Ali Wood tests EDZ Merino wool leggings and top over the winter and is impressed
Alison Wood
Features Editor
Red Original beanie and headband: tried and tested
Ali Wood tests Red Original's beanie hat and headband to find out if it keeps her warm from the elements
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
Andrew Bishop: Close-call in the Atlantic
Andrew Bishop tells Ali Wood how an accident at sea led to a career organising cruising rallies
Best boat for crossing the Atlantic
What is the best boat for crossing the Atlantic? Ali Wood asks the owners of two catamarans and two monohulls sailing the North Atlantic to the Caribbean
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 how it performed
Marine alternator troubleshooting
Ali Wood gets to grips with Maximus’s faulty electrical system after some unexpected failures made an appearance on passage
Slastik sunglasses: tried and tested
Ali Wood tries out a pair of Slastik sunglasses to see if the continuous strap is a help or hindrance on the water
ePropulsion electric outboard – long-term test
An electric outboard motor is a very different beast to a petrol one. It’s lighter, quieter and cleaner but does have some drawbacks, such as speed, range and cost. Testing…
How to make rope: The modern factory method explained
Running rigging is something you tend to take for granted… until it fails, which is what happened during the boat test of Maximus, our Maxi 84 Project Boat. Fortunately, thanks…
Best portable toilet: From compostable to flushable units
We’ve all been there; middle of the night, you need a pee. The marina toilet or camping block is just too far away, it’s dark, or you’re with a kid…
Chichester Marina and Harbour: a guide
Tranquil Chichester Marina and the surrounding harbour is the perfect destination for sailors with time to explore this area of natural beauty, as Alison Wood reports
Choosing a marine toilet for the PBO Project Boat
Choosing a marine toilet isn’t as straightforward as you think – and after looking at the options it may be that refurbishment rather than replacement could be the answer. With…
Polycraft 300 Tuffy: nippy, easy to drive and responsive
With the help of her local sailing clubs, Ali Wood tests the lightweight Polycraft 300 Tuffy tender with both electric and petrol outboard motor power
Boat towing: lessons learned from assisting a dismasted yacht in the Atlantic
Ali Wood meets the ARC+ crew who battled squalls and rough seas to tow a dismasted yacht to safety
How I launched my own narrowboat company and built the boats myself
When I was working for the National Grid I decided that I wanted to be self-employed. I’ve always loved sailing and fancied running a yacht marina. I was flicking through…
How to service a marine diesel engine in 12 simple steps
It was time to service the marine diesel engine on our Maxi 84 cruiser. Knowing how to diagnose and fix engine faults is a useful skill for any boat owner,…
How an intercooled engine works
With an inter-cooled engine, the role of the seawater is to take away the heat from the freshwater. The seawater, or ‘raw water’, is a separate flow to the fresh…
Stuck up a 75ft mast in the middle of the Atlantic
Karen Parker had been sailing onboard their Oyster 56, Mistral of Portsmouth, with husband Chris and two crew, when their Code Zero headsail, designed for light winds, became jammed. With…
31 of the best Christmas gifts for boat owners
Finding decent Christmas gifts for boat owners on a budget is an unenviably tricky task, but luckily Practical Boat Owner is here to help! Below are our recommended Christmas gifts…