affiliates
Prime Day deals on boat shoes: Big savings on Sperry, Sebago and more
If you ask us, you can never have too many pairs of boat shoes, and Amazon Prime Day is a perfect excuse to treat yourself to a brand new pair of deckies. UK shoppers can bag huge savings on top brands like Sperry and Sebago, so you can be sure…
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 safety item that may need to hold you off a lee shore in the event of engine failure. However, unless…
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 to skimp on spending on the relatively small number of items need to keep a boat looking its best. Predictably,…
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 reason to set an alarm for 0555am solely to listen to the Shipping Forecast. And you can get a warning…
Gill Deckhand and Championship review: Minimalist sailing gloves tested
Similarities include short cuffs that don’t interfere with a sailing watch and a snug fit. Their slightly contoured shape also aids comfort and freedom of movement. The Gill Championship benefits from an impressive four-way stretch fabric used across the back of the hand. This also has a full UV 50+…
Zhik G1 and Zhik G2 review: Lightweight and performance sailing gloves tested
These two sailing gloves from Zhik exactly fulfil those requirements. They are complementary products, with each one optimised for use in different conditions. Both are available in either full-fingered versions, apart from thumb and forefinger, or short fingers. However, the Zhik G2 Performance glove has extra protection and is intended…
Gill Helmsman review: Gauntlet-style sailing gloves put to the test
Gill Helmsman sailing gloves promise the luxury of warmth in challenging conditions and are reminiscent of traditional drivers’ gloves in the days before cars had decent heaters. However, in this case the long gauntlet serves a different purpose. It allows for a decent size overlap inside the sleeve of a…
Zhik Superwarm review: Insulated watersports gloves tested
These full finger sailing gloves are aimed at watersports enthusiasts who play in the water and know their hands will be wet for extended periods. The philosophy behind the Zhik Superwarm design is therefore focussed on keeping wet hands as warm as possible. A super stretchy 3mm water repellent neoprene…
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 some time researching the best options for your type of sailing. MailASail have a useful guide to choosing your usage…
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 as in a car or caravan. So buying the best boat dehumidifier for your needs is important. An added challenge…
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 buoyancy aids: lifejackets that will inflate to turn you on to your back in the water and provide you with…
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 beacons (PLBs) and personal AIS units this has fundamentally changed. PLBs are small devices, typically fitted on a lifejacket, that…
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 worth taking a little more time over the job. There are, broadly speaking, three stages: Cleaning: If you try and…
Borrow A Boat launches Seedrs crowdfunding campaign *sponsored*
The company which was founded by Matt Ovenden in 2016 has been growing fast in recent years and now provides charter access to over 35,000 boats in 65 countries, and is one of a small handful vying to become the definitive global boat charter platform. Borrow A Boat has raised…
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 models still come with a separate specific LCD display screen. The display itself is reasonably simple and the key concern…
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 your boat’s topsides a new lease of life. But it’s not quite as simple as slapping a coat of enamel…
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, typically an MFD works as a chartplotter but also functions as a whole system hub too, connecting a variety of…
Black Friday boating deals: Our pick of the best discounts available right now
They say the early bird catches the worm and that adage certainly seems to be the case with Black Friday boating deals. Many marine retailers have started their Black Friday sales earlier this year, and Amazon is leading the charge with a huge range of discounts on Helly Hansen boating…
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, chances are it’s not in the budget. A solid alternative, however, is the trusty trolling motor at a fraction of…
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 shrunk, battery life improved and screens become clearer, handheld VHFs can now offer many of the safety features available from…