5            Editor’s letter ‘The quality of crew is crucial’

6            News • New boats at Southampton Show • North Sea wind farm • Schoolboy Fastnet

12            Letters • Get a line ashore • Fitting a splitter • A real boat • Please do some dredging

16            Libby Purves Friction between land and sea

18            Dick Durham A lusty sailor or an old salt

20            ON THE COVER Expert on board: How to moor a boat to rocks

Chris Beeson demonstrates a useful skill for adventurous cruisers

24            ON THE COVER 10 tips to make your sails last longer Some simple, easy care can significantly increase the life of your sails, says Simon Phillips

26            Should I stay or should I go? Perfect conditions are forecast for a trip to Ostend, but the return leg looks a bit lively. Would you go or not?

30            Learning curve David Barwell has problems with a shiny new mast.

32            Any questions • Why are some anchors better than others? • A normal squall? • What to do about invasive species? • Can I be pressured to sail?

34            ON THE COVER Sailing with the Royal Navy Sailing ships may be long gone, but sailing under canvas is still going strong, reports Theo Stocker

40            ON THE COVER Across the Atlantic in a small boat Tom Dymond joins a friend to sail into the sunset from Falmouth to Antigua in a Nicholson 32

44            ON THE COVER Cruising with a wind farm lobbyist Dick Durham goes for a sail and hears from an expert why offshore energy is here to stay

49            Advertorial How the RNLI can bring the best safety advice to your boat

50            A good read Battling for survival in 1979

52            Anchorages Idyllic spots to stop in Scotland, Spain and the Caribbean

53            Sailing library New books worth a read

53            ON THE COVER Competition Win a £900 boat security system

58            Cruising guide: La Palma Take time to cruise the Canaries and you’ll discover what they have to offer, including the pretty island of La Palma

60            Cruising log Readers’ experiences in St Kilda, Turkey and Poole Harbour

66            Goodbye to our Fastnet classic It was a sad day for Miranda Delmar-Morgan when the time came to sell her beloved wooden Polar Bear

68            ON THE COVER Used boat test: Hylas 46 Chris Beeson steps aboard a well-tested round-the-world boat to find out what makes her so good

74            Technical Ten hallmarks that set apart a well-sorted blue water boat

76            ON THE COVER New boat test: Dufour 382 GL ‘A yacht with a nice turn of speed.’ Graham Snook enjoys a lively family cruiser.

82            ON THE COVER Buyer’s guide: Sextants James Turner explains how to buy a sextant you can trust, and how to use the thing when you do

106            The Confessional Own up to sailing sins…