When I was planning my first solo offshore sail on my Lagoon 410 Cushla, from Grenada to Bonaire, my biggest concern was not the risk of pirates off the coast…
Sailing skills
Wow, that was fast! Why trimarans are SO much fun to sail – and how to do it
Humans tend to gravitate into tribes of like-minded enthusiasts, enjoying the encouragement, support and sense of identity, while often looking askance at others; sailors at motorboaters, cruising sailors at racers,…
Should you risk crossing a harbour bar in these conditions?
Mike has sailed to Salcombe in his 11m long keeled yacht called Boundless with two friends. He took the east-going spring tidal stream yesterday from Plymouth, 22 miles to the…
How to use radar on a yacht
The life of a radar on board a cruising yacht is an easy one. Aside from a few hours of action when it’s misty or foggy, its younger sibling, AIS,…
How to navigate when a navigation light is obscured
Sue is cruising around the small ports of north Brittany singlehanded on board a 9m cruising yacht. She is intending to enter a small harbour with a visitor’s buoy for…
How ancient navigation techniques can still help sailors today
Yacht navigation can be defined as knowing which way to go. This sounds simple, but to do it you need to process three complex pieces of information. Firstly, you need…
How can yachts avoid a fleet of dinghies?
Alan is returning to his mooring up a tidal river after a day sail in his 9m yacht Starburst. He has one crew member, Jack, who has sailed with him…
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…
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,…
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…