Boating-sailing
Practical Boat Owner
Wiring in a new dashboard
Computer engineer Stew Proud dusts off his wiring skills to update the switch panel in his Aquastar Ocean Ranger 33 motor cruiser
5 min |
July 2025
Practical Boat Owner
An alternative to varnish
Don't be a slave to varnish. Louise Ras tells how she transitioned to wood oil instead
6 min |
July 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Achieving some sort of serenity
The answer to the groundhog day of unending varnishing is blowing in the wind
2 min |
July 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Mandatory pyrotechnic use 'nonsensical'
'Two red hand flares and two orange smoke flares' are on the list of lifesaving appliances required on small sea-going commercial vessels for sport or pleasure use, in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) draft Sport & Pleasure Vessel Code of Practice.
2 min |
July 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Fixing holes in an inflatable tender
Paul Diamond repairs a dinghy that was chewed by rodents
4 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Westons Point 27
A semi-bespoke gentleman's launch in cedar strip construction, the Westons Point 27 is a real head-turner that oozes traditional craftsmanship, as David Harding reports
9 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
'Can I trust this mooring?'
Most sailors use traditional moorings without knowing about their condition or how they're made up. Ben Sutcliffe-Davies explains
8 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
MOB in the Mersey
Solo sailor Tony Purcell discovered how quickly a tricky situation can develop when he fell overboard his 42ft yacht on a busy tidal river
7 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Disappearance of British solo skipper
A 73-year-old British sailor was lost at sea after his yacht capsized in rough weather while sailing off the south-west coast of France.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Beneteau Oceanis 393
Rupert Holmes looks at a popular model from the third generation of Beneteau's Oceanis cruising yachts that represented a big step forward compared to earlier designs
10+ min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Around UK & Ireland: a perfect challenge
Sam Steele explains everything you need to know about a circumnavigation of Britain and Ireland
10+ min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
DIY engine replacement saves £1,500
Richard Reed explains how he saved cash by installing a 'new' second-hand engine himself
10+ min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Global 19ft plywood boat race begins
Twelve men and two women from eight countries have embarked on a solo around the world yacht race in Mini 19ft/5.8m ALMA Globe 5.80 yachts, their only home for the next 13 months.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Voyage plan plot thickeners
Passage planning and recalling real sailing experiences add depth to detective fiction
3 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Why Plan B is the route to success
Katy Stickland meets the founder and students at Plan B to see how boatbuilding and sailing are giving teenagers a second chance
8 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
London in a Mirror dinghy
Timothy Waitt sails his 10ft wooden vessel on the tidal Thames from Putney to Waterloo
7 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Propeller care
Stu Davies has valuable tips on how to maintain your prop-and explains how this vital bit of kit works
6 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
New gear
Rupert Holmes previews the latest marine products
4 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
NEW SEASON SAFETY CHECKS
Enjoy the water with safety in mind
6 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Invicta 26
A classic long keel yacht for the price of a good dinghy
4 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Upgrading navigation instruments
Fed up with glitches, Graham Keating replaces his 1997-vintage navigation instruments with multifunction displays
4 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Start the season maintenance tips
boatcare's David Thomas has advice on how to get your yacht or motorboat ready for the beginning of the new sailing season
4 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
The mother of invention
Chewing on a problem yields a novel solution
3 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Oily rag self-combusts in anchor locker
Boat owners and crew are being reminded of the dangers of leaving oily rags on board following the spontaneous combustion of rags in a yacht’s anchor locker in Jersey.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
New boat launches
Exciting sub-40ft boats making a debut at boot Düsseldorf
2 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Heritage dreams
Vintage is not always great, but there are fine views from Memory Lane
3 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Triple amputee to sail the Pacific solo
Sailing for 80 days solo, nonstop and unsupported across the Pacific would be a daunting voyage for many people. Craig Wood, a 33-year-old former Army rifleman from Doncaster, has the additional challenge of being a triple amputee.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
YJA awards celebrate 'outstanding British sailing talent'
lan Williams, who made history after securing an unprecedented eighth World Match Racing Tour title, has been named the Yachting Journalists' Association's (YJA) 2024 Yachtsman of the Year.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Pip Hare celebrated with award for skill
British yachtswoman Pip Hare has been chosen to recieve the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) Seamanship Award, which recognises exceptional skill or bravery at sea.
1 min |
May 2025
Practical Boat Owner
Sula's story
Julia Jones explains how an English yacht became a Scottish workboat and how a 120-year-old Crinan Ferry design was upcycled
10 min |