Does your ground tackle pass muster? In the July issue of PBO (on sale 14 May) we offer 10 easy checks and dozens of ideas…
Practical Boat Owner
June 2020
As the lockdown extends through the month of April, PBO brings you 100 DIY ideas you can do from home or in the workshop. See…
October 2019 issue – out September 5
The PBO Project boat is prepared for the Southampton Boat Show plus we show you a simple technique for polishing stainless steel
PBO Secret 20 Project Boat update: Ready for the show
Some real head-scratching work has been going on this month as the pace picks up in advance of Southampton Boat Show. Although the Secret 20 is a kit boat for…
Southampton Boat Show 2019: Discount tickets for PBO readers
The highlight of the British boat show season, the Southampton Boat Show 2019 powered by Borrow A Boat runs from 13-22 September. More than 330 boats and 600 marine brands…
Southampton Boat Show 2019: PBO’s picks of what to see
The Southampton Boat Show has been a staple of the British boating calendar for five decades, but for the uninitiated it can be easy to get lost among the hundreds…
PBO Project Boat auction – your chance to own a unique gaff cutter
The PBO Project Boat will be sold to the highest bidder in a charity auction to be run online during Southampton Boat Show. Register to bid on the Secret 20…
PBO Secret 20 Project Boat update: Spars, partitions and trims
The Secret 20 is a beautifully-shaped wooden sailing yacht designed by Derek Ellard and available to the DIY enthusiast in a pre-cut kit. The brochure describes the boat as ‘the…
September 2019
Engine maintenance and reliability is a pipedream for many sailors – hopefully we can help in this issue, plus the launch of Nigel Irens designed 14ft skiff and plenty of…
Restore and revive faded gelcoat: Three different methods to try
Few things irk me more than dirty, chalky and stained gelcoat. Like an engine that is corroded – or lines that are chafed – worn gelcoat is a sure sign…
Build your own Western skiff – part 5: launch day at last
What a difference five months makes. It was the end of January in Build your own Western Skiff – Part 1 when the revamped Western Skiff kit was delivered by…
August 2019
This month we concentrate on small boats in a big way, plus 30 pages of practical content and some great ideas for getting your children reading nautical fiction over the
PBO Project Boat Secret 20 update: Bulkheads and beams
Designed in Australia and built by enthusiasts all over the world, the Secret 20 packs grace and pace into her streamlined hull. The kit is supplied as a series of…
Smallest yacht wins top trophy at Round the Island Race
An 18ft yacht with a three-man crew won the Golden Roman Bowl at the Round the Island Race on Saturday. The prize went to Eeyore, an Alacrity 18, skippered by…
Summer 2019
An epic GRP motorboat restoration plus one couple's summer trip around Scotland and the final instalment of decade-defining yachts
Project Boat update: Secret 20 completes deck fit-out stage
The Secret 20 is a beautifully designed classic sailing yacht that can be built from a kit, one of which was delivered to PBO in 2016. Regular readers may well…
Build your own Western skiff – part 4: Finishing touches
It was always going to be a tall order: trying to turn a ‘quick ‘n’ dirty’ epoxy ply kit into a beautifully crafted family heirloom. Not quite as difficult as…
How to choose the right propeller for your boat
Understanding propeller design can help solve performance problems that occur when a boat is being driven under power. The wrong prop may be wrong in a number of different ways…
How to service a windscreen washer pump
Spares for an engine water pump, namely an impeller, are one of those ‘must have items’ most boat owners would probably label as essential. Also when it comes to general…
July 2019
This month sees the return of the PBO Project Boat, 24 pages of practicals and a chance to get inside the mind of a surveyor as he reports on two…
Build your own Western Skiff – part 3: Interior fitting and finish
The filleting on the inside took much, much longer than expected,” said a slightly weary-looking Jeremy Butler as he described the latest progress on building his 14ft Western Skiff. In…
PBO project boat – the Secret 20 kit – is back in build
Like many boat projects Harvey, the PBO Secret 20, has been the victim of circumstance. This unique, classic-style performance weekender that arrived as a flat-pack kit and took shape in…