Rupert Holmes

Rupert Holmes

Rupert Holmes has some 85,000 miles of offshore cruising and racing experience in waters ranging from the Norwegian fjords to the Southern Ocean, plus the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

As well as racing two-handed across the Atlantic, around Britain and Ireland, and to the Azores and back, he has cruised from New Zealand to South America and the Falklands, via Cape Horn.

He lives on the west coast of France, continues to sail extensively in north European and Atlantic waters and also has a 30ft cruising yacht in the Aegean.

Boatbuilders rarely have the courage to launch a model that represents a radically different way of thinking. Instead, most new yachts are simply variations on established themes with incremental improvements…

The best racing I’ve ever done, whether inshore or offshore, has been in one-design fleets. However, in the offshore realm it’s been two decades since the last successful one-design class…

We’re beating out of the approach channel to La Rochelle in 8-10 knots of true wind, with some tacks as short as 90 seconds. The yacht is tacking cleanly and…

The second generation Helly Hansen Ægir Race Jacket is a top notch product made for the ultimate in comfort and protection, without compromise. It’s also noticeably lighter than the Norwegian…

There’s much to be said for the advantages of a smock style top, without a full front zip, as they usually offer better protection than a jacket of similar specification.…

The Helly Hansen Skagen Offshore Jacket is part of the Norwegian company’s mid-level ‘Performance’ range and is competitively priced. Yet it shares ergonomics and features with the brand’s top specification…

Imagine a future where you could buy a standard production yacht which is built not from virgin fibres, toxic resin, and fitted with teak or plastic decks, nor propelled by…

Long-distance offshore racing nurtures extraordinary levels of self reliance and mutual support. The inaugural Globe 40 race, an ambitious and testing circumnavigation for double-handed Class 40 teams via the three…

Few new boatbuilders notch up a succession of race wins, including three ORC World Championship victories, as quickly as Italia Yachts has managed. What makes this even more impressive is…

After extensive development work with its many ambassadors in the IMOCA 60 fleet, and feedback as Clipper Round the World Race clothing sponsor, Musto has completely revamped its high end…

It’s a light wind early autumn day in the Mediterranean and we’ve been sailing the Lagoon 51 alternately under Code 0 and genoa at boat speeds occasionally touching 8 knots…

I’ve always looked forward to testing new models in Elan’s performance range. Historically they’ve offered an enticing blend of performance and comfort, with every example I’ve sailed in the last…