Yachts engines are like bodies; we only appreciate them when they stop working. On more than one occasion last year, the engine on my Luders 36ft long-keeled sloop, Nimrod, reminded…
How to
How to squeeze a yacht into a tight marina berth
Jane is on a cruising holiday on board Storm Petrel, her 10m yacht. The boat has a long fin keel and skeg. When engaging astern there is a strong prop…
How to optimise sail trim
It is difficult to describe ‘correct’ sail shape, but the three most important things to consider are: sail draft (the fullness of the sail), draft position, and twist (controlled by…
A Hebridean Swallows and Amazons experience
When I was age 12 , we went on a family holiday on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides off Scotland’s west coast. I was pottering around the…
How do you recover a man overboard?
Paul and Emma own a 10m yacht and are day sailing with Paul’s parents on a fine day in early May. The weather is fair so they are all wearing…
Keeping your boat afloat: how to find and fix hull moisture
No matter how hard you try, a completely dry boat without hull moisture is a rarity. The older a boat gets the more likely seals will start shrinking, sealant around…
How sailors navigate using just the sun: Expert guide to celestial navigation
When you read this, I will be somewhere in the depths of the Southern Ocean, bound for Cape Horn aboard the Swan 55 Galiana WithSecure. Supported by a crew of…
The forecast is unsettled, should you leave harbour?
Bill is in Plymouth in September planning a passage to the Med. He has decided that the first leg is to sail to Camaret near Brest in Brittany. His yacht,…
How do solo sailors sleep at sea? Experts share their tips and advice
When I was planning my first solo offshore sail on my Lagoon 410 Cushla, from Grenada to Bonaire, my biggest concern was not the risk of pirates off the coast…
Wow, that was fast! Why trimarans are SO much fun to sail – and how to do it
Humans tend to gravitate into tribes of like-minded enthusiasts, enjoying the encouragement, support and sense of identity, while often looking askance at others; sailors at motorboaters, cruising sailors at racers,…