Is your boat shipshape? Top advice this month on antifouling, rig-tuning, protecting gelcoat and stopping leaks. Plus, we celebrate Cornish shrimpers and Scottish traditional fishing…
Practical Boat Owner
April 2021
Mind over matter this month as we tackle the restoration blues head-on with top tips from a psychologist boat restorer. Plus we dig into the…
What chartplotters can do that your smartphone can’t
A few years ago I felt there was a risk that marine electronics manufacturers would find it impossible to compete in a changing marketplace. Apps for smartphones and tablets had…
Boat launch checks – what to check when returning to your boat after lockdown
With lockdown restrictions gradually being lifted, and longer, warmer days approaching, boat owners everywhere are keen to stretch their sea legs. However, if your boat’s been out of action for…
Paddleboarding with kids – 6 SUPs on test in Poole and Christchurch harbour
Paddleboarding has been one of the lockdown success stories of 20/21, and with the easing of restrictions, you can now paddle outdoors in groups of six (the rule of 6)…
Which inflatable paddleboard? What to look for when buying a SUP
With summer on its way and lockdown restrictions easing, paddleboarding is a great way to find adventure close to home, but there’s a bewildering array of boards out there to…
10 tips for family paddleboarding – stay warm and make it an adventure
Paddleboarding with the whole family is great fun, but as every parent knows, nothing spoils a day out quicker than cold, wet, hungry kids. Here are some of the things…
Paddleboarding gear – what to wear and what to pack for a day on the SUP with kids
I take my three kids paddleboarding and wild swimming in winter, but it does take a mammoth effort to pack the right gear for during and after the water. However,…
What Schengen means for UK boat owners abroad – 4 in 5 may quit cruising
Canal du Midi, France. Photo: Alamy A survey carried out amongst Cruising Association (CA) members who keep their boats on the rivers and canals of Schengen countries has revealed that…
Dog lifejacket test – Paddleboard with your dog!
Dog lifejackets are designed to allow dogs to swim comfortably, and are made of foam to support key areas of their body so they can conserve energy in the water.…
May 21
Is your boat shipshape? Top advice this month on antifouling, rig-tuning, protecting gelcoat and stopping leaks. Plus, we celebrate Cornish shrimpers and Scottish traditional fishing boats, take a Covid-secure cruise…
Refining rigging and improving performance
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. When, back in 2014, I saw the mainsail on Peter Kewish’s Jeanneau Sun Way 21, I found it hard to be…
Rigging setup: Turning round a yacht’s performance
Little old boats can offer enormous fun for your money, but they often require some tweaking in order to be experienced at their best. Often a little bit of time…
How to set up your rig: tension your shrouds on masthead or fractional
If boats were cars, many of those I see sailing along would be coughing and spluttering down the motorway at 35mph in third gear with three flat tyres and a…
How to check your rigging – video guide
There are plenty of ways that a mast or its rigging can fail, but there are often key telltale signs that a problem is about to develop. Fatigue is one…
When lightning strikes – how to protect your boat from lightning at sea
Lightning never strikes twice – a turn of phrase often used to reassure someone who’s had a bad experience, implying that it won’t happen to them again. However, as unlikely…
Restoring a boat? Beat the restoration blues and get back to work today
Procrastination is the art of busily doing nothing while another part of you gets really disappointed about it. I’m a serial procrastinator. Phew, glad to get that out in the…
Make a grounding system to protect your boat from lightning strikes
A surprising amount of research has been carried out into lightning strikes on yachts and boats, much of it in Florida but some in New Zealand, Australia and other countries.…
Lightning strikes at sea – advice from a marine surveyor
Over the years I’ve attended a few lightning strikes suffered by yachts on behalf of insurance companies. In the UK it’s not such a common issue as, say, in the…
Coming alongside – essential sailing skills for shorthanded crews
How many people are on board when you go sailing? A good guess is that you’re only two, and often the extra crew is your spouse. As people have less…
Shipwrecked in a 14ft keelboat then rescued by a cargo ship
Yann Quenet is a genius from Brittany I would love to meet. He is an inventor, designer, and builder of boats, mostly of marine plywood/epoxy, a material I have a…
Finishing the Vendee Globe: 6 of the best videos from the back of the fleet
As I write this, #SuperHappySailor, a.k.a. Ari Huusela, the Finnish commercial airline pilot and first Nordic skipper to compete in the Vendée Globe Race, is in the lead onboard Stark…