How to prepare your boat for a dream voyage
Kerry and Fraser Buchanan dust off a 30-year-old ambition and ready their Barbican 33 to sail to Greece via the French waterways
How comfortable and practical is the Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 vest?
The Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 vest is light, water-repellent and can be packed down small. Ali Wood tests it while motoring the canals of
Christian Sauer: Mini Globe Race 2025 skipper
Christian Sauer has sailed and raced in European waters but never around the world, and never in a 19ft boat he has built himself. He…
Maintenance
Boat shaft seal replacement: expert tips
Getting to grips with replacing a stern shaft seal on a Contessa 32, Ben Lowings explains how it can be done with the boat in…
Alternator belt tensioning: step-by-step
Every boat owner should know some basic engine maintenance. Stu Davies shares how to tension the alternator drive belt
How to service Monitor wind vane self-steering gear
Dena Hankins and James Lane show their Monitor wind vane self-steering gear some love and learn that patience is a virtue
How to make duck boards for your cockpit
Using teak oddments, David Pugh shows how he made a smart set of cockpit duck boards for his boat
Amazing adventures
Family boats lead transatlantic rally in ARC+ start
12 top tips for sailing around the UK
Sailing with a dog in the Mediterranean
Sailing the legendary 32ft cruiser, Damien from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica
Practical Projects
How to make curly cord as a DIY project
Casting a cutless bearing housing
How to make your boots non-scratch to save your boat decks
How to build a custom boat port
How to refurbish a scruffy outboard cowling
How to make a last-minute home-made dinghy spinnaker pole
PBO Project Boat
What does a sailmaker do?
Shortly before the Round the Island Race, one of the largest yacht races in the world, it’s all go at…
Shore power: solving tripping problems
Ali Wood gets a crash course in reverse polarity and smart charging when Project Boat Maximus’s shore power gets trippy…
Sail design – using 3D software and laser technology to cut new sails
During the survey of our Maxi 84, the PBO Project Boat Maximus, we were warned by a marine surveyor that…
How to measure your yacht for new sails
Measuring your boat for new sails is a job for the sailmaker, so when our PBO Project Boat Maximus needed…
Restoring a vintage Sailor radio
Ali Wood’s Sailor radio is given the VIP treatment
Seajet Bioclean silicone antifoul review: Our verdict after one year on the water
Does silicone antifouling work? It’s not flying off the shelves yet, according to suppliers, but the results from our Project…
Securing mast cable on our Maxi 84
With the help of ACM Marine, Ali Wood goes about securing mast cable on the Maxi 84 PBO project boat
Family sailing safety gear: TESTED!
Ali Wood discusses the sailing safety gear she chose for their first family cruise on board their Maxi 84, and…