On the afternoon before we left the Canary Islands for the Caribbean for a transatlantic with the ARC, I struck a line through the final item on our jobs list.…
Road to the America’s Cup podcast episode 1: Imagining the AC75
There is no doubt that the AC75 is a remarkable boat; a monohull designed to fly, engineered to reach speeds that were inconceivable to sailors less than half a generation…
Fastnet Race 1979: Restored survivor Assent heads back to the Rock
It’s a gloomy, grey afternoon on the Solent and I’m in a camera boat taking pictures of a yacht sailing off Lymington. There’s a light breeze blowing and a moody,…
Sardinia charter: Living the high life on a crewed Lagoon 620
Beam. Or beam and volume. Those are the dominant characteristics that spring to mind about cruising catamarans. You expect huge full-width saloons and cabins spread out across metres of multihull.…
Veedol: On board Yoann Richomme’s record-breaking Lift 40
A curious pattern repeated in the 2018 Route du Rhum, as the newest designs – like the foiling Ultimes, and foil-assisted IMOCAs Charal and Hugo Boss – were defeated on…
How to balance speed and comfort when sailing – top tips from Pip Hare
Most of us now rely on some form of routeing software when sailing offshore. These packages calculate the fastest theoretical route between two points based on polars and predicted wind,…
How to moor double-handed: Top tips from pro sailor Pip Hare
Mooring can be a stressful situation and mooring double-handed takes thought, preparation and calm heads. As the average couple’s cruising boat gets bigger the challenge of coming alongside safely at…
Electric winch, 4-speed winches or electric winch handle? [promotional post]
In the last few years, new solutions have been found: 4-speed winches and electric winch handles. Here is an overview of their comparative advantages: Electric winches: powerful but not always…
Atlantic sailing routes: 2018 ARC Rally finishers share their experiences
Steven Ismail never really meant to join a rally, but he ended up doing one almost by accident and sailing to a destination he’d never originally intended. Ismail’s crew, a…
Marilee: The inside story of the 1926 Herreshoff NY40’s remarkable restoration
When the New York Yacht Club commissioned the new NY40 one-design class in 1916 Nathanael Herreshoff’s objective was to design a competitive racer that was seaworthy enough for ocean racing,…
Retrieving a spinnaker: 5 tips on how to haul in your dropped kite
There are few things quite so humiliating as being stopped dead in the water, moments away from causing thousands of pounds worth of damage as your competitors glide gracefully past.…
5 tips: How to create a winning atmosphere with a new crew
According to Nikki Henderson, good leadership is not about barking orders, it’s about fostering an atmosphere of shared responsibility and finding out what really motivates the individuals on your team.…
Cruising around Newfoundland: An unspoiled wilderness full of surprises
Two beluga whales flanked Frances B, our Mason 44, as we threaded out of Ingonish, on northern Cape Breton Island. Belugas don’t live in this area so this unexpected show…
Fujin: The inside story of this carbon catamaran’s Caribbean refit
After Fujin capsized during the 2018 RORC Caribbean 600 race it would have been understandable if owner Greg Slyngstad had thrown in the towel and walked away. But Slyngstad resolved…
Forward-facing sonar: Everything you need to know
Yachting is usually pretty fast to embrace useful new technology, particularly if it helps win a race or if it helps with safety. Just look at how rapidly AIS (Automatic…
Double the fun? Pip Hare shares her top tips for sailing double-handed
Sailing double-handed as a couple is becoming more popular as partners elect to enjoy the experience of cruising and ocean voyaging without the complications of extra crew. It can be…
Expert sailing advice: How to handle a lightning strike on board
Lightning is the thing that scares me the most at sea. Having never experienced a lightning strike I think this is mostly a fear of the unknown, coupled with a…
SailGP F50: On board the sailing equivalent of a Formula 1 racecar
“I think 99% of people believe that we received these boats from Bermuda, repainted them and sent them on their way again. I don’t think we’re ever going to be…
From lifeboat crew to the Round-the-Island race – why ‘helping people stay and feel alive’ is the motto of Helly Hansen [sponsored post]
Over 1,200 yachts crewed by world-class sailors, families and first-time racers, battled it out on the water in last month’s Round-the-Island race. While the largest monohull, Jethou took the line…
Kraken Cup: The most extreme sailing race you’ve never heard of
“This is probably the most extreme and uncomfortable sailing I’ve ever done,” says Simon Walker. “And I have sailed twice the wrong way around the world, 17 times across the…