When dropping the hook, identifying a good anchorage is half the battle. The better-known spots are in the pilot guides, but you needn’t limit yourself to those. The key things…
Rachael Sprot
Your complete guide to using radar on a yacht
Collision avoidance technology has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Radar has become more affordable, more intuitive to use and easier to install. We can now track approaching vessels…
How to transfer fuel if you have a disaster at sea
Most sailing yachts don’t carry enough fuel to motor across an ocean. Even having a range of half the distance, so that you could reach one side or the other,…
The 10 modern and updated golden rules for line handling
They say that most accidents happen in the home, and I’d hazard a guess that the same is true for sailing. Of the accidents I’ve witnessed over the years, a…
An expert guide to safe line handling at sea
Boats may have nine lives, but a sailor is not supposed to have nine fingers. Every year, however, we hear of instances of crushed hands, lost fingers, and major damage…
How to berth and anchor a yacht in the Baltic
The Baltic offers rich and extensive cruising grounds, but much of its appeal lies in the opportunity to anchor in remote archipelagos which require a few specialised techniques to confidently…
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…
How to pick the best downwind sail
For the coastal sailor, upwind sailing skills are critical: there’s nothing like a lee shore to focus the mind on tacking angles and leeway. For the ocean sailor the challenges…
Masterclass: Expert sail handling on larger yachts
It’s only really developments in sail handling technology that have allowed the size of boats to increase so much: we’ve been building yachts of 60ft for decades, but they often…
Boathandling masterclass: how to handle large yachts
If there’s one trend that’s true across all areas of sailing, it’s that large yachts are becoming more common. Advances in technology have made ever-larger yachts more affordable while sail…
Masterclass: crossing the Bay of Biscay
It’s that time of year when yachts and crews from northern Europe flock south, migrating to warmer climes. But like all good migration routes there’s an obstacle in the way:…