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…
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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…
Dufour 32 review: 56 years of French design went into this new cruiser
When Michel Dufour set up as a designer and builder of GRP yachts back in the 1960s, the Arpege 30 (introduced in 1966) was only his second production yacht. In…
Stuck up a 75ft mast in the middle of the Atlantic
Karen Parker had been sailing onboard their Oyster 56, Mistral of Portsmouth, with husband Chris and two crew, when their Code Zero headsail, designed for light winds, became jammed. With…
METSTRADE 2022: Best new boating gear from Europe’s biggest trade show
Ocean Signal RescueME PLB3 AIS personal locator beacon A key element of the METSTRADE 2022 marine show in Amsterdam is the DAME Design Awards, which recognise some of the most…
Drascombe and Devon Luggers buyer’s guide: Gateway to offshore sailing
Visit any UK harbour in the summer and the chances are you’ll see a Drascombe Lugger or a Devon Lugger afloat or dried out on the mud. My first experience…
31 of the best Christmas gifts for boat owners
Finding decent Christmas gifts for boat owners on a budget is an unenviably tricky task, but luckily Practical Boat Owner is here to help! Below are our recommended Christmas gifts…