Paul Larsen was converted to the appeal of deck chutes on a particular day aboard Sir Peter Harrison’s 35m maxi yacht Sojana. “You’d be racing into the leeward mark with…
Andy Rice
5 expert tips for catamaran racing
Modern cruiser/racer multihulls have a high level of safety provided you know what you’re doing. Helena Darvelid has taken all of her experience from world record-breaking passages in all-out speed…
5 expert tips: Guide to asymmetric spinnaker handling
One of the most significant advantages of racing with asymmetric kites is the simplicity of asymmetric spinnaker handling compared with symmetrical spinnakers. But the finer details of how to get…
5 expert tips: How to build a great sailing crew
Every crew has its own DNA, its own ecosystem. Making that the best and healthiest crew dynamic possible is a big part of what interests Richard Parslow. “Psychology is a…
Expert sailing skills: How to be a great crew boss
Being an effective crew boss relies on good preparation and a great sense of timing, says Annie Lush. “The role basically comes down to organising manoeuvres, so it’s about having…
5 expert tips: Jack Bouttell on repairing your boat mid-ocean
In the 50-year history of The Ocean Race (ex-Whitbread/Volvo), Leg 3 of the 2023 edition from Cape Town, South Africa through the Southern Ocean to Itajaí, Brazil, was the longest…
5 expert tips: Shorthanded mainsail reefing
The double-handed team of Deb Fish and Rob Craigie have got mainsail reefing down to a fine art. “Even when we’re really familiar with each other and we know our…
5 expert tips: How to hold a lane upwind
When you’re competing in a big fleet, it’s not the winning races that marks out the great from the good. It’s the ability to bounce back from bad positions and…
5 expert tips: How to use an asymmetric spinnaker in light airs
Just as the best teams seem to find an extra high mode on the upwind legs, often they’re also very good at eking out an extra-low mode on the downwind.…
5 expert tips to improve your tacking
While a tack is one of the most fundamental manoeuvres, it’s also hard to execute well. The more crew on board, the harder it is to co-ordinate the timing of…
5 expert tips: How to improve your offshore racing skills
French Figaro sailors, whether they’re currently on the circuit or former Figaro skippers who cut their teeth in the class years ago, seem to do very well in the fully-crewed…
5 expert tips for leeward mark roundings
The leeward mark is one of the biggest pinch points on the race course, with the opportunity for huge gains – or the risk of enormous losses. Dylan Fletcher says…
5 expert tips for going fast while reaching
Years of short-course racing in small keelboats in fleet race and match race competitions had made Annie Lush very good at downwind VMG sailing. But when she started offshore racing,…
5 Expert Tips: Offshore Preparation
What’s your goal for the season? Shirley Robertson apologises if her offshore preparation sounds ‘a bit Olympic sailorish’ but says defining your goal is key. “Whether you’re doing round-the-cans racing…