Practical Boat Owner

Revive your canopy

The easy way How to get the perfect crew

BEST BOATS FOR OCEAN SAILING

SAILING ON SUNSHINE

+ How to get the most from your solar panels

ESSENTIAL CHECKS

FOR THE PREPARED SKIPPER From steering to rigging

THE LEGENDARY BOATS THAT SHAPED DESIGN

THE LEGENDARY BOATSSHAPED THAT DESIGN

SOLO SKIPPERS SHARE TIPS ON...

■ Sail control ■ Deck gear ■ MOB recovery ■ Cockpit protection ■ Wind vane steering

Sadler 34 and the best alternatives

Rupert Holmes looks at one of the most desirable cruising yachts of the Sadler era, as well as some alternative boats During the 1970s and 1980s, Sadler Yachts was one of the UK’s best-known boatbuilders, producing a range of serious sea boats that...

Shaft seal replacement Tackling engine vibration

‘SLEEK& SPORTY WEEKEND SAILER’

JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 32 Popular classic

DIY & SAVE £££s

✔ Instrument screen upgrade ✔ Make interiors shine ✔ Budget fuel cleaning ✔ Bow-thruster fix

PRACTICAL

✔ Seasonal checks ✔ DIY engine replacement ✔ Inflatable tender repairs ✔ Fitting nav instruments ✔ Pipework for tank vents

Pogo 8.50, a great second-hand buy

Rupert Holmes examines a forward-thinking, fast-cruising 28-footer from the 1990s and suggests some exciting alternatives Through the 1990s early IMOCA 60s and 21ft Mini 650s took the offshore racing world by storm. Their wide, flat hull forms were...

Laying cabin insulation

Restoring the inside of a tired forecabin, resplendent with the ubiquitous ‘vinyl droop’ commonly associated with Westerlies and other yachts of that genre, presented us with problems. Predominant was the complex curvatures of the hull itself. One...

Faster and faster...

Solo monohull 24-hour speed records have fallen multiple times in the current Vendée Globe. As I write, Sébastien Simon holds the record having clocked 614.25 nautical miles in 24 hours aboard the IMOCA 60, Groupe Dubreuil. And this record could fall...

Buying second-hand: Bavaria 34 and alternatives

This spacious J and J-designed 34-footer from 1999 immediately struck a chord with the boat-buying public, with the first year’s production selling out before the prototype left the factory. When I tested one of the first examples to reach the UK it...

Second-hand boat focus: the seaworthy Contessa 32

Since its launch more than 50 years ago, the Contessa 32 has retained a reputation as one of the most seaworthy yachts of its size, yet it also still races competitively as a one-design class. This was the second design from David Sadler to be built by...

STEERING SYSTEMS

Servicing tips & troubleshooting Buyers’ guide Long-term reviews

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROP

Best boats for living aboard

Under 25ft, cruising yachts rarely offer standing headroom, making it tricky for cooking or dressing, not to mention the chronic back ache from constant stooping. If you plan on living aboard permanently, consider headroom a priority. Cruising for...

Best boats for Baltic cruising

Sailing to the Baltic is quite demanding as you’ll be crossing the often-turbulent North Sea and some of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe. So you’ll need a sound, seaworthy craft fit for the purpose and suitably equipped for long, open sea...