It’s a beautiful autumn afternoon in Salcombe, and half a dozen of the local yawls are tacking up and down the estuary. A motorboat is anchored off Sunny Cove beach:…
Sailing to Svalbard: Arctic archipelago yields up its stark beauty
“Congratulations, captain.” Dave McKay, one of our regular crew aboard Isbjörn, had those words for me as we dropped anchor at 77°N in Spitsbergen. We’d made it to the high…
Wauquiez PS42 review: Interior finesse shines through on classy cruiser
A good brand exudes quality. Seeing a logo on a car or a yacht is a visual pat on the back from the manufacturer, a little thank you from them…
What can we learn from the 2018-19 Golden Globe Race?
The Golden Globe Race is a race like no other. It is a competition, an adventure, but also a celebration of an event that happened 50 years ago – the…
Sailing in Cuba: The joys of exploring the island by yacht
“If someone has to go to prison, I volunteer,” said new first mate, Neal, with a grin as we sat on Hummingbird in Cancun discussing our upcoming Cuba expedition. “Really?”…
Hanse 548 review: The push-button 50-footer that can be sailed by a couple
Imagine putting a cruising couple from the late 1990s into a time capsule and fast-forwarding them to the present. Then tell them about the Hanse 548 – a stylish, modern…
Cleaning up our seas: What sailors can do to help
We need to clean up our oceans. Biologist Anna Turns investigates the global scale of plastic pollution, while Toby Hodges looks at how the top sailors and event organisers are…
X-Yachts X4-9 test: Danish yard strikes a tough balance with hybrid design
The X49 is squarely aimed at the no-compromise sailor who wants it all. It combines a comfortable, stylish interior, with clean, beautiful lines on deck and can even be raced…
How to cross the Atlantic from the Caribbean to Europe: Everything you need to know
By early summer the peak Caribbean season is coming to a close, ushered out by a fusillade of big regattas. Then, with summer returning to the northern latitudes, crews begin…
Atlantic sailing spares and repairs: Experienced skippers explain what you’ll need
You’ve got the plan, you’ve got the ideal offshore cruising yacht, you’ve got the time window – you’re set to hit the ocean. Almost. How much thought have you put…
Finot-Conq FC3 53 test: Can this offshore cruiser deliver the best of both worlds?
If the electric green hull and striking looks of Nica don’t grab your attention, then its on-paper description certainly will. This Finot-Conq FC3 53 is a carbon-hulled, water-ballasted, swing keel…
Baltic 67 review: Finnish superyacht yard goes back to its roots with no-compromise cruiser
Were money no object and you wanted the ultimate yacht for long-term cruising, what would you choose? How large could you go without needing a paid crew? What do you…
How to get paid to go sailing – 5 different options for living the dream
Imagine escaping the daily routine of work, the long commute, the corporate life, the grey skies… What if you were paid to go sailing, or paid while you were sailing?…
Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 boat test – the next big thing for the world’s biggest builder?
Beneteau’s new stepped hull design works so well this 46.1 could become its most popular model ever
Expert advice: How to sail across the Pacific Ocean
You can lose a lot of friends when you’re sailing across the Pacific. After the first couple of photos you post posing next to giant tortoises, swimming with hammerhead sharks…
The Tracy Edwards profile – why sailing’s trailblazer is back with Maiden
Sportspeople – and sailors are no exception here – can be a little… one-dimensional. That single focus which makes competitive athletes so successful often comes with a very straightforward mentality. …
Trying to break the 40-day barrier: Thomas Coville and the most radical Ultime yet
This week solo yachtsman Thomas Coville opened the doors to the build of his Sodebo Ultim 3, the newest Ultime trimaran and a conceptually very different design to those seen…
Through the Panama Canal in your yacht: everything you need to know
Cape Horn sailors and ditch diggers sacrificed all to make the path between the Atlantic and Pacific easier for the rest of us. It is a surreal situation to find…
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede wins Golden Globe Race after 211 days at sea
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede today won the Golden Globe Race after an astonishing 211 days and 23 hours at sea, in an incredible demonstration of seamanship. The French skipper sailed across the…
Düsseldorf Boat Show 2019: a guide
Gone, sadly, are the days of the London Boat Show and the midwinter solace it provided for the landlocked sailor. But something far more impressive has taken its place. The…