There aren’t many places where you can anchor so close to a mountain it breathes on you. In heavy weather the draughts of exhaled tempest that rush down the sheer…
Yachting Monthly
Why I took my Ketch rigged yacht and turned it into a brigantine square-rigger
People have asked why I decided to change a perfectly good ketch into a staysail schooner? It’s a reasonable question. The simple answer is that I always wanted a brigantine.…
10 hidden must-see destinations on the West Coast of Scotland
The sheer beauty of the Western Isles and the West Coast of Scotland draws many yachtsmen. Cruising on the west coast of Scotland may have a reputation for being for…
‘The outcrops of rounded pink granite and sandy beaches reminded me of the Scillies’ – exploring the Aegean
Arriving in late March at my partner’s home in Greece, I was expecting a few days at the house before sailing. But with a period of southerly winds forecast –…
‘Sardines cook over charcoal, sea shanties are sung and cider is swigged’ – Lu Heikell
There is a narrow street leading up from Port du Rosmeur to the town centre of Douarnenez, in the Finisterre region of Brittany. Rue Obscure is paved with cobbles and…
‘My experience of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race’
Dirty, wet and hungry; riding 30ft waves on a boat which was permanently tilted at 45°, I realised that this experience wasn’t quite what I’d been sold on that induction…
Expert guide: how to tune the rig of a yacht
It is important to have a correctly tuned rig. Boats that have poorly tuned rigs are slower, point lower, heel more, make more leeway and may be more difficult to…
Cruising the Scillies and Gurnsey: ‘All was well in our little world’
Now in his 82nd year, my father Ewen reluctantly ended a nearly 50-year relationship with his much-loved and well-used succession of yachts as the last of four Black Velvets went…
Why trading your boat in for something smaller can make your sailing more fun
Downsizing. It’s what you do when your children leave home or when you retire. You decide to move to a smaller house and buy a smaller car. It’s also what…
‘We spent hours rowing and snorkelling along the edge of the islets’ – cruising the Galapagos in a yacht
The sound of bubbles playing over the hull woke us – a soft whoosh that felt at once mellow and playful. The source of the bubbles was soon discovered: two…