Are electric inboard engines suitable for sailing boats? We ask three owners and profile a Plymouth ferry owner as well. Plus top tips on listening…
Practical Boat Owner
July 2021
Do you have an extended cruise in mind for this season? Rupert Holmes suggests easy improvements and essential checks to ensure gear failure doesn't interfere…
Tides explained: What causes the tide to rise and fall
If you’re good at maths, you’ll see that in 14 days’ time, you will be more or less back to where you started from. So, if it’s high tide at…
Lithium batteries vs lead-acid batteries: What are the key differences for boat owners?
But lithium batteries do have downsides, writes Emrhys Barrell . The first is cost, at up to four times the price of an equivalent output lead acid battery, and the…
Best lithium batteries: 12 powerful options for your boat tested
Boat owners have long relied upon the lead-acid battery to start their engines, run electric lights and, these days, to power inverters to run household items such as kettles, microwaves…
SSB radio antenna: How can I install one on my boat? Our expert answers
Q: I recently bought a NASA Target HF3 SSB radio antenna receiver. The manual that came with it is OK but the instructions for the antenna includes a diagram of…
Storing your boat ashore? Make sure it’s level: Maximus survey tip
“When boats are stored ashore it’s really important to make sure they’re stored fairly level,” says Ben Sutcliffe-Davies. “Here in the cockpit you’ve ended up with a fantastic compost.” Article…
Copper antifouling: Will it corrode my metal hull? Our expert answers your question
Q: I was wondering about maybe going down the Coppercoat route for my 32ft steel Wylo II. Is copper antifouling a practical proposition for a steel boat? From the electrolysis…
Wild swimming and sewage – beware, red flags don’t always mean rough seas
The red flags were flying when I went for a swim at Boscombe Pier. I thought nothing of it. Yes, the sea was a tiny bit choppy, but I had…
Antifouling – when is it time to scrape back? Maximus survey begins…
When is it time to strip back antifouling? The PBO Project Boat survey is underway, and in this video marine surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies looks at Maximus’s hull and explains which…
Should I get a bow thruster? Our expert answers your question
Q: I have a Vancouver 32 and I’m considering fitting a bow thruster as it’s a long keel yacht and berthing can sometimes be challenging. But I’m not sure of…
Seasickness remedies: 20 ways to fight mal de mer without medication
You never forget your first time. As we left the wind shadow of Rønne on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, my belly began to boil as the 30-knot gusts and…
Summer 2021
Are electric inboard engines suitable for sailing boats? We ask three owners and profile a Plymouth ferry owner as well. Plus top tips on listening to your engine and taking…
Best electric outboard motors: 9 of the best options on the market
The electric motor is either sealed in an underwater casing, or housed above the waterline under a cowling, as in a standard petrol outboard. Keeping the motor below the water…
Electric outboard motors: How new tech is weaning boat owners off fossil fuels
The market for electric outboard motors has been growing fast over the past few years. Boat owners love the idea of silent, fume-free cruising using lightweight motors that will have…
Summer sailing: 11 last-minute checks to prepare your boat
Summer sailing usually involves greater distances and spending longer periods than usual on board, and this can trigger some of the breakdowns and breakages that are, to some extent, an…
Kayaking 101: Which kayak to choose and how to launch from your boat
I was chatting to a friend, whose husband has a small yacht, and we were comparing the pros and cons of motorboats and yachts. I thought she summed it up…
Wooden boat restoration: the Youtube channel following four years in a boatyard
It was October 2015, I was 30 years old, and dreaming of sailing the world some day, perhaps even owning a gaffer of my own. By weekday, I was a…
The PBO Project boat survey – and why every new boat owner should have one
If you’re thinking of buying a new boat – or maybe you’ve inherited one or are renovating a wreck – you should really consider booking a boat survey. PBO was…
Wild swimming gear: Everything you need to take the plunge all year round
If, like me, you’re missing your sailing club and are desperate to be on the water, why not try wild swimming instead? Is there a lake or beach nearby? If…
Why I chose serial electric hybrid propulsion with lead carbon batteries for my narrow boat
During the first lockdown in March 2020, my wife, Kay, and I began musing about the possibility of trying to be a bit greener in the forthcoming build of our…
The great hybrid-electric canal boat race – Worcester to Droitwich trials
A fleet of narrow boats powered by a mix of hybrid-electric and HVO-diesel-fuelled engines are set to ‘race’ each other along a stretch of the River Severn and the Droitwich…