If you want to get the best from the British summer, a smart bathing platform can be a fabulous addition to your boat. Richard Johnstone-Bryden shows how it’s done
Practical
How to make a compression joint
Tony Davies shares his step-by-step guide to making a compression joint for fuel systems
Saved from the scrapyard: This budget boat renovation gave a £1, 70-year-old boat new life
‘How are you getting on with selling your boat?’ It was a simple question, which launched an endeavour to grant new life to a classic wooden 22ft Yachting Monthly 3-Tonner…
Sea water pump woes: How I replaced my engine’s water pump, and what pitfalls to avoid
Before we bought a yacht, I hadn’t realised that boat parts wore out so quickly, much less my engine’s sea water pump. For example, I was quite surprised to discover…
Boat solar panels: Everything you need to know to get started
Topping up the batteries with solar power has never been easier, says Ali Wood, but how do you decide which type to buy?
Propeller installation: tips from the experts
Gilbert Park refurbishes a pitted starboard propeller on his Seaward 29 motor cruiser and gets some advice on how to refit it
Mast unstepping while your boat is still afloat
Genevieve Leaper shows how to lower a mast while your boat is still afloat
Make a boat step from salvaged wood and ropes
Mark Prior makes a step using £10-worth of material (which could be salvaged free)
2-stroke outboard service in 12 steps
Stu Davies revives a 1989 2hp outboard engine
Boat electrics for beginners
Engineer Chris Mardon demystifies onboard electrics and explains how you can troubleshoot electrical systems
Your guide to the outboard engine: troubleshooting common problems
Whether it be a small outboard engine to drive our dinghy or a bigger one to drive our fast ‘toys’, we all have one. But before we look at how…
How to revive your boat canopy
If your boat canopy has suffered from sun bleaching, ripped windows, worn stitching or fabric tears, don’t write it off. Jake Kavanagh investigates some life-extending fixes
Is electrically bonding seacocks a good idea?
Should you be electrically bonding seacocks on your boat? Vyv Cox has this advice
Rig tuning for cruising sailors
Point higher and sail faster – every yacht can benefit from an optimal rig setup. Ali Wood finds out from the experts how it’s done
How to protect against rope chafe
Aye, there's the rub: Alex and Daria Blackwell warn of the inherent dangers of rope chafe and advocate a simple method of protection
How to sharpen a chisel and plane iron
Blunt tools a problem? Razor-sharp chisels and plates produce a much better job and are easier and safer to use. Julian Peckham shows how it is done
Solutions to descale pipes on your boat
Uric scale can reduce the diameter of sea-toilet hosepipes by half within five years: Richard Hare tests some solutions
How to make a tiller for a boat
With the old, poorly-shaped tiller on the Snapdragon 23 having reached the end of its life there was only one thing for it – laminate a new one. David Pugh…
How to install a bilge pump on a boat
Charles Morland explains how he fitted a bilge pump and timer switch system to his Fairways Freeward motor-sailer
Reparing plywood decks: stripping, filling and fairing
Rupert Holmes shows how to strip, fill and fair GRP-covered plywood decks