Sailmaker tips for getting new life out of old sails; NMEA wifi gateways tested; Wayfarer Weekended on test; Cruising hacks from liveaboard sailors; Solo skipper’s…
Practical Boat Owner
March 2026 issue – out 15 January
Boat electrics made easy; Restoring a £1 boat; Easy ways to revive your canopy; How to find the perfect crew; How to lower your mast…
Anchoring a boat: How to weigh anchor on a yacht without a windlass
Like many boats of her size and age, and indeed a number of larger and more recent craft, Ammos has no windlass. Most Discovery 3000s now have electric anchor windlasses,…
Boat etiquette explained: How to conduct yourself properly underway
The actions we take to avoid collisions at sea are set out in the Colregs, which we must obey, and nothing which follows should be taken in any way to…
Cruising with children: Top ten tips for a happy boat
1. Take time to take time It’s easy for the skipper to get caught up in the charge to get from A to B. It’s true that time and tide…
Boating with children: Bringing up very small kids on very small boats
Mahogany Bob, our 55-year-old LH Walker mahogany on oak clinker dinghy looks lovely and attracts admiring comments everywhere we go, but because she doesn’t get used as often as she…
Sailing with kids: How to bring children on board safely and get them hooked
Twelve years ago my husband and I bought our first boat – a Sadler 29 – before kids and even before marriage. We relished the opportunity it gave us to…
Silhouette 17 used boat review: This pocket cruiser can be a real bargain
Robert Tucker designed many pocket cruisers that were built mainly in the 1950s to 1970s. I have owned three of his designs and my absolute favourites are the little Silhouette…
RS Pulse 63 test drive review: Could this electric RIB change the world?
When RS Sailing, the world’s largest manufacturer of sailing dinghies, announced a few years ago that it would be building a planing electric RIB called the RS Pulse, some ‘expressions…
Best Scandinavian boats: Our pick of the best models around 30ft
Any sailor looking for a solid and seaworthy boat around the 30ft size is likely to put some of the best Scandinavian boats on their shortlist. Leading manufacturers such as…
Record-breaking solo sailor Katie McCabe targets 2025 Mini Transat
The 14-year-old said: “After spending eight weeks on board the lovely Falanda [Morgan Giles] as I completed my circumnavigation of Britain last summer, I only fell more in love with…
Mast trim for explosive-filled SS Richard Montgomery shipwreck
The Department for Transport wants to trim the SS Richard Montgomery masts as it is feared they could fall on to the shipwreck below and cause a detonation.
Sold! The cocaine-smuggling expedition yacht Kahu
The 120ft expedition yacht Kahu, which was used to smuggle £160million-worth of cocaine from South America to the UK has been sold at auction for £473,500.
Best changing robe you can wear as a coat
A changing robe is the cold water swimmer’s best friend. Not only do you have a portable changing room but you get a hug with it! It makes the difference…
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s compass mystery solved – 53 years after it was stolen
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been reunited with a compass that went missing off his boat in 1969 by the widow of the man who stole it.
How does a smart watch work? Garmin Vivoactive 4 on test with pictures
I’ve had my Garmin smart watch for six months now and have taken it up mountains, swum in lakes and the sea, hiked through forests and run across beaches. There’s…
Orcas left us rudderless! Yacht couple tell of terrifying ordeal off Spain
Zoe Barlow shares her experience of losing a rudder during sustained attacks by orcas whilst sailing her Sun Odyssey 40 from Spain to Morocco.
Best boat cooker: 10 alternative options for gas-free cooking
Gas cookers used to be the standard choice on almost every boat, but there are good reasons why they are not necessarily the best boat cooker. The dangers of fire…
Fitting new seacocks and skin fittings on the PBO Project Boat
Maximus, our PBO Project Boat, had four seacock fittings that need changing – three ball valves in the forepeak (1 x 1½in and 2 x ¾in) and one gate valve…
What are the different types of seacock and when should I replace them?
Seacocks – the small valves on the boat’s hull which allow water to flow through – are one of the most important fittings on the whole boat. Seacocks are used…
July issue – on sale 12th May
Engine SOS; Best British starter cruisers for £30k; Toilet talk – heads, holding tanks & hoses; Gas-free gourmet; A guide to seals and 28 pages of DIY...
Best reusable water bottle for adventure sports and sailing
If you asked me a year ago if I’d spend £25 on a water bottle for adventure sports, I’d say absolutely not! Now, having used my Red Original stainless steel…