It was a picture postcard spring sailing scene as Helena heeled into the gentle breeze funnelling out of the grand, cliff-banked entrance to the River Dart in south Devon. Perched…
Yachting World
Sailing around the world in an 18ft boat: Extract from Australia The Hard Way
Our Great Seamanship series tells stories of supremely difficult epic voyages, interspersed with tales of the humdrum that excel by virtue of being beautifully written. Australia The Hard Way by…
Locked out and locked in: World cruisers share their COVID-19 sailing dilemmas
When the world abruptly locked down in March, many cruisers were caught out, and soon to be trapped. Hundreds, at least, were on passage at the time, and were forced…
Expert sailing advice: Pip Hare’s top tips for crisis communications
When sailing with any number of crew members, good communication is not only key to good seamanship but is the route to a harmonious and happy crew. In times of…
Heaven and hell: Sailing the Magellan strait on 37m superyacht Pumula
A voyage around the southern tip of the Americas, will always be a mix of heaven and hell. If you’re prepared to take on the abrupt and unforgiving weather systems,…
Lagoon 46 first look: Updating this catamaran is a significant step for the yard
Lagoon has sold 900 of its 450 catamaran model in eight years, maxing out the 130-a-year mould capacity in latter years. Updating such a popular model then is a significant…
5 expert sailing tips: How to gain an advantage downwind with asymmetric trim
The beauty of asymmetric sails is that they are very simple to trim. There’s no spinnaker pole to worry about, just a bowsprit and a simple gennaker to play with.…
Pip Hare reveals the 15 essential items she packs in her grab bag
The kit packed inside a liferaft will vary hugely across different brands and models and there is no way of checking that the liferaft’s contents are serviceable outside of its…
Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 review: This could be the yard’s most popular catamaran yet
Such was the hype surrounding this yacht that Fountaine Pajot had sold over 100 Elba 45 hulls before the first one even emerged from the mould. The customer response persuaded…
A world beneath: Freediving in Northern Norway from a 37ft production boat
It’s below freezing, the wind is blowing 25 knots and we’re in a 2m swell. Barba is dancing over the waves, the pot of soup we made first thing in…
Figaro Series: The hardest sailing race on the planet where money means nothing
“This is the hardest race – not to win, just to do. Winning is something else,” says Michel Desjoyeaux. “For me, the Figaro is harder than the Vendée Globe.” It…
Sleep deprivation and sailing: How to make the right call when you haven’t slept
There’s no getting away from the fact that tiredness profoundly affects our performance. Sleep deprivation can severely degrade our decision-making abilities. The latest scientific research into sleep, such as brain…
Italia 11.98 review: This Alfa Romeo of the seas strikes a fine balance
I’m a soft touch for a well-balanced boat with a light feel and the ability to change gear easily. Be it it a cruiser or racer, performance and handling are,…
Excess 15 first look: This vibrant catamaran can sail in the lightest of winds
Launching an entirely new sailing brand in this day and age of economic uncertainty is a rare, brave move. XCS or Excess is a new catamaran business, an arm of…
Aventura 44: This Tunisian-built catamaran is well worth a closer look
This means a modern look and feel to them with a marked chine, heavy reverse sheer, dreadnought bows and a prominent but swept-back coachroof. Key features include a raised bulkhead…
Pete Goss’s lessons learned from two and a half years sailing around the world
After two and a half years and over 17,000 miles of cruising from the UK to the Caribbean and the US east coast, we are often asked what we have…
Sailing instrument calibration: How to set up your yacht for accurate readings
These tweaks will help make any integrated instrument system accurate and effective, whether the goal is to win races, or cruise efficiently, comfortably and safely. The real key to setting…
Dragonfly 40 yacht tour: This cruising trimaran can do 24 knots
The Dragonfly 40 is bristling with neat touches and feels much larger than a 40ft trimaran might, both on deck and below. The latter is the result of a combination…
Dream daysailers: 13 of the best boats for a great day out on the water
Modern daysailers 1. Saffier Se 33 UD Saffier Yachts now has eight designs between 21ft and 37ft. The investment and knowhow the Hennevanger brothers have put into the production facility…
How new-age sailing autopilot systems are putting computers at the helm
A couple of decades ago I’d have recommended anyone planning an ocean crossing without a big crew to fit wind vane self-steering. Yet in the past five years I’ve sailed…