Sailing across the Atlantic in the tradewinds – or back to Europe – is one of the biggest feats and adventures in sailing. In most cases, the crossing is the culmination of years of planning and preparation. But if it’s your first time, are you missing something?

The articles in this section have been gleaned from many expert cruising sailors and are designed to help you work out the best yacht, gear and preparation for undertaking the adventure. Whether you have a large yacht or a small one, you can do it, and we hope these tips help you winnow the things you need from those you could do without.

From weather forecast information to safety equipment, running watches to provisioning or even crew selection, we’ve got some top tips here. And it is continuously updated each month with more, so check back for the latest information.