Between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn lie the tradewind belts, separated by the Intertropical…
Practical cruising
Weather expert Chris Tibbs on how to predict and cope with fog at sea
Radar and AIS help to make navigating in fog safer, but it is still an…
Night sailing: top tips and expert advice to see you safely through until dawn
Sailing through the night brings its own rewards: a contemplative stillness, phosphorescent trails through a…
What is a Spanish Plume? Thunderstorms, lightning and downdrafts explained
Earlier this summer we saw considerable thunderstorm activity over the UK and Europe, resulting in…
Weather briefing: Chris Tibbs explains the formation of a secondary low
Some years ago while racing somewhere south of the Kerguelen Islands in the Southern Ocean,…
Get out of that – heaving to in strong winds. Advice from Dee Caffari
This image should be entitled ‘Get into That’. Bernard Stamm had 120 miles to go…
Is world cruising still safe? Elaine Bunting talks to long-term cruisers
Recent attacks on sailors in the Caribbean and Indonesia have raised concerns about the safety…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: the dangers of cold fronts or ‘squall lines’
Outside the tropics much of our sailing takes place in the disturbed westerly airflow that…
How to plan watches and sleep when sailing short-handed
Before you decide on the best way to run watches double-handed, answer this question: are…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: how air mass affects the wind direction
I have a lovely old instrument at home which belonged to my grandfather; using dials…
How to be a good crew member on a long ocean passage
Matching skippers and crew can be a difficult process and while there are characteristics we…
What are the best remedies for seasickness? We find out in our transatlantic survey
Seasickness is an age-old problem, but how common is it and how can we prevent…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: how temperature affects wind
As a group of islands the UK has a maritime climate to match our maritime…
Green flash: fact or fantasy? Weather man Chris Tibbs explains the science
Caribbean cruising is not complete without sundowners on a beach watching the sun slowly dip…
How to be a good skipper: ooze calm and confidence but don’t shout!
We become skippers by a number of different routes; many dinghy sailors will eventually become…
Tested: Pip Hare tries out five of the latest weather routeing packages
Every discerning sailor will carry out some sort of weather routeing before going out on…
Chris Tibbs weather briefing: what’s the difference between gusts and squalls?
Rarely do we have a day when the wind is steady in both direction and…
Hands-on advice for cruising in ice – expedition to Greenland
“Turn left after the berg with the Marge Simpson hair-do and continue past the one…
Google Earth navigation: how to sail off the chart with confidence using satellite imagery
Cruising in remote tropical regions can be challenging, especially where there are no charts suitable…
21 best upgrades for ocean cruising – make life on board more comfortable
If you’re considering sailing to warmer waters, whether the Mediterranean, Caribbean or further afield, but…