From the Editor
It’s unacceptable that so many fixed keels are apparently falling off – five in the past few years, at the last count

On the Wind
Transatlantic in 4 days! Groupama 3 crosses the Pond over a long weekend; America’s Cup goes to court – again; 55ft racer Bounder capsizes after her keel is ripped from the boat

The Walrus
Mouldy cheese and an ancient Fray Bentos pie. What’s lurking in the bottom of your lockers?

Letters
Why spoil the best America’s Cup ever by bickering over a new boat; AIS, a safer way to use radar; summer, what summer?

Robin Knox-Johnston
Dextrose could be the most important thing in your grab bag should you ever abandon ship

Moment in The Times
Times correspondent Edward Gorman remembers an unsung heroine of solo sailing

Gear
Some of the latest new equipment at Southampton Boat Show, from a turbocharged GPS to top-drawer torches

Southampton debutantes
Around 30 new boats are due to make their debut at the UK’s famous in-water show. We preview most of them

Leading Edge
Seeding the clouds still seems like something out of science fiction, but the Chinese do it all the time. Will they whistle up the wind for the Olympics?

Yachts
Little monster – a pocket VO70 by Roy Heiner; Contest get classy with the 60CS; two stars at 45; van de Stadt 70-footer

On test: Najad 355/570
New boats at both ends of the revamped Najad range
dinghy

Boxing clever
We try out the Far Harbour 39, a boat designed to fit snugly in a container for cheaper transport

First day with the new Boss
Alex Thomson’s new Hugo Boss II is a big, bold, brutal machine. How does it fare on its first sailing trials? Matthew Sheahan was on board

Tearing up the rule book for the 33rd America’s Cup
With the announcement of a new class and the fury of the Challengers over the Protocol, the America’s Cup is heading back to court. Matthew Sheahan looks at what’s happening and tries to assess what the new 90-footer would be like

Mission possible
Mike Horn’s first time solo in a boat was during his Latitude Zero expedition around the Equator. Now he is building a 105-footer for a trip Pole to Pole – with children

Swans pull no punches
In a Swan European Regatta in Cowes that had more gales than the average at Cape Horn, Swan owners played fast and furiously

A Perini, but not as we know it
Known for their rather staid, but luxurious superyachts, Italian builder Perini Navi are branching out with a performance 125-footer

Cruising
Traffic island for the Thames approaches; flotsam, jetsam and plastic ducks; sailors’ hurricane relief winds up after raising $300,000

The BVI ‘blue run’
For their short passages and easy 15-knot breezes, the British Virgin Islands are known as the blue runs of the Caribbean. Andrew Bray tries out a new Moorings cat for a week in March

Great Seamanship
Scouts honour. In 1948 the Portsmouth Sea Scouts headed off for a jolly weekend in the Solent. How did Swampy, Nobby and friends get on? Admirably!

Racing
A timely study of the sailing instructions can do much to improve your performance, says rules expert John Doerr. Plus: GP42 growing pains and Louis Vuitton bows out of America’s Cup sailing

Going for Gold
Two Gold medals and a few Bronzes made Skandia Team GBR top team at the ISAF Worlds

SuperSail
Yachts do battle for Panerai Classic, futuristic Durabo 100, GLA approval for Future Fibres

Yachts for sale
Classified ads

One Amazing Day
CCC director Stuart Quarrie recalls the day he learnt a lesson in anger management