One of the world’s classic offshore races, the Rolex Fastnet Race is also one of the most tactically demanding. Multiple tidal gates and the notorious British weather are just two of…
Matthew Sheahan
What does it take to win the Rolex Fastnet Race? We find out from four former winners
As the world’s largest and most notorious offshore, the Rolex Fastnet Race, has gained in popularity, so the competitiveness of the 380-boat fleet has increased. Some crews may be ticking another item…
Iconic Fastnet headlands that can make or break your race – and how to round them
There are three major headlands on the Rolex Fastnet Race route that are key to the success or otherwise of your race. Navigator Ian Moore looks at how to tackle these vital…
Why do keel failures happen and what can we do to prevent it?
Matthew Sheahan investigates the incidence of keel failure in recent years and finds some worrying reports of near-misses
Video: Ben Ainslie’s wing trimmer explains how the team flies the foiling America’s Cup AC45 boat
Land Rover BAR’s wing trimmer Paul Campbell-James, who also has a great deal of experience helming these new foiling boats, explains how the America’s Cup teams sail their World Series…
J/11s – specially designed for short-handed sailing
In 2015 the double-handed class trophy for the Rolex Fastnet Race went to Kelvin Rawlings and Stuart Childerley aboard the J/105 Jester. Neither had raced short-handed before that season, yet both said…
How propellers are leading the charge to remove fossil fuels from cruising altogether
The 2008 Vendee Globe saw the introduction in the IMOCA fleet of the Watt & Sea hydrogenerator. Looking more like an outboard leg without the engine body on top, these…
5 tips: avoiding a breakdown – so gear failure doesn’t let you down on the racecourse
It has been a tight race in a building breeze, but you’ve maintained the lead on this last beat and now just a loose cover on the boats behind should…
5 tips: how to deal with snagging weed and hooking pots on an offshore race
The sails look great and you’ve just spent money on having the keel faired and the bottom sprayed, but today the boat is off the pace, so what’s the issue?…
5 tips: finding clear air in a crowded racing fleet
For the leading boats clear air comes free, but for those locked in the middle of a competitive fleet this essential commodity is in short supply. Whether it was a…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 1: From mono to multi – with Nigel Irens
The attraction of sailing a boat that offers the vast living space found on a catamaran may one day mean that your average monohull sailor is faced with the need…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 2: Handling under power – with Nigel Irens
As you may be one day, we were new to the catamaran we were offered for this mission so we spent a good half hour in fairly open water practising…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 3: Anchoring and picking up a mooring – with Nigel Irens
Among the plus sides of cruising in a catamaran is that inherent shallow draught offers access to plenty of sheltered and attractive anchorages that are not available to deeper-keeled yachts.…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 4: Sailing a cat upwind – with Nigel Irens
If you were a visitor to Earth and found yourself sailing a run-of-the-mill cruising catamaran for the first time it would be easy to conclude that sailing upwind is not…
Top ways to use your tablet or iPad on board your boat
As iPads and other tablets become a part of the arsenal of electronics on board, their versatility, from slave displays and back-up navigation to streaming movies and storing photos, makes…
Catamaran Sailing Techniques Part 5: sailing a cat downwind – with Nigel Irens
Generally speaking, the risk of getting into trouble in a catamaran when sailing downwind is greater than when sailing upwind. This is fundamentally owing to the fact that when heading…
Land Rover BAR capsize during training in Solent
The 45ft foiling cat named ‘T2’ is the team’s latest boat to be launched and is a more powerful and sophisticated version of the AC45f cats that are used in…
IDEC chases Jules Verne record pace and sets new record in the process
To date Francis Joyon’s crew aboard IDEC Sport has trailed Yann Guichard & Donna Bertarelli’s team aboard Spindrift 2, (formerly Banque Populaire), but by staying south and keeping a straighter…
Video: On test, the M32 cat and why you should try one
While America’s Cup foiling cats look spectacular and turn plenty of heads, the rate at which the demands of the new technology has been accelerating is leaving many of us…
Experts examine Oyster Yacht that sank after the keel and its stub broke off
Polina Star III, an extended version of an Oyster 825 that lost her keel and sank off the coast of Spain on 4 July 2015, has been raised and is…