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…
How to
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…
Should you set sail if a Force 8 is forecast?
Toby is skipper of Cutting Edge, a 13m cruiser racer which he keeps in Salcombe. Cutting Edge is a powerful yacht fully equipped for racing with a comprehensive sail wardrobe…
How to service a winch
Winches tend to be mounted in places where, if a bit drops off, it will roll into the water, so take your time and keep hold of everything. Put items…
How to dry out to at any anchorage (and in harbour)
Almost all vessels, in the days of working sail, had to take the ground when calling at destinations around Britain. Some port towns were on estuaries that dried out at…
How to get the best from your sailing boat: Learning how to ‘change gears’
Many of you, like me, probably started their sailing adventures in small dinghies. The purity of just you, the wind and some canvas. It’s where we honed our skills of…
How it works: Taking a noon sight
To take a sextant noon sight you first have to figure out when the sun will pass over your meridian. It is good enough to work it out to the…
How to install Ultrasonic Antifouling and why I chose it to beef up my protection
You might recognise the feeling – a sense of deepening anxiety as the moment for your boat’s annual haul-out finally approaches. What state will the hull be in? And what…
Should you avoid a mystery green light at sea?
Mike and two crew are sailing north up the east coast of England towards Sunderland. They are on board Amelia, a 15-metre gaff cutter and finding the trip hard work.…
How I moved my mooring into deeper water better suited to my yacht
Typical of a purchase driven by the heart, the reality of buying a long keel cruiser struck home immediately when I tried to keep Swedish Lass on the drying mooring…