Being hit by the boom is not unusual, but headbutting it is. It was the second morning of our Ionian cruise and we were about to manoeuvre out of Episcopi,…
Yachting Monthly
How to cope with steering loss at sea
Retiring from the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) has allowed me to reflect on developments in marine safety over the past few decades, particularly in the sailing sector, which is…
How a yacht’s hull fittings work
It’s unfortunate but true that the hull on any vessel will have to have some holes in it. This will usually be for the wet exhaust, the stern tube, and…
11 myths about sailing across the Atlantic that people still believe
For many people, sailing the Atlantic Circuit is a voyage of a lifetime, encompassing both adventure and the challenge of crossing the world’s second-largest ocean. Yet, like any great adventure,…
Exploring the Pembrokeshire Islands by boat
Setting off from our swinging mooring at Rudders boatyard, Burton, in Pembrokeshire, we have to travel the length of the Cleddau estuary to reach open water. With the wind and…
A disastrous trip saw this sailor shipwrecked for the second time on the same islands… 50 years later
During the afternoon of Christmas Eve 2019, I was steering a tubby old steel ketch called Cristina on a delivery passage slowly westward along the south coast of Isla Las…
How to enter unfamiliar harbours in a yacht
Discovering the unknown and finding places you have never been to before is one of the greatest appeals of sailing beyond our home waters. Entering unfamiliar harbours can, however, be…
The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race
Hundreds of spectator boats cheered the start of the Ocean Globe Race on Sunday 10 September, as 14 iconic yachts raced through the line off Cowes, at the start of…
‘Spectacular thunderstorms should not be on the meteorological menu at this time’
There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats – as Ratty said in The Wind in the Willows, and with…
Is this the most beautiful regatta in the world? West Highland Yachting Week
Stunningly beautiful yet infinitely tricky, with Atlantic weather fronts rolling in, variable winds that veer around outlying islands, tide races, rain showers and bursts of sunshine through racing clouds. These…