Keel know-how; How to gybe safely; Spotlight on the Nordic Folkboat; Hot water systems explained; Working with Perspex; Painting over varnish; Launching tips for dinghies;…
Practical Boat Owner
June 2026 issue – out on 9 April
Boat Owners’ Antenna Buyer’s Guide, How to make a bridle for secure mooring, Designing and making your own sails, 48 launch checks for skipper and…
Forgotten seamanship: How to use anchors to manoeuvre without an engine
Dick Everitt passes on a few tips about alternative ways of using your anchor
Trapper 500: a head-turning beauty
Looking for a reasonably-priced and solidly-built second-hand cruising yacht, Richard Reed was smitten by the Trapper 500
PBO Conquers the Island with Mike Golding and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
The inaugural Conquer the Island challenge, a 10-hour clockwise circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, was organised by the historic London club, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. PBO…
Glaciers, williwaw gusts & dodging drifting ice: Cruising the Beagle Channel with a French legend
Marina Guedes sails the Beagle Channel with Jérôme Poncet aboard Damien 2
Fitting and sealing new deck gear and winches
Rupert Holmes shares how he redesigned and refitted the deck hardware on his Quarter-Tonner, Minestrone
Mirror Dinghy: the versatile first boat for thousands of sailors
The ‘car top dinghy’ that can be launched and sailed in most coastal and inshore waters, with more than 70,000 built since 1963
Building a boat swimming platform: step-by-step
If you want to get the best from the British summer, a smart bathing platform can be a fabulous addition to your boat. Richard Johnstone-Bryden shows how it’s done
Why do boaters need to buy Class M compliant Man Overboard (MOB) devices?
Ofcom plans to phase out legacy man-overboard (MOB) automatic identification system (AIS) devices - after 2030, boaters need to upgrade to Class M compliant equipment.
How to make a compression joint
Tony Davies shares his step-by-step guide to making a compression joint for fuel systems
Going boating shorthanded
Gilbert Park shares how he safely gets on the water with limited crew
Returning to the ‘dark side’: This retired couple switched back from sail to power to cruise the Mediterranean
My husband, Jeremy, and I have been involved with boats, both motor and sailing, on and off for over 35 years. Like many people, we had a dream to sail…
Aircat 285: does this inflatable tender offer a stable, high-performance alternative to traditional designs?
Choosing the best inflatable can be tricky, but the catamaran-style Aircat 285 promises to offer a stable, high-performance alternative to traditional designs. Jake Frith put it to the test
Best boats for crossing the North Sea: the Moody Eclipse 33 + 5 other models
Sailing north from Scotland takes you into a different world. Towering cliffs, remote islands, and empty, white-sand beaches await sailors willing to suffer cooler temperatures, rain, and strong currents that…
Saved from the scrapyard: This budget boat renovation gave a £1, 70-year-old boat new life
‘How are you getting on with selling your boat?’ It was a simple question, which launched an endeavour to grant new life to a classic wooden 22ft Yachting Monthly 3-Tonner…
June 2026 issue – out on 9 April
Boat Owners’ Antenna Buyer’s Guide, How to make a bridle for secure mooring, Designing and making your own sails, 48 launch checks for skipper and crew, Learn to whip a…
w1Da: the yacht that broke the mould
From the archive, David Harding test sails the w1DA - a boat unlike any other that he has sailed and that marked a new approach to the production yacht
Which is the best cruising dinghy?
Clive Marsh explains what he looks for in a lightweight cruising dinghy
The Grand Cormoran: capable camper-cruiser
The Grand Cormoran is a camper-cruiser capable of handling heavy weather. David Harding puts the boat through its paces
Emrhys Barrell: Eight bells for the marine journalist and electric boating pioneer
Emrhys Barrell, who was a long-time contributor to Practical Boat Owner, has died at the age of 78
The Cormoran: tradition with a twist
Built in southern Brittany, the Cormoran is a day-sailer developed from traditional working craft. David Harding went to France to test the boat