Downsizing. It’s what you do when your children leave home or when you retire. You decide to move to a smaller house and buy a smaller car. It’s also what…
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‘We spent hours rowing and snorkelling along the edge of the islets’ – cruising the Galapagos in a yacht
The sound of bubbles playing over the hull woke us – a soft whoosh that felt at once mellow and playful. The source of the bubbles was soon discovered: two…
New Cornish regatta: A classic boatbuilding legacy
Fishermen in South East Cornwall have been venturing out to sea daily for centuries, departing on the morning tide and returning with the evening currents, sailing on beautifully crafted boats…
‘The best thing about a concrete boat? The worst ones are at the bottom of the sea’
Circumnavigator, Rob Hart, poked the glowing embers of his coal stove, set a cup of tea in front of me and said: ‘You know the best thing about a concrete…
How we survived a storm and a heatwave in the eastern Mediterranean
Storm Daniel is, as I write, sending 45-knot Meltemi winds down through the Greek islands. We are sheltering aboard Celestine, an aluminium Carambola 38 masthead sloop, moored in Kalantos, a…
How to get your boat home if you experience an engine failure
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…
Libby Purves calls time on the ship’s bell
Giles Coren, the mischievous Times columnist, wrote recently about objects which gradually vanish from familiar use, either because they are outdated in the modern world, or because they were always…
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…
Is a yacht the best way to go seabird spotting in Scotland?
Braced against the rolling of the boat, I sipped scalding tea from the mug cradled in my cold hands and watched the misty blue hills of Scotland materialise ahead. Wandering…
Hanse 410 review: Spacious sailing with dreamy luxury
The Hanse 410 appeared on the scene with a clear family resemblance and spaciousness ideal for speeding along. When the Hanse 460 was launched two years ago, she represented a…