With a previous home-made wind scoop now showing its age, Ann Berry fashions an efficient replacement for less than £10
practical
Boat shaft seal replacement: expert tips
Getting to grips with replacing a stern shaft seal on a Contessa 32, Ben Lowings explains how it can be done with the boat in the water
Alternator belt tensioning: step-by-step
Every boat owner should know some basic engine maintenance. Stu Davies shares how to tension the alternator drive belt
How to service Monitor wind vane self-steering gear
Dena Hankins and James Lane show their Monitor wind vane self-steering gear some love and learn that patience is a virtue
How to make duck boards for your cockpit
Using teak oddments, David Pugh shows how he made a smart set of cockpit duck boards for his boat
Refilling a liquid-filled compass
With a half-empty liquid-filled steering compass and no obvious sign of a leak, Norman Eastwood decided it was time to do something about it
Is your boat fit for a cold snap? How to avoid ice and water damage on board
Preventative fixes to help save your boat from ice or water damage can be done in just minutes, says Ben Sutcliffe-Davies
9 tips and tricks for applying sealant
Premium bonding: Ben Meakins outlines some techniques for getting the most out of sealant without ending up covered in the sticky stuff
How to fit a folding propeller
Mark Ryan shares how he removed the old propeller on his Albin Ballad and replaced it with a two-bladed Flexofold folding prop
Smart boat: how to control your yacht remotely for under £400
Rob Ferenczi shows how you can have remote and onboard systems monitoring on your yacht for under £400
Sock bailer for a RIB: how to make your own
For a low-tech, high-reliability solution to getting a large amount of water out of a small, fast-moving motorboat, there’s nothing quite as efficient as sock (or trunk) bailers. Jake Frith…
How to winterise a boat engine
Engineer Stu Davies explains the steps you should take to make sure your boat’s engine is protected over the winter months
How to retrofit a bow thruster
Tony Moss and his wife, Marike, enhance the manoeuvrability of their Dufour 44 to make cruising life easier in their retirement years
How to fit an autopilot pump
Tony Davies demonstrates how to replace an electro-hydraulic autopilot pump
How to repair keel band corrosion on small boats
Galvanic corrosion is often something mainly associated with metal fittings on larger craft: however, David Parker has a cautionary tale about double-checking fixings on small boats too
Becoming a Day Skipper
From classroom conundrums to night-time navigation, dinghy instructor Margaret Norris decides to give big boats a go
How to replace a failed starter motor on a boat
When Colin Haines's boat won't start, he begins troubleshooting and ends up replacing his failed starter motor
How to make a spinnaker snuffer
John Connell keeps his spinnaker in check by devising and constructing a home-made spinnaker snuffer
How to replace boat headlining with PVC planking
Roger Hughes replaces old vinyl boat headlining with easy-to-clean white PVC planking
How to fit new rubber port light seals
David Parker describes the process involved in replacing the old rubber seals on his boat's port lights