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…
Practical Boat Owner
May 2026 Issue – out 12 March
59 low cost upgrades to enhance your boat; How to reduce weather helm; Boat repairs in a Force 9 storm; Designing and building your own…
Lessons from the ARC: 24 top cruising hacks for blue-water sailing
Laura Hodgetts caught up with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers sailors for their best blue-water sailing hacks for everything from maintenance to lifejackets to lifestyle. 1. Winch upgrade Skipper Henrik…
Chance to win a Seafarer charter holiday prize in aid of the RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is auctioning off a one-week sailing holiday in Greece, which the charity was gifted by Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays.
How to make a mooring bridle to secure your boat
Greg Manning explains how he made a bridle to ensure his Fairey Atalanta remains safe in a storm while on a swinging mooring
Start of season boaters’ checklist
As excitement builds for the new sailing season, minimise the risk of shakedown cruise glitches and common mistakes with this handy guide.
Storm 22: the spirited performer that will satisfy racers and cruisers
The Polish-built Storm 22 is a sporty weekender that is small enough to be easily handled and large enough for overnighting
Fish n slips: hauling out the traditional way
In a quiet Norfolk backwater a fleet of classic yachts is still fished out of the water and slipped the traditional way – with chip fat – writes Richard Johnstone-Bryden
Plywood veneer: how to cut and fit it
Wood veneer can revitalise and add a touch of class to many boats. Richard Johnstone-Bryden shares advice on techniques for cutting, gluing and fitting ply veneer
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
Sailing books: best new releases to read
Katy Stickland chooses her pick of the latest sailing books that will keep sailors enthralled
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