Ali Wood gets a crash course in reverse polarity and smart charging when Project Boat Maximus’s shore power gets trippy
Project Boat blog
Quiz a sailmaker – everything you need to know about sails
Whilst deciding what cut and sailcloth to chose for the PBO Project Boat, we quizzed technical manager Daryl Morgan from Bainbridge International – one of the world’s oldest sailcloth manufacturers…
What are the different types of sailcloth and design?
Before speaking to your sailmaker, it’s worth knowing the different types of sailcloth on the market so you can understand which is best for your type of boat and sailing,…
Sail design – using 3D software and laser technology to cut new sails
During the survey of our Maxi 84, the PBO Project Boat Maximus, we were warned by a marine surveyor that there was only so much he could tell us about…
How to measure your yacht for new sails
Measuring your boat for new sails is a job for the sailmaker, so when our PBO Project Boat Maximus needed new sails, we called in sailmaker Daryl Morgan, technical manager…
Restoring a vintage Sailor radio
Ali Wood’s Sailor radio is given the VIP treatment
Seajet Bioclean silicone antifoul review: Our verdict after one year on the water
Does silicone antifouling work? It’s not flying off the shelves yet, according to suppliers, but the results from our Project Boat are promising. In fact, in the words of the…
Securing mast cable on our Maxi 84
With the help of ACM Marine, Ali Wood goes about securing mast cable on the Maxi 84 PBO project boat
Marine alternator troubleshooting
Ali Wood gets to grips with Maximus’s faulty electrical system after some unexpected failures made an appearance on passage
Refurbishing a boat alternator
James Wood removes Maximus’s alternator and gets it repaired
How to make rope: The modern factory method explained
Running rigging is something you tend to take for granted… until it fails, which is what happened during the boat test of Maximus, our Maxi 84 Project Boat. Fortunately, thanks…
Replacing a rotten companionway step
James Wood gets to grips with epoxy when repairing a rotten step support on Maximus's companionway
Choosing a marine toilet for the PBO Project Boat
Choosing a marine toilet isn’t as straightforward as you think – and after looking at the options it may be that refurbishment rather than replacement could be the answer. With…
How to service a marine diesel engine in 12 simple steps
It was time to service the marine diesel engine on our Maxi 84 cruiser. Knowing how to diagnose and fix engine faults is a useful skill for any boat owner,…
Sea toilet restoration: How I refurbished the heads on the PBO Project Boat
With seacocks previously installed in the Maxi 84, it was time to connect the hoses. The first thing to decide was what sort of installation. As Ali explained in her…
Passing planning for a shakedown voyage
With Maximus, our PBO Project boat ready for her shakedown voyage from Chichester to Poole, I turned my attention to passage planning. I dug out my old logbook and realised…
New electronics on the PBO Project Boat
The day was approaching for Maximus’s shakedown cruise, a two-day voyage from Chichester to her new home at Cobbs Quay Marina, Poole. Before then, however, we needed to understand our…
Launching the PBO Project Boat
Chichester’s Dell Quay boatyard had been Maximus’s home for two years – and felt like our second home too, since we’d acquired the Maxi 84 project boat. We’d spent long…
Upgrading electronics on the PBO Project Boat
Upgrading electronics on Maximus seemed like a huge leap in the first weeks of ownership. We were still discovering new leaks and lockers, choosing antifouling and scraping the bottom. I…
What is an in-hull transducer?
On our PBO Project Boat Maximus we need sonar simply for measuring depth, but the advanced electronics of fish finders and forward-looking sonar can show shoals of fish and give…