Dirty, oily bilge water from your boat’s hull can be filtered to protect marine life. We talk to sailors who have retrofitted the Wavestream 1 kit...
Gear
11 practical Christmas gift ideas that sailors actually want – 2 days left to order!
Finding decent Christmas gifts for boat owners is an unenviably tricky task, but luckily Practical Boat Owner is here to help! These might not all look to be the most…
Why you should consider the weight of boat tools
Minimise the need for weighty tools on board by swapping metal parts with wood and rope, and muffling those you can’t with leather, says Clive Marsh
Boat propeller: How to choose the right one for your boat
The correct prop can have a dramatic effect on your boat's performance. Ali Wood learns how you can save fuel, reduce drag and go faster
Is it time to switch to an all-electric boat?
Rupert Holmes takes an in-depth look at the practicalities and pitfalls of choosing electric propulsion, or even an all-electric boat
Tips for first time offshore in a small yacht
How do you equip a small yacht for your first ocean voyage, especially with few crew or sailing single-handed? Jake Kavanagh gets some tips from the Jester Challenge skippers
How to choose the right roller furling system for your boat
With a plethora of furlers on the market, Stan Cockeram weighs up a number of factors to help you decide which is best for your boat
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
Windvane self-steering: a complete guide for sailors
Ali Wood explains how you can harness the power of the wind and sea to steer efficiently
How to choose a watermaker
Rupert Holmes explains why a basic watermaker may make sense onboard your boat
10 low-cost solutions for non-slip decks on boats
Anti-slip decks are vital for safe sailing, with a wide range of attractive, long-lived, and sustainable coverings available. Jake Kavanagh examines some old favourites and latest innovations
10 most useful sailing apps
Round the world sailor Saša Fegić shares the apps he finds the most useful on board
Best marine binoculars: 10 of the best pairs of 7×50 compass binoculars tested
Alex Bell and a PBO test team focus their attention on 10 sets of 7x50 compass binoculars, checking them for efficiency, accuracy, clarity of image and ease of reading
Smoothing the cruising – a buyers guide to ‘shock-absorbing’ boat gear and more!
The ability to soften that slamming motion of a fast boat at sea has been greatly helped with more advanced and compact designs of shock-absorbing seating, self-adjusting trim tabs and…
Tips for buying a used boat trailer
Tony Davies advises on what to look out for when buying a used boat trailer
What is inside your liferaft?
Short of time to get their liferaft professionally serviced, Andy and Julie Pag decide to carry out an inspection themselves
How marine fabrics are changing
Marine fabrics are increasingly being made using natural fibres, less harmful chemicals and longer-lasting colours. Jake Kavanagh looks at the cut of the cloth
“Why changing to an electric motor was a disaster”
Felix Marks attempts to embrace a green future for his Tofinou 7, but his experiment with an electric motor proves costly when damp conditions prevail
Evolution of the electric winch handle
Electric winch handles can help crew perform any task on board a yacht, regardless of their strength, size or physical abilities. Roger Hughes looks at how they developed
The best boat anchor types for different types of cruising & their pros and cons
Rupert Holmes looks at the different anchor designs and how to choose the right one for your type of cruising