Ben Meakins and the PBO team examine the techniques of towing and being towed astern at sea, trying out the textbook theories in practice
Top stories
Inspiring guests and club anniversaries at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show 2026
Celebrations of milestone moments and a star-studded line up of guest speakers will be among the highlights of the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show 2026.
Reparing plywood decks: stripping, filling and fairing
Rupert Holmes shows how to strip, fill and fair GRP-covered plywood decks
Scottish sailors’ relief that ‘outrageous’ Clyde fee plan has been shelved
Plans to introduce a £100 annual fee for leisure boaters in the popular cruising ground of Scotland’s Clydeport have been shelved after a public backlash.
Why the Orkney Coastliner 14 transformed my coastal cruising
Clive Marsh looks at the Orkney Coastliner 14 - a lightweight sea boat that is easy to launch and recover
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
Meridian Zero Air NRG 4000 air pump: Can it inflate a dinghy in under 4 minutes?
Jake Frith testes the Meridian Zero Air NRG 4000 - a battery cordless air pump delivering up to 20psi
How I gave my Albin Ballad’s mast and standing rigging a major upgrade
When I bought my 1973 Albin Ballad Moments of Clarity many years ago, the first job I did was to replace all of the running and standing rigging. A few…
Fend off rigging failure: the most common problems and how to prevent them
Most sailors will probably have seen or experienced a stranded wire, or a failed swage, or the catastrophic resulting from the failure of a single rigging part. While there can…
The best boats for Scandinavian cruising, from the Albin Ballad to the Hallberg Rassy 36
There’s a lot to love about Scandinavian cruising. It’s said that Stockholm sailors rarely venture outside home waters themselves– and with 30,000 islands on their doorstep, who can blame them?…
Craig Wood shares his biggest takeaways from his record-setting solo Pacific crossing
Before I set off on my solo sailing challenge, my wife suggested I take yeast. I remember saying, ‘Am I really gonna make bread when I’m out at the sea…
Using sawdust to plug leaks on wooden boats
Sawdust can be used to stem leaks between the wooden planks of a boat that’s been out of the water for some time. Richard Johnstone-Bryden explains how it’s done…
PVC gunwale fitting: How to replace rotten teak with a sustainable synthetic alternative
Fitting a PVC gunwale strip to your boat is a sustainable, maintenance-free alternative to traditional teak that any competent DIYer can master, as Jake Kavanagh explains
First prosecution under new watercraft safety laws
A motorboater who injured a teen kayaker in a “completely avoidable” collision is the first to be sentenced under new watercraft safety laws.
Fitting reefing points and luff slides to a sail
While restoring his bargain £900 Quarter Tonner, Rupert Holmes shows how he added luff slides and two reefs to a second-hand mainsail
Your complete guide to what to wear dinghy sailing
From base layers to life jackets to your hands and feet, this helpful guide from PBO's Ali Wood explains what to wear dinghy sailing so you can stay warm and…
Cut your boating costs: The surprising benefits of ‘downsizing’ from motor to sail
Many sailors like to switch from a yacht to a motorboat as they get older – yet Debbie and Jeremy White did the opposite and saved a small fortune in…
The Flying Fifteen: the spirit of sailing
Clive Marsh sings the praises of the Flying Fifteen – an attractive, self-righting and popular fixed-keel dinghy that sails brilliantly
Boat windscreen wiper motor repair: how one boat owner fixed the seized motor
Richard Stone mends his deck saloon's windscreen wiper motor
March 2026 issue – out 15 January
Boat electrics made easy; Restoring a £1 boat; Easy ways to revive your canopy; How to find the perfect crew; How to lower your mast while afloat; Upgrade your windlass;…