With her long keel, appealing lines, big-boat feel and surprisingly roomy interior, the Frances 26 is a sought-after, second-hand buy, says David Harding Boats that are both modest in size and classic ...

To fit, lay the spinnaker out on the grass, reach down through the top of the snuffer, grasp the head of the sail and pull it ...

There’s no such thing as a free boat is an oft-repeated expression in the world of boat restoration and, sadly, it’s usually not far from the truth. I’ve lost count of the number of ‘bargain’ boats ...

Changing the boat’s rig from a ketch to a schooner didn’t help either, because it meant bolting new fittings through the deck ...

That’s when I was told the cutless bearing was rattling and the cutless bearing housing itself was dezincified and well past ...