To tune or not to tune? Would you drive your car with wheels misaligned? Run a marathon with your shoelaces loose? Sharpen up at Berthon now. 1) Can Berthon tune…
Yachting World
6 ways of preparation to sail around the world, from the planner to the opportunist
It’s really comforting having a family of boats around us – a community.” Paul Frew was echoing the words of many participants in the World ARC, when I met them…
Cruising in Sweden for long summer days, easy sailing and as much solitude as you might wish
Tom Cunliffe details his exploration of Swedish cruising, and dispells the myth of it's being cold and expensive
Cruising the River Plate between Uruguay and Argentina is a lesson in weird weather
‘South-easterly, Force 8,’ read the forecast. That wind was going to transform the adjacent coast and the entrance to the River Plate into a lee shore. But we decided that,…
5 tips: how to trim your headsail for power and pace on the racecourse
The ultimate test of headsail trimming is the white heat of one-design racing and nowhere more so than at the start line. A perfect approach to the line on time…
Should I repaint my boat this summer?
Like putting a reef in the main, the time to repaint your boat is the first time you think about doing it. A topsides repaint can be completed within two…
Yachting World goes to Cape Horn to research our Storm Sailing Techniques series
As we drove into Ushuaia from the new airport, Skip Novak pointed out a small cruise liner moored in the commercial port. She’d recently had her bridge windows smashed in…
5 tips: mainsail trimming. Getting the best from your main can turn it into a tactical weapon
“More speed!” is the call from the weather rail. The helmsman is telling you he’s got too much helm and all eyes are on the mainsheet trimmer to sort the…
Rambler 88 – a missile in the making? One of the fastest monohulls to launch this season
This has to be one of the coolest-looking racing yachts ever. The out-and-out racing missile Rambler 88 is the second of two of the world’s fastest monohulls to launch in…
5 tips: how to avoid a crash gybe from a world champion TP52 sailor
The wind is rising steadily and what has been an exhilarating sail on a perfect day for racing has turned into a battle for survival. As you are braced in…
Wild Oats XI – how mods can keep a nine-year-old racer up to speed
Two themes recurred consistently in interviews with the skippers of the five super-maxis that raced the 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart: good management and the right people. In both regards the…
Z is for the Victory class, named after Nelson’s flagship and a stalwart at Cowes Week
One of the most prolific designers of the first third of the 20th Century was Isle of Wight-based Alfred Westmacott, whose portfolio included such popular classics as the Solent Sunbeam…
A multihull for the French classic the Tour Voile? Meet the Diam 24, a VPLP-designed 24ft trimaran
If the change from monohulls to foiling cats was dramatic in the America’s Cup, an equally profound transformation is to take place next year in one of France’s leading events,…
5 tips: when, why and how to take a penalty in a yacht race – advice from top match racer Ian Williams
“It’s close, but we are easily clearing them,” is the call from the tactician as you beat to windward on port tack. But the breeze is veering and the other…
Offshore sailor Henry Bomby shares his top iPad yacht apps for racing and cruising
Few new products have changed the way I navigate at sea so much as the tablet computer. In my case that means the iPad, although most of the sailing apps…
A Jordan Series Drogue can be a lifesaver, say solo sailors who have used one in anger
Drogues and sea anchors for use in storm conditions are a controversial subject among long-distance sailors. Skip Novak discusses this issue in Part 8 of his Storm Sailing Techniques series…
Risk of piracy reduces off Somalia, but increases in West Africa
While the problem of piracy seems to have lessened in the Indian ocean, it is spreading elsewhere. In the last year 23 pirate attacks have been reported, mainly off the…
Round Britain for charity: donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and join two sailors on their sailing challenge
This summer and next Michael Goodwin, a retired Staffordshire University professor, is sailing his Bavaria 37 Blue Star round Britain with a friend. At the same time they hope to…
Ocean damage – tales of chafe, jury rigs and a shark on the rudder in the ARC
Crossing the Atlantic is hard on your gear, as the reports of ocean damage during the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers always demonstrate. The 2014 ARC was easier on crews…
Velocitek Shift tactical compass
The Velocitek Shift is an interesting new product that can help make the decision about when best to tack. It uses changes in compass heading to let you know if…