It is hard to be a show-stopper in St Tropez, yet the two J Class yachts competing this year were undoubtedly the biggest crowd pleasers. I was lucky enough to…
Alex Thomson sets new 24-hour speed record as he goes all-out in bid to overtake Vendée Globe leader
Vendée Globe racer Alex Thomson has set a new 24-hour solo monohull sailing record, sailing an incredible 536.81 nautical miles in 24 hours. Watch Alex talking about the record here:…
Vendée Globe showdown: can Alex Thomson beat his great French rival Armel Le Cléac’h?
After over 23,000 miles of racing, the two leaders of the Vendée Globe solo round the world race are today just over 100 miles apart. Armel Le Cléac’h has led…
How the schooner America started the America’s Cup, and the mystery she left behind
On 28 March, 1942, an unusually heavy snowfall smothered the New England countryside. At the height of the blizzard, the roof of a nondescript shed on the waterfront at Trumpy’s…
What is behind the surge in new 60ft plus yacht designs and can you sail one safely without pro crew?
Looking along the row of new yachts berthed stern-to at Cannes Boat Show in September, it seems impossible that just a few years ago a yard might hold up its…
Clipper sailor named Yachtsman of the Year for selfless act of bravery
Gavin Reid, 28, an amateur sailor who was born profoundly deaf, has beaten “his heroes”, Giles Scott, the Rio 2016 Gold Medalist, and Brian Thompson, Round the Island Race Record…
How well does your lifejacket work? We put 3 offshore models to the test
As I plunge into the sea off the east coast of Iceland, the water temperature shows 6°C and the cold is enough to take the breath away. I am wearing…
Dramatic Contest 67CS video: showing the new Judel-Vrolijk design with soul
Dutch yard Contest commissioned Judel/Vrolijk for the first time to design its new 67CS. This is a size on the increase for owners who like to get places quickly and…
It’s a record! Exceptional take up for 47th Rolex Fastnet Race
Entry into the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s flagship event, the Rolex Fastnet Race surpassed expectations by filling up in under five minutes on the day entries opened, Monday 9 January. The 340-boat limit was…
How to reduce the risk of a nose-dive without dropping the spinnaker
The quarter tonner class has a reputation for some incredible broaches, but it is possible to recover from burying the bow. Although everything aboard the quarter tonner in the photograph…
What’s behind the design of Alex Thomson’s Vendée Globe racer Hugo Boss?
The 2016/7 Vendée Globe race will go down as one dominated by two very different sailors, Frenchman Armel Le Cléac’h and Briton Alex Thomson in two critically different yachts. There is no…
Skip Novak sails 4,000 miles to refit his charter fleet in the South Atlantic winter
Pelagic Australis, the flagship of my two-boat fleet, which includes the original Pelagic (my ‘Pelagians’ call me the Commodore), was back on station in the Falkland Islands at the end…
Chris Tibbs on a dream Atlantic crossing and a heavenly Caribbean winter
There is only one adjective that adequately describes our transatlantic crossing with the ARC last year and the season of Caribbean cruising that followed it: fantastic! The rally was my…
30 expert tips for crossing the Atlantic – from checking the sails to choosing crew
1. Keep the downwind sailplan simple What’s the best sail configuration for a downwind crossing? Actually, the chances are you already have sails that are perfectly suitable: a robust genoa…
Could holograms become virtual crew members in the futuristic world of sailing?
From instructions on how to set the timer on your central heating to replacing a light bulb on your car, there was a time when keeping the manuals for everything…
Armel le Cléac’h, ‘The Jackal’: we profile the secretive leader of the Vendée Globe
In his home country, Armel Le Cléac’h’s triumph in the Vendée Globe is seen as the right result. If ever hard work and persistence paid off in sport, this win…
How to get past a cut-off low pressure system – a true weather router’s dilemma
How many times do skippers – racers and cruisers – report that some of the worst Atlantic conditions are to be found between mainland Europe and the Canary Islands? Many…
What to eat when sailing short-handed – a nutritional guide for offshore sailors
Your diet offshore should be as good as, or even better, than it is at home. As with any sport, nutrition and hydration are essential for maintaining good performance. The…
Great Seamanship – a true account of sailing solo across the Atlantic against the wind and current
Paul Heiney is a cruising sailor to the core who has succeeded in some notable ocean quests. The first of these to appear in book form was his successful entry…
Third time lucky as Sydney Hobart Race record falls to supermaxi Perpetual Loyal
A new record for Rolex Sydney Hobart Race record has been set by the supermaxi Perpetual Loyal. Owner Anthony Bell and his crew of 18 arrived in Hobart in the…