Free chart

Trébeurden

Peter Cumberlidge visits the North Brittany port of Tr’beurden, including free chart, pilotage notes and local knowledge

Features

• In search of snow
  
  When Niki Perryman and her partner Jamie sailed north in their 35-foot wooden sloop to spend a winter within the Arctic Circle, they found the warm Norwegian welcome helped take the chill off the sub-zero temperatures

• Hostage in Granville
  
  Call them the victims of an act of piracy, a lawless siege or the hostages of fortune, but when Alan Ryall and his wife found themselves trapped aboard their Westerly Seahawk in the French port of Granville by menacing fishermen, there was no help to turn to

• Cornwall to Crouch
  
  Dick Durham and two friends found their mettle tested on a delivery trip from Saltash to the River Crouch, proving that even the most experienced sailors can get caught out

• Birds of passage
  
  Blue water correspondent Annie Hill recalls her encounters on the wing with a few feathered friends that have hitched a ride, from penguins and hoopoes, to the legendary albatross

• Santa’s bag
  
  in our biggest-ever Christmas present extravaganza Miles Kendall delves into Santa’s goody bag to see what might be in your stocking this year

• Hamble to Canaries
  
  Novice sailor Clive Imber sets off on his transatlantic voyage and finds numerous mental and physical challenges to overcome as he sails single-handed from the Hamble to Gran Canaria, in the second instalment of this four-part adventure

• New gear
  
  Peter Nielsen keeps us up to date, this month looking at a solar powered anchor light, an eco-blast foghorn and more

• Buy a boat for under 15k
  
  Whatever your sailing experience and expertise, for ‘15,000 you can get afloat in a wide choice of boats, says James Jermain

On test

• Lifesaving lights
  
  If you are unlucky enough to fall overboard at night, will your crew find you? We put an array of lifejacket lights to the test and investigate how to make sure MOBs are seen in the water

• Compromis C-34
  
  Peter Nielsen tests the new Compromis C-34. What is his verdict on this new centre-cockpit cruiser from the Netherlands?

• Privilege 37
  
  What is special about this new French cat? James Jermain puts her through her paces

• Westerly Typhoon
  
  Does the 37ft Westerly Typhoon live up to her stirring name? Simon Jinks finds out

Regulars

• Editorial The joys of winter sailing
• On Watch Britain’s Olympic heroes
• Next Month What’s in the January issue
• New Boats Moody 64, Dudley Dix and Kahuna
• Readers’ Letters Prop fouling to cockroaches
• Any Questions? Protect against lightning
• YM Books Armchair reading for sailors
• Libby Purves High times in Amsterdam
• Blue Water Letter One from the heart
• Blue Water Postscript Northern madness
• Around the Coast The latest news
• Waterside Property Winter wonderland

Sailing Skills

• Question of seamanship
  
  Compass crisis
• Learning curve
  
  Coping with a sinking ship
• Tom Cunliffe’s Yachtmaster Class
  
  Secrets of the wind
• The Confessional Readers’ sins exposed

• Better boat handling
  
  
• Pilotage quiz
  
  win a Simrad Handheld VHF
• Quick tips
  
  
• Des Sleightholme
  
  Taking a turn at the helm