They say that the definition of cruising is ‘fixing your boat in exotic locations’. Well, crouched, sweating, in the aft heads using a head torch and a mirror to extract…
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‘Never before have I sailed in such wild weather’ – struck by a ‘weather bomb’ near New Zealand
Sammy, my sister, was ready to go. She couldn’t wait to put on her skipper’s hat and head off on a great adventure. It was 1998 when offshore sailing was…
Excess 11 review: A very rare sub-40ft cruising catamaran
Catamarans don’t belong in the UK, I hear you cry. If you’ve been put off by towering topsides, the vast beam and ideas about how much it might cost to…
Sailing the Faroes: ‘It’s a challenging but very rewarding cruising area, with endless hills and fantastic views’
Our way of life on board is best described as “Vi tar det lugnt,” Swedish for “we take it easy.” We travel without a specific plan or target; the voyage…
Sailing the Orkneys: ‘Bryan saw a tall black fin breaking the water, followed by another – it was a pair of orcas’
Sitting on my living-room floor surrounded by tide tables, pilot books, and almanacs, one part of my upcoming voyage around Britain began to excite me more than the rest. I…
Sailing from Scotland to Ireland: ‘The mountains were swathed in a blanket of cloud and the waves became enormous’
The magic and mystery of the western isles of Scotland capture my imagination and draw me back every summer. This once-great sea kingdom ruled by the Norse and Gaels is…
Upcoming Used Boat Shows in September in Southampton and Dorset
Yacht broker boatpoint is holding two used boat shows, which coincide with the Southampton International Boat Show. These events allow buyers and sellers of used boats to meet and explore…
‘The day the sky turned red’ – Lu Heikell encounters an unusual phenomenon
Saharan dust being blown across the Mediterranean is not a new phenomenon, but here it usually arrives in the form of rain. Many times we have woken up on Skylax…
‘The ride is so violent that helmet and body armour is becoming the norm’ – Pete Goss
Sailing with Pip Hare last week reminded me of my father’s sailing mantra: ‘It’s all about drag.’ I have many memories of fine-sanding the bottom of my dinghies and the…
Saffier SE33 Life review: Achingly pretty luxury daysailer
Nine! Nine point five! Ten! Eleven! Eleven point five!’ Watching the boat speed climb into double figures in the gusts was addictive; we were broad reaching back up the Needles…