When my toes get cold, I know the wind has piped up. The dorade over the foot of our bed only seems to move air when it’s blowing over 20…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques
Mid-ocean repairs: Vendée Globe sailors tell all
Some of the damage we saw at the Vendée Globe finish was simply staggering, yet this edition was also remarkable for its small number of retirements. Many boats suffered major…
The offshore skills you need to be bluewater ready
You might have a departure day circled red in the diary and be furiously working through a to-do list to get there. Or maybe you’re considering a bluewater sailing adventure…
Through the Panama Canal in your yacht: everything you need to know
Cape Horn sailors and ditch diggers sacrificed all to make the path between the Atlantic and Pacific easier for the rest of us. It is a surreal situation to find…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 1: introducing our 12-part series with a cruise in the Pacific
We begin our new 12-part multimedia series on Bluewater Sailing Techniques in stunning Fiji
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 2: Navigating in coral
Discover how to nagivate coral reefs in the second installment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 3: Coping with squalls
Discover the best way to cope with squalls and weather them safely in the latest instalment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 4: sailing downwind with a poled out headsail
Discover how to sail with a poled out headsail in our latest Bluewater Sailing Techniques video
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 5: How to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages
In the fifth instalment of our bluewater sailing videos, we explain how to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages when offshore cruising or ocean crossing
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 6: anchoring in coral
Anchoring in coral is illegal in many places and should certainly be avoided if at all possible. A nice patch of sand is better for holding, better for your ground…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 7: man overboard under spinnaker
Man overboard at sea is thankfully a very rare occurrence. But with any risk assessment, you have to consider the likelihood with the consequence and an MOB on an ocean…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 8: man overboard recovery
A man overboard on an ocean passage is probably one of the most terrifying emergencies for the skipper. This is because of the speed with which you can lose control…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 9: night watches and routines offshore
Expert skipper Dan Bower explains how should you plan it, what should you take into account, and what are the best ways of preparing for and running night watches
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 10: the care and use of the ship’s dinghy
A major part of your cruising life will be spent using your tender. In many areas in the tropics marinas are few and far between, so you will be reliant…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 11: snorkelling and diving on reefs
When cruising in the tropics – or indeed sailing round the world – the time spent actually sailing is surprisingly insignificant and, apart from the ongoing task of yacht maintenance,…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 12: Fishing from your boat
Dan Bower's advice on catching a fish for your supper is the last in our series of Bluewater Sailing Techniques
Snorkelling and diving – what to consider when going underwater
It's one of the great pleasures of cruising to explore the element below you. Dan Bower considers the practicalities of going underwater
VIDEO: Recovering a man overboard under downwind sails
We show you the best way to stop a boat quickly under downwind sails and remain close to the casualty so you can ensure a speedy and safe recovery
The quickest way to save a man overboard while under spinnaker
In the seventh instalment of our Bluewater Sailing Techniques series we show you the quickest way to stop your boat under spinnaker when crew go overboard
VIDEO: Yachting World shows you how to anchor safely in coral waters
In the latest Bluewater Sailing Techniques video, our experts explain how to anchor safely in coral waters