Upgrading electronics on Maximus seemed like a huge leap in the first weeks of ownership. We were still discovering new leaks and lockers, choosing antifouling and scraping the bottom. I…
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Two pilots rescued from liferaft after plane crashes into the sea
Pilots Paul Clifford and Duncan Laisney were rescued from a liferaft after engine failure caused caused them to ditch their light aircraft in waters off Jersey’s south-east coast. All three…
Channel Hopping: Outer Passage – formerly known as Sailing Panda
Our resident YouTube aficionado Kass Schmitt ponders if “as seen on YouTube” charters could be a new trend.
90 boats, 400 crew and a cat set sail across the Atlantic
PBO was at the start of the transatlantic rally to wave off the boats in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria as they set sail for Mindelo, Cape Verde. “It’s the perfect…
Boat polishing tips: How we got the PBO Project Boat’s topsides gleaming
After the 2020 sailing season was largely lost to lockdown, Maximus had been ashore at Dell Quay in Chichester for two years when my wife, Ali, and I took her…
What do you eat on a transatlantic when your boat’s only 1m long?
When you’re aiming for a solo world record, saving space is a priority… and when you’re in a 1m yacht, it’s absolutely crucial! Food needs to be small, longlife and…
Why I’m crossing the Atlantic in the world’s smallest yacht
What’s inspired this world record microyacht attempt? I’ve always dreamed of breaking the world record for the smallest vessel to cross the Atlantic. Big C is just over a metre…
Channel Hopping: The Sailing Brothers in the USA!
Our resident YouTube aficionado Kass Schmitt likens The Sailing Brothers Luke and Adam Martin arrival in North Carolina episode "as a brilliant mash-up of Beavis and Butt-Head with Gavin &…
Channel Hopping: Wonderful Wharram Women
Our resident YouTube fanatic marvels at the generations of women who have crossed (and continue to cross) oceans on Wharram catamarans.
Channel Hopping: Look out Maître CoQ, here comes Guirec Soudée!
Our resident YouTube aficionado Kass Schmitt wonders if the reigning Vendée Globe champion risks being dethroned by a rookie with a chicken.
Prepping the rusty keel of the PBO Project boat
In our Maxi 84 boat survey, Ben Sutcliffe-Davies concluded that the antifouling needed to come off and whilst the keel joint was nice and tight there was a lot of…
Do you know your rudders?
Do you know rudders? Boatyards are a great place to get to know different types of keels, rudders and other underwater fittings. When Ben Sutcliffe-Davies came down to Chichester to…
How does a smart watch work? Garmin Vivoactive 4 on test with pictures
I’ve had my Garmin smart watch for six months now and have taken it up mountains, swum in lakes and the sea, hiked through forests and run across beaches. There’s…
Fitting new seacocks and skin fittings on the PBO Project Boat
Maximus, our PBO Project Boat, had four seacock fittings that need changing – three ball valves in the forepeak (1 x 1½in and 2 x ¾in) and one gate valve…
Best sextants: 5 plastic options under £400 for taking a noon sight
In the mid-seventies I sailed a small boat from the UK to Tahiti, crossing the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific. My primary navigation tool was a plastic sextant, with timing provided…
Marine engine videos with Stu Davies – top tips on servicing your boat engine
When we acquired our 43-year-old cruiser Maximus, we asked PBO’s engine expert Stu Davies and wife Laura to show us how to service the Volvo MD2020 engine. They drove all…
Lomo tow float drybag review – stay safe when cold water swimming
I love to have a tow float when swimming in the sea. Since their introduction in 2012, tow floats have become a popular addition to the wild swimmer’s kit-list, especially…
British rivals to Sailing La Vagabonde? Introducing Sailing Cadoha
I’m not just talking in terms of popularity. The UK is certainly well represented among the most popular sailing vlogs (Sailing Ruby Rose, Adventures of an old Seadog, and Sailing…
Want to know what it’s like to cross an ocean? Watch these videos…
Ginormous fish, a daring rescue, ripped spinnaker and whale encounters are just a few of the tales we heard as the crews of this year’s ARC+ arrived in Grenada. For…
Dramatic footage shows moment tow-line snaps in rescue of dismasted yacht
The 28ft French vessel was spotted on Sunday by Alfie and Ceylan Moore, who were sailing across the Atlantic on the ARC+ rally with friend Stu Finch and Alfie’s mum…