It was always going to be a tall order: trying to turn a ‘quick ‘n’ dirty’ epoxy ply kit into a beautifully crafted family heirloom. Not quite as difficult as…
In the workshop
Build your own Western Skiff – part 3: Interior fitting and finish
The filleting on the inside took much, much longer than expected,” said a slightly weary-looking Jeremy Butler as he described the latest progress on building his 14ft Western Skiff. In…
Build your own Western Skiff – Part 2: Sheathing and filleting the hull
Boatbuilding can be a lonely business, especially if you’re stuck on your own in a cold garage trying to figure out how to hang your garboards. Download your own set…
Build your own Western Skiff – part 1: the first steps
Finally, after months of planning and discussion, the moment of truth had arrived: the first Western Skiff MkII kit, put together by Jordan Boats, was being delivered to its first…
Free boat plans – Build your own Nigel Irens 14ft rowing and sailing skiff
Fancy building your own Nigel Irens-designed 14ft rowing/sailing skiff? Nic Compton explains how to get the plans for free
How I designed and built my own 24ft sloop in steel
Mike Camp charts the trials and tribulations of designing and building his 26ft steel sloop
Building an outboard well in a 14ft rowing and sailing boat – the Western Skiff
In many ways, the 1990s were a good time for me: I had a nice terraced house within commuting distance of London; a great job editing a boating magazine I…
DIY electric outboard motor: How to build your own electric engine
Olly Epsom explains how (and why!) he built his own 1kW electric outboard motor for under £600
Outboard maintenance tips – step by step 4-stroke guide
Wind, weather and the elements are the usual culprits when it comes to boat maintenance, however the 4-stroke outboard engine is best tended to from the inside out. Changing the…
10 practical projects – crafty ideas to improve your summer cruise
The extra miles of sailing on a summer cruise, or days at anchor can highlight new issues on board or exacerbate existing problems. To aid your voyage this year –…
DIY aluminium sloop: how to make your own metal cruising yacht
Occasionally you have the rare privilege of reading a sentence or two that capture your sentiments much better than you yourself could. There Be No Dragons: How to Cross a…
How to clean an outboard motor carburettor step-by-step
If you have trouble with a small outboard motor it can often be attributed to the fuel. David Parker describes how he saved a lot of money with a careful…
How I designed and fitted a better shower sump pump
John Edwards suggests a more efficient way to empty your shower tray
Clever anchor ball storage
A bright idea means Jeremy White’s anchor ball is never forgotten
Anchor Ball from a giant Lindor box
Ron Stark chocs up a successful means of hoisting a black ball day signal for a vessel at anchor
A DIY aid to lassoing buoys and cleats
I often sail single-handed and picking up mooring buoys can be awkward, so I’ve constructed a lasso line to help. It consists of a 1m length of 6mm chain with…
Refurbishing a Yanmar 1GM10 water pump
The Yanmar 1GM10 is a great little engine, which starts first time and runs reliably: but there are one or two design flaws. The worst is that the raw water…
Six IKEA hacks for your boat
Whether it's making an instrument panel from a tablet stand, turning bed slats into a dinghy floor, creating a wine rack from a book case, assisting with cockpit locker organisation…
Instrument panel from an Ikea tablet stand
Last year, having put a couple of instruments on my Christmas list – a battery monitor and a Navtex receiver – I was delighted when Santa duly delivered them in…
How to stop ropes slipping in a clutch
Find out how to thicken and sheath ropes to stop them slipping in a clutch in this extract from Splicing Modern Ropes, by Jan-Willem Polman