Boat electrics made easy; Restoring a £1 boat; Easy ways to revive your canopy; How to find the perfect crew; How to lower your mast…
Practical Boat Owner
February 2026 issue – out 18 December
Outboard SOS: how to fix common engine problems; How to set up and get the most out of your chartplotter; The build of the 100cm…
Drifting yacht without lights rescued from shipping lane
The single-handed sailor aboard found he had no power, lights or VHF radio after several abortive attempts to start the boat’s engine.
Black Friday PBO subscription offer – 50% off!
We’re offering a great deal for a subscription to Britain’s biggest-selling boating magazine! Get 50% off if you subscribe before the end of the weekend! PBO is full of practical…
Evacuation of five crew from ARC yacht
The BM39 yacht Noah was taking on significant volumes of water, the source of which could not be identified.
Initial report into Cardiff carbon monoxide poisoning motorboat fatality
"Approximately 45 minutes after he had started the engine, the owner was discovered collapsed in the cabin."
Number of plastic bags on UK beaches halved in just one year
The Marine Conservation Charity says 5p has been small price to pay for fewer carrier bags at the coast
Cargo ship crew airlifted after stone barge collision
A major incident was declared when a cargo ship lost power and steering and began taking on water after colliding with a rock barge off the coast of Dover.
Alex Thomson holding on to Vendée Globe lead
The British skipper of Hugo Boss has managed to maintain a lead of 100 miles over his nearest rivals, Armel Le Cléac'h and Sébastien Josse in spite of damage to…
A classic start for ARC 2016
Following years and months of planning, plus two weeks of final preparations and provisioning, 212 ARC 2016 yachts set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The famous ocean racing yacht Maiden is coming home
Trail-blazing British yachtswoman Tracy Edwards is celebrating after securing the funds to bring the famous ocean racing yacht Maiden home.
Guernsey Harbours mooring fees to rise by 1%
The majority of Guernsey Harbours charges and mooring fees will rise by 1% in 2017.
DIY mast climbing device
John Gardner devises a hoist to take the strain out of going aloft
A DIY aid to lassoing buoys and cleats
I often sail single-handed and picking up mooring buoys can be awkward, so I’ve constructed a lasso line to help. It consists of a 1m length of 6mm chain with…
A pump for bone-dry bilges
Norman Eastwood assembles a bucket pump to remove the final few bits of water from his boat’s bilges
Rocna hard place
David Berry describes the unexpected problems he faced after purchasing a Rocna anchor for his Moody Eclipse, Aderyn Glas
New Marine Conservation Zones proposed for English Waters
The Government’s scientific advisors have provided proposals on where a final set of 50 Marine Conservation Zones are needed around England.
3. Sailing a Secret 20
We took a trip to Brightlingsea to sail a Secret 20 while ours was in transit
Boat owners urged to be vigilant against theft
MP Suella Fernandes is urging boat owners to be vigilant about the growing problem of thefts from boats in the Solent area.
Fortitude on forty footers as ARC 2016 fleet prepare to set sail
Although the average boat length is 15.51m (51ft), almost half of the boats sailing in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2016 range from 40ft-50ft.
Navtex: obsolete or essential?
Has Navtex been superseded by smartphones and the internet, or does it still have a role in modern sailing?
Royal Navy experts deal with German bomb found in Portsmouth Harbour
A 500lb German bomb was found in Portsmouth Harbour during dredging work ahead of the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth.