What’s not to love about a yacht charter holiday? Skippered holidays are ideal for anyone feeling rusty or wishing to take advantage of a local guide and sailing coach to…
Specials
Nomads of the wind – an article by James Wharram
In light of the recent passing of pioneering multihull designer James Wharram, we share his PBO October 1994 article, published for the first time online
Franny Benali – “I thought boating was beyond my means”
After 389 games with Southampton Football Club, Francis Benali retired from football and raised £1m for Cancer Research. In 2014 he ran between every Premier League ground, covering over 1,000…
“Why I’m giving up Maximus, my 5-berth cruising boat”
Last month, Practical Boat Owner got a surprise email from reader Daniel Kirtley, asking if we wanted his 28ft cruiser Maximus, as a project boat. “Following a well-trodden path I…
Restoring a boat? Beat the restoration blues and get back to work today
Procrastination is the art of busily doing nothing while another part of you gets really disappointed about it. I’m a serial procrastinator. Phew, glad to get that out in the…
Shipwrecked in a 14ft keelboat then rescued by a cargo ship
Yann Quenet is a genius from Brittany I would love to meet. He is an inventor, designer, and builder of boats, mostly of marine plywood/epoxy, a material I have a…
Robert FitzRoy and the fascinating history of weather forecasts
Robert FitzRoy/ Alamy Stock Photo As sailors we’re used to checking the weather before any journey from the hundreds of weather providers including the Met Office. Give a thought therefore…
Tony Curphey the man who sailed four times around the world
“In the six years I’ve owned Nicola Deux I’ve sailed 77,650 miles in her. I just love Nicholson 32s. My father-in-law had one and to me it was the ultimate…
Survey completed
The information you have provided is very valuable to us and will help us shape PBO in 2021 and beyond. We are enormously grateful for your time, and please rest…
Colregs made simple: Get your head around the most important boating rules
PBO's expert video guides to the ColRegs
Free boat plans – Build your own Nigel Irens 14ft rowing and sailing skiff
Fancy building your own Nigel Irens-designed 14ft rowing/sailing skiff? Nic Compton explains how to get the plans for free
Sailing for all
Rupert Holmes charts the innovations and developments in yacht design that marked the post-war years through the 1950s
Boat Test: Tug Yacht 33
Nick Burnham takes to the water in the Tug Yacht 33 Union Jack, a ‘quirky motorboat from Gloucestershire’
Getting published – PBO Contributors’ guidelines
Write something for publication in PBO
PBO Small Craft Almanac corrections February 2014
Download free PDF of corrections for the PBO almanac
PBO Small Craft Almanac corrections January 2014
Download free PDF of corrections for the PBO almanac
Video: Top-coating the PBO Project Boat
We paint the hull and deck of our Snapdragon 23 with two-pack polyurethane topcoat
Video: Undercoating the PBO Project Boat
We paint the hull and deck of our Snapdragon 23 with two-pack polyurethane undercoat
Video: Painting the PBO Project Boat
After months of filling and fairing, we epoxy prime our Snapdragon 23's deck moulding
Video: How to scull over the stern
Learn a useful traditional skill that could get you out of trouble