It’s a funny thing, the further I sailed away from northern Europe, the more attention my boat attracted in marinas and anchorages. In Cornwall, people barely noticed the little Folkboat…
Yachting World
100 years old and going strong – sailing Mariette across the Atlantic
This year the 138ft gaff schooner Mariette is 100 and to celebrate, her owner and her captain, Charlie Wroe, decided to take part in the Transatlantic Race. As she was…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 2: Navigating in coral
Discover how to nagivate coral reefs in the second installment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 3: Coping with squalls
Discover the best way to cope with squalls and weather them safely in the latest instalment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 4: sailing downwind with a poled out headsail
Discover how to sail with a poled out headsail in our latest Bluewater Sailing Techniques video
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 5: How to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages
In the fifth instalment of our bluewater sailing videos, we explain how to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages when offshore cruising or ocean crossing
A new life for a classic boat – 37ft Misty is remodelled for the classic circuit
Many of us dream of one day swapping the discomforts of a performance boat for the more sedate experience of racing an exquisite and well-sorted classic boat. This was just…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 6: anchoring in coral
Anchoring in coral is illegal in many places and should certainly be avoided if at all possible. A nice patch of sand is better for holding, better for your ground…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 7: man overboard under spinnaker
Man overboard at sea is thankfully a very rare occurrence. But with any risk assessment, you have to consider the likelihood with the consequence and an MOB on an ocean…
5 tips: sailing deep under asymmetric sails – how to strike the balance
“Are we in on this gybe?” is often a tricky question to answer when you are far from the leeward mark with a fluctuating breeze and dirty air from behind.…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 8: man overboard recovery
A man overboard on an ocean passage is probably one of the most terrifying emergencies for the skipper. This is because of the speed with which you can lose control…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 9: night watches and routines offshore
Expert skipper Dan Bower explains how should you plan it, what should you take into account, and what are the best ways of preparing for and running night watches
Gallery: Stunning images from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo
Scroll down for video Take a look at these superb pictures from Carlo Borlenghi, taken at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia last week. The Costa Smeralda provides a…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 10: the care and use of the ship’s dinghy
A major part of your cruising life will be spent using your tender. In many areas in the tropics marinas are few and far between, so you will be reliant…
Henri Lloyd Elite Therm mid layer jacket and trousers
I used these midlayers during the 2015 Fastnet Race, and although it was not a particularly cold event, these were the best piece of kit/clothing I brought with me. I…
Thought you’d left the paperwork behind when going off cruising? How to cut the paper trail
For those who choose to escape the confines of conventional life and spend a few months, years or even the rest of our lives at sea there are many challenges…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 11: snorkelling and diving on reefs
When cruising in the tropics – or indeed sailing round the world – the time spent actually sailing is surprisingly insignificant and, apart from the ongoing task of yacht maintenance,…
Isn’t this what family cruising is all about? Kicking back on a gentle ocean passage to Hawaii
For ten years my wife, Tiffany, and I had been sailing west round the world on our 34ft gaff-cutter, Vixen. There had been a few detours, for instance up into…
5 tips: sailing with an asymmetric – how to get yourself out of impossible-seeming situations
You’re blasting downhill on port with the big asymmetric set, searching for a fast route over the next set of waves. As you glance back over your right shoulder to…
Quantum Racing TP52 – Doug de Vos’s new boat is the last word in ‘tweaky’
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in Europe this year, racing’s premier keelboat class, the TP52, is in surprisingly good health. Through careful management it has avoided the dramatic cost escalation that…