The pioneers of small-boat leisure sailing had to start from scratch when designing and building early yachts – but some of those vessels are still around to offer inspiration today.
Best of PBO
Gelcoat repair: How to make an invisible repair
Everything you need to know to make an invisible gelcoat repair, from preparation and filling to topcoat and polishing
Off track and into trouble off Portland Bill
David Sloan discovers the simple navigational error that turned his parents’ Channel hop into a near disaster
16. Fairing the curves
Casting a critical eye over the project boat’s lines, David Pugh and Ben Meakins set to work filling and fairing to make the hull smooth
15. Rounding the bilges
Chine in your hands: PBO takes a turn at shaping the project boat’s bilge. David Pugh reports
14. Completing the hull skin
We’ve made great progress this month, and as a result the hull skin is now complete, save for a lot of fairing – but that’s for another month! Ben Meakins…
13. Starting on the hull skin underside
This month, the Secret’s structure is finished off with the addition of bottom stringers, bevelled chine battens and forefoot cheek pieces. Ben Meakins reports
12. Turning the hull over to start on the bottom
It could be put off no longer: the time had come to work on the bottom of our Secret 20, which meant rotating her through 180°. David Pugh reports
11. Sheer, decks and gunwales
Strong and stable: PBO’s Secret 20 is strengthened before being turned in the next step of her construction. David Pugh reports
10. Adding hull sides
With the addition of her 6mm ply hull panels, PBO’s Secret 20 starts to look less like basketwork and more like a boat. David Pugh reports
9. Deck beams and chainplates
This month’s project boat tasks include fitting laminated deck beams and reinforcing the chainplates. Ben Meakins reports
8. Fitting intermediate and lower stringers
It’s time to fit the intermediate and lower stringers to PBO’s Secret 20 kit boat. David Pugh reports
How to design and fit a 50lt holding tank for a Westerly Konsort
My Westerly Konsort Koto was built in 1980 and featured a loo outlet connected direct to the sea via a 1.5in Blakes seacock. But having decided to join the Emsworth…
7. Scarf joints and stringers
Building a kit boat is a bit like a child’s dot-to-dot drawing. See the full set of articles: Building the Secret 20 kit boat with PBO. The framework is made…
5. Filleting all the frame joints
PBO’s Secret 20 kit boat now boasts around 250 fillets, and the transom has been fitted. Ben Meakins reports
4. How to make the perfect epoxy fillet
David Pugh describes the process required to produce accurate coves while keeping mess and waste to a minimum
3. Fitting the frames, fitting cockpit seats and foredeck beam
The previous article in this series (Part 2: Birth of a boat – truing stem and stern) saw the keel set up with stem and sternpost – and not much…
2. Birth of a boat: truing stem and stern
David Pugh and Ben Meakins tackle the truing up of the new project boat’s keel, stem and stern – and enjoy a long-deferred sea trial in a completed Secret 20…
Return of the sporty trailable cruiser
A performance weekender built in Britain has been missing for a long time – which is why it’s good to meet the BTC-22, says David Harding
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