Barbados is one of the most popular tropical islands on the planet, especially with Britons, who flock to its pristine sandy beaches to relax and enjoy the hot Caribbean sun.…
François Gabart and his giant trimaran MACIF conquer The Transat bakerly
French sailor François Gabart crossed the finish line of The Transat bakerly this week in his 100ft trimaran MACIF to take line honours. Gabart finished in 8d 8h 54m, just…
Extraordinary boats: MACIF, an Ultime for the ultimate solo round the world race
With the ORMA 60 and MOD70 trimaran classes successfully killed off, you would have thought that French multihull sailors might do the sensible thing and consolidate their efforts in a…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: how temperature affects wind
As a group of islands the UK has a maritime climate to match our maritime history. Being surrounded by the ocean does mean that our weather is significantly influenced by…
5 tips: faster foils – make sure your keel and rudder are in tip top condition
If you want to go faster, which would you choose: a new headsail or a fully faired and professionally finished set of foils? If you currently have a silky smooth…
Cowes Week title sponsor returns for a final swansong
The investment management group’s support officially came to an end after the 2015 event, but with just three months to go until this year’s regatta, it was announced that they…
Seb Josse forced out of The Transat bakerly by mainsail damage
Going into the second day of racing, in the early hours of the morning on 4 May, Josse reported that he broached during a gybe, causing irreparable damage to a…
Video: a look aboard MACIF, the giant trimaran designed to shatter world records
Before he left on his first solo transatlantic race this weekend, French sailor François Gabart allowed us this look aboard his 100ft/31m trimaran MACIF. Designed by VPLP, MACIF has been…
Solo yacht damaged in ‘serious collision’ during The Transat bakerly
Organisers of The Transat bakerly this morning that solo skipper Maxime Sorel, racing a Class 40 yacht, VandB had what they termed ‘a serious collision with a cargo ship’ 90…
Video: watch the famous maxi Kialoa III back in action at Antigua Sailing Week
One of the stars at this year’s Antigua Sailing Week was the maxi Kialoa III. The 78-footer was visiting for the first time since winning the regatta in 1979. This…
A late summer cruise on the wild west coast of Ireland
lt’s the last sail of the season. The harbours are empty save for a few stragglers in denial of a season that never was, hoping to catch a final magical…
Video: Loïck Peyron talks about racing solo across the Atlantic on Pen Duick II
It is 52 years since Eric Tabarly won the OSTAR. The late, great Frenchman’s victory, on his first ever solo Atlantic race, was feted in France and ignited a passion for…
Skippers prepare for The Transat bakerly, one of yacht racing’s toughest tests
Plymouth is where the sport of solo ocean racing was minted in 1960. The first transatlantic race to New York, the race that became famous as the OSTAR, was a…
Loïck Peyron: is the legendary French yachtsman the world’s greatest sailor?
Loïck Peyron's extraordinary career shows him as the ultimate all-rounder
Raymarine Quantum – a revolutionary new radar using Chirp technology
Raymarine claims its new Quantum Chirp radome is the lightest and most efficient radar in its class. Chirp technology is used increasingly by marine manufacturers in echo sounders to increase…
Canadian yachtsman is murdered following kidnapping in Philippines
John Ridsdel, 68, was taken hostage from the Ocean View Marina on Samal Island, Davao in 2015, along with another Canadian sailor, Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and a Philippine…
Skip Novak: want a larger yacht? Sometimes smaller is better for exploratory cruising
Some years ago I piloted a 170ft superyacht down the coast of Chile. It was the owner’s 12th sailing boat, each one progressively larger than his original 40-footer. I assume…
Land Rover BAR launches its third America’s Cup test boat, ‘T3’
Land Rover BAR is the first of the America’s Cup Challengers to launch a third test boat, ‘T3’. With just over a year until the America’s Cup qualifying races begin…
World ARC crews talk to us in Colombia, first stop on their circumnavigation
Thirty-three yachts are in the early stages of a 26,000-mile circumnavigation with the sixth World ARC. It’s a 15-month cruise in company from Saint Lucia and the first stop was…
Planning an offshore passage? Get expert advice at the Bluewater Open Weekend
A free open boat weekend for bluewater sailors is being run by ARC rally organisers World Cruising Club at Berthon Boatyard in Lymington on the weekend of 14 and 15…