Joe Phelan is one of Ireland’s great sailors. With his wife and equal partner Trish he has been quietly standing out from the crowd for over 50 years, with dinghy…
The land of four kings: discovering Indonesia by yacht
The night is almost over when we motor our dinghy across Namatote Strait, drawn by the glinting fluorescent bulbs of a dozen fishing trimarans. The lights that attract the nightly…
How to find the right weather window
How do you pick the right departure date? One of the most critical aspects of planning for an offshore passage is choosing the right weather window for departure. A weather…
How to manoeuvre a yacht under power
When handling under power is done well, it’s like a black art. It wasn’t until I became an instructor that I realised it could be broken down into a few…
American Magic win first AC40 showdown at America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta
The second day of racing for the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta was something of a mixed bag. Three solid fleet races in full foiling conditions were followed by an attempted…
First America’s Cup AC40 races: France and New Zealand share wins
It was a day of firsts in Villanova, some 30 miles along the coast from Barcelona today: the first races in the 37th America’s Cup cycle, the first ‘proper’ races…
Cruising couple hook an unexploded bomb while at anchor!
A Dutch cruising couple were forced to abandon their brand new anchor and chain off the port of Pula, northern Croatia, after they discovered they were entangled with an unexploded…
How to get a multihull ready for bluewater sailing
If you’re contemplating buying a multihull for bluewater sailing, be it a new one or a brokerage yacht, what equipment and spec should you be thinking about? The choices you…
Richard Mille Cup: a classic yacht revival
For two weeks in mid-June it looked as if those evocative black and white photographs taken by Beken of Cowes had come alive and the past was racing again. But…
How to follow the America’s Cup preliminary regatta
The six competing teams in the 37th America’s Cup are set to get their first chance to line up competitively against one another at the first America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta,…
Legendary yachts set off on ‘retro’ round the world race as Ocean Globe Race starts
Amost exactly 50 years to the day since the first Whitbread Round the World Race, the latest ‘retro’ race, the Ocean Globe Race, set off today from Cowes, UK. Fourteen…
America’s Cup: what have the teams been up to?
Several years after Emirates Team New Zealand successfully defended the America’s Cup back in 2021, we are about to see racing in this cycle for the first time. But what…
Best EPIRB: 5 emergency beacons for leisure sailors
Do you regularly cruise or race out of sight of land? If the answer is yes, one of the best Epirb is an absolutely essential bit of kit to have…
World’s coolest yachts: Maxi 72 Ran II
The Maxi 72 Ran II was a dominant force both inshore and offshore, sailing an intense programme after its launch in 2009, including taking back-to-back wins in the Rolex Fastnet…
Best women’s sailing trousers: 11 of the best options
Whether it’s a quick pair of pull-on trousers to keep your legs dry from splashing waves on a sunny day, or full waterproofs for showery weather and strong wind conditions,…
New yachts at Cannes Yachting Festival 2023
Cannes Yachting Festival has always featured a wide-array of new multihull launches – it is France, after all – but in recent years the French boat show has grown and…
The Ocean Race: Was the latest edition a success?
In the sweltering heat of midsummer in the Ligurian Sea, temperatures and tensions were steadily rising on board 11th Hour Racing. Simon ‘Si Fi’ Fisher restlessly tidied lines in the…
New yachts at Southampton Boat Show 2023
The northern hemisphere summer is drawing to a close and for sailors this means that boat show season is upon us. With dozens of world premieres among the line-up at…
What’s it like to quit your job and sail the world?
There’s an old sailing joke that goes something like this: “In search of single man with boat. Please send photo of boat.” Today couples find each other on dating apps…
Best Boat Safety Gear Labor Day Deals
Labor Day weekend is a great time to pick up a bargain on boating gear and West Marine’s Labor Day sale looks particularly good this year. There are hundreds, if…