Practical Boat Owner - May 2025

In this issue

Around UK & Ireland - Why a circumnavigation of Britain and Ireland is the perfect challenge.
Beneteau Oceanis 393 - Spotlight on this great secondhand buy and its 40ft rivals.
Plan B’s route to success - How boatbuilding and sailing are giving teenagers a second chance.

Global 19ft plywood boat race begins

Twelve men and two women from eight countries have embarked on a solo around the world yacht race in Mini 19ft/5.8m ALMA Globe 5.80 yachts, their only home for the next 13 months.

1 min

Oily rag self-combusts in anchor locker

Boat owners and crew are being reminded of the dangers of leaving oily rags on board following the spontaneous combustion of rags in a yacht’s anchor locker in Jersey.

1 min

Disappearance of British solo skipper

A 73-year-old British sailor was lost at sea after his yacht capsized in rough weather while sailing off the south-west coast of France.

1 min

YJA awards celebrate 'outstanding British sailing talent'

lan Williams, who made history after securing an unprecedented eighth World Match Racing Tour title, has been named the Yachting Journalists' Association's (YJA) 2024 Yachtsman of the Year.

1 min

Triple amputee to sail the Pacific solo

Sailing for 80 days solo, nonstop and unsupported across the Pacific would be a daunting voyage for many people. Craig Wood, a 33-year-old former Army rifleman from Doncaster, has the additional challenge of being a triple amputee.

1 min

Pip Hare celebrated with award for skill

British yachtswoman Pip Hare has been chosen to recieve the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) Seamanship Award, which recognises exceptional skill or bravery at sea.

1 min

New boat launches

Exciting sub-40ft boats making a debut at boot Düsseldorf

2 mins

The mother of invention

Chewing on a problem yields a novel solution

3 mins

Heritage dreams

Vintage is not always great, but there are fine views from Memory Lane

3 mins

Voyage plan plot thickeners

Passage planning and recalling real sailing experiences add depth to detective fiction

3 mins

Around UK & Ireland: a perfect challenge

Sam Steele explains everything you need to know about a circumnavigation of Britain and Ireland

10+ mins

NEW SEASON SAFETY CHECKS

Enjoy the water with safety in mind

6 mins

Beneteau Oceanis 393

Rupert Holmes looks at a popular model from the third generation of Beneteau's Oceanis cruising yachts that represented a big step forward compared to earlier designs

10+ mins

Invicta 26

A classic long keel yacht for the price of a good dinghy

4 mins

Why Plan B is the route to success

Katy Stickland meets the founder and students at Plan B to see how boatbuilding and sailing are giving teenagers a second chance

8 mins

Westons Point 27

A semi-bespoke gentleman's launch in cedar strip construction, the Westons Point 27 is a real head-turner that oozes traditional craftsmanship, as David Harding reports

9 mins

'Can I trust this mooring?'

Most sailors use traditional moorings without knowing about their condition or how they're made up. Ben Sutcliffe-Davies explains

8 mins

New gear

Rupert Holmes previews the latest marine products

4 mins

Start the season maintenance tips

boatcare's David Thomas has advice on how to get your yacht or motorboat ready for the beginning of the new sailing season

4 mins

Upgrading navigation instruments

Fed up with glitches, Graham Keating replaces his 1997-vintage navigation instruments with multifunction displays

4 mins

Propeller care

Stu Davies has valuable tips on how to maintain your prop-and explains how this vital bit of kit works

6 mins

DIY engine replacement saves £1,500

Richard Reed explains how he saved cash by installing a 'new' second-hand engine himself

10+ mins

Fixing holes in an inflatable tender

Paul Diamond repairs a dinghy that was chewed by rodents

4 mins

MOB in the Mersey

Solo sailor Tony Purcell discovered how quickly a tricky situation can develop when he fell overboard his 42ft yacht on a busy tidal river

7 mins

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Practical Boat Owner Magazine Description:

Published by Time Inc (UK).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.