While a tack is one of the most fundamental manoeuvres, it’s also hard to execute well. The more crew on board, the harder it is to co-ordinate the timing of…
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5 top tips: How to gybe in strong winds
Gybing any boat in strong wind can be loaded with jeopardy but it’s particularly risky on a powerful boat like a VO70. The boat that was originally constructed for US…
How to manage your mental health at sea
It’s a common misconception that ‘mental health’ only applies when we are experiencing a condition such as anxiety, depression or addiction. But one of the most important points about mental…
How to choose the right sails for your boat
When asked his advice on how to extract maximum value from your sail budget, Ian Walker first offered a health warning: “You do know that I work for North Sails,…
How to trim an asymmetric sail in light airs
Francesca Clapcich has enjoyed a hugely diverse and successful racing career. Her years racing the Laser Radial at Olympic level honed her wave-riding skills where sailors steer huge arcs –…
Double handed sailing skills: Tacking
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Furling sails
Double-handed sailing is gaining in popularity across many disciplines – we now regularly see crews of two managing all sizes of boat, and sailing them with the same efficiency and…
How to run a yacht’s watch system
Bouwe Bekking has been around long enough to remember the ‘bad old days’ of non-stop hiking on the rail on a Mumm 36 while competing in the Admiral’s Cup. Life…
5 top tips: Conrad Humphreys on how to keep up crew morale
Leading a crew of amateur sailors around the world in an event like the BT Global Challenge, or its modern equivalent, the Clipper Race, can be challenging in the extreme.…
Double handed sailing skills: Spinnaker drops
Taking a spinnaker down without the aid of the snuffer or furler is when double handed sailing is a challenging manoeuvre. This will be your biggest sail; it is slippery…
Catamaran sailing: can you fast track multihull skills?
Can one week change your life? That’s a whole lot of pressure to put on a holiday. But for a surprising number of graduates of the Nautilus Sailing catamaran sailing…
From the ocean to the plate: The art of foraging and fishing in the South Pacific Islands
Can you imagine not going to a supermarket or farmer’s market for a month or more? Could you make nourishing, appetising meals out of only what you have in stores?…
5 expert tips: How to improve your offshore racing skills
French Figaro sailors, whether they’re currently on the circuit or former Figaro skippers who cut their teeth in the class years ago, seem to do very well in the fully-crewed…
How to be a valuable first mate
Our image of the lone sailor as the hero of the high seas, battling the elements in isolation, does all the second-in-commands of the world a disservice. Every skipper needs…
Double handed sailing skills: The outside gybe
Outside gybing an asymmetric spinnaker is an under-utilised technique by the average sailor – either as a double handed sailing skill or in a fully crewed environment. It can be…
Double handed sailing skills: Inside gybes
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
Double handed sailing skills: Spinnaker hoists
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up…
5 tips on strategic starting for sailors
Getting a good start is not just about being fast off the line in clear air. Sometimes the better start can be to wait in the second row near the…
How to put together a yacht’s medical kit
Putting together a ship’s medical kit is a lot like preparing a boat for a long voyage. It is about envisaging all the scenarios that could affect the health of…
Light wind sailing skills with Pip Hare
Keeping a boat moving in light airs can be more challenging than dealing with big winds and seas. It requires a huge level of attention to detail and a lot…