Boats may have nine lives, but a sailor is not supposed to have nine fingers.…
Expert sailing techniques
How to berth and anchor a yacht in the Baltic
The Baltic offers rich and extensive cruising grounds, but much of its appeal lies in…
How to find the right weather window
How do you pick the right departure date? One of the most critical aspects of…
How to manoeuvre a yacht under power
When handling under power is done well, it’s like a black art. It wasn’t until…
Top helming tips to keep your yacht balanced
According to Andy Beadsworth, when you’re helming the boat you’re not so much steering as…
Flying high: what Pip Hare did next
We hit a wave, the bow bouncing into the air. The roar reverberating from inside…
Masterclass: Using load cells and strain gauges on cruising yachts
How do load cells work? In very basic terms, a load cell is a unit…
How to: navigating in tide
Wherever we have current (tidal or other) this will always influence the sailing wind and…
How to handle heavy weather
On Tuesday 15 June 2021 our Swan 48 Isbjorn was positioned near 51° North, some…
Masterclass: Expert sail handling on larger yachts
It’s only really developments in sail handling technology that have allowed the size of boats…
Catamaran sailing: expert multihull techniques
There has been a huge surge in the sales of performance multihulls and with them…
Masterclass: crossing the Bay of Biscay
It’s that time of year when yachts and crews from northern Europe flock south, migrating…
The boom in around the world racing for all
Have you ever dreamed of sailing in an around the world race, passing Cape Horn…
Crew safety: Lessons from the aviation industry
The safety and wellbeing of both crew and vessel are the primary responsibility of any…
Seasickness: How to prevent it and how to cope with it
On one of my earliest trips as a professional sailor a wise old skipper gave…
Expert sailing advice: How to make winning decisions on the racecourse
Although Peter Burling and Blair Tuke had won Olympic sailing silver at the London 2012…
Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare explains how sailors decide when to turn back
Whenever I show new sailors how to fill out the logbook I make a point…
Expert sailing advice: Mike Broughton explains the importance of tidal laylines
Rather like the poker player who unwittingly plays into a trap, starting in a strong…
Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare on maintaining your focus on long sea passages
For me, managing a 60ft IMOCA alone demands my full attention so there is little…
Mainsail handling: Advanced sailing techniques for catamarans and multihulls
A mainsail cannot know whether it is hoisted on a monohull, a catamaran or a…