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

Be prepared

Body found in search for missing sailor

Geoff Holt unveils circumnavigation plans at BoatLife

Fewer Shipping Forecasts from April

Maiden crew makes Cape Horn history

Increased protection

OCC Lifetime Award and YJA Yachtsman of the Year

Optimal tides factored into Round the Island Race date

French ‘non’ to long stays without a visa

Survey insight to the travelling Brit

Best of 3,000-plus new Yachtmasters

DIARY DATES

Regional news • News from your cruising area

Project Spinnaker to make litter bags

Letters • Sharing your boating thoughts and opinions

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

Ever heard of a bumsprit? • Marina manoeuvres at the sharp end

Ready for sea • Small can be beautiful in British sail training

So much to do • The sailing season is approaching, but for now it’s the perfect time for pottering…

Hastings boats • The smaller Hastings luggers (22ft or less) are called punts – and Clive has converted several 16ft versions back to sail

Boats for offshore sailing • Want to go further afield? Duncan Kent looks at some of the most suitable second-hand sail and motor boats for cruising offshore

Vita Power Seal and Sea Dog RIBs • With a reputation for ‘plug and play’ electric propulsion, Vita Power has launched electric RIBs of its own design. Jake Frith drives them

Staying high and dry • Gilbert Park shares his tips for allowing motorboats to dry out safely

200 years of saving lives • The Royal National Lifeboat Institution marks its bicentenary this year. Katy Stickland looks back at its formation and development

Supporting the RNLI

15 FIXES AT SEA • Transatlantic sailors tell Ali Wood how they used their ingenuity – and sometimes bravery – to cope with emergencies on passage

Tools and spares you shouldn’t be without • Plan your inventory to keep you cruising when the season starts. Rachael Sprot explains the tools and spares we really need on a boat

PREPARING FOR GEAR FAILURE

The tragic tale of solo sailor Roman Titov • Roman Titov repaired his dismasted yacht but was sadly later lost at sea. Solo sailor Roger D Taylor describes what happened

New gear • Rupert Holmes reports back from boot Düsseldorf – by far the world’s largest international boat show

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tried & tested • The PBO team tests the Mustang Atlas lifejacket and POP Fender

Six rivers and a backwater • John Kingsnorth endeavours to ‘go with wind and tide’ and cover as many East Coast rivers as possible in a week

East Coast rivers cruising advice

Practical Boat OwnerⓇ 3 ISSUES FOR £5*

Channel Island 22 renovation project • Having hung up his solo sailing spurs, John Willis takes on the refurbishment of a 40-year-old 22ft motorboat

FIRST CHANNEL CROSSING

Get more life out of lines • Dena Hankins shares how to make your running rigging last that little bit longer

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP YOUR BOAT IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER • Keep your boat maintained and looking its best with our expert advice on everything from engine maintenance to painting and sealing

Understanding boat anodes • Metallurgist Vyv Cox’s guide to anodes, explaining how they...