How do you distinguish a real bargain boat from one that’s not worth restoring, even if it’s free? Rupert Holmes has some sage advice
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First look: the new Oyster Punt by Falco Boats
The new Oyster Punt by Falco Boats can be either rowed or driven by electric engine, and has been hand built at the boatbuilder's yard in Cornwall
Seadog of the Month: May the clementine thief
Standard Poodle May claimed a coveted 'Seadog of the Month' slot in Practical Boat Owner magazine – and now she's using her buoyancy aid prize on a circumnavigation of Britain
Calor Gas alternatives for boat owners
With Calor discontinuing some of its gas cylinders, Barry Pickthall looks at the options available for boat owners with older vessels
Sailing the Northwest Passage in a wooden replica Victorian cutter
Plymouth shipwright Will Stirling is attempting to sail through the notorious ice-bound Northwest Passage in a 43ft wooden ‘gentlemen’s cutter’ that he designed himself.
Sprinkling sand ‘deters orcas’ according to Cruising Association
Sprinkling sand around the rudder is now a recommended deterrence of orca – which have damaged more than 250 yachts and sunk three – in the Strait of Gibraltar since
Channel Hopping: Why the Golden Globe Race is a yacht race like no other
"I worried the film might be a hagiography of Don McIntyre"... our resident YouTube aficionado reviews The Voyage of Madmen
Keel types and how they affect performance
Peter Poland looks at the history of keel design and how the different types affect performance
Berth holders hit back at ‘restrictive practices’
Berth holders at some Aquavista coastal marinas are angry over boat selling rule changes introduced by management
Squatter onboard: ‘Rather than heading out on a perfect sunny day we set about sanitising the boat’
Rory Church’s much anticipated visit to his beloved boat doesn’t go quite as planned when he discovers evidence of a squatter onboard
Jimmy Cornell: “How I’ve coped with almost every type of emergency at sea”
Perhaps it is inevitable in my long and eventful sailing life that I’ve faced a number of emergency situations. In every case I was able to deal with them successfully.…
The proposed PFAS ban and the implications for the marine industry
Both the European Chemicals Agency and the UK's Health and Safety Executive are examining proposals to ban the use of the synthetic chemicals PFAS, which could have implications for the…
Security cameras for boats and remote monitoring systems
Rupert Holmes looks at options for monitoring of boats that will warn of intruders, change of location and impact from other vessels
All female crew challenges for Jules Verne Trophy
The Famous Project team are aiming to become the first all-women crew to win the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the world in any type of…
Best eco-friendly wetsuit: How to choose a suit that won’t cost the earth
When choosing the best wetsuit we tend not to think about the potentially destructive nature of the garment. Yet conventional neoprene, an oil-based synthetic rubber that will never biodegrade, is…
Equipping a boat for bluewater cruising
Factory boats are rarely ready for an ocean passage. Chet Chauhan explains the modifications he made to his Nautitech Open catamaran
Bente 28: designed for sailing offshore
The new Bente 28 builds from the success of the Bente 24, and has been designed for cruising further afield
First look at the BayCruiser 32
Swallow Yachts is now expanding its BayCruiser range with the BayCruiser 32
Home-built boat: From design research to launch
Chris Comerie uses retirement to fulfil a teenage boatbuild ambition, resulting in a trailable gaff-slooped pocket cruiser
DIY installation of LED boat lights
Brian Johnson converts his interior boat lamps to dual intensity LEDs