From steering to rigging (and all the things we forget!) – the essential checks for the prepared skipper; Displacement theory and how it affects the…
Practical Boat Owner
November 2025 issue – out 25 September
Banish damp on board your boat! The benefits of solar, hydro and wind..and what can go wrong; 6 legendary boats which shaped design, 12,000 mile…
What we learned picking up our first motorboat
Looking back at our disastrous first trip aboard our motorboat Kay, we were under-equipped and complete novices who were convinced we could bring her down the river from Wargrave to…
Guide to buying your first motorboat
There are many reasons why people want to buy a motorboat – the recent Covid-19 pandemic (and a generally unstable world) being one of them. With immediate turn-key power, and…
Cruising with Alzheimer’s: how one couple have adapted to continue sailing together
Tony and Ann Montgomery-Smith have been sailing for almost 60 years. Now both in their 80s, and with Ann’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Tony explains how they have continued to cruise
Hawk 20 Cruiser: fast, fun and functional trailer-sailer
When the Hawk 20 appeared she was hailed as the dayboat that did everything. This model was later followed by the Cruiser version with a cabin. David Harding reports
Report lobster pot and fishing gear entanglement, urges CA and RYA
Sailors and boaters are being asked to report lobster pot and fishing gear entanglement and sightings of poorly marked static gear around the UK coast, as part of efforts to…
Comparing the Sadler 34 and 9 other designs
During the 1970s and 1980s, Sadler Yachts was one of the UK’s best-known boatbuilders, producing a range of serious sea boats that remain popular as cruising yachts today, including the…
November 2025 issue – out 25 September
Banish damp on board your boat! The benefits of solar, hydro and wind..and what can go wrong; 6 legendary boats which shaped design, 12,000 mile gear test, The boatyard at…
Can Grunt! Boat Cleaner get rid of unsightly rust stains on my boat?
Jake Frith tries GRUNT! Boat Cleaner to see if it will remove some stubborn rust stains on his boat
How to service your outboard steering
After a midnight steering failure, one boat owner learns a hard lesson about the "fiddly" but essential maintenance of remote outboard steering
Super Stainless: how good is it at cleaning stains?
Jake Frith has some rust staining on the stainless steel on his boat. Will Super Stainless remove it all?
How to strip and tidy your boat deck
Discover how a boat owner uses a simple air compressor and a collection of versatile air tools to tackle a boat's toughest sanding and cleaning jobs.
Clive’s Boats: comparing two Smacks Boats
In my quest to find the perfect trailer-sailer I’ve owned two Smacks Boats – one was fast, the other more comfortable. I’ve loved both, and purchasing the same model twice…
Keeping your compass accurate: our expert advice
Ever wondered what you can do to maintain compass accuracy? You’re not the only one. Reader Sue Johnson sent in the following question: I have been advised that a VHF…
Stitelmann keeps the lead as Mini Globe Race 2025 leaves for Mauritius
Spirits high and water-tanks freshly topped up, the last of the Mini Globe Race 2025 fleet is setting off for Stage 3 of Leg 3, a 1,500 stretch from the…
How I built a hull skirt to keep my boat dry while antifouling
Ever thought of making a hull skirt? Getting fed up with the yearly grind and expense of antifouling Koto’s bottom I decided to switch over to Coppercoat. Doing so would…
Sunsail’s Funding the Future winner to refurbish five old Laser dinghies
Otley Sailing Club from West Yorkshire, will use the Sunsail's Funding the Future grand prize of £6,000 to revitalise old Laser dinghies to make sailing more accessible for adult club
Replacing your boat’s engine mounts
Marine engine mounts are designed to isolate engine vibration noise from the boat’s structure. They’re susceptible to diesel and water leaks, should be checked regularly, and replaced every 10 years,…
The essential tools to keep on your boat
What tools do you really need for a boat? Say you now own a new or new-to-you boat, and you’re ready to get going. What happens if something breaks while…
Crisis in the canals as drought hits boaters
Boats have been left stranded in canals, navigation restricted, and businesses “exceptionally quiet” during peak summer months across the inland waterways of England and Wales.
Ella Hibbert: first British woman to sail the Northwest Passage solo
28-year-old Ella Hibbert is the first British woman to sail solo through the Northwest Passage during her Arctic circumnavigation