After a long break the skipper may need to knock the rust off a few skills, as well as getting the boat working, says James Stevens
navigation
Eyeball pilotage skills for coast crawling
Getting close in to the coast to explore a tidal channel or find a snug anchorage is rewarding but close attention must be paid to the visual clues, says Ken…
Keeping a lookout using electronic navigation aids
Your boat's electronic navigation aids can help keep you safe, but it's easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of information available. Striking a balance is key, explains Craig Hardy
Celestial navigation: understanding the night sky
You don't need complicated maths or even a sextant to enjoy the night sky and use it for navigation, says William Thomson
How to navigate using waves
Developing a thorough understanding of what the waves are telling you can provide you with a 'sixth sense' when it comes to navigation, says Dag Pike
From dream to reality – Editor’s letter March 2021
Daydreaming is about as close as most of us are getting to sailing at the moment, but now is the moment to start planning to make them come true. Theo…
When is the right time to alter course?
You are on a collision course and the ship should give way. What do you do?
Day Skipper: What you need to know to get through
With her husband Theo out of the way, Georgie Stocker shows on her Day Skipper course that she is more than capable of taking charge
Night sailing tips for first timers
Cruising after dark doesn't need to be stressful. Toby Heppell shares his tops tips for night sailing
Singlehanded sailing for the first time
Toby Heppell looks at the art of singlehanded sailing and considers what constitutes good seamanship when it’s only you on board