Never underestimate the influence of sailing heroes. “When they saw Ben Ainslie walk into the room it was like they’d been electrocuted,” said Greig City Academy director of sixth form…
Matthew Sheahan
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‘What I learned from the America’s Cup event in Jeddah’ – Matt Sheahan
Another AC40 streaked past the sea wall at 40 knots and I felt rather foolish. I’ve been following the development of these one design flying machines and reporting on their…
The Ocean Race: is racing under autopilot ‘cheating’?
That’s not racing. It’s cheating. If you’re going to use the autopilot to sail around the world you might as well simply control the boat by remote control from home.”…
The Ocean Race 2023 preview: What’s in store for the new race
It’s been a long wait for the next fully crewed lap of the planet since the last one finished in 2018, but finally The Ocean Race will start from Alicante…
ClubSwan 80 review: full-on 80ft racer
As we slipped our lines from the dock in Porto Cervo I was trying to conceal my disappointment. After being present at the original launch of the design for the…
What the 37th America’s Cup Protocol means
The publication of the 37th America’s Cup Protocol has delivered an eagerly awaited blueprint for the next edition of the America’s Cup. From the next generation of AC75s that will…
The Ocean Race: What’s it like on a fully crewed IMOCA 60?
How much faster could an IMOCA 60 go if it were really pressed? Not in bursts, not for brief peak speeds, but at a sustained average pace over days or…
Solent sea breeze: Understanding typical Solent summer winds
Clear skies at dawn and a hint of wispy cumulus rising above the mainland shore are early signs of a Solent sea breeze day. But where many other venues will…
Westerly Ocean 37 review: from the archive
Matthew Sheahan investigates a new mid-range cruiser, the Westerly Ocean 37, to find out what you get for your money There’s one thing that needs clearing up from the start.…
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37 review: from the archive
Jeanneau are on a roll at the moment. Over the past few years they’ve avoided the bright lights and excitement of fancy racing machines and radical cruising designs in favour…
Beneteau First 34.7 review: from the archive
Beneteau are clearly very proud of the new Beneteau First 34.7 have issued several bold statements about the complexity of the new boat in their ever expanding stable. How could…
X-35 review: from the archive
When it comes to serious numbers in one design yachts, the X-99 rates as one of the most successful designs of modern times, with 600 built since 1985. But after…
Beneteau First 47.7 review: from the archive
The Beneteau First 47.7 looks set to follow in the footstep of the latest yachts that have come before. Cost has clearly been a big factor but there are other…
Bowman Starlight 46 review: from the archive
The Bowman Starlight name made a big impact on the performance cruising scene in the Eighties, particularly with the Bowman Starlight 35, of which 102 have been built to date.…
Beneteau Oceanis 473 review: from the archive
Is the Beneteau Oceanis 473 just another average white boat? On the face of it, yes. But as I eased the throttle forward and her engine revs climbed there was…
America’s Cup: Matthew Sheahan’s final day report from Auckland
In the six America’s Cup regattas that I’ve now be present at and covered it’s never been daylight when I’ve written the final race piece. Today is no different. As…
America’s Cup: Matthew Sheahan’s view on a crazy day in Auckland
I’m off to buy a gum shield tomorrow. It’s bad enough grinding my teeth at night, but doing it for an entire afternoon while watching America’s Cup racing is starting…
America’s Cup: Why day 2 made things exciting and confusing
I am going to need therapy after this America’s Cup. In 30 years of covering events as a journalist/commentator I can’t think of one that has so consistently delivered the…
America’s Cup: Why it’s good to be wrong
There are some days when you’re pleased to be wrong…today – the first day of the America’s Cup – was one of them. After three months of speculation and deliberation…
Sense of inevitability about Italian America’s Cup qualification
From the evidence of the Prada Cup Round Robin, there was every reason to expect that the Prada Cup Final between INEOS Team UK and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli would…