Since the start of the Covid crisis many of us have been separated from our yachts for much longer than usual. Fortunately, there are a growing number of options for…
Yachting World
Fastnet Race navigation: tactics for the new finish
The new Rolex Fastnet Race course, finishing in Cherbourg instead of Plymouth for the first time this August, offers more options on the way back from the Fastnet Rock with…
First look: Moana M35’ WRC – serious offshore racer
The Moana M35’ WRC is a water-ballasted design with a rotating bowsprit that is available in several different formats, each of which can be further customised to meet owner’s requirements.…
First look: Sunreef 80
Polish luxury catamaran builder Sunreef says it will launch a new ‘eco’ 80-footer this summer in Gdansk, the Sunreef 80. The new Sunreef 80 uses electric propulsion, which draws power…
Gear: 878 clothing bringing graphene tech to sailing clothes
Most innovation is an iterative process of continued small improvements in product design or materials technology. However, occasionally a step-change in innovation is possible that produces radically different products. This…
First look: Oyster 495
The Oyster 495 is the first all-new sub 50ft Oyster model in 16 years and is one of the most important new models for the revitalised company since CEO Richard…
World’s coolest yachts: Volvo 70 Ericsson 4
“Ericsson 4 holds a special place in my history of boats sailed. I was fortunate to be part of a very talented team that resulted in the fastest Volvo 70…
Contest Yachts and Bentley team up for custom Contest 59CS
The idea started in 2019 when famous Russian musician and film director Garick Sukachev had the idea of commissioning a yacht which had the same exterior colour and same interior…
Gear: New Seldén soft attachment blocks
Increasingly sailors are turning to soft attachment blocks for the many positive attributes they offer. Originally they may have been seen as a weight saving bit of kit for performance…
First look: F70 – Carkeek and Persico join forces for foiler
The latest collaboration between designer Shaun Carkeek and Italian yard Persico Marine is astonishing by the standards of any monohull. The images of the new F70 show what will clearly…
New Gear: Gill OS3 jacket and trousers with new plant-based coating
The new Gill OS3 fabric is a two-layer system, which has been developed to provide lightweight, competitively priced foul weather gear for coastal use. As with many clothing and accessories…
The Viking route: Across the Atlantic via Nova Scotia
Think of crossing the Atlantic from west to east, and most people will picture a pleasant high-pressure route via Bermuda or the Azores. But there is another way of doing…
Sailing the Azores: A destination in their own right
“Run, young lady! You shouldn’t be there!” a voice screamed behind me. I didn’t understand; I had no idea why the crowd had gathered in one spot in between jagged…
World’s coolest yachts: Mumm 30
“I picked the Mumm 30 partly out of respect for Bruce Farr,” says designer Mark Mills. “[Farr] was so competitive in IOR in my teens, then equally strong in IMS…
North Sea weather: Chris Tibbs give his advice
Dogger, Fisher, German Bight. Even the names of the North Sea weather forecasts are evocative, conjuring up a vision of faraway places frequented by Viking adventurers and epic seafarers. The…
Ocean Race Europe: Leg two finish sets up close final leg
The second leg of The Ocean Race Europe finished in Alicante, Spain on Wednesday 9 June, the culmination of three days of tight racing between the 12 international crews since…
First look: Rapido 50 folding trimaran
When launched in 2016 the Morelli and Melvin-designed Rapido 60 quickly established this brand as a new breed of ultra-fast, yet practical, performance cruising/racing trimaran The Vietnam-based builder has two…
Food for sailing: Our guide to the best options
While we know the top professional sailors, Olympians and America’s Cup grinders are lean, mean machines who inhale protein shakes to fuel their elite exercise routines, there is also a…
Atlantic crossing: Extra ARC rally added for bumper entries
After a year of lockdowns and travel limitations, such is the pent-up demand for sailing adventure that World Cruising Club will be running three ARC transatlantic rallies this winter, bringing…
Energy Observer: From ocean racer to tech wonder
Few boats have had such a rich and varied history over the past 40 years as this one, now known as Energy Observer. Would Nigel Irens and Mike Birch, the…