Duncan Kent chooses a selection of the best sail and motor boats under 40ft most suitable for adventurous cruising along the coast
boats
Why plywood boats are making a comeback
A wonder material in the 1950s and 1960s, plywood is making a comeback. Rupert Holmes analyses what lies behind a new wave of plywood boats
Spritsails, snotters and leeboards
There’s a lot to be said for owning small boats and chartering big ones...Clive Marsh looks at spritsails, snotters and leeboards
I captured Amazon: Sophie Neville shares tales from filming Swallows and Amazons
Sophie Neville, who played Titty in the 1974 film Swallows and Amazons, shares her experiences of sailing the Blackett’s dinghy and its special place in her heart
Best first boat guide: sail and power under 40ft
Duncan Kent chooses the best and most suitable sail and motor boats under 40ft for those buying a yacht for the first time
Why traditional Broads motor cruisers are our favourite charter boats
Every few years my wife, Brenda, and I hire a boat on the Norfolk Broads for a rest and some good walks. Over the years we’ve hired many types of…
Best boats for sailing around the UK: sail & power
Duncan Kent chooses the best sail and motor boats under 40ft for circumnavigating the islands of Britain and Ireland
Sailing surfboats: Lasers, the Lightning 368 and more!
Clive Marsh looks at sailing surfboats - the Seabat, Minisprint, Lightning 368 and more!
Praise for proa design
Roger Nadin on traditional proa design that’s enjoying a kit-boat revival
A modern take on the traditional proa boat
Ali Wood finds out more about visionary proa boat designer, Rob Denney
Boat hull design: how it impacts performance
Peter Poland explains how boat hull design has evolved over the years and how it affects boat handling and accommodation
Tideway 10: Gunter or Lugger?
The trailerable Tideway 10 has the benefits of her sister vessel, the Tideway 12, but is lighter and easier to launch and recover by hand
How to become a boat builder in 40 weeks
Inspired by a stunning homebuilt yacht, Ali Wood visits the Boat Building Academy to learn how any of us can become boatbuilders
Sail boat rigs: the pros and cons of each popular design
Peter Poland looks at the history of popular rig designs and how the different types affect boat performance
The best trailer sailer boats for weekend cruising… or longer
Duncan Kent reviews a selection of new and used trailer sailer boats that are large enough to accommodate crew for a weekend, but small enough to launch and recover single-handed
Antila 33.3 review: The ideal lakeland explorer
Lake sailing in Poland is very different to coastal sailing. In many ways it’s more relaxing. There are no tides to contend with and because you can find a marina…
Lifeboat and working boat conversions
The basic shape of a traditional lifeboat is a long shallow keel, double ended and beamy – ideal for conversion into a cruising boat
The VMG 40 – a 40ft kit boat for bluewater cruising
VMG Yacht Design's VMG 40 can be built from a modular kit and is aimed at the offshore cruising market
First look: the new Oyster Punt by Falco Boats
The new Oyster Punt by Falco Boats can be either rowed or driven by electric engine, and has been hand built at the boatbuilder's yard in Cornwall
Keel types and how they affect performance
Peter Poland looks at the history of keel design and how the different types affect performance