The wind was coming on like my brother Alex had warned me it would, as I approached the north side of Carriacou island, one of the Windward Islands of the…
Seamanship
Estimating anchor scope: how to get it right
Alex and Daria Blackwell reveal a simple way to check anchor scope when determining the correct amount of rode to let out
Boat towing at sea: how to tow astern
Ben Meakins and the PBO team examine the techniques of towing and being towed astern at sea, trying out the textbook theories in practice
Craig Wood shares his biggest takeaways from his record-setting solo Pacific crossing
Before I set off on my solo sailing challenge, my wife suggested I take yeast. I remember saying, ‘Am I really gonna make bread when I’m out at the sea…
Time to change the Beaufort Scale?
John Savage argues that the Beaufort Scale needs an update to make it more simple
How to avoid spinnaker broaching
Spinnakers and cruising chutes can make downwind sailing fun and faster – as long as you don’t let them take over. David Harding offers some tips on safe handling
Sailing through a thunderstorm at Portland Bill: How I survived a solo knockdown
David Edgar experiences a knockdown on a fraught solo sail round Portland Bill as a gale gathers strength
Lying ahull or heaving to? Which is best for heavy weather?
Experienced ocean sailor Tim Cassidy advocates lying to the wind with no sail set in heavy weather, but stresses the importance of hull shape
Slab reefing: Guide to sail shape & preventing sail damage
David Pugh explains how to keep in shape for all conditions with a comprehensive guide to slab reefing techniques
Vane gear self-steering: you guide to an offshore sailor’s best friend
Andrew Simpson looks at pendulum servo self-steering gears, and describes how to get the best out of them
‘My boat was a write-off’: Lessons learned from an on-the-water boat collision
Leo Heaney’s regular yacht club race night quickly turns dangerous after an unexpected boat collision. After seven months of repairs and frustration, here are the lessons learned.
10 ways to save fuel when motoring: Essential tips for engine care, hull trim and propeller pitch
As costs rise, Jake Kavanagh looks at the simple ways boaters can use less fuel and energy when motoring
‘We were sinking, mastless, and adrift’: The crucial lessons learned from my shakedown sail
Paul Hayes is shaken by a shakedown sail in the Bristol Channel when his junk-rigged Coromandel springs a leak, loses its mast and suffers a snarled prop
The simple mooring mistake that can chafe through your rope in 20 minutes
By following a few simple mooring guidelines, you can avoid the common pitfalls and make the process of securing your boat easier and more effective. Michael Collings shows you how
200 miles offshore with no rudder: How four sailors built a jury rudder from cabin doors
Stranded 200 miles offshore in big seas without a rudder is every sailor’s nightmare. The crew of Quokka found a solution and sailed to safety, reports Louay Habib
How a faulty chainplate turned a perfect sail into a dismasting disaster
I learned firsthand the risks of a faulty chainplate. Enjoying a perfect start to our Isles of Scilly adventure, my two friends and I set off aboard my 42ft yacht…
Preparing a small boat for heavy weather with advice from the skippers of the Jester Challenge 2025
The Jester Challenge 2025 once again proved a fertile ground for examples of how a short-handed crew can prepare for heavy weather scenarios. The challenge began in 2006 and was…
“A Force 8 gale turned the sea off Dover into a ‘cauldron of confusion’ that nearly overwhelmed our Halmatic 30”
Tim Butler had to struggle back to the port he'd just departed when his Helmatic 30 began rolling violently in steep waves and a sudden Force 8
Quick tips to improve your boat’s performance
Expert delivery skipper Ben Lowings offers his top tips to help improve boat performance and handling. Efficient helming Sailing starts – and ends – with the human element. You may…
What we learned picking up our first motorboat
Looking back at our disastrous first trip aboard our motorboat Kay, we were under-equipped and complete novices who were convinced we could bring her down the river from Wargrave to…