Mind your bows,’ said my mother in an increasingly high-pitched voice, ‘bit more to port…don’t clip the stern!’ I was 17 and we were in Tesco’s car park in our…
Sailing skills
When to replace yacht sails and how to make old sails last longer
Having owned my 1984 Sadler 29, Pasque, for four years, and cruising with family and, more recently, small children on board, we began to get to know her foibles. She…
Digital passage planning and electronic navigation
Drawing up a passage plan is not only common sense, it is a legal requirement under SOLAS V regulation 34 which says that, whatever the size of your vessel, you…
Taking your friends and family sailing
They say that relationships formed at sea can founder on shore, but sit back with a glass of wine in a busy marina and you’ll find evidence of the reverse…
Catamaran sailing skills: recover a multihull man overboard
Finding yourself in a man overboard (MOB) situation probably ranks near the top of every sailor’s list of biggest fears whether it’s a monohull MOB of a multihull man overboard.…
Catamaran sailing skills: Mooring and anchoring a multihull
How do you make an average passage speed of 7 knots, fit in three double cabins and a huge saloon in under 36ft of boat length? Add another hull of…
How would you tackle a berth in a gale?
Would you know how to berth in a gale? James Stevens answers your Questions of Seamanship
‘Our dog saved us from severe carbon monoxide poisoning’
Making a boat warm and cosy overnight nearly cost two sailors their lives. Jeremy Evans recalls a narrow escape from severe carbon monoxide poisoning
Do you still lee bow after a wind shift?
If you are lee bowing, how do you make best use of a windshift? James Stevens answers your Questions of Seamanship
‘The boat sunk in her berth’: one owner shares how to avoid losing your yacht
A little weekend cruising boat was great fun for Tiffany Butler, but keeping up with maintenance proved a challenge