If your outboard engine is struggling with salt build-up, follow these essential maintenance steps to keep the cooling channels clear
practical
The expert advice on picking the right sails and keeping them healthy
The new season’s approaching, and your sails are in tip-top condition, right? You’ve had them laundered and the UV strips checked; no frays or mildew, the canvaswork’s gleaming… What? You…
Do I really need a boat bow thruster?
Is a boat bow thruster necessary kit? Experienced offshore and bluewater sailor Rupert Holmes has this answer for one PBO reader
Is it best to use marine diesel that is FAME-free?
PBO reader Paul Fay has struggled to find marine diesel that does not contain FAME (fatty acid methyl ester). He asks the PBO experts for help
Retrofitting a waste holding tank: Solving the 1980s design dilemma
Harbour foreman and boatbuilder Mike Pickles explains that with a little imagination, you can find space on most boats for a waste holding tank
How I used salt to add non-slip to my cabin floors
The cabin sole on my Contessa 32 has a lot of nicely varnished hardwood-faced ply joinery. But part of the sole is on a slope which doesn’t help when walking…
How to trace tricky boat leaks
Boat leaks are the bane of a sailor’s life, but with patience their source can be traced. Here are some ideas of where to start...
How one skipper fixed his fuel problems with a diesel day tank
The wind was dying with the light after a lively passage down the western Peloponnese, but the lumpy sea remained. As we sloshed around in the swell my wife, Maxi,…
How one boat owner made a mooring bridle to secure his yacht
Greg Manning explains how he made a bridle to ensure his Fairey Atalanta remains safe in a storm while on a swinging mooring
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
Fitting and sealing new deck gear and winches
Rupert Holmes shares how he redesigned and refitted the deck hardware on his Quarter-Tonner, Minestrone
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
How to make a compression joint
Tony Davies shares his step-by-step guide to making a compression joint for fuel systems
Saved from the scrapyard: This budget boat renovation gave a £1, 70-year-old boat new life
‘How are you getting on with selling your boat?’ It was a simple question, which launched an endeavour to grant new life to a classic wooden 22ft Yachting Monthly 3-Tonner…
Sea water pump woes: How I replaced my engine’s water pump, and what pitfalls to avoid
Before we bought a yacht, I hadn’t realised that boat parts wore out so quickly, much less my engine’s sea water pump. For example, I was quite surprised to discover…
Propeller installation: tips from the experts
Gilbert Park refurbishes a pitted starboard propeller on his Seaward 29 motor cruiser and gets some advice on how to refit it
Mast unstepping while your boat is still afloat
Genevieve Leaper shows how to lower a mast while your boat is still afloat
Anchor windlass repairs to extend its life
José-Maria Molina extends the life of his ageing anchor winch
Make a boat step from salvaged wood and ropes
Mark Prior makes a step using £10-worth of material (which could be salvaged free)