Sailing on sunshine: how to get the most out of your solar panels; Latest advice on installing lithium batteries that every boat owner should read;…
Practical Boat Owner
December 2025 issue – out on 23 October
From steering to rigging (and all the things we forget!) – the essential checks for the prepared skipper; Displacement theory and how it affects the…
January 2026 Issue – out on 20 November
Sailing on sunshine: how to get the most out of your solar panels; Latest advice on installing lithium batteries that every boat owner should read; Understanding rigging failure and how…
From stiff to ‘finger-light’: The DIY overhaul that saved our boat steering system
Battling with increasingly heavy steering on his yacht led Mike Coates to check out all the possibilities before eventually taking the whole lot apart for a refurbishment. Here he shows…
What I discovered on my first Arctic sailing trip
My first time going above the Arctic Circle for some Arctic sailing required a few adjustments to the usual packing list. Trying on my brand-new oilskins, I belatedly realised that…
Nominate your 2025 Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year
Public nominations for the Yachting Journalists' Association (YJA) Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards are now open.
ARC Rally Stopover Survival Guide: The boatyard at the crossroads of the world
How do you fix a boat in the middle of the Atlantic? BoatCV, beloved by generations of ARC Rally cruisers, has the answer. The workshop echoes with see-sawing files and…
How to manage solar, hydro and wind power on your boat
Three transatlantic cruisers share valuable lessons about their onboard power setups, their marine battery choices, and where they went wrong.
Satellite internet for under £400, but how good is the Starlink Mini for staying in contact offshore?
The Starlink Mini is changing how offshore sailors communicate, offering high-speed internet for a surprisingly small hardware cost, but how effective is it? Stephanie Jones speaks to the Mini Globe…
How a faulty chainplate turned a perfect sail into a dismasting disaster
I learned firsthand the risks of a faulty chainplate. Enjoying a perfect start to our Isles of Scilly adventure, my two friends and I set off aboard my 42ft yacht…
Insurance cover for sailing high latitudes
Practical Boat Owner reader Martin Frobisher asks why it's so difficult to source yacht insurance for higher latitude sailing, Mollie Magrath, boat and travel account manager for Topsail Marine &…
How I built a DIY propeller puller to free a calcified prop and shaft
Removing a propeller from your sail- or motorboat doesn’t always translate to smooth sailing, even on a well-maintained yacht. Imagine doing it on an old wooden motor cruiser which was…
Globe 5.80 Performance Review: how the micro-yachts & gear fared after 10,000 miles of solo racing
After sailing thousands of miles offshore, the Mini Globe Race 2025 skippers share exactly how the Globe 5.80 and the gear on board stands up with Stephanie Jones.
How the Mini Globe Race 2025 fleet is facing the fierce Agulhas Currents in Leg 3
The Mini Globe Race 2025 is drawing closer to the end of Leg 3, with solo skippers rapidly approaching Durban on their homebuilt, 19ft plywood ALMA Globe 5.80 micro-yachts. Here…
These six legendary boats defined modern sailing: from the Optimist to the Mini 6.50
The history of sailing is not just a story of wind and water – it is also a story of boats. Of six boats in particular: the Optimist, the Hobiecat…
Checking and replacing keel bolts on wooden boats
If a keel parts company from a yacht, capsize is the inevitable result, which is why checking and replacing keel bolts is essential. But keel bolt failure is not something…
Preparing a small boat for heavy weather with advice from the skippers of the Jester Challenge 2025
The Jester Challenge 2025 once again proved a fertile ground for examples of how a short-handed crew can prepare for heavy weather scenarios. The challenge began in 2006 and was…
Lifespan vs. Warranty: why your liferaft is no longer serviceable
Not sure what to do with an old liferaft? Reader Tony Raven asks: In 2009, I bought a four-man Seago liferaft. It has been serviced every three years, the last…
Safety alert for some Mercury Marine four-stroke outboards
The UK Government has issued a safety alert for certain models of Mercury Marine four-stroke outboards which do not meet the requirements of the Recreational Craft Regulations 2017
How to build a boat with cold moulding: the secret to a hull that looks like GRP
Richard Johnstone-Bryden explains cold moulding, a time- and cost-effective method of combining the beauty of wood with the strength and practicality of GRP
Saved by the safety line: How solo sailor Eric Marsh got back onboard his boat after falling overboard in the Mini Globe Race
Sailor and author Graham Cox talks to Mini Globe Race skipper, Eric Marsh about his man overboard incident and how he managed to get back on board his 19ft yacht
Sailing books: best new releases to read
Katy Stickland chooses her pick of the latest sailing books that will keep sailors enthralled