Having owned my 1984 Sadler 29, Pasque, for four years, and cruising with family and, more recently, small children on board, we began to get to know her foibles. She…
Sailing skills
Digital passage planning and electronic navigation
Drawing up a passage plan is not only common sense, it is a legal requirement under SOLAS V regulation 34 which says that, whatever the size of your vessel, you…
Taking your friends and family sailing
They say that relationships formed at sea can founder on shore, but sit back with a glass of wine in a busy marina and you’ll find evidence of the reverse…
Catamaran sailing skills: recover a multihull man overboard
Finding yourself in a man overboard (MOB) situation probably ranks near the top of every sailor’s list of biggest fears whether it’s a monohull MOB of a multihull man overboard.…
Catamaran sailing skills: Mooring and anchoring a multihull
How do you make an average passage speed of 7 knots, fit in three double cabins and a huge saloon in under 36ft of boat length? Add another hull of…
How would you tackle a berth in a gale?
Would you know how to berth in a gale? James Stevens answers your Questions of Seamanship
‘Our dog saved us from severe carbon monoxide poisoning’
Making a boat warm and cosy overnight nearly cost two sailors their lives. Jeremy Evans recalls a narrow escape from severe carbon monoxide poisoning
Do you still lee bow after a wind shift?
If you are lee bowing, how do you make best use of a windshift? James Stevens answers your Questions of Seamanship
‘Our boat was sunk’: one owner shares how to avoid losing your yacht
A little weekend cruising boat was great fun for Tiffany Butler, but keeping up with maintenance proved a challenge
Downwind sails: How to pick the right one and fly it
The words ‘pink spinnaker’ are enough to send a chill down the spine of anyone who’s ever watched Cowes Week disaster footage. There’s Atalanta of Chester, which dis-masted when their…