These days it’s hard to predict what the world may look like in a few weeks, let alone a few months, but many in the Caribbean sailing industry are cautiously…
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Flax 27: update to already impressive offering
The Flax 27 was one of the stand-out boats at Boot Düsseldorf in 2019. It’s a work of art that showcases what can be achieved with natural fibre and bio-resins.…
Great Seamanship: Where the Trade Winds Blow
Lou Boudreau shipped out of Nova Scotia in the 1950s at five months old in the 98ft schooner Doubloon. His father, Captain Walter Boudreau, was one of the pioneers of…
Video: Sailing the Hallberg-Rassy HR50
The eagerly awaited first new Hallberg-Rassy HR50, the fifth of Rassy’s new-generation twin-rudder designs, provides greater volume for accommodation and stowage, and the longer waterline and increased beam aft equates…
Second hand boats: buying a classic yacht
Over the last three decades there has been a spectacular classic boat revival, resulting in – and further encouraged by – numerous classic boat regattas and rallies all over the…
American Magic set to enter next America’s Cup
In a surprising twist, the New York Yacht Club has announced that it intends to take part in the next America’s Cup, represented once again by American Magic. For those…
New Gear: ResQLink View
Until now, 406MHz personal locator beacons (PLBs) had a major drawback for the user: if the worst happened and you had to set one off at sea, you had no…
First look: Olympic 32 designed for double-handed racing
This short-handed one-design offshore race boat is a Finot-Conq design commissioned by the Ultimate Boat Company and aimed at the two-handed offshore class that was originally scheduled for the 2024…
Spinnaker drop techniques: top tips for ‘string drops’
Dinghies like the 505 have been using chutes to ‘string drop’ their spinnakers into the boat for decades. However, when specifically talking about the big boat spinnaker drop, the string…
The future of boatbuilding: a greener approach
When enjoying a glorious day on the water it’s easy to assume sailing must be one of the most sustainable activities on the planet. Yet in many respects the marine…
New Gear: JOY Self Tailing Cleat
Every so often an invention comes along that is so original and useful you are amazed it was never thought of before. The JOY self-tailing cleat is that: a brilliant…
World’s coolest yachts: Rassker
“In 1983, at 16 years old, I dreamed of building my own keelboat. An IOR Half Tonner was the top of my list, but I soon realised this was far…
New Gear: Exocet Gold flight controller
Inside the Exocet Gold flight controller, a modest but swaggeringly-named box of tricks, is the brain that can keep a foiling yacht in flight. Stable flight requires ultra fast computation…
How to keep calm under pressure
After sailing a brilliant qualifying series during the Tokyo Olympic Games earlier this summer, a moment of indecision put Anne-Marie Rindom’s grip on the gold medal in jeopardy. But the…
New Gear: Garmin Surround View
Leaving and coming back to a marina berth can be some of the trickiest parts of boating, and more than a few family dreams have foundered on high-stress manoeuvres. The…
Video: test sailing the Allures 51.9
Allures builds alloy centreboard cruisers with fibreglass decks and superstructures, which many contend is the the ideal combination for cruising. With that in mind, we picked the right boat to…
A race for real sailors: giant schooners go head to head
America’s Cup yachts had become so extreme by 1920 that they didn’t race in anything more serious than a moderate breeze, but the racing designs of the day were not…
Autopilot modes: how to make the most of your pilot
I view my autopilot in the same way I view sail plan and weight distribution – a variable that must be adjusted and monitored constantly. Human beings change our steering…
20 weird and wonderful facts about the famous Rolex Sydney Hobart Race
10 Key facts from the 69 year history of the Sydney Hobart Race
Masterclass: crossing the Bay of Biscay
It’s that time of year when yachts and crews from northern Europe flock south, migrating to warmer climes. But like all good migration routes there’s an obstacle in the way:…