Sailing Mirabella
We?ve written all the superlatives about the world?s biggest sloop ? her incredible rig, the intricacies and quality of her build, the cost of her construction and how much it would be to charter her. But what we, and everyone else, has not written about is the $64,000 question, what?s she like to sail? That?s about to change because in June David Glenn was among the first to sail Mirabella V.
Read all about it in our major feature in September

Master and commander
Russell Crowe might have popularised Patrick O?Brian?s books, although aficionados could argue that the film trivialised his Aubrey/Maturin masterpieces. O?Brian wrote so knowledgeably and passionately about ships and the sea that he must have been a seaman himself. Apparently not, as Tom Perkins, owner of the schooner Mariette, discovered when he invited him for a cruise on his 154ft Perini Andromeda la Dea in 1995. Next month we have the story of this cruise, which gives a fascinating insight into the writer once described as ?the finest living author writing in the English language?

Plus
Modern Classics looks at the evergreen Folkboat, currently enjoying something of a revival; Clare Francis is the subject of Great Seamanship as she struggles to repair her boat during the stormy 1976 OSTAR; we preview Southampton Boat Show and the sailing Olympics

In all, an issue bursting with quality writing and the very best photography