David Parker makes a simple shelf and installs strong webbing straps to stow a scuba tank securely in his boat’s cockpit
Best of PBO
How I designed and built my own 24ft sloop in steel
Mike Camp charts the trials and tribulations of designing and building his 26ft steel sloop
Sailing for all
Rupert Holmes charts the innovations and developments in yacht design that marked the post-war years through the 1950s
DIY electric outboard motor: How to build your own electric engine
Olly Epsom explains how (and why!) he built his own 1kW electric outboard motor for under £600
Paint your boat like new
Professional paint finishes look stunning but can be eye-wateringly expensive. A DIY job can achieve a tough, glossy result for a fraction of the cost...
Rescuing Essex Melody – a classic cruiser purpose built for the East Coast
John Rogers describes the heritage and restoration of Essex Melody, a classic, Maldon-built 23-footer which originally took to the water in 1959
Restored project boat sinks within minutes of first launch
A pensioner whose yacht sank within minutes of being placed in the water following a five-year restoration says it has been ‘a wonderful adventure’
Trapped in a locker in a sinking yacht
As if loss of steering and starting to sink wasn’t bad enough, John Broadhead was forced to keep a cool head and think quickly when he became trapped in a…
Six IKEA hacks for your boat
Whether it's making an instrument panel from a tablet stand, turning bed slats into a dinghy floor, creating a wine rack from a book case, assisting with cockpit locker organisation…
Loose locker lids? Strut right this way
PBO reader Tim Marsden shares a practical project to ensure the smooth closure of locker lids
10 Gelcoat cleaners tested
Which gelcoat cleaners are best at combating waterline yellowing on boat hulls?
Making GRP locker lids
Tim Marsden demonstrates how he fashioned a smart pair of cockpit locker lids for his bargain boat using glassfibre and iroko hardwood
How to steer a yacht without a rudder: Jury steering methods tested
How would you cope if your boat lost its steering at sea? PBO tries a variety of jury steering fixes to see how well they help to regain control
Restoring a fireball
Torie Morley and Toby Hamer realise a burning ambition to restore a Fireball dinghy– and reveal how Skunk earned her stripes
3D printing boat parts
Much has recently been made in the papers about 3D printing, which can manufacture replacement bones, blood vessels, buildings and weapons, while NASA are even considering using it to construct…
Keeping a cockpit locker organised
Having upgraded from a Hurley 22 to a Westerly Griffon we now have a cockpit locker that can easily swallow whatever we throw into it. The problem is, everything seems…
Gelcoat repair colour matching – the quick way
A basic colour match may not be perfect – but in most cases it’ll do the job and is much easier to use than professional repair products
65 ways to cut the cost of your boating
With the turbulent forecasts for the UK and global economy, many of us have had to ask ourselves if we can really justify the outlay required to own a boat…
Drill holes in gelcoat without a crack
...and how to stop it cracking
The key to a really good gelcoat polish
Two stages