One of the most interesting facets of the St Barths Bucket superyacht regatta is the broad range of ideas about what makes the ideal yacht. From replica schooners such as Elena of Londonto the…
School children become mini experts on the Volvo Ocean Race
Last week we recieved an email from Jo Mumford, a primary school teacher in Southampton. Jo, a sailor herself who sails with Flexisail, is a keen fan of the Volvo…
Watch World War 2 aircraft ‘strafing’ St Barths airport during Barths Bucket superyacht regatta
What’s even cooler than owning a superyacht? Try a private collection of World War 2 fighter aircraft, in pristine working condition and still up for overseas strafing missions. A daily…
Video story: What it takes to win at the St Barths Bucket superyacht regatta
“We’re not trying to win the party,” Jonathan Kline says with a smile. Kline is the captain of the 38m Perini Navi sloop P2 and this is his way of…
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…
‘It’s like being on a rodeo horse’- the Volvo fleet head towards the Roaring Forties
Volvo Ocean Race- Leg 5- New Zealand to Brazil It’s that famous stretch of the Volvo Ocean Race, Leg 5, where the sailors head straight into the Southern Ocean. It…
Ocean Signal’s new AIS alarm for man overboard is the most compact on the market
As smartphones bizarrely continue to get larger, to the point where today’s ‘phablets’ are almost too big to fit in a trouser pocket without attracting attention, the majority of us…
First video of the stunning new Hoek designed 52m Royal Huisman ketch Elfje
There have been a couple of standout plumb bow superyacht ketches launched in recent years, namely the Dykstra designed Hetairos and Kamaxitha. This latest model from Hoek Design called Elfje,…
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…
Passions in the X One Design – one of the most fiercely contested classes at Cowes
If ever there is a Midsomer Murders episode that involves sailing it ought to star the X One Design. This classic, innocent-looking 21ft day racer is the unlikely inciter of…
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…
Contemporary-looking Solaris 50 designed for short-handed global cruising
This new 50-footer follows the fiendishly cool Solaris 58, which launched in early 2014 – including the pièce-de-resistance dreadnought bow and subtle aft chines. But, at nearly half the price…
Watch this incredible video of killer whales chasing after a motorboat
This incredible video of a pod of killer whales in the wake of a speedboat is an incredible display of their speed – and more than a bit scary. They…
The quickest way to save a man overboard while under spinnaker
In the seventh instalment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series we show you the quickest way to stop your boat under spinnaker when crew go overboard
Florence Arthaud: the extraordinary career of one of sailing’s most courageous solo racing stars
It feels unreal that Florence Arthaud is gone. She always seemed the most indestructible of sailors, less vulnerable than many of the male solo sailors I’ve met: truly strong and…
VIDEO: We test out the Moody 54DS in bitterly cold conditions
If there is a yacht you would want to host a party aboard, it’s the Moody 54DS. Step aboard and you’ll see why. The hull is high enough to create…
Can energy drinks and sporting supplements can help you race better?
From water bottles stuffed into cockpit rope bags to Mars bars tucked away in sailing jackets, food and drink on the move for many racing sailors hasn’t altered much over…
Downwind sailing tips: sail more comfortably and faster with this simple main and headsails combination
As exciting as it sounds to fly coloured sails at sea, when it comes to passage making downwind in open seas with a less than idyllic weather forecast, the last…
UK-based Spirit Yachts announce new Spirit 110 superyacht, a performance modern classic design
Ipswich-based builders Spirit Yachts are to unveil a new superyacht design in April. The Spirit 110 will be their biggest design and build to date. It will take the builders…
Video: How do you repair a Volvo 65 with no side or back end?
Recovering a wrecked Volvo 65 from a remote reef in the Indian Ocean and shipping her over 5,000 miles to a yard tucked up against the foothills of the Italian…