Battery management made simple, Plastic vs metal seacocks: which is best? Anchoring with shore lines explained, Tips for replacing curved windows; The appeal of the…
Practical Boat Owner
July issue – 8 May
Navigation and your fingertips: an easy guide to digital charts, plotters and MFDs, How to sail around headlands, races and overfalls, 10 ways to save…
Outdoor workbench tip – turn your Workmate into a bigger work surface
This might come under the heading of ‘bleeding obvious’, but I have found it to be very useful when working on my boat in the dinghy park at my local…
Stop chain jumping on your anchor windlass
Mike Bowyer fabricates a simple solution to stop chain-jumping on his windlass
How to stop a swing keel leak
John Taylor finds a car steering rack gaiter stops leaks from the lifting cable of his swing keel
See-though fiddles for flare storage
Fire extinguishers are generally fixed where everyone can see them on a cruising yacht. However, other safety gear like the flares and the foghorn are often hidden away in lockers…
How to heave to with a self tacking jib
Small modifications to his Hunter Pilot's jib track mean that Dave Young can now heave to easily with his self-tacking jib
Savings on Volvo Penta engine spares
When I bought Sacha, my Beneteau Oceanis 381, five years ago I changed the cam belt on the engine. It is a Volvo Penta MD22L B, basically a Perkins Prima…
Make an outboard motor overheat alarm from a digital thermometer
The outboard on my Hunter Liberty is located in a well in the cockpit from where it is difficult to see the cooling water tell-tale. On my first trip this…
Retrieving lost halyards
James Boyce uses a crocodile clip to retrieve a lost halyard
What to do when you run aground
Whether you go to sea under power or sail, you'll almost certainly find yourself aground at some point in your on-water career. It’s one of the hazards of the sport…
Lifejacket Lights on test
When was the last time you gave a second thought to your lifejacket light? They sit inside your packed lifejacket, largely neglected, and you hope they’ll work when you need…
ACR Firefly 3 SOLAS Strobe light
These two models from ACR, the ACR Firefly 3 SOLAS and the ACR Firefly 3 Waterbug are identical except that the Waterbug is also water-activated. Both take 2xAA batteries, and you can…
ACR C-Strobe lifejacket light
This is ACR’s strobe version of the C-Lite. It takes 2xAA batteries, and is activated with a twist of the strobe housing. Like the C-Lite, it can be mounted either…
ACR C-Light lifejacket light
This was the cheapest and simplest design we tested. It takes 2xAA batteries and comes with two mounting options – either via a clip onto the oral inflation tube or…
UML SeaFlash lifejacket light
These two lifejacket lights from United Moulders are identical in appearance and price: the difference is that one offers a long flash while the UML SeaFlash Multi offers a range…
ISAF to challenge IPC decision on Paralympic Games programme
The International Paralympic Committee decision not to include Paralympic sailing on the Tokyo 2020 Games programme has shocked the international sailing community.
Appeal for missing boat ‘Norfolk Girl’
A small blue and white motor boat called Norfolk Girl has gone missing off Cromer after making a mayday distress call.
PBO Project Boat at the Poole Harbour Boat Show
A host of exhibitors are already confirmed for the Poole Harbour Boat Show 2015... including Practical Boat Owner magazine.
Turkish visas put cruisers off
Boat owners cruising in Turkish waters are facing more difficulties because a new law regarding Residence Permits is confusing everyone concerned.
ISAF speaks out about Paralympic sailing 2020 decision
ISAF vows to address any items identified by the IPC in a bid to reinstate sailing back into the Paralympic Games as soon as possible.
AquaSpec AQ40L lifejacket light
This is Ocean Safety’s latest LED light version of their classic AQ40 incandescent bulb. While not as bright as the cold-tinted Crewsaver light we tested, it was nonetheless highly visible.…