Taking a spinnaker down without the aid of the snuffer or furler is when double…
Sail Faster Sail Safer
Double handed sailing skills: The outside gybe
Outside gybing an asymmetric spinnaker is an under-utilised technique by the average sailor – either…
Double handed sailing skills: Inside gybes
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double…
Double handed sailing skills: Spinnaker hoists
Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double…
Light wind sailing skills with Pip Hare
Keeping a boat moving in light airs can be more challenging than dealing with big…
Second-hand boats: Buying a shorthanded racing yacht
The rapidly growing double-handed and shorthanded racing scene has attracted a flurry of recently launched…
Catamaran sailing: expert multihull techniques
There has been a huge surge in the sales of performance multihulls and with them…
Transat Jacques Vabre: lessons from the experts
Two boats achieved stunning victories in the latest edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre, establishing…
Onboard communication: Pip Hare’s guide
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to join the French crew of the IMOCA…
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…
Vessel transfer: A how to guide from Pip Hare
Whether it’s a medical emergency that requires a single crewmember to be evacuated, or a…
How to deal with problems at sea
Liz Wardley, by her own admission, hated school. “I was a very bad student, but…
Squalls and gusts: How to predict and cope with them
Squalls are the school bullies of the ocean. But, like all bullies, your best bet…
How to be a winning skipper – the surprisingly simple secrets to forming and leading a great crew
What is the secret to a happy crew that bond at sea as a team…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 1: Avoiding a Chinese gybe
Chinese gybes on windy days are a good spectator sport, but with the right prompt…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 2: Broaching
Most of us will be familiar with that final pull on the helm that cannot…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 3: Gybing
The first time I gybed single-handed it was on a 40-footer with a symmetrical spinnaker.…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 4: Upwind trim
Sailing to windward on a badly trimmed boat seems like punishment. We have all felt…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 5: Helming skills
When you’re sailing upwind in a monohull, the key is to minimise helm movement to…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 6: Reaching
Reaching is the glory point of sail for many boats; it’s the time we record…