Expert boat advice
Best waterproof boat shoes: 8 of the best options to keep your feet warm and dry
We’re not suggesting for a moment that boating in the wet will result in trench foot, but anyone who’s been on the receiving end of a good soaking at sea…
Best boat cover: 6 of the best options for protecting your cockpit
Every marina has one – that sad and sorry looking, covered-in-algae-and-seagull-poo boat tied up forlornly at the end of the pontoon. It doesn’t necessarily mean the vessel is unloved, but…
Best kids lifejackets and buoyancy aids for keeping your children safe
But happily even the most irresponsible grown-up always seems to insist on any kids in their charge being fitted with a personal floatation device of one kind or another. And…
Motor boats for beginners: Everything you need to know
Looking to get into motor boats? Discover the options available that’ll see you out on the water in no time
Best anchors: 8 new generation designs suitable for every type of boat
Good ground tackle opens up the option to stay overnight in stunning bays and creeks, away from costly marinas and expensive harbour moorings. A decent anchor is also an essential…
Best hull cleaners buying guide: how to add sparkle above and below the water
It’s no secret, of course, that maintaining a beautifully clean hull is the result of both regular work and use of the right hull cleaners. Yet it’s all too easy…
Best boating apps: 9 essential downloads for iPhone and Android
It’s now physically possible and affordable to carry detailed charts of almost the whole globe in your pocket thanks to the dizzying array of boating apps out there. There’s no…
Best satellite phone: 8 models to help you keep in touch at sea
Buying the best satellite phone is, of course, just the start – you’ll also need a SIM card and data plan. These vary considerably in cost and it’s worth spending…
Best boat dehumidifier: 10 powerful models to keep your boat dry
It sounds obvious, but boats tend to live in a damp environment. Even if you keep yours ashore or in your driveway, damp can still present a problem – just…
Best lifejacket: 13 top choices that could save your life
Whatever else you might find on a boat, you will usually find lifejackets. In the context of this feature we’re talking specifically about the best lifejacket options as opposed to…
Best personal locator beacons and AIS units: 7 top options for boating
Not so long ago simply locating a crew member who had fallen overboard in anything other than the most benign of conditions was a massive challenge, thanks to personal locator…
Best boat wax: 5 top products to make your topsides shine
Many boat owners simply apply boat wax to the topsides once a year, and while this will look good for a short time, to get a really good result it’s…
Best depth sounder models from handheld to top of the range
The trend in recent years is towards boats running the vast majority of boat data through a chartplotter or Multi Function Display (MFD) but most of the best depth sounder…
Best boat paint: 9 of the best DIY topcoats for fibreglass, wood or metal
Nothing improves the look of a boat quite like a fresh lick of high-quality boat paint. Whether your boat is wooden, steel or GRP, today’s easily applied topcoats can give…
Best chartplotter: 6 great options from marine MFDs to tablets
Before we get into which are the best chartplotters or MFDs, it is worth briefly noting the difference between the terms ‘chartplotter’ and ‘MFD’. The terms are broadly used interchangeably,…
Best trolling motors: 8 electric outboard alternatives that really pack a punch
So you’re looking for an electric outboard to whizz your RIB around the harbour. Who wouldn’t want a fancy Torqeedo to hang off your transom? But at £1,450 and up,…
Best handheld marine radios: 8 feature-rich VHF options for your boat
The significant improvements in a number of areas in recent years have seen handheld marine radios move from merely a communications device to something altogether more useful. As technology has…
Best sailing sunglasses: 10 practical options for eye protection on the water
Those of us who go afloat expose ourselves to a lot of ultraviolet (UV) radiation – even on cloudy days in northern Europe. We all know that too much UV…
Best marine radio: 7 of the latest options on the VHF market
Not only does a marine radio serve as a vital safety tool in case something should go wrong onboard, it is also a crucial communications tool more generally. There was…
Best marine binoculars: 7 of the best pairs for keeping a good lookout on board
Whether for identifying a tricky harbour entrance, taking a closer look at an approaching ship or even looking for the breeze, a decent pair of marine binoculars will repay their…