They seem preternatural, our navlight giving the dolphins an oily reflection as they launch like dark green torpedoes in unison with our surfs. The fizzing noise when they clear the…
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First look: ClubSwan 43 – first UK-built Swan
One design classes used to provide top-level racing for huge numbers, as anyone who raced Lightwave 395s, Sigma 38s or X-99s in the late 1980s, or J/109s and even J/111s…
Superyacht Cup Palma: Battle of the giants
All eyes will turn to Mallorca from 21-24 June, when the world’s most beautiful yachts will be seeking glory in the Superyacht Cup Palma. Nine yachts were on the entry…
Sunk by a whale in the middle of the Pacific ocean
“Tommy, this is no joke,” Rick Rodriguez messaged to his friend and fellow skipper Tommy Joyce. “We hit a whale and the ship went down. We are in the liferaft.”…
Double handed sailing skills: Upwind trim and reefing
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…
Sailing in Europe: Your guide to 90 days of summer cruising
Whether you need to fit around work, school, or Schengen zone requirements, three months of sailing in Europe can make for a summer to remember. Exploring the many cruising areas…
First look: Grand Soleil 65 – new big cruiser from GS
The Grand Soleil 65 is offered in both LC (long cruise) and performance variants. Externally key differences are in the coachroof and the shorter coamings of the performance boat. However,…
Admiral’s Cup to return in 2025 (with a Fastnet finish)
The Admiral’s Cup, formerly the most prestigious offshore/inshore regatta in the world, is scheduled to return in 2025, the Royal Ocean Racing Club announced today. Few events make big boat…
World’s coolest: IKA Kitefoil
“Watching the gracefulness of kitefoil racing had me mesmerised the first time I saw it,” explains Will Harris. “It is an example of pure efficiency and use of all and…
First look: Bestevaer 36 – downsized pilothouse cruiser
In a world in which yachts are constantly becoming larger, this Dutch brand is bucking the trend, with the smallest-ever model in its 20-year history. It’s intended to offer performance…
Pro sailors on their Southern Ocean experience
“I’m so happy not to be alone,” an emotional Boris Herrmann said standing at the base of his 29m/95ft mast, a foot-long gash ripped into the carbon above his head…
F1 star Sebastian Vettel backs new German SailGP team
Four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and double Olympic sailing bronze medallist Erik Heil have joined forces, alongside team owner Thomas Riedel, to announce a brand new German SailGP Team.…
Extraordinary boats: The Sam Manuard foiling mini 6.50
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…
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…
Lagoon 51 review: surprisingly fun to sail
It’s a light wind early autumn day in the Mediterranean and we’ve been sailing the Lagoon 51 alternately under Code 0 and genoa at boat speeds occasionally touching 8 knots…
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…
Elan E6 review: Fun to sail with a nice, sporty feel
I’ve always looked forward to testing new models in Elan’s performance range. Historically they’ve offered an enticing blend of performance and comfort, with every example I’ve sailed in the last…