A well-known truism of boat ownership is that sailing with a fixed propeller is akin to towing a bucket astern. We all know that a feathering or folding propeller has…
Sam Fortescue
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Everything you need to know about hydrogenerators
The potential of hydrogeneration has been well understood for decades, but it’s only over the past 15 years that the idea has started to become properly commercialised. In essence, it’s…
Orca App and Display 2 review
This is really two devices and a subscription. The Display 2 is a robust waterproof Samsung tablet that runs the Orca app. It pulls in instrument data from the Orca…
Everything you need to know about your VHF antenna
When Guglielmo Marconi began sending radio messages between coastal radio stations and ships at sea in 1897, there were plenty who predicted the technology would have very limited scope. Yet,…
Ewincher electric winch handle review
Designed for yachts from 30 to 60 feet, Ewincher is an electrically assisted winch handle recently upgraded and relaunched with more power and longer battery life. You can use it…
How waterproof clothing works and why it’s getting better
Not all that long ago the last word in waterproof clothing was sailcloth coated with tar and some stout woollens. With no more protection than that, fishermen, sailors and explorers…
The best tidal apps for cruising sailors
Tidal data is getting easier and cheaper to download. Sam Fortescue reviews the latest options in an increasingly crowded market and choses the best tidal apps for sailors
Best weather apps for sailors
Weather data is getting easier and cheaper to download. Sam Fortescue reviews the latest options and chooses the best weather apps for sailors
Oyster 495: the dream boat that sets the bar
Oyster have long set the standard for luxurious blue-water cruisers, and the Oyster 495 is the new baby in the range. Even if you’re not in the market for one,…
Digital Switching: controlling your yacht from your phone
Just imagine this. As you graze a sandwich at your desk one Friday, you flick open an app on the phone to check what the wind is doing on the…