Big beam seas can be the most challenging, unpleasant and dangerous of all conditions to…
Expert sailing techniques
Tidal streams: How to read the waves to gain a sailing advantage
Navigators need to have a close knowledge of tidal streams and currents. The latest studies…
Man overboard: How to react and safely recover your crewmate
Turning a yacht around after a person goes overboard (MOB) and heading back in the…
How to fix running rigging at sea: Top tips from pro sailor Pip Hare
When racing across oceans I am constantly torn between loading my spares and repairs kit…
How to reduce sail in a hurry: Top tips from pro racer Pip Hare
Spinnakers The first and most important action is to reduce apparent wind as much as…
How to change sails at night: Pip Hare shares her top tips
Before dark As routine, discuss what sail changes may be required overnight then set up…
Race countdown: How to time the starting sequence perfectly
Starting a yacht at the right end of the line at target speed is very…
How to avoid grounding: Top tips from pro sailor Pip Hare
The 2017 investigation into the grounding of a Clipper Round the World yacht in South…
How to win at double-handed racing – 5 top tips from a Fastnet champion
The popularity of double-handed sailing is on the rise. The Rolex Fastnet Race is the…
Navigation briefing: How to anchor your yacht mid-race
There are two factors to consider when it comes to racing and anchors. One is…
Pro navigator’s tips on how to use the ocean’s currents for an offshore advantage
There are a number of yacht races around the world in which strategic decisions on…
Summer sailing in high latitudes is no guarantee of good weather – sometimes winter is better
Although we are in the business of providing uncertainty as one of the mainstays of…
Conrad Colman’s Vendee Globe story in his own words – “I gave this race my all”
Carbon fibre race yachts are noisy beasts. Sharp creaks from the sheets in the cockpit,…
Night sailing – the essential guide for offshore cruisers
With a full moon and following wind, night sailing can be one of the great…
How to round a busy mark – Gold-medal racing tips from Hannah Mills
The Barcolana Race, which features a mass of different yachts all racing on the same…
Expert tips on getting your cockpit set up perfectly for short-handed sailing
The simple things we take for granted when sailing with crew can become a nightmare…
Telemedicine for cruisers beyond the reach of an airlift – how a phone call saved one sailor’s life
Anchored in a remote lagoon in the Solomon Islands last year, Tom Partridge and his…
How to reef short-handed and how to know when the time is right to reduce sail
The decision to reef is as much about boat handling as it is about wind…
How author Martin O’Scannall removed the engine from his yacht and learned to listen to the sea
For the Love of Sauntress – A Forty-year Affair published as recently as 2014 by…
The slingshot – mastering this high-speed racing manoeuvre is not just for the professionals
This particular part of the course, coming into Mark 1 on a reach on an…