SAILING SKILLS

The big question
‘What is the best system to stow your mainsail?’

A question of seamanship
‘We’ve run aground. Now what do we do?’

Expert on board
To the rescue! We all get taught how to make a Mayday call, but how are you meant to respond when you hear one, and what can you do to assist?

Learning curve
‘Our offshore cruise turned into an ocean survival epic.’ Even with careful preparation, heavy weather can lead to a serious situation. How you react is critical

Technical
How stable is your boat? Adding heavy cruising gear will change your boat’s stability, so it is worth checking. We show you an easy way to calculate yacht stability

CRUISING

A long weekend
The Swale and the River Medway are home to marshland, birds and mud, as well as surprising beauty
and tranquility, according to Dick Durham

Homewaters – School sailing heroes
When a school sailing club from inner-city London decided to compete in the Fastnet Race, they raised some eyebrows, and then made sailing history

Adventure – YouYube sailing stars
A young couple started cruising and made a video for YouTube. They now enjoy global fame and a brand new catamaran. How have they done it?

Cruising logs
Readers share their crossings of the Channel, the Bay of Cadiz and the Pacific Ocean

Anchorage
Alastair Buchan explains the appeal of stargazing and birdwatching at anchor in Northumberland

BOATS & GEAR

New boat test – Hallberg-Rassy 340
Graham Snook heads for a wintry sail on a Swedish classic that has had a modern makeover. He finds a boat that’s built for comfort and speed

New gear
The METS trade show saw a host of new equipment unveiled. We take our pick, including electric winch handles, automatic tethers and AIS smartphone apps

Find me a… Deck saloon for £150K
Reevaluating how they cruise, two readers decide to move to a deck saloon for more shelter. What’s on the market for their budget?