Manoeuvring a boat into and out of a berth is one of the most frequent handling challenges facing boat owners – so don’t make life hard for yourself, says David…
Seamanship
Crossing the Channel: 10 factors for a trouble-free voyage
What could go wrong while crossing the Channel? Ken Endean considers possible difficulties
The changes I made to my boat to get it to tack properly
Following a second visit to a Kelt 550 suffering from upwind reluctance, David Harding outlines the changes made to the boat so it can now tack properly
Lightning strikes at sea – advice from a marine surveyor
Over the years I’ve attended a few lightning strikes suffered by yachts on behalf of insurance companies. In the UK it’s not such a common issue as, say, in the…
The tragic tale of solo sailor Roman Titov
Roman Titov repaired his dismasted yacht but was sadly later lost at sea. Solo sailor Roger D Taylor describes what happened
Cruising chute or spinnaker? We compare both sails on the same boat on different points of sail
Many cruising sailors favour a cruising chute over a spinnaker – but how do the two sails compare on different points of sail? David Harding tried both on the same
Tips for drying out in a motorboat
Gilbert Park shares his tips for allowing motorboats to dry out safely
“What was I thinking?” Riding out a two-day blow on my Atlanta 25
Ray Lein tries to outrun Storm Babette in his Atlanta 25, before taking shelter behind Worm’s Head in the Bristol Channel
Techniques for boating in shallow water
Sailing in shallows means it’s likely that sooner or later you’ll go aground – but if you’ve planned for the eventuality in advance the chances are you’ll either avoid it…
Sail around Britain: How I did it alone aboard my 28ft boat
James Crickmere circumnavigated Britain in his Laser 28 Tandem. He tells Claudia Myatt how he managed his successful solo voyage
First offshore passage in a pocket cruiser – Essex to Belgium
George Stanton battles mal de mer as he crosses the North Sea from Suffolk to Oostende in a 17ft Hurley Silhouette
Dinghy sailing skills for cruisers
What can a lapsed cruising sailor learn from a dinghy course? A lot, as Ali Wood discovers when she returns to the water for her RYA Level 3
Motorboat handling: techniques for rough weather
Gilbert Park undertakes some training for riding out heavy seas and wind in his Mitchell 28 – but first has to find some rough weather
“I saved two other sailors on my boat’s maiden voyage”
Gilbert Park’s maiden voyage in his Mitchell Classique 28 culminates in the rescue of two men from the water after their yacht sank
Sailing with limited mobility: a practical guide
Deteriorating mobility has forced Kerry Buchanan to modify habits aboard – but she’s still sailing!
“How I sailed around the world in my 32ft yacht”
The fifth finisher in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, Jeremy Bagshaw shares how he prepared his OE32 for a circumnavigation alone
How to find good passage anchorages
A suitable anchorage can let you rest and await a fair tide: Here’s our pick of some useful passage anchorages for cruising this year
Boat handling tips: marina exit strategies
You want to turn one way to get out of your berth, but both the boat and the wind have other ideas – so what do you do? David Harding…
Boat fire prevention: tips to stay safe
For sailors, there is no hotter topic than fire on board. Sticky Stapylton looks at methods of prevention – and ways of dealing with fire should the worst happen
Boat handling: leaving a tight space
Peter Jones shares a technique for departing a pontoon with limited room for manoeuvre, against a pontoon or between rafts of boats