ON SALE 13 MAY, 1999

Contents may differ from those listed below

• Panama ? the vital link
  
  Without the Panama Canal, round the world cruises would be very different affairs and cruisers would have to brave the waters of Cape Horn. The Canal, however, affords a relatively easy transition from Atlantic to Pacific, still within the Tropics. This year marks the final handing over of the Canal to Panama. We look back at the history of the Canal and see what’s involved in a small boat transit

• Home from the Horn
  
  Part 2 of Tim and Sophie Trafford’s award-winning cruise round South America. On page 60 of this issue, we feature their extraordinary cruise from Panama, via Easter Island to the southern tip of the continent. Next month, we follow them home via the Falklands and South Georgia

• A bridge too low
  
  It used to be the height of the Bridge of the Americas that limited the size of yacht sailing through Panama. Not any more. Some novel solutions to the problem have been devised

• The men to beat
  
  In this exclusive interview, Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth talk frankly to Andrew Preece about their strategies for the defence of the America’s Cup

• PLUS
  
  The remarkable Cool Cat tested and are bow thrusters practicable for boats under 50ft?

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