The Vendée Globe is the world’s ultimate race course: one non-stop lap of the globe. The course starts in Les Sables d’Olonne on 10 November. There are three marks of…
Pip Hare
How to turbo-charge a round the world racer
Ahead of me, the bow of Medallia is pointing at the sky. This is not poetic license; I am actually looking upwards at my bowsprit as it rises up, 50ft…
Double handed sailing skills: handling symmetric spinnakers
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: gybing symmetric spinnakers
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Upwind trim and reefing
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Tacking
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Furling sails
Double-handed sailing is gaining in popularity across many disciplines – we now regularly see crews of two managing all sizes of boat, and sailing them with the same efficiency and…
Double handed sailing skills: Spinnaker drops
Taking a spinnaker down without the aid of the snuffer or furler is when double handed sailing is a challenging manoeuvre. This will be your biggest sail; it is slippery…
Double handed sailing skills: The outside gybe
Outside gybing an asymmetric spinnaker is an under-utilised technique by the average sailor – either as a double handed sailing skill or in a fully crewed environment. It can be…
Double handed sailing skills: Inside gybes
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Spinnaker hoists
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
How to put together a yacht’s medical kit
Putting together a ship’s medical kit is a lot like preparing a boat for a long voyage. It is about envisaging all the scenarios that could affect the health of…
Light wind sailing skills with Pip Hare
Keeping a boat moving in light airs can be more challenging than dealing with big winds and seas. It requires a huge level of attention to detail and a lot…
Expert guide to watch handovers
On longer voyages, and passages with larger crews, a good watch system is essential to the efficient running of the boat. But the same watch system can also hinder good…
Flying high: what Pip Hare did next
We hit a wave, the bow bouncing into the air. The roar reverberating from inside the covered cockpit intensifies and I look out of the bubble window to a wall…
What you need to know to head out to sea alone
Solo sailing may seem daunting at first, but if you regularly sail with a novice crew, you’re probably already going through the motions of a solo sailor without even knowing…
Masterclass: Using load cells and strain gauges on cruising yachts
How do load cells work? In very basic terms, a load cell is a unit that is able to measure force and a strain gauge is a type of load…
Masterclass: Pip Hare on tuning an autopilot
The latest generation of autopilots require less manual input to perform well but, besides selecting the correct mode (read Pip Hare‘s piece on how to make the most of your…
World’s coolest yachts: Hydroptère
“I thought Hydroptère was the most incredible boat for a long time,” says Vendée Globe solo sailor Pip Hare of the groundbreaking 60ft (18m) foiler. “It was the first flying…
Autopilot modes: how to make the most of your pilot
I view my autopilot in the same way I view sail plan and weight distribution – a variable that must be adjusted and monitored constantly. Human beings change our steering…