How safe is it to sail around the world and what precautions do you need to take? We asked bluewater sailors who have cruised areas including the Caribbean, Pacific and…
Sailing Ushant: Tom Cunliffe explores France’s most daunting island
‘Qui voit Ouessant boit son sang.’ In plain English, this old Breton sailors’ proverb reads: ‘He who sees Ushant sups his own blood.’ Many a seaman would be inclined to…
Mongrel drop: Pip Hare’s guide to unorthodox kite drops
Emergency drop, small crew For hurried drops of asymmetric spinnakers, particularly with a small crew, I consider the gybe drop – otherwise known as a ‘Kiwi’ drop – to be…
Ernesto Bertarelli: The Team Alinghi mastermind who shook up the America’s Cup
When Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi (SUI64) crossed the finish line for the final time in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2003, the Swiss 5-0 victory was more than just a decisive new…
Sailing Biscay: Top tips for a safe and smooth crossing of the notorious bay
Biscay has a fearsome reputation and for many sailors, it is their first taste of bluewater sailing. Distances may not be a huge, but we are out of shelter, in…
ETF26: The trailer foiler bringing the foiling experience to the masses
Seven knots of true wind and a few quick pumps on the mainsheet was all it took to have the 8m cat rise up onto her foils and slip downwind…
Tradewinds explained: Everything you need to know before sailing across the Atlantic
A transatlantic tradewind crossing from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean is on many a sailor’s bucket list. Endless sunny days of running before the wind followed by nights under…
Road to the America’s Cup podcast episode 4: AC75 control systems explained
The systems that control the aero- and hydrofoils of the new AC75 are covered by some of the most complex parts of the America’s Cup Class. The section on control…
Beam seas: Pip Hare’s top tips on dealing with the most challenging conditions
Big beam seas can be the most challenging, unpleasant and dangerous of all conditions to sail in. Exposing the entire length of your vessel broadside to oncoming waves allows the…
Sailing Galicia: Exploring the enchanting rias of North-West Spain
Dreams of white sand beaches fringed weather with granite boulders warmed by the Galician sun finally took flight. We departed from Crookhaven in Ireland at the break of dawn with…
MOB retrieval gear: Jonbuoy vs Catch and Lift in head-to-head test
Jonbuoy Recovery Module The Jonbuoy is a well-respected piece of equipment. Many boat owners would have one on board, were it not for the upfront cost and annual servicing requirements.…
1979 Fastnet Race: A lucky escape – Sir Peter Johnson’s story
To start, it was hardly distinguishable from any Round the Island race. Our beat down the Solent among so many Ton Cup series yachts and sailing round the buoys in…
Wild anchoring: Pip Hare explains how to secure your boat in remote spots
The further off the beaten track I have ventured, the more my definition of an ‘ideal’ anchorage has changed. Sometimes, to gain access to the shore or to find refuge…
The adventures of Infinity: Sailing to Antarctica on a 120ft handmade ketch
“When I say ‘Jump!’ y’all say ‘How high?’. If y’all don’t want to say ‘How high?’ you can pack your bags,” demanded the owner of the superyacht I was aboard.…
Belinda: This refurbished 1980s quarter tonner is a real labour of love
Spending around 1,800 hours and the price of a new boat on revamping a 30-year-old 26ft keelboat might seem extraordinary, yet it’s par for the course for a quarter tonner.…
Frers design: The family dynasty behind some of the world’s most beautiful yachts
It was the economist J K Galbraith who said that there was “no absolute standard of beauty. That,” he added, “is precisely what makes its pursuit so interesting.” That interest…
Helming downwind: Pip Hare’s top tips on how to maximise your speed
For me, helming downwind, particularly in big breeze, is one of the absolute joys in this world. It is a skill that takes huge concentration and the ability to react…
Clearing customs: How to ensure smooth passage across national borders
We asked sailors who have cruised in areas including the Caribbean, the Red Sea and Pacific Islands how the reality matched up with the official customs and immigration processes. All…
Skippers’ tips: Bluewater sailing secrets of the million milers revealed
“The more I practice, the luckier I get,” the golfer Gary Player used to joke. This old saw became famous because it rang so true. The more you do something,…
Farewell Plymouth – Fastnet Race finish will move to France on 96th anniversary of historic event
This is the first time that the finish of the biennial 605-mile offshore from Cowes has ever changed. The new destination adds some 90 miles to the course distance. In…