Winter is a great time to make a detailed assessment of your boat’s condition. Dennis O’Neill offers some handy reminders on areas that shouldn’t be overlooked. Standing rigging Check sheaves,…
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First look: Sunbeam 32.1 – a real head-turner
Like something from Back to the Future, the Sunbeam 32.1 is a boat that is designed to turn heads and divide opinion. You may love it or you may hate…
Sailing in the wake of Odysseus
Arriving in Meganisi, we were greeted by shouting and waving from the jetty. What had been one or two people had grown to five as those docked gathered to watch…
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…
Sailing the Ionian: idyllic islands
Being hit by the boom is not unusual, but headbutting it is. It was the second morning of our Ionian cruise and we were about to manoeuvre out of Episcopi,…
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…
Orca App and Display 2 review
This is really two devices and a subscription. The Display 2 is a robust waterproof Samsung tablet that runs the Orca app. It pulls in instrument data from the Orca…
How a yacht’s hull fittings work
It’s unfortunate but true that the hull on any vessel will have to have some holes in it. This will usually be for the wet exhaust, the stern tube, and…
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,…
Old Man Sailing heads to France to sell his new book by hand
Sailing alone brings out a certain mastery of life which no other activity can provide. All sailors plan to eradicate obstacles, but out on the ocean they still arise and…