When the Great Seamanship column put out to sea 20 years ago, the extracts were drawn from classic sailing literature, much of it written before World War II. As years…
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54-knot winds severely deplete 2024 Round the Island Race fleet
Competitors in today’s 2024 Round the Island Race, an annual 50-mile circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, faced one of the most severe conditions in years with gusts of over…
Alinghi Red Bull Racing suffer catastrophic mast failure
America’s Cup team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, suffered a catastrophic failure of their mast on Thursday 13 June 2024 while training on their AC75 in in Barcelona, all crew are…
RM 1380 review: an enticing alternative to the mainstream
I’ve admired the innovative range of fast yet comfortable cruisers from RM Yachts for many years – their combination of spacious, attractive and brightly lit interiors, planing performance and well…
Watch: Emirates Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup boat innovations
The 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona this autumn is getting ever closer, something marked by all teams launching the boat upon which they will compete for the ultimate trophy in…
‘Should we identify more with our youthful selves to drive motivation?’ – Nikki Henderson
As a team that is much younger than the rest of the competition, what superpower does that give you? That’s the question I asked of a group of teenagers this…
Hutting 46 first look: stands out from the crowd
This long distance aluminium cruising yacht is intended to stand out from the crowd. This Dutch yard, founded in 1975 by Tjerk Hutting, has a strong reputation for its 40-50ft…
The switch to electric will reduce emissions, but what will we do with all the old batteries?
Rushing to wean ourselves off fossil fuels it seems we’re building another problem for the future. What do we do with the new batteries we’re now installing once they’ve reached…
Saffier SL 46 first look: larger yacht from new larger yard
Saffier Yachts has grown to become the established name in luxury daysailers, particularly over the last decade or so. The family-owned Dutch yard has secured this market sector with its…
British Vendée Globe hopeful Sam Goodchild dismasted in transat race
Sam Goodchild, one of the leading contenders for this autumn’s Vendée Globe solo around the world race, has dismasted on his IMOCA 60 Vulnerable (formerly For The Planet) while racing…
The 12 stunning superyachts set to race one another this summer
Palma is arguably the greatest place to arrange a sailing event in Europe. Why? Reliability. It boasts a wonderfully consistent warm seabreeze in the summer and there is easy access…
World’s coolest yachts: Initiatives-Coeur 3
Sam Davies’ entry in the 2020 Vendée Globe was Initiatives-Coeur 3, a well-proven Verdier-VPLP design (ex Foncia/Banque Populaire/Maître CoQ III) that had been reoptimised with second generation foils fitted –…
Kraken 44 first look: Another serious cruiser from Kraken
It’s no secret that Kraken Yachts has been planning new models to join its existing range of serious cruising yachts. A 58 is launching imminently, while more details are emerging…
Bestevaer 36 review: Start exploring closer to home
With renowned designer Gerard Dykstra approaching 80 years old, he was looking for a boat for himself that would fit a somewhat different use to his previous yachts. Yet at…
5 expert tips: Jack Bouttell on repairing your boat mid-ocean
In the 50-year history of The Ocean Race (ex-Whitbread/Volvo), Leg 3 of the 2023 edition from Cape Town, South Africa through the Southern Ocean to Itajaí, Brazil, was the longest…
How to ensure your yacht purchase is problem-free
Couldn’t it be wonderful to believe that the experience of buying a new yacht is never problematic? But as with anything and everything – from cars to new homes –…
Shogun 43 review: High velocity cruising
How many crewmembers of high tech racing yachts have wondered whether the boat could be tweaked and tamed to create a super-fast cruising machine that’s enormous fun to sail? I…
Watch: The Design Secrets of Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s America’s Cup boat
As the sailing world eagerly counts down to the 37th America’s Cup, the spotlight in recent months has been on the cutting-edge foiling AC75s, which teams have been launching. With…
Great seamanship: When the Sea Calls
Back around 1980 I was privileged to be involved with the Robert Clark-designed 72ft ketches operated by what was then called the Ocean Youth Club. My own contribution was as…
Canal shortcuts to paradise: “You could sail through the fjord in two days, but why hurry?”
Canal shortcuts through Scotland Scotland’s famous Caledonian Canal cuts through the Great Glen from Inverness to Fort William and offers cruisers an unforgettable experience. The 50-mile canal first opened in…