You know the stars have aligned when you get Force 4-5 and bright sunshine, as well as a boat, crew, photographer and RIB all in the right place at the…
Theo Stocker
Electric outboard motor: we test 13 options
The electric outboard motor has been around for many years, but they have either been too low powered or their lead acid batteries have made them too heavy to lift…
How I survived a dismasting in an 80 knot storm in the middle of an ocean
Cape Horn gave me a good beating, and I needed to sort some problems on the boat, so I anchored off Picton Island in the lee of the Horn. It…
First look: Nautitech 44 Open
Founded in 1994, Nautitech Catamarans have been part of the Bavaria Yachts Group since 2014, though they are still built in Rochefort in France. Previous models have offered options to…
Heavy weather sailing: How and when to run for shelter
Previously we’ve looked at how to prepare your boat for heavy weather sailing, including how to rig and fit your boat for storm sails and how to reduce sail in…
Heavy weather sailing: Essential boathandling skills
Coastal sailors usually have the luxury of waiting out bad weather safely tucked up in harbour, but sail for long enough and eventually an unexpected squall, front or storm will…
First look: Bente 28 – unlike any other
Once you’ve seen one, Bente yachts are unmistakable. We revisited the brand’s first boat, the Bente 24, recently, which has been around for 10 years or so. The brand then…
First look: Pointer 30 – stylish 30 footer
The fact that the accommodation of the Pointer 30 is designed around a Nespresso machine, enshrined in glory, tells you a lot about this boat. It was conceived as a…
First look: Swallow Yachts 32 – wood-epoxy 30 footer
Small boat specialist Swallow Yachts is venturing above 30ft for a sailing boat for the first time with the new Swallow 32, and it’s also returning to its roots with…
First look: Hanse 510 – voluminous new model
It doesn’t seem long since Hanse launched its 508, but it has now launched the Hanse 510 as the second model of the new style as it sets about updating…