Richard Hare describes how he built the ply/epoxy fridge during the reconstruction of his Westerly Konsort galley
Practical
Improving the continuous rope splice
Roger Hughes shares his new technique for making a smooth, continuous rope splice in double-braided line
How I refreshed my deck with a gelcoat spray gun
Andy Pag fixes up his boat’s deck with the help of an affordable airless gelcoat spray gun, and shares his tips for getting a perfect finish even with a non-skid…
How I installed a smart engine monitoring system on my sailboat
Ever considered adding an engine monitoring system to your boat? This article follows on from my introduction Smart Boat article, which showed how to use Home Assistant (HA) and a…
Is it a good idea to weld anchor chain to lengthen it?
Practical Boat Owner reader Tom Fox ponders if a qualified welder could weld anchor chain. Metallurgist Vyv Cox explains what to consider
How important is headsail trim?
PBO reader Jenny Spear wants advice on how to improv the performance of her boat's headsail. Ian Brown has this brief guide to headsail trim
Should I move the mainsheet traveller?
What should you consider if you want to move the mainsheet traveller? OneSails' Wilf Chaplin and surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies share their thoughts
How to make multitool blades last longer
Dick Everitt takes a DIY approach to make multitool blades last a little bit longer
How to create additional berth space on your boat
To make the most of available space for overnight trips, David Parker shows how he built additional cockpit berths on his Seaward 23
Freeing a seized swivel car on foresail furling gear
Chris Mardon fixes his jammed foresail furling gear
How a black water pump replacement helped me narrowly avoid sinking
Gilbert Park shares lessons learned from a messy black water pump reinstallation job that may have saved his boat during a French cruising holiday
Industry insight: lithium marine batteries and other power options
A lot of people are wondering whether to switch to lithium marine batteries, but don’t actually know what they should be looking for when buying batteries to power their life…
A beginners’ guide to managing marine battery power
Word to the wise: always keep an eye on your marine battery. Last summer, I hired a flybridge cruiser on the Canal du Midi. The brief handover focused on how…
How to bend acrylic and change your boat’s saloon windows
Andy Pag shares what he learned about bending acrylic while replacing the curved windows of his Lagoon 410.
How to install a boat inverter
Roger Hughes explains how he installed a boat inverter to have a powerful new source of silent AC power for his yacht.
Clinker-built boat repair: step-by-step
Richard Johnstone-Bryden explains the basic principles of clinker construction and the method of replacing damaged hull planking
How does a boat bow thruster work?
How does a boat bow thruster work? Mike Attree explains, and shares how he repaired this handy bit of kit on his own yacht
Best marine sealants and adhesives for boat jobs
With help from adhesive and sealant expert Laurie Brebner, PBO’s Ali Wood explains which works best for different jobs on a boat
How to make cockpit cushions
Paul Vellacott discovers that making cockpit cushions saves money and is comfortably within everyone’s capabilities
Fixing a sailboat forestay after storm damage
Winston Collinge and his boating pal John Beck repair the mast forestay on their 40-year-old Colvic Atlanta sailboat after severe weather knocks it down.