Boating_Sailing
Practical Boat Owner
Improve your cockpit
Want to stop battling with deck gear and tripping over ropes? Ali Wood has some tips to help make the most of this crucial space
10+ min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
A spin in the Corryvreckan
Probably the worst whirlpool in the world
3 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Whales, otters and Vikings
Greg Manning sails his Fairey Atalanta from Arisaig in the West Highlands to the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides
7 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Is it time to check your engine mounts?
Ben Sutcliffe-Davies explains what happens when these often overlooked but crucial fastenings break down and fail
1 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Cruising with Alzheimer's
Tony and Ann Montgomery-Smith have been sailing for almost 60 years. Now both in their 80s, and with Ann's Alzheimer's diagnosis, Tony explains how they have continued to cruise
5 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Sadler 34
Westerly Storm 33 | Sigma 362 | Beneteau First 345 | Jeanneau Sun Rise | Dehler 34 | Catalina 34 | Hallberg-Rassy 34 | Etap 35i
10+ min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Fit for the future
Annie Means talks to the founders of BlueTree about their innovative approach to boatbuilding design and construction
6 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Notes for first-timers
Chris and Ron Colverson were enjoying an idyllic first river trip aboard their new Freeman 22 Mk2 cabin cruiser-until Ron fell in
7 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
A quest for quiet
Chris Mardon replaces the engine mounts on his Dufour 40
2 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Dave Selby Mad about the boat High tea on a historic barge
The art of juggling tea and a muffin while not tripping over or getting whacked on the head
3 min |
September 2025
Practical Boat Owner
SpearFish 520 on test
What's the point of the ‘long and thin' as opposed to the normal 'short and fat' with a small inflatable? David Harding finds out
9 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Fitting a 'new' used mast to a Sabre 27
Phil Taylor gives his yacht a new lease of life by replacing its cracked mast with a good one from an abandoned Thompson T24
7 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
East Coast passage
With a little help from local friends, Trevor Cherrett takes his 22ft harbour launch from the mud of Maldon to the rivers of Suffolk
10+ min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
New big boat vs old small boat
Based on his experience, Saša Fegić examines whether new, larger yachts are better than older, smaller models
7 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Invicta 12: gunter or peak sprit rig
This is the classic dinghy that started Clive's small boat collection and taught him the importance of a tight snotter
4 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Tree of the fruit of good and evil
Why we are no longer cooking with gas
3 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Insurance cover for sailing high latitudes
Q I'm an enthusiastic PBO reader and have been inspired by articles about people undertaking real adventures.
5 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
'Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité! All ships! All ships!'
Solo sailor Owen Moorhouse recalls having to make quick contingency plans at night while battling fatigue
7 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Improving the splice in a continuous line
Roger Hughes shares his new technique for making a smooth, continuous splice in double-braided line
6 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Replacing a shaft seal
Will Renlinson replaces a shaft seal on his Jersey 36 motorboat before aligning the engine with the stern tube
5 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Small but mighty Aith
There's always something fishy in the voe
3 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Fresh water for a galley sink
Philip Kidson pumps water from a remote container
2 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Avoiding collisions
If you're at the helm, can you spot a risk of collision with another boat? Do you know when to 'stand on' and when to 'give way'?
3 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
The plywood fridge
Richard Hare describes the ply/epoxy fridge he built during the reconstruction of his Westerly Konsort galley
4 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
How to install a Halyard Aquadrive in a Contessa 32
Colin King shows how he fitted an antivibration system for smoother, quieter cruising and reduced wear on his yacht's engine and gearbox
5 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Sailing back to the future
Rekindling lost wonder and becoming a sailor again-due to necessity
3 min |
August 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Anchoring with a shore line
Genevieve Leaper explains why, in some circumstances, using a shore line to keep the boat secure makes perfect sense
8 min |
Summer 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Freeing a seized furling swivel car
Chris Mardon fixes his jammed foresail furling gear
3 min |
Summer 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Flying the flag for maritime heritage
National Historic Ships UK has appointed four historic vessels from around the country to act as its Flagships of the Year for 2025. The vessels chosen to 'fly the flag' for maritime heritage are:
1 min |
Summer 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Skin fittings and seacocks explained
Surveyor Nick Vass examines different skin fittings and seacocks on the market and shares advice on maintenance
10 min |