More novelty ties anyone? Socks? No? Try this for size as Christmas present for the sailor in the family – or treat yourself. Over this weekend we have an amazing…
Ocean-bound – experienced skippers offer their advice on ARC preparation
As this year marks the 30th running of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), which Yachting World helped set up back in the 1980s, we are looking back at a…
Swan 54 – an exciting new bluewater cruiser from Nautor
Nautor’s Swan has announced an exciting new model for 2016, its smallest cruising Swan in nearly ten years – since the Swan 46 and 53 in 2005, in fact. And…
Two giant trimarans take on the world and head off for Jules Verne attempt
To win the trophy will mean breaking Loïck Peyron’s blistering record pace of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds. For Spindrift 2 the trip will be a…
Why Spinlock’s Lume-On, a device that illuminates lifejackets, won 2015’s biggest marine design award
The concept behind the Lume-On is such a simple one in fact that I’m sure other manufacturers will have sighed a collective ‘Doh’ when it was announced at METS in…
To the fair isle of Fair Isle for a Fair Isle sweater!
Fair Isle sweaters have devotees as diverse as the Prince of Wales and the glamour model Carmen Electra. Fashion chains such as Whistles and Zara offer Fair Isle-inspired woollens. But…
Winter refit planning
When your boat is out of commission during the winter, use this time to upgrade and maybe add value to it
Rebellion – new grand-prix 40-footer is a downwind flyer
Ask any owner of the new breed of grand-prix 40-footers about their boats and they will start by describing the downwind performance. It’s hardly surprising. The new generation of lightweight,…
Americas Cup – Taking a sneaky peek at Land Rover BAR and Oracle Team USA’s latest boats
“We think this is the most powerful AC boat that will be built for this Cup cycle”, said Land Rover BAR crew member David ‘Freddie’ Carr as he pointed to…
5 tips: the float drop, a canny tactic to round a mark under pressure
While a conventional spinnaker drop (kite down and pole away) may seem the safe option at a leeward mark, when a gybe is needed to complete the rounding a float…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 6: Coping with heavy weather – with Nigel Irens
When discussing how to handle heavy weather in a catamaran we have to accept that there is no one solution that works for all catamarans as the strategy will be…
What makes a good bluewater yacht? Discovery thinks it has the answer in its Discovery 58
Lying in the lower berth of the Pullman cabin as we beat to windward across the Channel during a cold spring night, I could appreciate the creature comforts offered by…
Skip Novak takes a trip down Memory Lane – aka Hamble River
On a summer Sunday a sailing friend of mine suggested we take our families for a spin on the Hamble River on his motor boat (he is a sailing friend…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 6: Reaching
Reaching is the glory point of sail for many boats; it’s the time we record our best speeds and eat up the miles on long passages. Setting the boat up…
Video: we test the Grand Soleil 46LC, Cantiere del Pardo’s formidable first cruising yacht
A cruising yacht means different things to different sailors. LC stands for Long Cruise and there are many clues that this Italian brand is targeting warm weather cruising with the…
Top sailors top gear – pro sailors reveal their favourite most recently bought kit
Dee Caffari – Volvo and solo sailor Exposure Marine MOB Search Light I have spent many days sailing offshore, often solo in the inhospitable envi ronment of the Southern Ocean,…
Video: J11s – J Boat’s new launch for the amateur shorthanded racing scene. Matthew Sheahan reports
Several production builders such as Jeanneau and JPK have been tapping into the new enthusiasm with models such as the Sun Fast 3200 and 3600 as well as the JPK…
Elfje – is this 170ft performance cruiser the consummate yacht?
Some say the ideal yacht is one that sails like a racer, has the accommodation of a cruiser and the looks of a classic. That’s a wry joke because at…
Pets on board – how to go long-distance cruising with your dog or cat
Chester and Awa’s story is a boating bromance. It’s the touching tale of two inseparable buddies who met through sailing and cruised together on their boats. I met them at…
Alex Thomson airlifted to safety as his new Hugo Boss is capsized by a rogue wave
Alex Thomson and his co-skipper, Spanish sailor Guillermo Altadill, were airlifted off the 60ft yacht Hugo Boss yesterday afternoon some 82 miles off the north coast of Spain. They had…