SAILING SKILLS

Expert on board: Small boat offshore sailing
Is your yacht up to it? Will Bruton finds small boats embarking on big adventures to find out what it really takes to cross open water

A question of seamanship
‘How do we sail into this berth?’ With no engine and a tricky river pontoon, how would you go about coming into this mooring? asks James Stevens

Learning curve
‘We were caught by katabatic winds in Oman’

Practical seamanship: Mast climbing for shorthanded crews
Professional skipper Simon Phillips shares how to go aloft safely with only one other crewmember on board

The big question
‘How do I check my fire extinguishers work?’

CRUISING

Adventure The final frontier: Indonesia’s untouched archipelago. One cruising couple head east away from the crowds to discover the beauty of the Anambas Islands

Home waters Coasting home. A delivery trip from the Solent to the Thames throws up a list of jobs for Dick Durham to tackle on the dream boat he has finally bought

A long weekend: Milford Haven
Discover the harbour’s hidden gems. Jonty Pearce cruises his home waters to discover wildlife sanctuaries and a rich industrial heritage

Cruising logs
Readers share their cruising experiences in the anchorages of Greece and the Essex rivers

Pilotage
Exploring the hidden Hamble, Peter Bruce goes upriver in a dinghy

Sailing Life
‘Should your boat’s length match your age?’ asks Julian Mounter

GEAR AND BOATS

New boat test: Amel 50
French ketch builder has launched its first sloop in two decades. Pip Hare goes for a sail and finds rugged luxury that will take you round the world in comfort

Group test: Multitools
What is the one knife you need in your pocket? YM put eight popular multitools head to head to find
out which one they wouldn’t do without

Find me a… £14,000 first cruiser
A young couple want a boat to start their sailing adventures in. With a limited budget and a desire to sail, Graham Snook helps find their ideal boat

Tried & Tested
Will Bruton tests the FLIR One iPhone thermal-imaging camera

Film review: The Mercy
The Donald Crowhurst film is ‘one of the best sailing films ever’