PBO number and date

Abstract

513 September 2009

Installing fans to keep cool Installing fans in the engine room, behind the fridge radiator and in the cabin.

515 November 2009

Make your own galvanic isolator How to use simple and readily available components to make a GI.

517 January 2010

Trouble off Tuscany Ann's account of the Midsummer Night storm in Elba and our lucky escape.

527 October 2010

Electrical techniques: Soldering How to solder electronic components with emphasis on constructing kits available from shops such as Maplin. Make your own Water Alarm and Trickle Charger

530 January 2011

DIY tank level monitor Using a blood pressure meter to measure the contents of liquid in a tank.

534 May 2011

DIY metal fabrication How to solder aluminium and the advantages and drawbacks of available products

537 Summer 2011

Protect your tender from UV Make a cover from readily available materials to protect the tubes of your inflateable.

537 Summer 2011

Solar panels Everything you need to know! Types, mounts and how to estimate how much power you will capture wherever you are in the world.

Sailing Today
172 August 2011

The Gulf of Amvrakikos Ann's travelogue around the Amvrakikos gulf east of Preveza.

534 January 2012

Replacing a windlass Choosing and fitting a new bow anchor windlass.

544 February 2012

Fit a digital alternator regulator How to install a Sterling ProReg smart altrnator regulator with a step by step guide to the alternator modifications.

545 March 2012

DIY anodising David with Amanda Potts describes how to anodise aluminium including where to buy the chemicals and how to dye the finished product.

547 May 2012

Installing a holding tank The regulations, planning and fitting the tank. Some practical aspects to take into account.

548 June 2012

Exhaust temperature alarm Adapting a Maplin kit to make an adjustable alarm suitable for exhaust over-temperature or a fridge.

549 July 2012

Boot Storage Ann converts a wet locker into a useful boot and shoe storage.

550 Summer 2012

Repairing a Wind Speed Indicator The NASA wsi is notorious for breaking its cups, this article shows how to make a more robust version from damaged parts.

551 August 2012

Replacing an Oil Cooler Replacing a disintegrated Volvo 2003T oil cooler with a more robust and far cheaper unit.

554 November 2012

Shore Power Alarm Making an alarm that sounds when shore power fails using a Velleman kit and a mains low voltage power supply.

555 December 2012

Binnacle Table Replacing a disintegrated teak binnacle table in Iroko. Design and manufacture of a table to hold glasses, bottles, radios and all sorts of other equipment.

557 February 2013

Repair Electronics How to repair electronics in general with a faulty GPS and Autohelm as examples.

559 April 2013

Gas Alarm Make a DIY gas alarm for £22 using commercial sensors and readily available electronics components.

560 May 2013

Chrome re-plating Amanda Potts, David's daughter, shows how to replace the chrome on a plated fitting using a kit and readily available chamicals.

561 June 2013

LEDs Three LED projects and a bit of theory: (1) A simple LED indicator / test probe, (2) Replacing batteries with ships power in an LED striplight, (3) Improving the light output from a spotlight.

562 July 2013

Low Voltage Alarm Build a low voltage alarm from scratch using simple components. No setting up is necessary.

563 Summer 2013

Window Covers Ann uses Phifertex to exclude 75% of the energy falling on the saloon windows to keep the saloon cooler.

564 August 2013

Cockpit Shower We install a Whale 'Twist' cockpit shower and comment on it's features.

571 March 2014

Heat Exchanger A leak in the heat exchanger led us to try a repair and when that failed we installed a commercially available alternative unit.

574 June 2014

Insect Screens Ann makes insect screens for the companionway doors to keep bugs out.

578 September 2014

Voltage Sensitive Breaker To protect batteries from over-voltage rather than over-current you need a voltage sensitive breaker, here is a simple design for one.

582 January 2015

Solar Panels and MPPT An update on the original article covers three generations of technology and explains why sailors should stick with generation one. Also tests MPPT controllers and reports on their effectiveness.

583 February 2015

Automatic Anchor Light A simple circuit to turn the anchor light on at dusk and off at dawn.

584 March 2015

Re-cover Faded Upholstery Ann uses a domestic sewing machine to refurbish the setee cushions in Aderyn Glas's saloon.

586 May 2015

Small Console from Veneered Plastic In a case where wood was not a possible choice David reverted to childhood and used Plastikard to manufacture a small instrument console, finishing it with teak veneer..

589 Summer 2015

DC-DC Convertors Using the ubiquitous devices to make a dc lamp dimmer and trickle charge regulator. A description of dc convertors generally.

590 August 2015

Mooring to the Shore in the Med In a rare excursion into the realm of seamanship Ann and David answer the question most frequently asked by newcomers to the Med.

592 October 2015

Fitting a Solenoid Gas Valve Following a survey requirement to be able to isolate the gas supply with a dedicated valve david determines the only way to do so is to fit an electrically controlled Solenoid valve. See also the debate in "Ask the experts" in PBO 595, Jan 2016.

596 February 2016

Replacing the Fridge The original fridge was overdue for retirement but fitting a new one is anything but 'plug and play'. This article identifies some of the more subtle pitfalls that need to be avoided.

597 March 2016

A New Passerelle Our trusty B+Q plank needed replacing but we had accrued a host of ideas that led to adapting a motorcycle ramp for bow mounting.

604 September 2016

Toilet servicing How to dissassemble a Plastimo toilet, change the seals and reassemble.

605 October 2016

Rocna anchor issues Some unexpected consequences of changing to a Rocna anchor.

608 January 2017

SonarPhone Fitting and testing a SonarPhone.

609 February 2017

Solar Water Heating Installing a solar water heating system and new calorifier.

623 March 2018

Raw Water Pump Seals Replacing the seals in a VP 2003T raw water pump.

633 December 2018

Cable joints Cable corrosion and how to make waterproof joints.

635 February 2019

AIS Theory and practice of AIS on yachts and ships.

638 May 2019

Boom Tent How to make a boom tent sunshade.

646 December 2019

Planned Maintenance Salutory tale of equipment failures.

656 September 2020

Repairing a Clipper Wind Easy repair of the wind instrument

660 January 2021

Switching from sail to inland Buying a GRP canal boat.

660 January 2021

Make a mast cover Protection for the furled sail during winter.

662 March 2021

Wheel Modification Enlarging a steering wheel.

665 June 2021

Solar Panels Technical buyer's guide.

665 June 2021

Solar Panel for Osprey Installing a solar panel.

665 June 2021

Narrow boat to Chester Gemma Cusacks' cruising article.

June 2021, David has updated the Solar Panels article and this is now available for free on the PBO website.