Our hulls cut through the translucent waters of the lagoon around Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu. As we make our way towards the pass, the wind is a perfect 10…
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Sailing the Isles of Scilly: Stunning – but challenging – cruising
Often referred to as the sunshine isles, the Isles of Scilly enjoy more hours of sun than the rest of the United Kingdom. The archipelago is outstandingly beautiful, uncrowded and…
Newly restored schooner cruiser-racer Adela: ‘Some of the best sailing of my whole life’
At least eight determined and energetic crew were out on schooner cruiser-racer Adela’s bowsprit and netting. They were frantically trying to unhank and retrieve the remains of the No1 jib…
World’s coolest yachts: Alejandra
There is nothing so cool as classic beauty. “Alejandra is my choice of a very cool yacht,” says designer Malcolm Mckeon. “I remember when this yacht was launched as she…
Exploring Guyana’s mighty Essequibo River by boat
You don’t see Guyana as you approach it from the ocean, its low-lying coastline perfectly camouflaged against the hazy tropical horizon as the sun rises. And yet you sense it…
How sailors plan sleep routines at sea: An expert guide
Dee Caffari knows the importance of sleep to any offshore sailor, whether you’re racing solo, double-handed or fully-crewed. “Most sailors don’t understand how the lack of sleep can affect your…
X-Yachts XR first look: An AI approach to racing yacht design
This model is intended as a serious return to X-Yachts’ racing DNA, following an unprecedented hiatus since the launch of the yard’s last pure race boat, the X-41, back in…
Sailing to North Cape, the northernmost tip of mainland Europe
We’re not ones to wish a passage away, but we cannot wait to get into Haugesund. After a rough three day crossing of the North Sea in a stiff north-westerly…
How to race across the Channel: An expert guide
The UK has many active offshore racing fleets, spanning from the west coast of Scotland on the Clyde to Essex and Kent in the North Sea, but the largest and…
World’s coolest yachts: Initiatives-Coeur 3
Sam Davies’ entry in the 2020 Vendée Globe was Initiatives-Coeur 3, a well-proven Verdier-VPLP design (ex Foncia/Banque Populaire/Maître CoQ III) that had been reoptimised with second generation foils fitted –…
Watch: The Design Secrets of Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s America’s Cup boat
As the sailing world eagerly counts down to the 37th America’s Cup, the spotlight in recent months has been on the cutting-edge foiling AC75s, which teams have been launching. With…
12 dream sailing experiences – from dreamy adventures to high-octane thrills
We’re all seeking experiences. Whether that’s taking on a sporting challenge, going on above-averagely-adventurous holidays, or learning a new hobby or skill, we live in an era where ‘doing’ is…
Oyster Yachts announce they are back in profit with World Rally proving popular
Oyster returned to profit in January this year and expects to make an overall profit for 2024 following a 29% year-on-year increase in turnover to £56.4m. After launching 32 yachts…
Grand Soleil Blue first look: new recyclable yacht concept
It wasn’t until the end of a lengthy press conference in Düsseldorf that Grand Soleil’s management team dropped what was, for me, the bombshell. It has already designed and engineered…
Solaris 55 first look: an ‘aggressive increase in form stability’
During its 50th anniversary, Solaris Yachts is launching a new version of this popular model size, Solaris 55. This shows Solaris and its faithful designer, Soto Acebal, continuing to refine…
World’s coolest yachts: Open 7.50
The Open 7.50 is the fastest one-design sportsboat ever built. Designed by the Finot Group, it applies much of the developments from Open 50s and 60s ocean racing designs to…
Bluewater Luxury – The new Moody DS48
When Moody launched its first version of the Deck Saloon yacht in the ’90s, with the exceptionally popular Eclipse range, the concept was ground-breaking. The Eclipse designs were the first…
Baltic 80 Custom: A ‘rosy’ design for racing and luxury offshore cruising
You’d never mistake this sleek Baltic 80 Custom for anything else in her trademark ‘rose’ livery. Only recently revealed by the Finnish boatbuilder, there are relatively few details available so…
How to use tides and tidal currents to your advantage
We all know the tide ebbs and flows. It’s as predictable as the sun rising or the seasons changing, but it’s also not an exact science. Getting the timing wrong…
Expert tips: how to sail multihulls downwind in big breezes
Pushing fast multihulls downwind in gnarly conditions can be a hazardous business. Knowing how hard you can push, and when you need to back off, mostly comes down to experience.…