Is it time to swap your boat batteries? We look at the pros and cons of lithium-ion vs standard, installation dos and don’ts, bust the…
Practical Boat Owner
May issue – out 14 March
15 fixes at sea: sailors share how to deal with a range of problems afloat from a dismasting and rudder damage to chafe, the essential…
Making clamps from copper pipe: step by step
Used copper piping can be repurposed to make pipe and cable clamps, explains Tony Davies
How to build a rudder for your boat
Hitting a submerged object destroyed Mike Gudmunsen’s rudder...so he set about making a new one
How to fit coaxial plugs and sockets
Tony Davies shows how to fit coaxial plugs and sockets to make a reliable VHF cable joint
Rig tuning: a practical guide for sailors
Correct rig tension will maximise the efficiency of your boat’s sails as well as reducing stresses on the mast. David Pugh demonstrates simple rig tuning
5 tips for sailing in strong winds
Rupert Holmes has sailed more than 85,000 miles, including the Southern Ocean. He shares his tips for sailing in strong winds
PlainSailing.com nominated for a British Travel Award
UK charter firm, PlainSailing.com is encouraging the public to vote for the company in the British Travel Awards
Coping with a dismasting & rig checks
Faced with a sudden dismasting in 40-knot gusts, Rupert Holmes explains how he and his crew saved his boat, and offers advice for simple safety checks you can make to…
Ocean Globe Race 2023: everything you need to know
The Ocean Globe Race will see 14 boats and their crews circumnavigating the world without the use of modern equipment, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Race
No mess oil filter change for a boat engine
Simon Westmacott devises a way to keep his bilges clean when changing the engine's oil filter
New west to east Atlantic crossing record in a Mini 6.50
A new west to east Atlantic crossing record in a Mini 6.50 has been set by Jay Thompson, subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council
How to do a rig check with an action cam
Simone Annunziata gets a bird’s eye view using modern tech and an old broom
October issue – on sale 31 August
How to enjoy big adventures in small boats, the best 25ft-40ft boat for first time buyers, NEW BOAT TEST of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380, maintain your boat and save…
Gelcoat repair: How to make an invisible repair
Everything you need to know to make an invisible gelcoat repair, from preparation and filling to topcoat and polishing
Lessons learned from a disastrous start to the sailing season
Fairey Atalanta A142 Sugar Plum, being a mature lady, needs a lot of maintenance. Living in the north of Scotland, she’s stored over winter in a building for her protection…
How I converted a 17ft powercat into my perfect Canadian hybrid boat
The province of Ontario in Canada provides a huge range of boating opportunities, from historic man-made canals to more than 250,000 inland lakes, the 30,000 islands archipelago of Georgian Bay,…
Boat engine mount replacement: step by step guide
Mike Reynolds shares the lessons he learned about undertaking a boat engine mount replacement
Why isn’t fuel pre-treated to prevent diesel bug? Ask the experts
Glynn Jones writes: “If I have understood the issue correctly, the addition by the oil industry of biodiesel to our boat fuel is the main reason that ‘diesel bug’ is…
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…