Not every developed sailing nation is as large as the USA, where devoted sailors can head south for the winter as ‘Snowbirds’. Most of us have to put up with the climate we have, and for northern European countries and Canada, this means we will have to put up with long periods of snotty weather. […]
Charter holidays are a lot of fun, and a great way to explore some of the most beautiful places in the world. You may wish to sail on the Aegean, Ionian or Caribbean during a two week summer holiday, and charter companies around the world will be able to supply you a boat to suit […]
Since the dawn of time, sailing and alcohol have had a close relationship. Whether the Royal Navy’s old tradition of keeping its men addled by giving them half a pint of rum containing 70% alcohol every day (yet giving them the Cat o’ Nine Tails if found to be drunk on duty) or your stereotypical […]
Every year there are a number of oceanic and short course yacht races all over the world that people of all levels of experience participate in. There are three classics (amongst others) – the Fastnet, the Transatlantic Race are major oceanic races, while Cowes Week is one of the oldest and most famous short course […]
In the coming year or so, several British sailors are going to make the headlines in elite sailing. There will be some great sailing spectacles in the media, with the Americas Cup World Series in Portsmouth next month, a serious British challenger for the next Vendee Globe, and a revamped UK based international Extreme Sailing […]
Fancy an endless summer, cruising the Caribbean in winter and the Med in summer? Perhaps you’d like to work aboard a yacht that’s bigger than your dad’s house and help those with money to spare enjoy their lives to the full? One way to do this is to get your professional endorsements on your country’s […]
Reading these blogs you’ll be aware by now that I feel that the adventure has been stolen from yacht racing. Whether being able to watch someone eat their breakfast live on the internet at Point Nemo on the South Pacific in the next Volvo Ocean Race, or two supermaxi trimarans preparing to race around the […]
One of the major draws to sailing is that it is an adventure. The water and seas change from hour to hour, and even on a calm day off the south coast of England there’s always a chance you could end up in a dramatic event with a story to tell when you get […]
From a sailor’s or landlubber’s point of view, motor cruising seems easy enough – get everyone aboard, make sure the beer is cool, turn the key and set the ‘d-sail’. Off you go! Right…? Wrong, actually. There are a number of things to consider before you set foot on any vessel, and it is advisable […]
As a youngster I grew up in awe of the world’s great yacht race the Whitbread (now the Volvo Ocean Race). Giants of men put their vessels and teams together and went around the world as fast as possible with few electronic navigation or weather forecasting aids, and achieved great feats by comparison to what […]