John is skipper of a Beneteau Oceanis 34 sailing back to the UK from a holiday in France with two crew. When they left France, the forecast was variable becoming…
How to
Should you cross the Channel with this forecast?
Kate is skipper of an 11m cruising yacht currently in Braye Harbour on the north coast of Alderney. She sailed from Guernsey, 23 miles away, yesterday in a fair SW…
Everything you need to know about a yacht’s gas system
Earlier this year, the UK’s largest supplier of portable LPG cylinders, Calor, expressed its intention to discontinue its very popular 3.9kg propane and 4.5kg butane cylinders. However, after much pleading…
Want to make your own logbook?
What you record in your logbook depends on what you are doing. Just a quick note of the tides and weather forecast may suffice for a short day-sail, but an…
Dealing with orca attacks and how to navigate ‘Orca Alley’
There is a new buzzword amongst cruisers heading in and out of the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar… orcas! Wind, tide and shipping are no longer the only planning…
How do you moor a yacht in a tricky windward slot?
Andy’s home berth is alongside a walkashore pontoon on a river. Outside is another pontoon not attached to the shore. There is quite a strong tidal stream, up to 2…
How to get your yacht home without power
Electrical systems and electronics have become such an essential part of our normal lives that it’s hard to imagine life without them. Those good old days when there was a…
How to handle rounding Portland Bill: inshore of offshore?
Ed is skipper of a 10m production cruiser racer Aurora, which he keeps in Weymouth. He is returning from a West Country cruise with three friends and preparing to round…
Heavy weather sailing: How and when to run for shelter
Previously we’ve looked at how to prepare your boat for heavy weather sailing, including how to rig and fit your boat for storm sails and how to reduce sail in…
Heavy weather sailing: Essential boathandling skills
Coastal sailors usually have the luxury of waiting out bad weather safely tucked up in harbour, but sail for long enough and eventually an unexpected squall, front or storm will…