Bang!’ Luci’s bow collided with a steep wave, filling the air with a deafening reverberation. Water drenched the foredeck, followed by the characteristic sound of water rushing into the boat.…
Yachting Monthly
‘The disembodied VHF radio call had actually come from a plane’ – Lu Heikell
‘G’day Skylax. You haven’t done many miles today!’ Our greeting from the Aussie Border Force team rang out clear on the VHF radio. We hadn’t seen another vessel for days,…
Sailing the shipping forecast: Cruising around Fair Isle – ‘Sailing into Scapa Flow, a centre of the Royal Navy during both World Wars, felt like sailing into history’
The island of Fair Isle sits between Orkney and Shetland, and the eponymous sea area encompasses both of these island groups as well as the north coast of Scotland. These…
Join us for the Coppercoat Brian Black Memorial Award 2025
The Brian Black Memorial Award is Yachting Monthly’s marine environmental journalism award with the support of Coppercoat, with cash prizes worth £3,000 and £1,000-worth of new camera equipment up for…
How to prevent an earth loop on your boat
It’s impossible to get to grips with electrically promoted corrosion – as distinct from that caused by oxidation, such as rusting – without appreciating the extent, vigour and unpredictability of…
Why you might be wrong about production yachts – and why they are great for ocean crossings
As an addict of YouTube sailing channels, I am surprised at the amount of misinformation surrounding the ocean capabilities of modern boat design compared to the boats of a generation…
How to use shore power properly on your boat
While relatively few boats use AC at sea, the majority of us take advantage of it when alongside. The benefits are many, although not without risks to your health and…
‘There is nothing difficult about using marine-friendly suncream’ – Lu Heikell
Almost every day we are alerted to a crisis, be it social, political economic or environmental. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and start to block out everything and assume…
Zhik Spirit of Adventure: ‘We flew down the inner section of the fjord on a broad reach towards the Holnis narrows’
The Danish islands between Jutland, the continental part of Denmark, and Sweden had long been on my wish-list as a charter destination, but with 1,400 islands in total, just 409…
Why you don’t need an anchor windlass + how to cruise without one
My first sailing boat didn’t have a windlass, and this led to a bit of unexpected drama. I was sailing in the Bahamas in my 30ft Dufour Arpege when I…