The coastline of south-east Alaska and northern British Columbia is a fractured network of islands, like a broken pane of glass, and the Inside Passage threads in between them. My…
Viracocha III: The Chilean reed boat built to sail across the Pacific
Adventurer Phil Buck is no stranger to reed boats, having twice before sailed from Chile to Easter Island non-stop. However, his latest project aims to sail more than twice that…
Southern hemisphere cyclones: Everything you need to know
Although New Zealand is not in the tropical cyclone (hurricane) belt, the remains of Tropical Cyclone Gita hit the west coast of both the north and south islands in late…
Fastnet 79: Could sailing’s biggest disaster ever happen again?
Back in 1979, Ted Turner’s Tenacious won the Fastnet Race, with a corrected time of 3 days 8 hours. Over the last 30 years the average speed across the 605-mile…
Volvo Ocean Race: How Vestas used supercomputer forecasting to gain an advantage
Vestas 11th Hour Racing is unique in that our sponsor Vestas shared the race team’s obsession with understanding how wind flows around various topographies, and we’ve therefore been fortunate enough…
Four Ultimes fly into Biscay in new 14,000-mile Brest Atlantiques race
The four Ultimes set off in a 30-knot north-westerly wind and heavy sea with 4.5 metres waves, and were rapidly reaching boat speeds of 30 knots plus. The start had…
Fastnet 2019: The inside story of an unforgettable race to the rock
They say you should never meet your heroes, lest they be found to be merely mortal. Yet one of sailing’s rarest qualities is that there are a handful of events…
Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss forced out of Transat Jacques Vabre after collision damage
The first major test for Vendée Globe contender Alex Thomson’s new IMOCA 60 Hugo Boss has ended with Thomson jettisoning the yacht’s keel after hitting a submerged object during the Transat…
Agulhas Current explained: What it is and how it affects Indian Ocean sailors
On any round-the-world cruise by the sunny route, there is the dilemma of how to cross the Indian Ocean. For me the Red Sea Route has no appeal whatsoever and…
Man overboard: How to react and safely recover your crewmate
Turning a yacht around after a person goes overboard (MOB) and heading back in the right direction to retrieve them isn’t always easy when you’re taken by surprise, particularly at…
Liferaft storage and preparation: Top tips from pro sailor Pip Hare
When was the last time you gave your liferaft a second thought? Once bought and installed most of us don’t consider this life-saving piece of equipment again until the service…
French canals offer a scenic route to the Med for sailing yachts
For many skippers wishing to sail between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it’s necessary to go via the Strait of Gibraltar. However, for shallow draught yachts, an attractive alternative awaits:…
Amokura: The classic yacht celebrating her 80th anniversary on the racing circuit
There’s no shortage of stunning boats moored at Port Pendennis in Falmouth when I visit the marina in June, not least a couple of enormous, shiny superyachts being polished to…
Kids lifejackets group test: 6 models take the plunge to find the best
Inflatable kids lifejackets have come onto the market over the last few years. With their slimline and grown-up designs, they are a far cry from the rigid and bulky items…
How to fix running rigging at sea: Top tips from pro sailor Pip Hare
When racing across oceans I am constantly torn between loading my spares and repairs kit with everything including the kitchen sink, and the need to keep weight to a minimum.…
Sailing Morocco: Unforgettable experiences all along the Atlas Coast
Air is chopped in the distance. Our ears swell as an ill-defined dot appears, growing larger in diameter. The helicopter flies hastily in our direction as if ready to fire.…
Melges 40: Onboard the unique lightweight racer taking the Med by storm
Each year the curtain rises on the Mediterranean grand prix regatta season at the PalmaVela. The increasingly popular event is not just a chance to shake the rust off race…
Light winds and strong currents: How to keep moving in strong tides
When the wind is light and the current is strong, the two components can be equally important as each other. But for those not used to racing in tidal conditions…
How to reduce sail in a hurry: Top tips from pro racer Pip Hare
Spinnakers The first and most important action is to reduce apparent wind as much as possible by sailing fast downwind. This may seem counterintuitive and will require a confident, well-practised…
Lofoten Islands: Is this Arctic paradise the world’s most beautiful place?
I could already feel the wind pick up while I was sitting at the navstation of the Bowman 57 Oriole as she dug in and started to heel assertively. A…