How to protect your boat in a storm in harbour, Essential checks for liftout, Second hand boat focus on the Bavaria 34, How to install…
Practical Boat Owner
December issue – 24 October
Monohulls vs multihulls: which one is best? Sailing downwind: how the pros do it, Where is the best place to stow your liferaft? Staying warm…
Riders of jet skis who drive recklessly could face a two year jail term under new laws
From 31 March 2023, anyone caught driving jet skis, speed boats and other recreational and personal watercraft dangerously could face up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine
Would you circumnavigate Britain in an electric RIB? Harry Besley plans to!
Harry Besley has announced plans to circumnavigate Britain in an electric rigid inflatable boat (eRIB) to raise awareness of zero emissions propulsion
DIY boat ladder: how to make one on a budget
Zoran Glozinic shares how he made a safe and sturdy DIY boat ladder on a minimal budget
Winterizing boat batteries: A foolproof way
Engineering guru Vyv Cox confesses to a less-than impressive track record of winterizing boat batteries – but shares his new-found solution
Channel Hopping: The World on their Oyster
Our resident YouTube fanatic revisits Sailing Yacht Florence after a three year absence and finds that they have "massively upped their game when it comes to filming and editing, while…
Channel Hopping: Good Daughters and Broken Hearted Sailors
Our resident YouTube fanatic Kass Schmitt reflects on some shock splits of two of her favourite sailing vlogging couples
Swinging mooring setup: What I learned from trying a cheaper mooring option
After almost two decades of being marina berthed and concerned with the ever-increasing mooring fees, myself, and my partner, Brian, decided to look for an alternative, cheaper swinging mooring on…
UK coastal birds: Your essential guide to waders, divers and fish eaters
When I was a child, my family’s boat lived on a mooring in Chichester harbour. At high tide we were surrounded by a huge expanse of water thronging with dinghies…
Classic cruiser boats: Why GRP models are now being welcomed into the fold
Sprawled, glass in hand, in the cockpit of my friend James Stock’s beautiful Stephen Jones-designed Mystery 35, I pondered on the eclectic fleet of elegant flag-bedecked classic cruiser boats that…
Sailfish 18 buyer’s guide: This affordable trailer sailer is surprisingly speedy
Like most cruising sailors I claim that I do not race. Well this is only true to an extent for when another yacht starts to overhaul me I instinctively pay…
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,…
How Perkins marine engines became world-famous
The Volvo Penta engine on our Maxi 84 Maximus is a re-badged version of the Perkins 103-06, itself originally imported from a Japanese company called Ishikawajima Shibaura Machinery. Perkins marketed…
How an intercooled engine works
With an inter-cooled engine, the role of the seawater is to take away the heat from the freshwater. The seawater, or ‘raw water’, is a separate flow to the fresh…
How to clean a carburettor: Our expert’s view on ultrasonic cleaners
Paul Carey writes: “In recent issues of Practical Boat Owner there has been some discussion on the problems of stale petrol clogging up or leading to poor performance of outboard…
Does impeller orientation really matter? Ask the experts
Chris Mardon writes: “I was always told that when replacing the impeller on my diesel engine raw water pump I should make sure the blades were folded in the swept…
Propeller antifoul: Our expert’s top tips for sticking paint to a prop
Andy Peach writes: “What’s the best preparation and antifouling paint to use on a propeller and P-bracket? “I’d heard that lanolin was worth a try but when I lifted the…
Dinghy rescue: How I helped two teenagers recover their capsized boat
The evening was warm and pleasant with just enough wind to keep the sails filled; autumn dusk had begun to obscure the distance. Yachts that had ventured up the narrowing…
Sea toilet restoration: How I refurbished the heads on the PBO Project Boat
With seacocks previously installed in the Maxi 84, it was time to connect the hoses. The first thing to decide was what sort of installation. As Ali explained in her…
How to make a kayak: This £300 custom design has lasted our family 30 years
Building your own boat is an absorbing pastime leading, hopefully, to an enjoyable result. Kayaks are about the simplest boats to make, and they give tremendous fun. There are plenty…
February issue – on sale 22 December
Day sailers and cruising dinghies; Jimmy Cornell's world cruising survey – then and now; Adventure after loss; Golden Globe fix; Clever kit from Europe's biggest trade show; PBO Project Boat…