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 • WITH THE EDITOR

Boat owners’ DIY gas bottle refill warning • News and current affairs from the world of boating

Flogas Britain statement

Boatbuilding added to ‘endangered’ list

‘Boat-breaking’ Fastnet 50 attracts record fleet

Model boats on Antarctic expedition

Plans to ban PFAS use in the EU and UK

Call for more inland waterways funding

Classics at the Southampton International Boat Show

Recall of Fox lifejackets and gas refills

DIARY DATES

Regional news • News from your cruising area

Boatbuilding bursaries available

Letters • Sharing your boating thoughts and opinions

An incurable case of the racing bug

River of dreams • Forget the Bridge of Sighs, what you really need is a bridge of the right size

Marina magic • One may not doubt that, somehow, good Shall come of water and mud–Rupert Brooke

Start line injury • An induced coma and broken bones can’t stop Marsali from sailing… next summer

Spritsails, snotters and leeboards • There’s a lot to be said for owning small boats and chartering big ones…

Boats for first time owners • Duncan Kent chooses the best and most suitable sail and motor boats under 40ft for those buying a yacht for the first time

Preparing a small boat for offshore adventure • The art of sailing a small boat single-handed for long periods has been perfected by the Jester Challenge sailors. Jake Kavanagh picks up some tips for keeping skipper and boat safe on extended passages

Jester Challenge

The sad loss of Jester veteran, Duncan Lougee

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 • The 380 is one of the latest offerings in Jeanneau’s updated Sun Odyssey range. Peter Poland puts the boat through its paces

I captured Amazon • Sophie Neville, who played Titty in the 1974 film Swallows and Amazons, shares her experiences of sailing the Blackett’s dinghy and its special place in her heart

New gear • Rupert Holmes gets an early look at the latest gear

NEWS IN BRIEF

Damp busters! Dehumidifiers buyer’s guide • Damp and condensation can lead to serious problems in a boat, The PBO team look at 10 dehumidifiers on the market to suit all budgets

What to look for in a good boat dehumidifier?

Trade tips: how to service a winch • The experts at Harken share the finer points of annual servicing for a winch to keep it running smoothly, efficiently and safely

Understanding shore power • Ali Wood gets a crash course in reverse polarity and smart charging when Project Boat Maximus’s shore power gets trippy

SHORE POWER AND SMART CHARGING

EXCLUSIVE SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW OFFER

Understanding electrics: soldering explained • Oliver Ballam and Pat Manley demystify boat electrics and explain the best techniques for soldering and de-soldering connections

Forepeak bunks conversion • Richard Rogers rethinks his twin V-berths to double configuration ‘without that annoying triangular insert’ aboard his Morgan Giles 30

Inflatable inner valve replacement • A failed inner valve could spell the end of an inflatable tender – but Jake Frith has a fix

Reflections and lessons learned

Masthead upgrade • Steve Gerry fabricates a new masthead crane

Simple deadeye tackle • Jay Renton devises a tackle for tensioning

Guernsey on...