It's not about the boat: Editor's Letter May 2022

How did you choose the boat you own or sail on? Theo Stocker ponders this question as he introduces the May 2022 issue of Yachting Monthly

Anchoring off Old Law Sands, listening to the song of numberless seals hauled out to bask and pup, is an otherworldly experience. Face the other way and you’re on Lindisfarne, the earliest outpost of Celtic Christianity, founded by St Aidan in AD 635. Credit: Miranda Delmar Morgan

What’s more important to you: eating up the miles at speed, or comfort and seaworthiness in any weather?

The kind of boat you own, or dream of, will go a long way to answering that question.

It will also dictate which of this month’s test boats you’ll prefer.

The 30-year-old Najad 390 may displace a generous 10 tonnes, but as her owners find, you’ll still feel fresh after a long day at sea, and there’s plenty of space to make toast and marmalade (p86).

On the other hand, the Salona 46, fresh out of a less well-known Croatian yard, offers 7ft more waterline and another 10m2 of sail area for the same weight (p20).

She’ll eat up the miles in style, if less sedately than the Najad. I’m still debating which I’d go for.

Continues below…

A boat sailing close to a colony of seals. The east coast is good for wildlife watching

Sailing wildlife: 10 best British spots to see various species

One of the great pleasures of cruising the waters of the British Isles are sailing wildlife encounters. The diversity of…

10 Best islands to sail to in the UK - Isles of Scilly

Best islands to sail to in the UK & Ireland

There are thousands islands in the UK and Ireland. Our experts pick the 10 best islands to sail to this

Cruising destinations: 10 of the best for gourmet food

One of the real pleasures of picking cruising destinations is to find one you know will provide excellent food to…

Be careful not to disturb colonies when bird watching by boat.

Bird watching by boat: 10 of the best places in the UK & Ireland

Seabirds and sailors have always shared a special kind of bond. Our experts reveal the top locations to go bird…

The people I do envy, however, are the Kemp family in their Arcona 410 (p54).

It’s a cracking boat but more importantly, they’ve got family sailing properly squared away.

Their young sons can helm, fend and knot-tie with the best of them, and their mum, Amy, has built up the confidence to take the boys out even when it’s just the three of them.

With a crew like that, it won’t be long until they’re racking up some serious adventures under their keel. If it were me, I’d be itching to sail around the British Isles – an as-yet unfulfilled dream.

However long you’ve got, Miranda Delmar-Morgan explains just how to do it (p42).

Not in a one-size-fits-all way, but looking at the decisions you’ll be making as skipper when it comes to which direction to go, how to play the tides, where to stop and explore, and the tide races and headlands you’ll navigate on the way.

It makes me want to cast off the lines and set sail right now, whatever the boat looks like.

Enjoyed reading It’s not about the boat: Editor’s Letter May 2022?

A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price.

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.

YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water.

- - Take your seamanship to the next level with tips, advice and skills from our experts
  - Impartial in-depth reviews of the latest yachts and equipment
  - Cruising guides to help you reach those dream destinations