The past few years have seen an explosion of activity in the Mini 6.50 class, with qualifying races for the iconic Mini Transat race oversubscribed by up to 100% and…
What to wear dinghy sailing: from bouyancy aids to boots
If you want to make a start in sailing then often a dinghy will be your first port of call for learning – and thereafter many choose to keep dinghy…
Best snorkelling set: 5 of top options for better vision underwater
Explore the wonders of the ocean for longer with a good mask and snorkel – who knows what creatures of the deep you might spot? While you can have a…
How (and why) wood is making a comeback in yacht building
Why would a naval architect and structural engineer used to working with cutting edge materials for America’s Cup teams, including INEOS Britannia, and companies like Airbus, be excited about working…
Two Man Overboard Incidents in cross-Channel races: British sailor dies
Two separate Man Overboard incidents have occurred during different cross-Channel races this weekend, with one fatality confirmed. The first incident took place during the Royal Escape Race, which set off…
640.9 miles in 24hrs: Holcim-PRB smashes monohull record
Kevin Escoffier’s IMOCA Holcim-PRB, competing in the The Ocean Race, has annihilated the 24-hour monohull sailing record by covering an incredible 640.9 miles on the fifth leg from Newport to Aarhus. This…
Iridium GO! exec vs Starlink Roam: Which Sat comms system does it best
Until recently, developments in satellite communications were painfully slow, but the pace of change started to quicken a few years ago and is today accelerating rapidly. There’s now a wider…
Swimming with humpback whales
“Slip into the water, don’t jump. Try not to splash, and follow me,” our guide Torea hurriedly told us as the panga-style boat slowed to a stop, only 100m away…
How to provision a yacht for a long passage
Provisioning a yacht for a long period away from conventional shops, with limited cold store space, dry goods stowage and galley facilities, can be daunting. In a beautifully illustrated new…
Buddy Melges, 1930-2023
Harry Clemons ‘Buddy’ Melges Jr., widely considered to be one of America’s greatest competitive sailors, passed away on May 18, 2023. Born on January 26, 1930, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Buddy…
When a sailor and a chicken took on an incredible voyage
Say what you will, but the French have got style. We Anglo-Saxons may fancy ourselves as adventurers, but then along comes an unsponsored lad from North Brittany in a 30ft…
How to trim an asymmetric sail in light airs
Francesca Clapcich has enjoyed a hugely diverse and successful racing career. Her years racing the Laser Radial at Olympic level honed her wave-riding skills where sailors steer huge arcs –…
What you need to know to sail across the Pacific
Coffee in hand, I gaze out from our cockpit across the flat lagoon of the palm-fringed coral atoll in Fakarava. We are in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia. Yesterday we swam…
Starlink at sea: all change for cruisers
Starlink, Elon Musk’s low orbit satellite network which delivers low cost high speed internet via a portable dish, has shaken up its offering for cruising sailors and other broadband users…
Double handed sailing skills: Tacking
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
World’s coolest yachts: Windward Passage
“A very modern boat for her times: very large stern (almost like today’s naval architecture) and semi-round bilge hull made her very fast in reaching – and with a flush…
The best dry bags for kayaking: for keeping kit dry during all kinds of paddling adventures
There is nothing worse than getting to a take-out point after a paddle, only to find your ‘dry’ gear, provisions or camping equipment has been soaked through while you’ve been…
GUYOT environnement – Team Europe dismasted in The Ocean Race
Early this morning, Tuesday 9 May 2023, organisers of The Ocean Race have reported that GUYOT environnement – Team Europe has dismasted as the fleet race towards the finish of…
World’s coolest yachts: The Waszp
“I’d like to be able to say the AC40 [Women’s and Youth America’s Cup foiler] because hopefully – fingers crossed! – I will be in it and it’s definitely the…
St Maarten Heineken Regatta: Kicking off the Caribbean season
The Caribbean regatta season is something of a pilgrimage to the sun, drawing competitors from across North America as well as across the Atlantic. Those coming from northern Europe or…