Alison Wood, Practical Boat Owner Journalist Profile

Articles

How we live the dream: sailors share their routes into bluewater sailing

2 weeks ago | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

There are many paths to bluewater cruising. Here boat owners share their stories with Ali Wood ahead of their transatlantic crossings TAGS: ARCCruisingTop stories For many of us, bluewater sailing is a lifelong dream which, often, never seems quite attainable due to the pressures of work, life, family or just circumstance.
Dolphins welcome astronauts back to Earth

3 weeks ago | uk.whales.org | Alison Wood

About 220 bottlenose dolphins live in the Moray Firth and East coast of Scotland. My name is Charlie Phillips and I’m the WDC adopt a dolphin field officer. I follow the dolphins' lives all year around, mostly from land-based lookouts. You can often find me at the beautiful Chanonry Point, with my camera mounted on a big tripod, taking photos of the dolphins who like to hunt salmon here, and watching their behaviour as they move in and out of the area.
Fouled propeller fix: top tips for solving the problem at sea

1 month ago | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

What should you do when you catch a line or fishing net and your prop becomes fouled? Ali Wood looks at the options TAGS: practicalTop stories A fouled propeller is every sailor’s nightmare. Whether snagged suddenly in the middle of a channel, or a drifting target for shipping, it’s a stressful situation and one that requires a calm head.
Sailing with family: tips to keep your children safe & happy on board

2 months ago | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

How do you juggle feeds, naps and tantrums while sailing around the world? Ali Wood gets top tips from the liveaboard Stevens family TAGS: ARCseamanshipTop storiesWorld Cruising Club “Crossing the Atlantic with these two is not something I would recommend,” says Stef Stevens, mother of seven-month-old Roux and two-year-old Jesse.
Boat protection: how to prepare your yacht for a storm in harbour

Jan 14, 2025 | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

PBO experts and readers share tips on keeping your boat safe in a blow TAGS: practicalseamanshipTop storiesweather Boat protection: how to prepare your yacht for a storm in harbourWinter storms account for the majority of boat insurance claims in January but insurance expert Paul Knox-Johnston points out that there’s no one cause of a specific weather event.
Life with Mars

Jan 10, 2025 | uk.whales.org | Alison Wood

Meet Mars, a remarkable humpback whale named after the Roman god of war. She is curious and bold, proving herself to be a fighter by escaping from the fishing ropes in which she had become entangled. She bears large scars on her tail as a testament to her incredible survival. Mars has 14 children, the youngest of whom was born this year, while her eldest, Fellis, is 44 years old. She also has seven grandchildren.
Hanneke Boon: Life after Wharram

Jan 9, 2025 | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

Ali Wood learns how a shy 19-year-old – one of James Wharram’s ‘five girls’ – became a designer, skipper and head of a multihull business TAGS: Amazing AdventuresTop storiesWharram Hanneke Boon is ‘carving out a new stage in her life’. Two years after the death of her business and life partner, James Wharram, she’s crossed the Atlantic, given presentations and continues to send plans to amateur boatbuilders across the globe.
Satellite communication at sea: staying connected from your boat

Jan 7, 2025 | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

With Starlink’s high-speed internet, do sailors still need satellite phones on board while at sea? Ali Wood looks at the pros and cons of the different systems available to cruisers TAGS: geargear testTop stories Satellite communication at sea: staying connected from your boatSatellite phones, which connect with mobiles and landlines via Earth stations, have changed little since I first wrote about them in 2006.
5 Best Smart Scales Most Recommended By Health Experts

Jan 6, 2025 | msn.com | Alison Wood

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Yachts bring tool kits to Grenada following hurricane

Dec 11, 2024 | pbo.co.uk | Alison Wood

Hammers, nails, toys and teddies amongst the items donated by ARC+ yachts in the wake of Beryl Transatlantic sailors arriving in Grenada have brought tool kits to aid relief in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The category 4 hurricane, which made landfall in July, toppled trees and power lines, tore roofs from houses and blew buildings off their foundations.