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…
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French yacht runs aground on Brehon Tower rocks
A French yacht grounded on Brehon Tower rocks between Guernsey and Herm.
Contessa 26 golden anniversary rally
A rally is being held at Lymington, the home of the Contessa 26, to mark the 50th anniversary of this popular yacht built by Jeremy Rogers.
Yacht rescue prompts reminder to carry VHF radio at sea
Don't rely on a mobile phone, says RNLI coxswain Mark Kenyon: Without a radio bearing 'a small vessel in rough seas can be a challenging target.'
Dave Selby Blog 5: Back home again – but not for long!
Dave Selby's 300-mile voyage in a Sailfish 18 has begun but some 'mucky weather' is hampering progress...
Guilty verdicts after UK’s biggest ever cocaine seizure
The total weight of the cocaine taken off the MV Hamal was in excess of 3.2 tonnes.
Dave Selby sets sail on Marlin’s Mission
Dave Selby sets sail on his 18ft Sailfish Marlin on a 300-mile voyage to the Southampton Boat show to promote the joys of small boat ownership and raise money for…
Blog 4: Dave Selby sets off!
Marlin's Mission is underway as Dave Selby heads off from Maldon on his Sailfish 18
Gordon Moody dies aged 91
The former Chairman and Managing Director of a well-known Swanwick boatyard has died aged 91.
August 2016
In the August 2016 issue of Practical Boat Owner...
Call for local knowledge ahead of marine planning
The MMO says local, specialist and industry knowledge is critical to developing meaningful and tailored marine plans
LED and laser flares tested
LED and laser flares claim to replace pyrotechnic flares on board: but how do they compare with a traditional flare and an LED torch?
Make a Bow Protector
Sam Longley uses soil pipe to protect his boat's bow from marina pontoons
Cockpit table and extra bunks for a Sailfish
Howard Betts had a brainwave to design a versatile cockpit table – then he slept on it
Righting an upturned pontoon
Hurricane-force storms during the winter of 2013/14 caused a lot of damage in the west of Ireland. Beaches were washed away, roads and bridges were destroyed and many piers, jetties…
Solar panel mounts
Off-the-shelf anodised aluminium sections can provide a Meccano-type solution for many structural projects on a boat. I used some to make adjustable brackets for my solar panels. The pivoting bracket…
Dinghy wheels for an Avon Redcrest
Here’s my solution for those who still own ancient but trusty Avon Redstart and Redcrest dinghies. I rigged this 20 years ago by fitting a pair of wheels to the…
Make a fid from a ballpoint pen
I wanted to change my main halyard with the mast up. The halyard is inside the mast, exiting at the base and then enclosed under the hatch garage before leading…
All aboard the America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth
Thousands of spectator boats are expected to take to waters off the South Coast this summer to cheer on Sir Ben Ainslie at the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) Portsmouth.…
Countdown to Rio: Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic contenders
With less than one month to go until the 2016 Rio Games, we look at the British Olympic and Paralympic sailors who will be going for gold...