One of the world’s greatest ocean races starts this Sunday. The singlehanded 3,500-mile transatlantic Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe will set sail from Saint-Malo at 13:00 CET (12:00 UTC)…
How this 1898 catboat clone was reverse-engineered from an attic relic
Whirlwind II is the result of an intensive reverse engineering project, sprinkled with a healthy dose of creative license. She’s a near replica of a design by legendary US boatbuilder…
5 expert tips to improve your boat handling in all conditions
All of us sailors have a favourite set of conditions. Early in her career, coming up through the British youth ranks, Daisy Collingridge always leaned towards the windier stuff. “Given…
How Andre Hoek rewrote yachting history
Andre Hoek, and his eponymous design company, has long been one of yachting’s disrupters. They pioneered the concept – at first fiercely criticised, then widely copied – of combining a…
How can you truly assess a sailor’s experience? – Nikki Henderson
I’m fresh back from Chicago, having spent a week coaching an offshore race team from deeply landlocked Denver. So before I take off my teaching hat, I have a quiz…
Choosing a used double-handed yacht – Our top tips
Everyone is shorter on time than ever. For sailors with families, jobs and competing demands, the case for a smaller, simpler boat has never been stronger: less maintenance, fewer systems…
‘The blur of sea and sky is separated every so often by turtles breaking the surface’ – An Indian Ocean passage
Katabatic winds tumble down Phuket’s hillside, sending marbled streaks across the boat-scattered bay. Our anchor comes up with a thud – like a full stop after 18 months in south-east…
How Gitana 18 makes 40 knot solo sailing feel ‘normal’
I’ve learned to pinch myself regularly when I’m talking to Gitana 18 skipper Charles Caudrelier, especially when we’re discussing the Ultim trimaran. Without the occasional jolt to the senses it’s…
‘The El Niño phase typically lasts nine to 18 months’ – How it affects sailors
In June, scientists at the UK Met Office announced that the world had officially entered an ‘El Niño’ – a naturally occurring phenomenon that brings warmer global temperatures, shifting wind…
Jimmy Cornell, the ARC mastermind on routing: ‘Sailing your own boat is still the most rewarding way to explore our planet’
When I started planning my first voyage in the early 1970s there was only one book dealing specifically with ocean routing: the British Admiralty Ocean Passages for the World, first…
What causes tropical revolving storms and how to avoid them
Tropical revolving storms (TRS) are called different things depending on where you are in the world: hurricanes in the North Atlantic and East Pacific, cyclones in the East Pacific and…
World’s coolest boats: The Finn dinghy
“The Finn is the boat that taught me the most,” says Musto. After sailing the Cadet, Musto moved into the Finn dinghy in the early 1960s. “Initially, I was 10½…
How offshore racers are shaping this next generation of fast yachts
The influence of modern offshore racing on cruising design has never been clearer. Today’s short-handed ocean racers (such as Class 40s and IMOCAs) have proven that powerful hull forms, wide…
Offshore sailing routines: How emotional intelligence keeps your crew safe
Most sailing manuals focus on the practical: diagrams for how to rig a storm jib, troubleshooting guides for a temperamental diesel engine. But a successful passage also has an invisible…
Burling’s Luna Rossa takes home win in America’s Cup World Series, Naples
The second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta concluded on the Bay of Naples with a dominant performance from local favourites Luna Rossa, who claimed the regatta title in front of the…
Own the Yacht. Enjoy the Sailing. Leave the Management to Us
Owning a yacht should be about time on the water, discovering new destinations and creating memories with family and friends. Yet for many owners, the reality of yacht ownership can…
What to watch for at the Naples America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta this weekend
The second Preliminary Regatta in the 38th America’s Cup cycle kicks off for real today, with three days of fleet racing over Friday 25-Sunday 27 September. Six teams are racing,…
I raced 35,000 miles around the world to bring you this ULTIMATE sailing equipment test
There are some key ‘big ticket’ items that any ocean-going or bluewater yacht will rely on. Water, power, connectivity, steering: the things you need to just work to keep the…
How to Watch the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Naples Live
The 38th America’s Cup cycle continues this weekend with the second official Preliminary Regatta, taking place in the bay of Naples, Italy from 24–27 September 2026. Nine AC40 foiling monohulls…
How Alexis Loison won the Solitaire du Figaro after 19 attempts: ‘In solo racing you have to be good at everything’
Most sailors would have simply given up, but Alexis Loison kept coming back. For 19 editions of La Solitaire du Figaro the Normandy skipper Alexis Loison held one dream, and…