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

Crisis for canals as drought hits boaters

‘Life-changing injury’ for passenger left paralysed after sea safari ride

British Marine guidance following 2014 Cheeki Rafiki tragedy–now drafted

150 Podcast

ARC Baltic

Ex-lifeboatman’s nine year solo voyage

Ella’s Arctic record attempt on pause

Orca in the Spanish Rias

Safer boarding guidance for small craft

New entry procedure for EU countries

World’s biggest wind farm may expand

DIARY DATES

New dinosaur named after record-breaking yachtswoman

Regional news

Letters • Sharing your boating thoughts and opinions

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

Island of dreams • Modern intrusions vie with the trill of oystercatchers close to Dave’s dream home

The new old navigation • You can do it with your eyes shut

A birthday kayak! • When dithering about what product to buy, look to a PBO gear test for recommendations

Laser 16 cruising dinghy • A solid and stable day sailer for comfortable explorations

Legendary boats • Saša Fegić shares his pick of the boats that shaped sailing history and transformed the sport

The boatyard that’s at the crossroads of the world • How do you fix boats in the middle of the Atlantic? Ali Wood visits a unique business that deals with everything from broken booms to ARC crews and Interpol

Further afield

New gear • Rupert Holmes previews the latest marine products

NEWS IN BRIEF

How 19ft boats and gear survived after sailing 12,000 miles • Stephanie Jones talks to the skippers in the 2025/26 Mini Globe Race to find out…

Clever ideas from Mini Globe skippers

What’s the RYA done for British boating? • In its 150th year, Laura Hodgetts explores the Royal Yachting Association’s evolution from ‘gentlemen racers’ to a world-leading national boating body

TIMELINE OF THE RYA

RYA Sailability is a success story

View of Olympic Champions

Sailing off grid • Three transatlantic cruisers share valuable lessons with Ali Wood about their onboard power setups (and where they went wrong)

Let the wind do the steering • Andrew Simpson looks at pendulum servo self-steering gears, and describes how to get the best out of them

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!

Installing a radio • Gilbert Park shows how he fitted an audio system controlled from his chartplotter and smartphone while underway

Diesel engine fluids • The key to a smooth-running diesel engine is making sure you look after the fluids, as John Payne explains

Keep your boat dry this winter • Ashore or afloat, winter cold and damp can have a detrimental effect. Jake Kavanagh looks at options for keeping condensation and moisture at bay

How to keep pests at bay • Infestations of insects and other unwanted visitors is an ever present risk, especially in warmer climates, says Rupert Holmes

Raft up short-handed • Alastair Buchan explains the techniques needed by solo or short-handed for crew rafting up in busy marinas and harbours

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP YOUR BOAT IN...