March 2016
In your March 2016 issue:
SAILING SKILLS
Expert on board: Navigate with Google Earth
Satellite photos should be part of everyone’s navigation toolkit, says Tom Partridge
A question of seamanship
‘How would you escape this lobster pot berth’?
Any questions?
• ‘Reduce weather helm?’
• ‘Are AGM batteries worth it?’
Learning curve
‘How I got battered in Biscay’: Caught out by a deep low
Skipper’s tips
• True or ground wind?
• Don’t get swept away by the tide
Practical seamanship: Anchoring myth busted!
Vyv Cox investigates catenary, and what really happens in winds above Force 5
How to tackle a windward berth solo
Chris Beeson reports
A Dutch skipper’s tips
Lt Cdr Harry Dekkers skippers the Royal Netherlands Navy’s 90ft training ketch. He shared his top tips with us
CRUISING
Cruising: Night passage through Amsterdam
Dick Durham joins the Dutch Navy’s sail traing vessel for a night-time delivery
Adventure: Cruising to Byzantium Rod and Lu Heikell sail through the Dardanelles to Istanbul, a city at the crossroads of history
Home waters: Why sailing at dawn is the best
You may be yawning, but there is a unique excitement to sailing at dawn, says Colin Jarman
Brittany pilotage
20 miles of bliss on the Vilaine River
Anchorages
Four beautiful spots to anchor, from Normandy to Denmark
Cruising log
Readers’ experiences in Turkey, the Baltic and the Atlantic
Family sailing: A watersports holiday in Greece
Is it possible to have a sailing holiday that keeps the whole family happy? Simon Fevyer thinks it is
GEAR & BOAT REVIEWS
Tried and tested
• Henri Lloyd oilies
• Handheld VHF
• Deck trainers
• 80 New gear
• Rescue sling
• Flexible jacket
• GPS compass
• Water filter
Hull revamp: Paint, polish or wrap?
What can you do to revive a faded, tired-looking hull? Greg Goulding explores the options
New boat test: Winner 8 Small is beautiful and in the right weather small can also be fun, as Graham Snook discovers in Holland
Used boat test: Bavaria 34
If you’re looking for your first coastal cruiser, this boat should definitely be on your list, says Duncan Kent
…. and much more!