We hit the cold front square on. From light and variable in the centre of the low, bottoming out at 973mb, the wind took but an hour to ramp up…
Yachting World
Hanse Yachts – Superior build quality, sporty performance and class-leading ease of handling
Over the last 35 years, Hanse has forged a very clear position in the cruising yacht market, which no other builder has the capability to achieve in such an inspiring…
Seawind 1170 review: Nimble Aussie catamaran comes to Europe
Nearly 800 Seawind catamarans have launched since the brand’s creation in 1983. These were at first all from Australia, before founder Richard Ward took over the Corsair Trimaran factory and…
South Pacific Sailing: ‘Niue is a tiny country almost no one has ever heard of’
It feels like a big deal to finally leave New Zealand’s shores, after all the hard work we’ve put into getting ready for this moment. Two years, including nine months…
How to navigate unfamiliar waters: a pilot book writer shares key skills
When a Volvo Ocean Race yacht famously hit a charted reef at full speed, it wasn’t because the data was wrong. It was because too much trust was placed in…
World’s coolest boats: The Superfoiler
“The Superfoiler was one of the coolest boats of all time,” says Luke Parkinson, who’s sailed everything from F50s to offshore 100-footers. “It was a boat like no other. It…
The Transat Café L’Or Debrief: IMOCAs, capsizes, and a surprise second place
Shortly after 10.30 in the evening on Saturday, 25 October, French team mates Erwan Le Draoulec and Tanguy Le Turquais found themselves upside down in a capsized trimaran in 30-knot…
Using Celestial Navigation to Sail the Atlantic: ‘We are at the whims of the sea’s invisible forces’
One foot east, one foot west. I stand on a line inscribed in stone: the Prime Meridian, longitude of zero. This threshold marks a rite of passage for becoming a…
First look: Elan SixtyFive – is Elan’s new dawn the ultimate bluewater cruiser?
Slovenian boatbuilder Elan has stunned many by announcing the development of ‘the ultimate bluewater cruiser’, designed by J&J and Guillaume Verdier. Starting with this new high-performance carbon epoxy 65-footer, the…
Anahita 100 First Look: The ‘world’s fastest cruiser’ is in build
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ‘cruise’ aboard an Ultim in comfort? This audacious new project, which is already being built for an owner, could be…
World’s coolest boats: 49er FX dinghy
“I did my last Olympic campaign on the 49erFX in Rio, 2016. Actually, that was the first Olympic Games where the 49er was also a women’s class, so we were…
The ultimate sabbatical: The reality of raising a family on a yacht in Chile
“You need to focus on Section 10, it’s the best part!” That was the message that flooded my inbox again and again as we planned our trip to Patagonia. With…
Where to sail in 2026: The coolest charters on offer
Yacht charter and sailing holidays have moved on. No longer are your options limited to bareboat or flotilla in a smattering of locations – you can now sail higher performance…
La Tortue 147: the aluminium catamaran disrupting traditional yacht design
In a global market, you have to appeal to the widest possible audience with a unanimously attractive design, which you can produce in large quantities to be competitive. This seems…
Island nation: Cruising the Indonesian islands on a catamaran
Fleeing bait fish ping against our hulls while troops of shrimp crackle like frying bacon as they drift past. A red painted fishing boat is anchored among the shallow reefs…
What it’s really like to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart – plus preview of this year’s race
Since 1964, only two boats have won line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on two consecutive years: the legendary Wild Oats XI and LawConnect. That’s it. For…
Boreal 56 review: Aluminium explorer yacht with a scow-influenced shape
When it’s blowing a gale and it’s hard to even see outside for the horizontal rain or, worse, sand being whipped off the nearby beach, there’s little appeal in going…
World’s coolest yachts: AC75 ‘RB3’
‘RB3’ was the hull name of INEOS Britannia, the AC75 the British America’s Cup team sailed in the 37th America’s Cup Match against Emirates Team New Zealand after winning the…
Beyond the postcard: Discovering the Caribbean’s hidden corners
Seen one Caribbean island, seen them all? Not at all: the region offers amazing diversity, from incredible habitats to vibrant cultures. For many cruisers the Caribbean is an extended stopover…
Extraordinary boats: Ragtime – the 60-year-old yacht that launched a genre is back on the water
The restoration of an iconic racer, one that was so ground-breaking it helped create a whole genre of yachts, is no small undertaking. But that’s exactly what inadvertent owner Tina…