Bob Dylan’s ageless song was released at about the same time as I started sailing yachts. Its aim was to influence people’s views about society, so it seems to be…
Sailing skills
How would you try to avoid this tidal marina collision?
Roscoff Marina is one of the few all-tide ports in North Brittany. However, whilst it doesn’t have any depth restrictions, it does have a strong current which sets south through…
Sail care: how to get the best from your sails with basic repairs and proper cleaning
High-tech laminate sails may sound appealing, but conventional woven sails remain a better all-round option for cruising – as long as you take care of them. Understanding sail care basics…
Can you really only visit Scilly in light winds?
Sigma 33, Odette, is cruising the West Country in August and hoping to get to the Scillies. Skippered by Michelle, with her two teenage sons on board, the boat is…
How to find the perfect sailing crew match (and avoid know-it-alls)
We’re all different. We have diverse aims, agendas and ways of getting there. All of them are right. So, what holds people back? A large number get their Day Skipper…
Simple tweaks that will immediately improve your boat’s performance to windward
Who doesn’t just love heeling over, bouncing up and down, getting cold and wet and pointing in a direction that bears little relation to where you want to go? Given…
With engine failure in the Thames, what would you do?
Jenny and James, who both hold the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal qualification, are en route to St Katharine Docks in London aboard their Westerly Oceanranger 38. They’re motoring up the Thames…
Will this anchorage be safe to stay in overnight?
Louise and Julia are cruising the north east of the UK on their Grand Soleil 43. They seize a brief weather window to visit the Farne Islands off the Northumbrian…
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…
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…