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…
11. Sheer, decks and gunwales
Strong and stable: PBO’s Secret 20 is strengthened before being turned in the next step of her construction. David Pugh reports
10. Adding hull sides
With the addition of her 6mm ply hull panels, PBO’s Secret 20 starts to look less like basketwork and more like a boat. David Pugh reports
9. Deck beams and chainplates
This month’s project boat tasks include fitting laminated deck beams and reinforcing the chainplates. Ben Meakins reports
8. Fitting intermediate and lower stringers
It’s time to fit the intermediate and lower stringers to PBO’s Secret 20 kit boat. David Pugh reports
How to design and fit a 50lt holding tank for a Westerly Konsort
My Westerly Konsort Koto was built in 1980 and featured a loo outlet connected direct to the sea via a 1.5in Blakes seacock. But having decided to join the Emsworth…
Paying tribute to Robert Braithwaite CBE
PBO was saddened to hear that Robert Braithwaite, founder of Sunseeker International, passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 75.
7. Scarf joints and stringers
Building a kit boat is a bit like a child’s dot-to-dot drawing. See the full set of articles: Building the Secret 20 kit boat with PBO. The framework is made…
6. Fitting the hatches
It’s time for PBO’s Secret 20 kit boat to be equipped with a beneficial set of hatches. David Pugh reports
5. Filleting all the frame joints
PBO’s Secret 20 kit boat now boasts around 250 fillets, and the transom has been fitted. Ben Meakins reports
4. How to make the perfect epoxy fillet
David Pugh describes the process required to produce accurate coves while keeping mess and waste to a minimum
3. Fitting the frames, fitting cockpit seats and foredeck beam
The previous article in this series (Part 2: Birth of a boat – truing stem and stern) saw the keel set up with stem and sternpost – and not much…
2. Birth of a boat: truing stem and stern
David Pugh and Ben Meakins tackle the truing up of the new project boat’s keel, stem and stern – and enjoy a long-deferred sea trial in a completed Secret 20…
Return of the sporty trailable cruiser
A performance weekender built in Britain has been missing for a long time – which is why it’s good to meet the BTC-22, says David Harding
PBO Small Craft Almanac corrections March 2019
Download free PDF of corrections for the PBO almanac
April 2019
Free plans for building your own Nigel Irens 14-footer, and more, in the latest issue of PBO
Free boat plans – Build your own Nigel Irens 14ft rowing and sailing skiff
Fancy building your own Nigel Irens-designed 14ft rowing/sailing skiff? Nic Compton explains how to get the plans for free
Build your own heavy duty standing stowage
David Parker makes a simple shelf and installs strong webbing straps to stow a scuba tank securely in his boat’s cockpit
How I designed and built my own 24ft sloop in steel
Mike Camp charts the trials and tribulations of designing and building his 26ft steel sloop
Rescue line failure during a boat capsize drill
Report published into the failure of a throw bag rescue line during a boat rescue drill, which has highlighted a wider concern
PBO Small Craft Almanac corrections February 2019
Download free PDF of corrections for the PBO almanac