A skipper about to start the engine of a yacht

Starting a diesel engine from cold can be a tricky business. Many direct-injection engines use extra fuel for cold starting. On some, such as small Yanmars, this extra fuel is…

Big seas, four-metre-high rolling waves, storms, fog, and squalls. We had anticipated all of it on our first Kattegat crossing, in our 50-year-old, 24-ft Spækhugger yacht Gaia. We weren’t, however,…

Should you divert or push on when you have a seasick crew onboard? Mike owns Petrel, a modern 12m yacht and is on a passage across Cardigan Bay from Fishguard…

Powering to windward in one of the breeziest starts to a winter I can remember, it was hard to tell what was rain and what was spray. Sunshine and a…

The feeling of autonomy that a watermaker gives a yacht is unique. It transforms that weekend-only cruiser into a go-anywhere, life-on-the-hook, adventure craft, breaking the tether to marinas. Filling your…