As last month’s issue of PBO seemed to be almost entirely devoted to sinking, and how to do it, the editor has asked me to be a little bit more buoyant this month, and write something about floating, and how to do it. For this, you will need a boat, and this article will help you acquire the right one.
First some background. We wouldn’t want to give the impression that sinking is all there is to sailing, despite the fact that statistics from the RNLI reveal that at least 100% of the 200 sinking incidents it attended last year involved boats, as my east coast chum John Rogers pointed out in his feature last month about attempting to sink his wife Di on their wedding anniversary.
Di is apparently delighted with the Dick Everitt painting of the episode that John earned for his efforts and presented to her, and he’s promised her a frame for it on their next anniversary.
Moreover, at least 100% of those incidents of sinking were attributed to water, as demonstrated by our American contributor Roger Hughes, who successfully tested the theory by using a hosepipe to fill his boat. So, you see, there seems to be a close correlation between boats, sinking and PBO contributors.
This story is from the Summer 2021 edition of Practical Boat Owner.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Summer 2021 edition of Practical Boat Owner.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A sailor's guide to UK sharks and fish
Genevieve Leaper looks at some of the shark species around the British and Irish coasts and how to spot these fish from your boat
Multihull anchoring
Brush up on your multihull sailing skills before heading off on a holiday charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to anchoring
A revolution in fabrics
Marine fabrics are using natural fibres, less harmful chemicals and longer-lasting colours. Jake Kavanagh looks at the cut of the cloth
Shoestring voyage of adventure
Richard King and Serafin Colmenares Jr. look back at the remarkable Pacific voyage of Florentino Das in his 24ft home-built boat
A fine day out with a visitor
Six hours afloat and a guided tour to vindicate a fictional sailing heroine's navigational skills
Boats for Baltic cruising
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-40ft sail and power boats for crossing the North Sea and exploring a Baltic summer
Boatyard life
The tide of the year Is rising. Time for work
Weather or not to go sailing
Ignore the apps: it's much safer to swear by the weather wisdom of a local oracle
The angelic East Coast pocket cruiser
It is 100 years since the first Deben Cherub was launched. Julia Jones looks back at the history of this 21ft river racing class
Best anchor types for varied cruising
Rupert Holmes on choosing the best anchor for your boat, your style of cruising, how you’ll use it and your budget