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…
New mentoring programme for women boatbuilders
10 boatbuilders are being given the opportunity to be matched and mentored by women working in the industry in a similar or complementary role
Boat berth upgrade: a cheap and simple way
Barry Pickthall makes a cheap and simple sleeping comfort upgrade - a double boat berth
May issue – on sale 16 March
Choosing an electric engine; Managing problems afloat - Jimmy Cornell; Jessica Watson interview; Handheld VHF radios on test; Sail better guide; How to recommission an engine; and 25 pages of
Choosing a marine toilet for the PBO Project Boat
Choosing a marine toilet isn’t as straightforward as you think – and after looking at the options it may be that refurbishment rather than replacement could be the answer. With…
Polycraft 300 Tuffy: nippy, easy to drive and responsive
With the help of her local sailing clubs, Ali Wood tests the lightweight Polycraft 300 Tuffy tender with both electric and petrol outboard motor power
Man overboard: recovering a casualty from a marina
Rupert Holmes shares top tips on how to avoid the dangers of falling in while in a marina and how to recover someone from a pontoon
Splicing workshop for women
Women sailors and boaters are being invited to attend a splicing workshop being organised in conjunction with Women in Boat Building
Hull insulation: a DIY guide
Richard Rogers explains how to insulate the hull of a small yacht for high latitudes sailing to cold, remote and beautiful places
Boat towing: lessons learned from assisting a dismasted yacht in the Atlantic
Ali Wood meets the ARC+ crew who battled squalls and rough seas to tow a dismasted yacht to safety
Can I rebuild a Spectra watermaker?
Andy Pag attempts to rebuild a Spectra watermaker on a budget
How I launched my own narrowboat company and built the boats myself
When I was working for the National Grid I decided that I wanted to be self-employed. I’ve always loved sailing and fancied running a yacht marina. I was flicking through…
Canal boat through the Welsh mountains
Have you ever wandered down an autumnal towpath, amid the mild fug of stove smoke, and wondered how cosy a trip aboard a canal barge could be? I know I…
DIY bunk ladder for getting in and out of berths easily
Don Fitzroy Smith fashions cheap, light, easy to stow and make bunk ladder and headboards for getting in and out of forepeak berth more easily
Transforming a Sea Angler into a canal motorboat
Paul and Sally Weston turn their neglected Mitchell 31 Sea Angler into a canal motorboat to cruise the French coast and the canals
Laptop charging problems on board: one sailor’s solution
Cliff White stumbles upon the answer to a head-scratching laptop charging problem
Bonding marine windows back in: the best gasket sealant
PBO reader Nicholas Phillips wants advice on the best gasket sealant for bonding his marine windows. Our expert Sven Petersen has this advice…
Holding tank installation for under £500
Keith Calton fits a compact, economical and user friendly heads system for less than £500
Boat condensation: one sailor’s solution to keep your boat dry
Many boats suffer from water droplets forming on cold windows as a result of hot air or steam becoming cool – Paul Fay shares his solution on how to beat
How I lost the battle with my wind turbine – and nearly lost my arm in the process
Wind generators provide an additional power source for keeping batteries topped-up, but they have the downside that the noise generated is annoying to all around. I recently discovered a darker-side…
Baptism of fire: Sailing Biscay in a Force 8 on my first (and last) yacht delivery
Despite having never had aspirations to be a yacht delivery skipper, I was coerced into delivering a Moody 426 from the Algarve to the UK in 2006. It all started…