Alison Wood

Topping up the batteries with solar power has never been easier, says Ali Wood, but how do you decide which boat solar panels to buy?

There are many ways to stay warm afloat, whatever your budget. Ali Wood chooses the best boat heaters

Three transatlantic cruisers share valuable lessons about how to manage solar, hydro and wind power on board, and where they went wrong.

Why this Dutch couple chose the Solent to start Boats on Wheels, their trailer-sailer selling business.

Stuart James of Predator Batteries talks battery technology with Ali Wood about why lithium marine batteries may soon have had their day.

Your buying guide for electronic navigation, featuring the Garmin chartplotter and models from Raymarine, B&G, Simrad, and more

There are many paths to bluewater sailing. Here, liveaboard sailors share their stories with Ali Wood ahead of their transatlantic crossings

How do you juggle feeds, naps and tantrums while sailing around the world? Ali Wood gets top tips on sailing with family from Stef and Rich Stevens

From the pages of Practical Boat Owner magazine – our pick of the best Christmas gift ideas for the boat owner in your life

With Starlink’s high-speed internet, do sailors still need satellite phones? Ali Wood examines the different satellite communication systems for cruisers

Staying afloat this winter? Ali Wood has some top tips for keeping warm while winter sailing, including clothing, food and heating

Over 450 shares have been sold to the public to help rescue a much-loved watersports centre

From horsepower to shaft length and tilt-angle to 2- or 4-stroke, Ali Wood highlights what you should consider when buying a new or used outboard motor

Take the stress out of the big day with Practical Boat Owner's boat launch checklist

What can a lapsed cruising sailor learn from dinghy sailing skills? A lot, as Ali Wood discovers when she returns to the water for her RYA Level 3

Cruisers reveal their favourite cookware, from thermal cookers to induction hobs and nifty ideas for food storage

Ali is a features editor of Practical Boat Owner. A yachting, outdoor and travel journalist, she’s written for a number of brands, including BBC Wildlife, Countryfile, Yachting Monthly and Radio Times. She’s also worked as a publisher in the Women’s and Craft sectors. Sailing and watersports are her passion. As a child she raced Mirror dinghies with her parents and went on to cruise the North Wales coast in everything from a fibreglass trimaran to a 100-year-old wooden gaffer. These days she…

The Stevens family took on nappies, teething and potty training when they sailed across the Atlantic with kids

Now’s the time to tick-off those boat maintenance jobs you’ve been putting off all season and get a head-start on the spring rush, says Ali Wood

Fast internet connection and innovative downwind sail help Oyster 575 take podium position