Jack Gore was just 10 when he became smitten with Victoria. He explains how he turned a neglected Jeanneau Sun 2000 trailer-sailer into his dream boat
boat restorations
What does a sailmaker do?
Shortly before the Round the Island Race, one of the largest yacht races in the world, it’s all go at the T Sails loft in Southampton with sailmaker Tim Scarisbrick…
“Why restoring an old boat at the age of 71 was one of my better ideas”
At 71, Richard Hare embarked on a year-long renovation of a 30-year-old Westerly Konsort. He shares why it was one of his better ideas.
The 17ft trailer-sailer preparing to cross the Atlantic
A 17ft trailer-sailer rescued from the nettles is preparing to cross the Atlantic. Poppet, a 50-year-old Leisure 17 is owned by marine surveyor and electrician John-Kenenth (JK) Habbershaw who, together…
What to consider when restoring a boat write-off
Surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies has advice on how to avoid the major pitfalls when contemplating restoring a boat write-off
Giving a blown-up Seadog a new lease of life
Max Liberson adopts a down at heel Seadog – blown up in a gas explosion – and decides to give the boat a new lease of life
What to expect to learn on a boat building course
Fancy building or restoring your own boat? Ali Wood takes a tour of the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis
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
How to choose the right project boat
How do you distinguish a real bargain boat from one that’s not worth restoring, even if it’s free? Rupert Holmes has some sage advice
Replacing a rotten companionway step
James Wood gets to grips with epoxy when repairing a rotten step support on Maximus's companionway
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…
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,…
Launching the PBO Project Boat
Chichester’s Dell Quay boatyard had been Maximus’s home for two years – and felt like our second home too, since we’d acquired the Maxi 84 project boat. We’d spent long…
Upgrading electronics on the PBO Project Boat
Upgrading electronics on Maximus seemed like a huge leap in the first weeks of ownership. We were still discovering new leaks and lockers, choosing antifouling and scraping the bottom. I…
Replace or rebuild? How to tell if your old boat engine is salvageable
Most of us will know someone – and may have been that someone ourselves – with a rusty, rattly, oily or smoking marine diesel engine. The sort of old boat…
Prepping the rusty keel of the PBO Project boat
In our Maxi 84 boat survey, Ben Sutcliffe-Davies concluded that the antifouling needed to come off and whilst the keel joint was nice and tight there was a lot of…
Removing antifouling – the job I’ll never do again!
After a season on the water and two years in a boatyard, Maximus’s antifouling was old and flaky. We’d been given the 28ft Maxi 84 by PBO reader Daniel Kirtley,…
How to use sealants for fixing leaks – PBO Project Boat restoration
A downpour of rain shows that making PBO Project Boat Maximus watertight is a priority, so Ali Wood gets some top tips about sealants from experts
Climbing the powerboat ladder: How I bought and sold 3 boats for a $7k profit
As the maxim goes, wind and tide wait for no one and just outside of the breakwater exists another world. To some, boat ownership is insanity, as boats require constant…
Fixing the vintage Sailor radio 02 – WOW! Take a look inside…
In part 2 of the Sailor radio restoration, Rob Wells takes the knobs off. The dimmer has to be sawn come off, but he manages to remove the on/off switch…