SAILING SKILLS

Expert on board
How to use furling sails properly: There’s no need to loathe furling sails if you do it right, says Barrie Neilson

Skipper’s tips
• Watch out for your neighbours
• Clear blockages easily

Practical seamanship
Pontoon too short? Here’s what you do. Duncan Wells offers a solution for short, wobbly finger pontoons

Learning curve
Gas belongs in the gas locker, as Stephen Duffy discovered

A question of seamanship
Precariously balanced – how would you react?

Any questions?
• Which lightweight dinghy?
• PLBs: Satellite or AIS?

CRUISING

The legend and truth of Grace Darling
The daring rescue was less dramatic than the myth, though no less seamanlike, says Alastair Buchan

All by ourselves…
Jess Lloyd-Mostyn gets a sense of déjà vu

Anchoring around Britain
Rose and Jeff Snoxell dropped the hook 480 times in two years, on a long-term cruise around the UK

Sailing to Antarctica is child’s play
12-year-old Lara Novak sails south with her family to a world of baby pengiuns, icy games and rough seas

Cruising log
Kay Parkes recalls a cruise to Greece’s most northerly port

A visitor’s guide to Cork Harbour
Cork offers history, beauty and tranquillity – it’s a great cruising destination, says Norman Kean

Anchorages
Getting off the beaten track in Martinique, Turkey and Scilly

GEAR AND BOAT REVIEWS

New boats
Some of the latest yachts from this year’s European boat shows

Tried and tested
Mastervolt Easy Charge: a compact, waterproof charger

Group test: 8 Vacuum cleaners for boats
Duncan kent checks out a range of handheld vacuum cleaners to see how they perform

A cruiser’s guide to sailcloth
Woven, laminate or membrane – which is best for your boat? Greg Goulding explains

New gear
• Water-repelling fleece • Tiny action camera • Handheld VHF 74

New boat test: RM890
‘Highly practical, very fast and great fun’ is Graham Snook’s verdict on this decidedly modern wooden boat

Used boat test: Moody Eclipse 33
Duncan Kent finds plenty to explain why this 1980s deck-saloon cruiser is still so sought-after

NOVEMBER 2015 ISSUE