Ben Meakins contorts himself terribly in a bid to demonstrate which tools work best when working on your boat in confined conditions
gear
Satellite internet for under £400, but how good is the Starlink Mini for staying in contact offshore?
The Starlink Mini is changing how offshore sailors communicate, offering high-speed internet for a surprisingly small hardware cost, but how effective is it? Stephanie Jones speaks to the Mini Globe…
Globe 5.80 Performance Review: how the micro-yachts & gear fared after 10,000 miles of solo racing
After sailing thousands of miles offshore, the Mini Globe Race 2025 skippers share exactly how the Globe 5.80 and the gear on board stands up with Stephanie Jones.
Lifespan vs. Warranty: why your liferaft is no longer serviceable
Not sure what to do with an old liferaft? Reader Tony Raven asks: In 2009, I bought a four-man Seago liferaft. It has been serviced every three years, the last…
Dometic GO hard and soft storage: how practical is it onboard a boat?
Gibert Park tests the Dometic Go storage system onboard his two motorboats to see how practical it is
Your best biocide-free antifouling options
Can you protect your boat in UK waters using foul-release coatings, ultrasonic or biomimetic technology? Rob Melotti investigates the antifouling options on the market.
Can Grunt! Boat Cleaner get rid of unsightly rust stains on my boat?
Jake Frith tries GRUNT! Boat Cleaner to see if it will remove some stubborn rust stains on his boat
Super Stainless: how good is it at cleaning stains?
Jake Frith has some rust staining on the stainless steel on his boat. Will Super Stainless remove it all?
Reversing a boat trailer: a quick guide
Reversing your trailer is daunting, but with practice can be satisfying. David Pugh explains the knack
Manoeuvring in shallow waters with a bow thruster remote control
Andrew Morton explains how a bow thruster remote control helped him manoeuvre safely alongside a new jetty in potentially shallow water.
How a black water pump replacement helped me narrowly avoid sinking
Gilbert Park shares lessons learned from a messy black water pump reinstallation job that may have saved his boat during a French cruising holiday
A beginners’ guide to managing marine battery power
Word to the wise: always keep an eye on your marine battery. Last summer, I hired a flybridge cruiser on the Canal du Midi. The brief handover focused on how…
Dezincification resistant (DZR) skin fittings explained
Vyv Cox busts the myths surrounding the use of dezincification resistant (DZR) seacock materials.
The Garmin chartplotter + 7 other options
Ali Wood weighs in on the Garmin chartplotter and other electronic navigation options from Furuno, Raymarine, B&G, Lowrance, Simrad, and Orca. Furuno Furuno’s NAVNet TZtouch 3 range is available in…
Skin fittings and seacocks explained
Surveyor Nick Vass examines the different types of skin fittings and seacocks on the market and shares advice on how to maintain them.
A beginner’s guide to the chartplotter
Whether you’re new to boating or looking to enhance your navigation with a phone, tablet or MFD, Ali Wood runs through the different chartplotter options
The versatile Helly Hansen Crew Insulator Jacket 2.0 tested
Not wanting to wear foulies on the water all summer, Katy Stickland tests the mid-layer Helly Hansen Crew Insulator Jacket 2.0
The Adjustable Fender Mate for easier mooring
The Adjustable Fender Mate aims to eliminate the need for knots when setting your fenders. Katy Stickland puts it to the test
Best marine sealants and adhesives for boat jobs
With help from adhesive and sealant expert Laurie Brebner, PBO’s Ali Wood explains which works best for different jobs on a boat
How I switched to electronic charts
Ali Wood recalls her first sailing passage using electronic charts