In the battle of the big boats it was the brand new IMOCA Macif, skippered by Charlie Dalin with Pascal Bidégorry which was first monohull home to take line honours in…
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Australia to the Seychelles on a classic Swan
It was time to go. Sailing up the east coast of Australia at the end of a cyclone season can be challenging and dangerous for even the most experienced sailors.…
Line honours and new Rolex Fastnet Race course record for Ultime SVR-Lazartigue
Francois Gabart’s Ultime SVR-Lazartigue has claimed Rolex Fastnet Race line honours and set a new course record of 1d 8h 38m 27s over the 695-mile offshore. With two foiling Ultimes…
Incident-packed first day for Rolex Fastnet Race fleet with rescues, retirements and one yacht sunk
After yesterday’s strong wind start for the Rolex Fastnet Fleet, the number of boats that have retired from racing has continued to multiply. At 0700 this morning over 80 of…
50th Rolex Fastnet Race starts: but early retirements pour in with furious conditions forecast
The 50th Rolex Fastnet Race got underway today, Saturday 22 July, with the largest offshore racing fleet ever setting off from Cowes in rain and 20-25 knot headwinds . With…
‘Gnarly’ but potentially record-breaking forecast for 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race
Strong headwinds are forecast for the start of the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race, which sets off tomorrow from Cowes, Isle of Wight to Cherbourg, France, via the iconic course around…
What does it take to sail two-handed around the world?
Long-distance offshore racing nurtures extraordinary levels of self reliance and mutual support. The inaugural Globe 40 race, an ambitious and testing circumnavigation for double-handed Class 40 teams via the three…
Rolex Fastnet Race 2023 stacked IMOCA fleet set to entertain
The famous Rolex Fastnet Race always provides an intriguing line up of amateur and professional teams all looking for race glory as they battle the 629nm course from Cowes, round…
Italia Yachts 12.98 review: premium cruiser-racer
Few new boatbuilders notch up a succession of race wins, including three ORC World Championship victories, as quickly as Italia Yachts has managed. What makes this even more impressive is…
Who will win the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race?
This Saturday’s 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race will be the biggest offshore race of all time, with a record-breaking entry list of over 490 yachts for its 50th anniversary edition (the…
First look: Swallow Yachts BayCruiser 32
Look beyond the traditional styling of the Swallow Yachts BayCruiser 32 and you’ll find a thoroughly up-to-date trailer-sailer concept with carbon rig, water ballast and deep draught (2.7m) lifting keel.…
Two giant foiling trimarans set for a Fastnet Race battle
As with most big races around the world, bragging rights in the Rolex Fastnet Race race are split into two broad camps, the line honours winners (the first boat to…
How to win the Rolex Fastnet Race: expert navigator’s tips
The 2021 edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race came with an interesting change. The finish line, having always previously been in Plymouth, is now in Cherbourg. Not only does this…
Lone star: Kirsten Neuschäfer the Golden Globe Race winner
“Sometimes in the tropics, if it’s nice and calm, I’ll drop sail and I’ll lash the helm over to one side,” recalled Kirsten Neuschäfer before the start of the Golden…
How climate change is affecting weather patterns: and what it means for sailors
For bluewater cruisers one of the most significant impacts of climate change is the increased unpredictability of weather and disruption of established patterns. The Ocean Cruising Club commissioned a report…
Double handed sailing skills: gybing symmetric spinnakers
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
First look: Bavaria C46
Maurizio Cossutti’s sixth design for Bavaria, the Bavaria C46, is the first model in a second generation of the German yard’s C-series, which was originally launched six years ago. The…
Falken restoration: Round the World racer turned perfect cruiser
“Wait, you bought that boat?!” That was 59º North’s bosun Adam Browne’s reaction when I showed him the Farr ‘Millennium’ 65 on the hard in Lymington, which we’d just closed…
First look: Persico 72ft 40-knot foiling cruising cat
The new foiling catamaran design is the result of Persico’s strategy to translate knowledge the yard gains from its work in aerospace, IMOCA 60 and America’s Cup spheres into very…
Sea Eagle II: One of the world’s finest superyachts
It’s very rare to see quite such a large vessel, the world’s largest aluminium sailing yacht in this case, truly in its element: sailing full bore in an idyllic location.…