August 2026 issue of Practical Boat Owner magazine

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on the COLREG, single-handing and more; Boat building myths busted; 10 pilotage mistakes to avoid; Celebrating the Jester Challenge at 20; Spotlight on the new trailerable Duchy 25; How to waterproof electronics; Keeping food cool on board; New series – eNav in a nutshell; Retrieving a reefing line; DIY mainsheet track replacement and more!

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Sailing with Sir Robin Knox-Johnson

The legend talks COLREGS, single-handing, self-steering and why he was told to ‘slow down’ for his round-the-world finish

Understanding boat construction

Wood and GRP boats – common misconceptions buster

10 pilotage mistakes to avoid

Where most sailors go wrong and what you need to do to ensure safe inshore navigation

Duchhy 25 on test

Outboard power and top quality mark out this trailable motorboat as something different

Jester at 20

Seamanship without showmanship: the enduring appeal of this long-distance sailing event

Jester Challenge wisdom

Offshore sailing advice from Jester skippers

eNav in a nutshell

Passage planning in a digital age

Keeping your cool

What is the best off-grid marine refrigeration? We look at front-loading, top-loading and cool box options

Waterproofing boat electronics

How to keep your marine electrical and electronics systems as waterproof as possible

Building a kit dinghy

6ft Barrow Boat kit building challenge

Reefing line retrieval

How one crew threaded an errant reefing line back into their boom

Lithium battery bank installation

A major electrical redesign of a 1997 Najad 331

10 toilet tips

Maintenance regimes and troubleshooting hacks to make sure your heads never let you down

Windscreen repair

Replacing the shattered windscreen on a motor cruiser

The scenic route

One cruising couple ignores the advice and takes the scenic route, sailing from France to Corsica