An aide-memoire to using a handbearing compass, transits and bearings for quick and easy coastal pilotage
Seamanship
How to deal with riding turns on a winch
Riding turns always occur at the worst possible moment - here's how to remove a riding turn and avoid them in the first place
Sculling over the stern
How to scull over the stern: Learn to propel your dinghy using a traditional skill that's still relevant today
Updating electronic charts
Despite the accuracy offered by digital charting, updating electronic charts is a complicated process. Here's how to keep your electronic charts up to date
How to prepare for a lifeboat tow
Imagine that the lifeboat is on the way to take you in tow. Do you sit and wait, in the knowledge that the lifeboat’s crew will assess the situation and…
How to catch fish while sailing
Catching supper with hook and line is a pastime most yachtsmen will attempt at some time or other, but why do some fishermen enjoy more luck with the rod than…
What to do when you run aground
Whether you go to sea under power or sail, you'll almost certainly find yourself aground at some point in your on-water career. It’s one of the hazards of the sport…
Jester Challenge: One sailor’s preparations for a solo adventure
Two-time solo Atlantic racer Basil Panakis shows PBO’s Ben Meakins how he prepared his 25ft yacht to face the Jester Challenge
Antares Charts: One man’s mission to update Scottish charts
In a bid to bring archaic navigation information into the 21st century, Bob Bradfield has been on a one-man crusade to update charts of Scottish anchorages
Why you should race your cruising boat
Ben Meakins finds out why – and how – PBO readers from around the UK go racing in their cruising yachts
Bermudan rig vs Junk rig: which is best?
David Harding sets up a direct comparison between Junk- and Bermudan-rigged Splinters to find out how they handle
Tips and tricks for sailing on rivers
Expert advice for tricks and tips for better sailing on rivers
Why won’t my boat tack properly?
David Harding offers ideas to help a Kelt 5.50 that won't beat upwind
Surviving immersion
What happens to your body when you fall into the water?
Are my new lights legal?
Practical Boat Owner's experts answer a reader's question about LED navigation lights
The nautical ‘rules of the road’ made easy
Follow this link to find the PBO Colregs Made Simple iPad App
Video: Tethers on trial
How to recover a MOB that's still attached to your boat
How to understand French VHF méteo weather forecasts
Understanding French VHF weather broadcasts
Practical Boat Owner: Radar collision avoidance
Rule 19 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea is often dangerously misunderstood. Simpy put, there?s no ?stand on? vessel in fog.