How do you pick the right departure date? One of the most critical aspects of…
Weather
Everything you need to know about Southern Ocean storms
Any colour you want as long as it’s grey! That’s my overriding memory of life…
All about the doldrums or Inter Tropical Convergence Zone
Doldrums’: a state of stagnation or depression, or an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean…
Wave forecasting: software to help your routing
Many years ago on a dark March in the Atlantic we were hit by a…
Weather forecasting in a heatwave
Situated to the north-west of Europe, the UK is blessed with mild weather with few…
Weather forecast accuracy – how much can you really trust a forecast?
Weather forecast accuracy will always be a hot topic of debate. As a forecaster I’ve…
Masterclass: crossing the Bay of Biscay
It’s that time of year when yachts and crews from northern Europe flock south, migrating…
Atlantic crossing: When’s the best time to go?
An Atlantic crossing or Atlantic circuit has often been seen as a year-long adventure, crossing…
Mediterranean sailing: Weather tips from Gibraltar to Turkey
Distances in the Mediterranean can be deceptive, with the distance from Gibraltar to Turkey being…
North Sea weather: Chris Tibbs give his advice
Dogger, Fisher, German Bight. Even the names of the North Sea weather forecasts are evocative,…
Eastbound Atlantic crossing: All the weather info you need
Atlantic crossings are usually spoken of in terms of days of running west before the…
Sailing in fog: Pro navigator Mike Broughton shares his top tips
At sea, fog can be summed up as condensed water vapour or just thick cloud…
Sailing from South Africa to Europe: Chris Tibbs’ top tips for a smooth passage
There are a number of advantages to doing this, as well as saving around 3,000…
Yacht lightning strikes: Why they cause so much damage and how to protect against them
According to US insurance claims (from BoatUS Marine Insurance) the odds of a boat being…
Navigation briefing: How to use weather observations to improve your forecasts
I have some tips for maximising the real-time information you can see, both online and…
2020 Olympics: Extreme heat and humidity will pose a huge sailing challenge
This year’s pre-Olympics in Enoshima, Japan, starkly illustrated for me the reality of being on…
Sailing Biscay: Top tips for a safe and smooth crossing of the notorious bay
Biscay has a fearsome reputation and for many sailors, it is their first taste of…
Tradewinds explained: Everything you need to know before sailing across the Atlantic
A transatlantic tradewind crossing from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean is on many a…
Southern hemisphere cyclones: Everything you need to know
Although New Zealand is not in the tropical cyclone (hurricane) belt, the remains of Tropical…
Volvo Ocean Race: How Vestas used supercomputer forecasting to gain an advantage
Vestas 11th Hour Racing is unique in that our sponsor Vestas shared the race team’s…