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…
Sailing books: best new releases to read
Katy Stickland chooses her pick of the latest sailing books that will keep sailors enthralled
My tiller pilot went rogue: the surprising DIY repair that saved my Raymarine ST1000
After his boat executes an unexpected hard-over turn, Paul Newell diagnoses and repairs a problem with his tiller pilot
The Shipping Forecast Gets an AI Upgrade: The Met Office’s New Automated System
The world leading weather service has been testing a prototype AI-assisted system which automatically generates a first draft of the Shipping Forecast – trials have shown it to be as accurate…
Understanding metal fatigue: What causes rigging and engine failures?
Do you know the difference between a sudden fracture and a fatigue fracture? Understanding the characteristic 'beach marks' is the key to preventing catastrophic failure on your boat, says Vyv…
“A Force 8 gale turned the sea off Dover into a ‘cauldron of confusion’ that nearly overwhelmed our Halmatic 30”
Tim Butler had to struggle back to the port he'd just departed when his Helmatic 30 began rolling violently in steep waves and a sudden Force 8
Sailing ‘La Semaine’: how I faced hidden 8-knot currents and whirlpools on traditional craft
Your sailing education is not complete until you’ve sailed La Semaine, I’d been told by my sailing mentor. Calm seas, warm winds, beautiful islands and French cuisine. A regatta for…
How I survived a fouled propeller in a crowded marina
The thought of a fouled propeller was the furthest thing from my mind. The sun was shining and my plan for the day was to leave my marina berth in…
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 way your boat handles; Anchoring…
I installed a yacht air conditioning system in just a few hours
Wanting to upgrade the comfort of my 2004 Bavaria 38 with a yacht air conditioning system, I found the procedure to be remarkably simple. Here, I demonstrate how easy it…
Waarschip 740: the offshore boat you can build in your garage
From the popular Dutch range of plywood cruisers, the Waarschip 740 is a tough, fast and capable little yacht you can build at home. David Harding reports
The simple rebuild that saved a 50-year-old BMC diesel engine for less
When I started Tudor Rose’s old BMC (British Motor Corporation) 1.8 diesel engine one windless summer morning, a dense pall of grey smoke lingered incriminatingly over the anchorage. I slunk…
‘I thought it was all over’: man overboard drama hits Mini Globe Race 2025
Overnight (17 October), Eric Marsh of Sunbear took a chilling tumble. It was the first man overboard in the Mini Globe Race 2025, the adventurous solo circumnavigation on the homebuilt…
Yann Quenet: From France to Canada in a 4m boat
French micro voyager Yann Quenet is currently transporting his home-built 4m boat across Canada ahead of a Pacific crossing in the spring
How I built a SCAMP boat so my sick dog could go sailing again
After my Australian Cattle Dog, Ozzie, had a health scar, I built a SCAMP boat, a popular dinghy cruiser design, so he could get back onto the water. Ozzie has…
Dometic GO hard and soft storage: how practical is it onboard a boat?
Gibert Park tests the Dometic Go storage system onboard his two motorboats to see how practical it is
The new BayCruiser 21: Is this the best trailer-sailer ever built?
17 years after kick-starting a revolution in trailer-sailing, Swallow Yachts has launched the BayCruiser 21. The new model is light, fast, simple to launch and easy to sail, says David
Taking a boat to Europe: how to avoid the pitfalls
Simon Hampton-Matthews of the Cruising Association’s Regulatory & Technical Services (RATS) Group discusses boat VAT in Europe
First-time charter holiday with family
Katy Stickland introduces her non-sailing family to life afloat on a charter holiday in Greece’s spectacular Ionian Sea
How to link your smartphone to your navigation system
Considering a smart navigation system? The advance of electronics, and especially home automation, have given rise to a range of extremely powerful and affordable small wireless devices. This got me…
Quick tips to improve your boat’s performance
Expert delivery skipper Ben Lowings offers his top tips to help improve boat performance and handling. Efficient helming Sailing starts – and ends – with the human element. You may…