Superyacht regattas are not really my cup of tea. The last time I did one…
Comment
Pollution in Rio spoiling the sailing Olympics? Skip Novak says: ‘This is Brazil; just enjoy the carnival’
I know Rio well enough. We stopped there in the Whitbread Round the World Race…
Skip Novak on harnesses, ocean racing risks and the most vulnerable time of all
Of course the loss of crewmember Sarah Young from the Clipper Round the World Race…
Skip Novak: something should be done about the number of rescues in major ocean races
Describing grand-prix offshore sailors as ‘idiots’ continually in need of rescue (as someone did in…
Skip Novak: want a larger yacht? Sometimes smaller is better for exploratory cruising
Some years ago I piloted a 170ft superyacht down the coast of Chile. It was…
Skip Novak: think about a jury rudder before you have to set one in anger
What a pleasure to read in the December issue about the couple who sailed themselves…
How to be a good skipper: ooze calm and confidence but don’t shout!
We become skippers by a number of different routes; many dinghy sailors will eventually become…
Skip Novak: why a catamaran wins out if destination is more important than sailing
Even if you don’t believe your own eyes, there is no doubt – if the…
What will foiling do for you? Why foils will change sailing forever
“There’s nothing new in what we’re trying to do with foiling America’s Cup boats,” says…
Why aren’t women at the helm? Is sailing still stuck in the 1950s?
In 1950s movies, when a man and woman were going somewhere together, it was invariably…
Skip Novak: where have all the America’s Cup tycoons gone? We miss them
I recently became aware of the new rules in the America’s Cup whereby the challengers…
Skip Novak: remembering the capsize of the maxi Drum – will they ever complete the Fastnet?
Thirty years ago last August the maxi Drum capsized in the Fastnet Race with 24…
Guns on board yachts – are you for or against?
Should you carry a gun on board your boat, or are they more trouble than…
Video: a little reminder of why we love sailing so much
Aren’t sailing and boats magic? The variety of the experience, from beautiful classic yachts and…
Why are breaking waves so dangerous to yachts? Watch this video and see
Dramatic video illustration of how a relatively small breaking wave can capsize a yacht
Skip Novak: why I consider someone calling my yacht ‘well-used’ a compliment
When superyachts began coming to Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Peninsula in the mid-1990s,…
Skip Novak: Should I be contributing to a cruising guide to Antarctica?
There is a plan afoot for a cruising guide to Antarctica. I know this as…
The cult of Amel yachts – secrets of the evergreen appeal of the archetypal French bluewater cruiser
These French bluewater cruisers are like no others on the market. Here's why
Skip Novak takes a trip down Memory Lane – aka Hamble River
On a summer Sunday a sailing friend of mine suggested we take our families for…
Skip Novak: Setting out on sea trials inadequately prepared? Been there, done that
Anyone who owns a boat knows the subject. We’ve all done it, setting out to…