What does lifting a sodden man overboard out of the drink and tensioning the backstay have in common? Well, unless you’re sailing a very small dinghy, they both make use…
Practical seamanship
How safe is your yacht’s keel?
Few yachts have issues caused directly by the design of the keel. Almost all the failures I deal with are from hull damage that has gone unnoticed or poor repairs…
Tidal calculations: why online predictions can be dangerously inaccurate
On shallow estuaries, tidal calculations are vital, but Ken Endean finds errors in online predictions
Canal cruising in France: how to prepare the boat & crew
When Nic Compton decided to take his family and their boat to the Mediterranean ‘as the crow flies’, he embarked on a steep learning curve to get boat and crew…
Apparent wind: How to predict it and use it to your advantage
Predicting changes in apparent wind will make you a safer, faster sailor, says Martin Watts
Course to steer: how to calculate it in your head
Knowing mental arithmetic shortcuts can make calculating your course to steer quick and simple, says Peter Strike
How to judge distance at sea
Being able to accurately judge distance at sea is just as vital in the digital age as it ever was, says James Stevens. We look at how to refine your…
Traditional seamanship on an oyster smack
Toby Heppell heads to the East Coast to sail a traditional oyster smack and put his dredging skills to the test
Surviving a Force 11 storm with a series drogue
Small cruising boats are not fast enough to sail away from bad weather. Tony Curphey shares how a series drogue was vital while sailing the Southern Ocean in a Nicholson
Towing a boat: how to tow and be towed
When a boat needs towing, cruising yachts are often among the first on the scene. James Stevens explains how to help