Launching a boat off a trailer should be a piece of cake, but tricky slipways can easily turn your dream day out into a disaster. Ben Meakins pulls on a…
boat
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
Which is the best cruising dinghy?
Clive Marsh explains what he looks for in a lightweight cruising dinghy
The Cormoran: tradition with a twist
Built in southern Brittany, the Cormoran is a day-sailer developed from traditional working craft. David Harding went to France to test the boat
Second life for a salmon seiner
Ben Lowings looks at the history of the 17ft salmon seiner Shambler, and how it has become a true community boat
The World’s Smallest Boat? How Andrew Bedwell built his 100cm boat to sail across the Atlantic
Microyacht adventurer Andrew Bedwell tells Katy Stickland how he resurrected his Atlantic ocean world record challenge
Dutch Inland Waterways: The best second-hand yachts for the Staande Mast Route
Phil Clandillon looks at the best second-hand yachts for sailing popular cruising grounds; this month, the Dutch inland seas and waterways
Leaving little wake: the joy of sailing slowly
Slow sailboats leave no wake, and the minimal water disturbance also means greater opportunities to observe marine life, says Clive Marsh
These six legendary boats defined modern sailing: from the Optimist to the Mini 6.50
The history of sailing is not just a story of wind and water – it is also a story of boats. Of six boats in particular: the Optimist, the Hobiecat…
Guide to buying your first motorboat
There are many reasons why people want to buy a motorboat – the recent Covid-19 pandemic (and a generally unstable world) being one of them. With immediate turn-key power, and…
Boat rudders: everything you need to know
Delivery skipper Ben Lowings examines how different popular rudder designs affect handling, and explains how to maintain them
New big boat vs old small boat: which is best?
Based on his experience, Saša Fegić examines whether new, larger yachts are better than older, smaller models
Fit for the future: the pioneering boat by BlueTree
Annie Means talks to the founders of BlueTree about their innovative approach to boatbuilding design and construction
Abandoned boats and end-of-life vessels – a growing problem
Abandoned boats and end-of-life vessels are a growing problem and environmental concern, agree UK harbour authorities, sailors and community groups.
Restoring Tethra: how a Looe fishing boat became a dining sensation
Annie Means talks to the owners and restorers of a Cornish motor luanch which is now used for dining afloat
Propeller care: everything you need to know
Stu Davies has valuable tips on how to maintain your prop – and explains how this vital bit of kit works, and why propeller care is needed
Invicta 26: a long keel yacht for the price of a good dinghy
Based on the Folkboat, the GRP Invicta 26 is a classic long keel yacht that can often be bought for the price of a good dinghy.
The Tideway dinghy: celebrating the classic trailer-sailer
While the 10ft option is easy to row and a delight to sail, Clive hails the 12ft trailer-sailer as one of the best boats he’s ever owned
Medway Doble: the classic sprit sail dinghy
Small boat enthusiast Clive Marsh celebrates the Medway Doble, a derivative of the Peter Boat and other small sprit sail dinghies
Westerly Centaur: Britain’s most popular yacht
Rupert Holmes analyses the pros and cons for today’s boat owners of the most popular cruising yacht ever built in Britain, and also suggests some worthy alternatives