The social narrative pushes us to take responsibility for protecting the natural environment that we sail in. But how exactly can we do that without sucking the joy out of…
Practical seamanship
How to clean an anti-syphon valve on a yacht’s engine
On sailing boats the exhaust pipe is swept up into a ‘swan neck’ to stop following waves flooding the exhaust when the engine isn’t running. Exhaust gas normally drives water…
How to lay your own mooring
Over the years I have had deep water moorings laid for me and also dug in my own half-tide moorings. Both have been in positions which suited the craft I…
How do you know if you have enough purchase in a rigging system?
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…
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…