During last year’s ARC I was to be found at one point on the pulpit restitching the foot tape of our headsail. I was clipped on a short tether with…
Yachting World
The irreplaceable boats lost in the 2016 Cowes fire – ‘the greatest single loss of classic yachts’
The Medina Village site where the Cowes fire occurred comprises several industrial units off Bridge Road. The main unit affected, originally a machine shop, was used for boat storage by…
Skip Novak: why a catamaran wins out if destination is more important than sailing
Even if you don’t believe your own eyes, there is no doubt – if the statistics are to be trusted – that catamarans are taking the sailing world by storm…
Dazcat 1495 boat test – a cutting edge catamaran with a need for speed
Is this the catamaran equivalent of a monohull cruiser-racer like those from J-Boats or X-Yachts? The Dazcat 1495 differs from other modern fast cats in that, as well as being…
Video of how a wooden Spirit Yachts is built – the new 47CR cruiser in construction
[Above: The masterpiece of workmanship within Spirit Yacht’s 100ft superyacht Gaia – pic by Anthony Morris] The CR stands for ‘Cruising Range’ – a new line that takes Spirit Yachts’ renowned…
Discovery 48 – a smaller version of the impressive bluewater Discovery 55
It was the Discovery 55 that launched Discovery Yachts 15 years ago. The Marchwood-based yard specialises in bluewater cruisers for couples and, although this 55 was considered a large yacht…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 2: Broaching
Most of us will be familiar with that final pull on the helm that cannot be overcome as the boat rounds up to windward in a massive broach. The ensuing…
Get out of that! – Ian Walker on avoiding the crash gybe
On the edge and living dangerously, the crew in this photo are, to their credit, still racing hard and just about in control, managing to hold off a crash gybe.…
Atlantic gear test – Pip Hare tests kit on a 5,400nm crossing
Varta High Optics 3C Flashlight – 9/10 Used: every night of the race for sail trim, sail changes, rig checks and problem solving. This handheld torch allowed me to pick…
RORC Caribbean 600 2016: the highlights, who won what and all the best pictures from the race
George Sakellaris’ Maxi72, Proteus (USA) has been declared the overall winner of the 2016 RORC Caribbean 600. Whilst several yachts are still racing, the remaining teams will be unable to…
Video: Hear from the crew on the fastest yachts in the RORC Caribbean 600
For a full breakdown of this year’s results, visit the RORC Caribbean 600 results page.
5 tips: calibration. It’s crucial to keep your readouts giving the true picture
We are quick to believe the readouts from our instruments, but how can we be sure they are telling us the truth? Calibrating your system is crucial. Professional navigator and…
Video: Thrilling start to the RORC 600 as the three-masted schooner Adix takes on super-maxi Comanche
Scroll down for video: The 8th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started in spectacular style on Monday with the record 70 yacht fleet gathering in the starting area outside…
Cruising guru Jimmy Cornell transits the North West Passage in Aventura IV
The North West Passage has been described as the Everest of sailing. Since Roald Amundsen’s successful transit in 1903-1906, a total of only 94 sailing boats have been able to…
Wreck found after drifting for 9 years and 10,000 miles in the Southern Ocean is Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss
These photos of the shipwrecked hull of Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss were taken in February in Patagonia during a kayak expedition by Chilean adventurer Cristian Donoso. Donoso discovered the yacht nine…
Great Seamanship: dramatic account by Mike Golding of rescuing Alex Thomson in the Southern Ocean
Mike Golding OBE, ex-firefighter and twice winner of the IMOCA (Open 60) World Championship against the assembled might of France is so well known in ocean racing circles that to…
How to follow the RORC Caribbean 600 race- an easy spectator guide
Start: Antigua, West Indies – Monday 22 February 2016- 1050 local time (First warning signal) Course: Approx. 600nm non-stop around 11 Caribbean Islands (click here to walk the course with…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: what’s the difference between gusts and squalls?
Rarely do we have a day when the wind is steady in both direction and strength; we are even seeing warnings on forecasts that gusts may be 40 per cent,…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 3: Anchoring and picking up a mooring – with Nigel Irens
Among the plus sides of cruising in a catamaran is that inherent shallow draught offers access to plenty of sheltered and attractive anchorages that are not available to deeper-keeled yachts.…
What will foiling do for you? Why foils will change sailing forever
“There’s nothing new in what we’re trying to do with foiling America’s Cup boats,” says Land Rover BAR’s head of engineering, Dirk Kramers. “The Wright brothers would have understood the…