The thing about Covid is that it upsets the best-laid plans, as it did for the Island Cruising Club, a New Zealand-based outfit that organises flotillas to sail to the…
Yachting Monthly
Buying a second hand boat: The good, bad and the ugly
For much of the past decade, my wife Sally and I have been dreaming, planning and saving up to sail off on an adventure, together with our friends of the…
How to stop a marine diesel engine properly
When you stop a marine diesel engine it is by cutting off the fuel at, or in, the fuel injection pump – not before it. This is achieved in two…
‘The shaking of the rig was horrific’
Our nadir was approaching. Our home port of Fremantle, Australia would be 6,880 miles away – straight down. From Bermuda our yacht Zen Again would need to literally fly to…
Crossing the Bay of Biscay in company
Crossing the Bay of Biscay may not command the romance of a Pacific or Atlantic crossing, but it is, nonetheless, a significant body of wild ocean that demands careful planning,…
How to sail across the Atlantic with a family
Modern life makes connecting digitally between people easy, but it can also isolate us from friends and family, and the natural world around us. While the negative effects of social…
Teak wood: why the popular wood’s time is up
Choosing the most sustainable options for your boat can leave you feeling confused, but don’t worry, you’re in good company. Shortly after Jeff Bezos launched his Earth Fund programme –…
Sailing Uma talk sailing to Svalbard in an electric-assisted yacht
Eight years ago, Dan and Kika sold everything they didn’t need and bought their first sailing boat, a 1972 Pearson 36, for $3,000 in cash. The architecture students had just…
How yachts are disposed of – and why it’s so environmentally toxic
The annual volume of composite waste generated by the marine industry each year is a staggering 55,000 tonnes – and it’s predicted to increase by 10% every year in the…
12-point spring checklist for your yacht
Now the days are getting longer and the weather warmer, it is clear, a new season is just round the corner. Don’t be tempted, however, to scrimp on a sensible…