?
Has Navtex been superseded by smartphones and the internet, or does it still have a role in modern sailing?
The great UK antifouling test for cruising yachts
20 antifouling paints tested in 13 UK locations: which works best where you keep your boat?
PBO Tested: 4 rig tension gauges
It’s vitally important to ensure that the tension of your boat’s rigging is within the correct limits: Alex Bell tests four rig tension gauges to assess their accuracy
PBO Tested: B&G Vulcan 5 chart plotter
Ben Meakins takes B&G’s new compact 5in multifunction display for a trial sail