Mike Bowyer fabricates a simple solution to stop chain-jumping on his windlass
Ben Meakins
How to stop a swing keel leak
John Taylor finds a car steering rack gaiter stops leaks from the lifting cable of his swing keel
See-though fiddles for flare storage
Fire extinguishers are generally fixed where everyone can see them on a cruising yacht. However, other safety gear like the flares and the foghorn are often hidden away in lockers…
Savings on Volvo Penta engine spares
When I bought Sacha, my Beneteau Oceanis 381, five years ago I changed the cam belt on the engine. It is a Volvo Penta MD22L B, basically a Perkins Prima…
Lifejacket Lights on test
When was the last time you gave a second thought to your lifejacket light? They sit inside your packed lifejacket, largely neglected, and you hope they’ll work when you need…
ACR Firefly 3 SOLAS Strobe light
These two models from ACR, the ACR Firefly 3 SOLAS and the ACR Firefly 3 Waterbug are identical except that the Waterbug is also water-activated. Both take 2xAA batteries, and you can…
ACR C-Strobe lifejacket light
This is ACR’s strobe version of the C-Lite. It takes 2xAA batteries, and is activated with a twist of the strobe housing. Like the C-Lite, it can be mounted either…
ACR C-Light lifejacket light
This was the cheapest and simplest design we tested. It takes 2xAA batteries and comes with two mounting options – either via a clip onto the oral inflation tube or…
UML SeaFlash lifejacket light
These two lifejacket lights from United Moulders are identical in appearance and price: the difference is that one offers a long flash while the UML SeaFlash Multi offers a range…
AquaSpec AQ40L lifejacket light
This is Ocean Safety’s latest LED light version of their classic AQ40 incandescent bulb. While not as bright as the cold-tinted Crewsaver light we tested, it was nonetheless highly visible.…
Spinlock Pylon Lifejacket Light
The Spinlock Pylon lifejacket light is a departure from the norm – a flashing LED (just under a second per flash) atop a semi-flexible post. It attaches by Velcro around…
Crewsaver Lifejacket Light
The Crewsaver lifejacket light mounts via a PVC loop around the base of the inflation tube. Its domed LED light was visible for about 270° when viewed from deck level,…
Jester Challenge: One sailor’s preparations for a solo adventure
Two-time solo Atlantic racer Basil Panakis shows PBO’s Ben Meakins how he prepared his 25ft yacht to face the Jester Challenge
6 Lifebuoy Lights tested
With the advent of cheaper LEDs, a number of new lifebuoy lights have appeared on the market. On a dark winter’s night PBO tested six of the most readily available…
What difference do new sails make?
New sails are a big investment – but are they worth it? The PBO team compared the old with the new on the project boat, Hantu Biru, as David Harding
Car carrier Hoegh Osaka aground on Bramble Bank
Photos from Sunday 4th January of the car carrier Hoegh Osaka which ran aground on the tail of the Bramble Bank after encountering difficulties en route from Southampton to Germany
Wreck to Transat racer
Is racing across the Atlantic in a boat bought with a student loan really feasible? Here's the story of PBO reader Will Sayer's preparations to compete in the OSTAR in…
Frank Cowper – Sailing Tours the forefather of modern cruising
Frank Cowper published the first amateur cruising guides 120 years ago. Ben Meakins reads Cowper’s Sailing Tours and plans his own passage, reflecting on sailing then and now
Antares Charts: One man’s mission to update Scottish charts
In a bid to bring archaic navigation information into the 21st century, Bob Bradfield has been on a one-man crusade to update charts of Scottish anchorages
How to swing a compass
Before GPS sets became so ubiquitous, swinging a compass was a yearly ritual for most boat owners, and the compass was the most important navigational tool onboard. After all, even…