Last week it came out that the US Navy has added celestial navigation to its officer training programme again. The Royal Navy learned this the hard way recently with its newest ships losing all power at random times due to a design fault and being unable to navigate in sometimes awkward situations! With routine […]
With even the hardiest winter regatta series drawing to a close as autumnal storms start to make sailing uncomfortable for complete sailing nuts, now is the time to put your boat ashore for the winter. You don’t have to join a crochet class or get involved in your town council’s local politics to keep your […]
All sailors have fond memories of a brilliant reach they have done in 10 – 12 knots of wind, sat on the windward rail with a beer in hand, watching the coast scream by as their yacht goes as quick as it is designed to go. Add in some sunshine and you have perfect sailing […]
Sailing is all about knowing your limits, but despite the best efforts to avoid rough conditions, there can still be times when managing a vessel in rough seas is required. Plenty of consideration of a wide range of factors is required and all can have an impact on safety and the overall experience for a […]
At the halfway point through the first month of the year, people are starting to turn their minds to spring. March may seem far away, but time marches on and before you know it, you’ll be standing by a hibernating boat wondering why you didn’t use the remaining weeks of winter to get it ready […]
Boats are like hibernating animals; since they are not likely to be used over the winter, they need to be adequately prepared for storage over the colder months. The way you prepare and store your boat over winter can affect its long-term health and the ease of the spring launch – which will come around […]
I remember standing at events square in Falmouth, Cornwall in 2005 when Dame Ellen MacCarthur came out on stage to a standing ovation. She had of course, set a new world record of circumnavigating the globe in a record 94 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes. One of the things that stood out the most […]