Polishing topsides; how does the Drascombe Drifter 22 compare to its predecessor?; Electrifying a classic motorboat; Christmas gifts; plus choosing nav gear and electronics for…
Practical Boat Owner
December 2021
Which kit boat? Build your own boat on a budget; a reader's voyage into the wilderness – 'Skye to Orkney with our dog'; Seacocks explained;…
Warning: E10 petrol and older boat engines don’t mix
Fears are that older boat petrol engines – both outboard and inboard – filled with E10 could be caught out in a dangerous situation.
24 of the best Christmas gift ideas for boat owners
Luceco rechargable LED torch Every boat owner needs a torch for poking around engines, bilges and other nooks and crannies. Since we got this one from Screwfix, we can’t live…
Best boat torch – Luceco rechargable LED inspection torch
Lockers, bilges and engine compartments are gloomy places, but a great deal of time is spent looking inside them. Instead of poking around and straining your eyes, keep an inspection…
January 2022
Polishing topsides; how does the Drascombe Drifter 22 compare to its predecessor?; Electrifying a classic motorboat; Christmas gifts; plus choosing nav gear and electronics for the PBO Project Boat and…
Offshore sailing gear: How to prepare a boat for extended cruising
Sea Bear is a Vancouver 28 built in 1987. She was generally in very good condition when I bought her, but I decided she needed some offshore sailing gear additions…
Black Friday magazine deals: More than 50% off PBO subscriptions
The Black Friday shopping extravaganza seems to get bigger every year, and this year you can get even better Black Friday magazine deals with huge discounts on your favourite boating…
Duracell refit: From Vendée Globe legend to comfortable world cruiser
Let me tell you a story about a young man, a boat builder and a sailor who, after some adventures at sea, heard about a legendary old race boat which…
How to restore teak decking: Varnish or oil? Ask the experts
“Can your paint expert help me identify the coating on my boat’s flybridge deck and stairs? “Is it likely to be just a varnish or something more specific? Can I…
Common rail diesel engines explained: Should I install one on my boat?
Common rail diesel engines have been used in boats and trains since the 1940s, and were given more development for road vehicles in the late 1960s. However, not many smaller…
How to install a common rail diesel engine on a boat
Late evening turned to night as Pippin fought adverse tides off Corbière, hard on the wind, her old Yanmar straining against the elements like a featherweight pushing Mike Tyson. To…
Best sealant kit to keep on board your boat
Sealing screwed-on windows: With screwed in windows the purpose of the sealant is to keep water out, not to glue the windows. Bostik MSR CA is a hybrid silicone/polyurethane. It’s…
Polyurethane vs silicone sealants: Which is best for use on boats?
They’re not the same as adhesives but some sealants – such as Sikaflex – do have adhesive properties. There are many different types of sealant. For example, silicone is an…
Katie McCabe joins speaker line-up at BoatLife Live boat show
Teenage round-Britain sailor Katie McCabe will be among the guest speakers at BoatLife Live, which takes place 17 - 20 February 2022, at The NEC, Birmingham
And they’re off! ARC+ yachts leave Las Palmas for Cape Verde
Seventy yachts left Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, this afternoon in gusty 15-20 knot north-easterlies, headed for Cape Verde. The boats are part of the ARC+ – the sister event to…
Countdown to ARC+ begins – 2 hours to go
Moderate to strong winds are expected for the start of the ARC+ today in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Around 70 boats will be taking part in the rally, sailing to…
260 miles of North Sea sailing in 2.5 days for Lowestoft fish and chips
Sailing across the North Sea from the Netherlands to the UK in two and a half days just for Lowestoft fish and chips. Was it worth it?
On ‘tenterhooks’ after mast failure – why we won’t be making the ARC+ start this Sunday
“It could have been much worse,” says New Zealander Simon Pollock, pointing to the coachroof of the Oyster 56, which looks strangely bare without its mast. “It could have come…
Katie McCabe on sailing solo to the Isles of Scilly – aged 13
Prior to her single-handed round-Britain circumnavigation, Katie McCabe sailed her newly restored classic yacht solo to the Isles of Scilly
Powerboater recalls “fishing a biplane pilot out of the sea”
A powerboater whose family sprang into action when a biplane crashed into Poole Harbour on the south coast, narrowly missing yachts, rocks and a chain ferry, tells her story.
Learning to sail in a Mirror dinghy built from a kit – the hard way
Having built a Mirror dinghy and taken it to the Isles of Scilly on a ferry, Peter Baylis and friends realise they may have overlooked a few details...