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…
Yachting World
World’s coolest yachts: Olympus Photo
“The late Mike Birch’s Olympus Photo, designed and built by Walter Greene, sits at the root of all modern multis,” says Verdier. “Mike and his boat began the legend of…
Extraordinary boats: Tapio Lehtinen’s Gaia 36 Asteria
Note: Since this piece was written Tapio Lehtinen had to be rescued in the Golden Globe Race after his beloved yacht, Asteria sank in a mere 5 minutes. It is…
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 ‘applying load to the tiller’. “Sometimes the boat heels over and the load comes on…
Sailing to the Galapagos – a land of wonder
The first morning of passage sailing to the Galapagos Islands I leapt out of my berth at 0600, seeking an hour alone. I’d hoped to rise earlier for a full…
Starlink for yachts: true remote connection for your boat
Imagine you’re peacefully anchored in a tight cove on the lee of some remote uninhabited island with zero mobile phone reception. But you unexpectedly need to speak with family or…
World’s coolest yachts: Dilemma
Legendary American yacht designer Nathaneal G Herreshoff is famed for his spectacular America’s Cup designs, drawing every Cup winner for nearly 40 years from 1893-1934. However, among ‘Capt Nat’s’ prolific…
Beneteau and Contest look ahead with new electric yachts
It’s more than five years since electric drives became the default propulsion option for new daysailer designs but they’re now also entering the mainstream for larger yachts. Beneteau’s first electric…
Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup: A feast for the eyes
Walk the hallowed docks of Sardinia’s Yacht Club Costa Smeralda during the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup and it was impossible to get anywhere fast. The collection of maxi yachts this…
Sailing Svalbard: a photographic expedition in the Artctic circle
It’s 0600 and I hear movement down below, our guide Marcel going for his shower. I’d woken a couple of hours earlier when I knocked a pillow covering the window…
How wingsail technology could revolutionise the shipping industry
On a summer weekend there’s always a bustle of activity on the foreshore at Hamble-le-Rice, on England’s south coast. The whirr of electric air compressors has been the soundtrack to…
How to recover a man overboard
After 45,000 nautical miles racing in the Clipper Round the World Race, skipper Chris Brooks was relieved that his crew on Qingdao never had to put their well-rehearsed Man Overboard…
Stan Honey: the smartest man in yachting?
Stan Honey’s first ever offshore race set the tone for his career. Then a lean and mean 14-year-old racing Lasers out of the Los Angeles Yacht Club, Honey already had…
What should sailors do if they encounter migrant vessels at sea?
What would you do if you came across a migrant vessel adrift at sea? It’s a scenario many sailors have discussed because, unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find desperate migrants…
Weather forecasting in a heatwave
Situated to the north-west of Europe, the UK is blessed with mild weather with few extreme weather events, and our temperature is moderated by the seawater around the shores. Thanks…
East-bound Atlantic crossing via Bermuda
We tacked for the first and only time on our 13-day crossing. The view off Ultima’s bow revealed the alluring sight of not only an approaching landfall but elevation too.…
How to use your autopilot for downwind sailing
Top-spec autopilots have become very sophisticated, not least in the use of AI (artificial intelligence), so much so that modern autopilot systems on an IMOCA 60 won’t leave you much…
SunGod and the Great Britain SailGP Team are breaking new ground in sports sponsorship
With high-octane action, an unrivalled sustainability agenda, and no shortage of drama on and off the water, SailGP is shaping a new future for sailing competition – and its partnerships…
X-Yachts launches its first hybrid boat with electric propulsion
Called the X49E, the 15.08m boat has been a close collaboration between a very motivated owner and the yard’s expert technical team. It has also been a question of careful…
New boats at 2022 boat shows
The northern hemisphere summer is drawing to a close and for sailors this means that boat show season is upon us. With dozens of world premieres among the line-up at…