Chinese gybes on windy days are a good spectator sport, but with the right prompt response they can be averted. This type of accidental gybe is caused by the boat…
Extraordinary boats: Rambler 88 has won races all over the world. What’s her secret?
“Will I bring Rambler 88 back next year? It’s too soon to be sure, but it’s certainly a possibilty.” The words of owner George David moments after crossing the finish…
Skip Novak: think about a jury rudder before you have to set one in anger
What a pleasure to read in the December issue about the couple who sailed themselves halfway across an ocean after a complete rudder failure. No rescue was called out, this…
How to be a good skipper: ooze calm and confidence but don’t shout!
We become skippers by a number of different routes; many dinghy sailors will eventually become yacht owners after years of crewing on different yachts. Sea schools are well attended and…
Tested: Pip Hare tries out five of the latest weather routeing packages
Every discerning sailor will carry out some sort of weather routeing before going out on the water. The extent to which we are able to predict weather patterns and assess…
The story of Spindrift 2’s Jules Verne round the world record attempt
It was one of the fastest ever laps of the planet under sail, but the crew of Spindrift found their race home interminable. Dona Bertarelli, the billionaire owner of the…
Millbrook – home of the British multihull is up a creek in Cornwall
The estuaries and rivers that probe into the green hills of Devon and Cornwall’s south coast feature anchorages with a natural charm that is hard to match. Most of these…
Video: Alex Thomson kitesurfs over the top of his IMOCA 60 race boat
Scroll down for video First came the keel walk in 2012, then came the mast walk in 2014, and now, after much preview hype, Alex Thomson’s Skywalk video was released…
5 tips: why spring weather should be treated differently from summer
The boat is sorted, the sails back on board and the crew lists are taking shape, but how much thought have you put into early season spring weather? Why should…
Mayday, we’re sinking – crew rescued from the ARC yacht Magritte as she goes down
Early evening on 3 December Steve Arnold was awoken by his friend and crewmate Andy Mills, who had noticed water in the bilges. The boat, Magritte, a 44ft Moody Grenadier…
Sail repairs on the fly – how to make essential fixes while at sea
During last year’s ARC I was to be found at one point on the pulpit restitching the foot tape of our headsail. I was clipped on a short tether with…
The irreplaceable boats lost in the 2016 Cowes fire – ‘the greatest single loss of classic yachts’
The Medina Village site where the Cowes fire occurred comprises several industrial units off Bridge Road. The main unit affected, originally a machine shop, was used for boat storage by…
Skip Novak: why a catamaran wins out if destination is more important than sailing
Even if you don’t believe your own eyes, there is no doubt – if the statistics are to be trusted – that catamarans are taking the sailing world by storm…
Video of how a wooden Spirit Yachts is built – the new 47CR cruiser in construction
[Above: The masterpiece of workmanship within Spirit Yacht’s 100ft superyacht Gaia – pic by Anthony Morris] The CR stands for ‘Cruising Range’ – a new line that takes Spirit Yachts’ renowned…
Discovery 48 – a smaller version of the impressive bluewater Discovery 55
It was the Discovery 55 that launched Discovery Yachts 15 years ago. The Marchwood-based yard specialises in bluewater cruisers for couples and, although this 55 was considered a large yacht…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 2: Broaching
Most of us will be familiar with that final pull on the helm that cannot be overcome as the boat rounds up to windward in a massive broach. The ensuing…
Get out of that! – Ian Walker on avoiding the crash gybe
On the edge and living dangerously, the crew in this photo are, to their credit, still racing hard and just about in control, managing to hold off a crash gybe.…
RORC Caribbean 600 2016: the highlights, who won what and all the best pictures from the race
George Sakellaris’ Maxi72, Proteus (USA) has been declared the overall winner of the 2016 RORC Caribbean 600. Whilst several yachts are still racing, the remaining teams will be unable to…
Video: Hear from the crew on the fastest yachts in the RORC Caribbean 600
For a full breakdown of this year’s results, visit the RORC Caribbean 600 results page.
5 tips: calibration. It’s crucial to keep your readouts giving the true picture
We are quick to believe the readouts from our instruments, but how can we be sure they are telling us the truth? Calibrating your system is crucial. Professional navigator and…