As we drove into Ushuaia from the new airport, Skip Novak pointed out a small cruise liner moored in the commercial port. She’d recently had her bridge windows smashed in…
Yachting World
5 tips: mainsail trimming. Getting the best from your main can turn it into a tactical weapon
“More speed!” is the call from the weather rail. The helmsman is telling you he’s got too much helm and all eyes are on the mainsheet trimmer to sort the…
Rambler 88 – a missile in the making? One of the fastest monohulls to launch this season
This has to be one of the coolest-looking racing yachts ever. The out-and-out racing missile Rambler 88 is the second of two of the world’s fastest monohulls to launch in…
5 tips: how to avoid a crash gybe from a world champion TP52 sailor
The wind is rising steadily and what has been an exhilarating sail on a perfect day for racing has turned into a battle for survival. As you are braced in…
Wild Oats XI – how mods can keep a nine-year-old racer up to speed
Two themes recurred consistently in interviews with the skippers of the five super-maxis that raced the 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart: good management and the right people. In both regards the…
Z is for the Victory class, named after Nelson’s flagship and a stalwart at Cowes Week
One of the most prolific designers of the first third of the 20th Century was Isle of Wight-based Alfred Westmacott, whose portfolio included such popular classics as the Solent Sunbeam…
A multihull for the French classic the Tour Voile? Meet the Diam 24, a VPLP-designed 24ft trimaran
If the change from monohulls to foiling cats was dramatic in the America’s Cup, an equally profound transformation is to take place next year in one of France’s leading events,…
5 tips: when, why and how to take a penalty in a yacht race – advice from top match racer Ian Williams
“It’s close, but we are easily clearing them,” is the call from the tactician as you beat to windward on port tack. But the breeze is veering and the other…
Offshore sailor Henry Bomby shares his top iPad yacht apps for racing and cruising
Few new products have changed the way I navigate at sea so much as the tablet computer. In my case that means the iPad, although most of the sailing apps…
A Jordan Series Drogue can be a lifesaver, say solo sailors who have used one in anger
Drogues and sea anchors for use in storm conditions are a controversial subject among long-distance sailors. Skip Novak discusses this issue in Part 8 of his Storm Sailing Techniques series…
Risk of piracy reduces off Somalia, but increases in West Africa
While the problem of piracy seems to have lessened in the Indian ocean, it is spreading elsewhere. In the last year 23 pirate attacks have been reported, mainly off the…
Round Britain for charity: donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and join two sailors on their sailing challenge
This summer and next Michael Goodwin, a retired Staffordshire University professor, is sailing his Bavaria 37 Blue Star round Britain with a friend. At the same time they hope to…
Ocean damage – tales of chafe, jury rigs and a shark on the rudder in the ARC
Crossing the Atlantic is hard on your gear, as the reports of ocean damage during the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers always demonstrate. The 2014 ARC was easier on crews…
Velocitek Shift tactical compass
The Velocitek Shift is an interesting new product that can help make the decision about when best to tack. It uses changes in compass heading to let you know if…
PROtect Tapes: Skid and LoopX reviewed
PROtect Tapes specialises in making products to combat chafing, friction, abrasion, scratches, damage, ageing and wear on board boats by working with specialists in polymers, technical films and adhesives, as…
5 tips: going aground – how to get off the bricks as quickly as possible
Jonty Sherwill asked seasoned Solent racer Paul Heys for his 5 tips on staying afloat and getting back under way when you’ve gone aground
Superyacht Wisp is a classic-looking 156-footer with an elegant profile and a feeling of space
In October Palma de Mallorca is filled to the brim with over 100 overwintering superyachts, including some of the most beautiful classics, such as the schooner Ashanti IV and the…
Squid weather software program
This is an exciting new weather program that collates online weather information. Developed by experienced offshore sailors and navigators, Squid weather software has been designed as a tool to download…
Baltic sailing: a leisurely cruise with the ARC Baltic to fascinating St Petersburg
It was hazy and hot. The air was still. Sticky even. The seas were calm. Certainly not the conditions we were expecting for Baltic sailing as we motored down the…
5 tips: how to get the best IRC rating
It’s the same type of boat going the same speed, but how come their IRC rating is so much lower than yours? Although getting your rating as low possible is…