Practical Boat Owner

Published by TI Media Limited Practical Boat Owner is Britain's biggest-selling boating magazine, trusted and respected by all its readers. A source of useful and helpful information for both power and sail boat owners, PBO helps you get the most from your boat acting as a forum for interacting with like-minded individuals.

Practical Boat Owner

Waiting for the tide PBO

Langstone Harbour’s timeline for vessel removal

Is it time for a national framework for disposal of end-of-life boats?

University research under way for what to do with slowly rotting hulks

Recycling vs cheap Chinese imports

‘I have a lot of sympathy for people who abandon boats’

Eight bells for Japanese sailing legend

What makes the ‘race for all’ so special

Wider ban on seabed trawling?

Biggest-ever Dunkirk Little Ships fleet

Heritage award for life-saving design

MBE honour

Solo sailor Craig Wood has land in sight

Southampton Boat Show shake-up

Talent appeal for regional hub recruits

DIARY DATES

Sailing back to the future • Rekindling lost wonder and becoming a sailor again – due to necessity

Bursary allows teen’s tall ship dream

Regional news

Letters • Sharing your boating thoughts and opinions

Channel hopping • Essential monthly highlights from the world of online sailing channels with Kass Schmitt

Tree of the fruit of good and evil • Why we are no longer cooking with gas

Small but mighty Aith • There’s always something fishy in the voe

Hunter Ranger 265 • Rupert Holmes spotlights one of the most desirable small cruisers of the 1990s, plus a selection of alternative models

Invicta 12: gunter or peak sprit rig • This is the classic dinghy that started Clive’s small boat collection and taught him the importance of a tight snotter

Getting started with trailer-sailers • Ali Wood gets top tips on choosing the ideal boat for road and water

Essential kit outlined by Duncan Kent

VIN plate check

David Harding describes four great 21-footers

Boats on Wheels • Why a Dutch couple chose the Solent for selling trailer-sailers

Readers’ cruises… • Trail and sea adventures on a Varne Folkboat and Cape Cutter 19

SpearFish 520 on test • What’s the point of the ‘long and thin’ as opposed to the normal ‘short and fat’ with a small inflatable? David Harding finds out

New big boat vs old small boat • Based on his experience, Saša Fegić examines whether new, larger yachts are better than older, smaller models

Book reviews • Katy Stickland shares our recommended maritime reads

New gear • Rupert Holmes previews the latest marine products

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tried & tested • The PBO team tests work gloves, sailing clothing and shoes

SAVE 50%!* WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE • Expert advice and step-by-step guides to every hands-on boating job, impartial in-depth gear and boat reviews, practical cruising tips… and more!

Box berthing guide for solo sailors • Alastair Buchan shares his tips for entering and leaving a box berth

How to install a Halyard Aquadrive in a Contessa 32 • Colin King shows how he fitted an antivibration system for smoother, quieter cruising and reduced wear on his yacht’s engine and gearbox

Improving the splice in a continuous line • Roger Hughes shares his new technique for making a smooth, continuous splice in double-braided line

THE VERY BEST OF BOATING

Spraying gel coat • Andy Pag improves his boat’s deck by spraying it with gel coat, and shares his tips for getting a perfect finish

COLOUR MATCHING

HOW WELL DID THE SPRAY GUN WORK?

LEARN FROM ANDY’S...