lt’s the last sail of the season. The harbours are empty save for a few stragglers in denial of a season that never was, hoping to catch a final magical…
Cruising
World ARC crews talk to us in Colombia, first stop on their circumnavigation
Thirty-three yachts are in the early stages of a 26,000-mile circumnavigation with the sixth World ARC. It’s a 15-month cruise in company from Saint Lucia and the first stop was…
Sail repairs on the fly – how to make essential fixes while at sea
During last year’s ARC I was to be found at one point on the pulpit restitching the foot tape of our headsail. I was clipped on a short tether with…
Discovery 48 – a smaller version of the impressive bluewater Discovery 55
It was the Discovery 55 that launched Discovery Yachts 15 years ago. The Marchwood-based yard specialises in bluewater cruisers for couples and, although this 55 was considered a large yacht…
Cruising guru Jimmy Cornell transits the North West Passage in Aventura IV
The North West Passage has been described as the Everest of sailing. Since Roald Amundsen’s successful transit in 1903-1906, a total of only 94 sailing boats have been able to…
Dismasting, sinking, damage – ARC 2015, an event-filled rally
On the third night of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC 2015) a small Italian yacht in the racing division, with five Italian sailors on board, broached in a gust.…
Hands-on advice for cruising in ice – expedition to Greenland
“Turn left after the berg with the Marge Simpson hair-do and continue past the one that looks like the Sydney Opera House,” Susie, the first mate, called from the top…
High adventure in Iceland on board an expedition yacht
Cold. We came to Iceland expecting it and the passage to Grimsey Island didn’t disappoint. For eight hours Hummingbird beat into a bitter northerly beneath a sky like a dishrag.…
Google Earth navigation: how to sail off the chart with confidence using satellite imagery
Cruising in remote tropical regions can be challenging, especially where there are no charts suitable for pilotage. Often the charts that do exist are old and inaccurate. To make matters…
Ocean Cruising Club mourns Mary Barton, one of ocean sailing’s leading figures
Mary Barton, Admiral of the Ocean Cruising Club, died on 1 December, a few days before her 95th birthday. Mary was an intrinsic part of the club since its earliest days.…
To the fair isle of Fair Isle for a Fair Isle sweater!
Fair Isle sweaters have devotees as diverse as the Prince of Wales and the glamour model Carmen Electra. Fashion chains such as Whistles and Zara offer Fair Isle-inspired woollens. But…
Cruising Georgia – the wilderness coast of the eastern USA
I felt the urge to roar “Ho, ho, break out the grog boys, this is it!” but it wasn’t 1720 and there was just Nancy and me. Our Mason 44,…
Thought you’d left the paperwork behind when going off cruising? How to cut the paper trail
For those who choose to escape the confines of conventional life and spend a few months, years or even the rest of our lives at sea there are many challenges…
Isn’t this what family cruising is all about? Kicking back on a gentle ocean passage to Hawaii
For ten years my wife, Tiffany, and I had been sailing west round the world on our 34ft gaff-cutter, Vixen. There had been a few detours, for instance up into…
Ocean damage – tales of chafe, jury rigs and a shark on the rudder in the ARC
Crossing the Atlantic is hard on your gear, as the reports of ocean damage during the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers always demonstrate. The 2014 ARC was easier on crews…
Baltic sailing: a leisurely cruise with the ARC Baltic to fascinating St Petersburg
It was hazy and hot. The air was still. Sticky even. The seas were calm. Certainly not the conditions we were expecting for Baltic sailing as we motored down the…
Skippers wanted for sailing holiday with a difference
Traveleyes, a unique travel company that runs tours for sighted and blind travellers, is seeking qualified yacht skippers for their next sailing holiday. The organisation, now in its tenth year,…
Recommissioning: how to prepare your yacht to sail away after laying up
If you are leaving your boat for a period of time it may work out well to leave a job list with the yard or associated workmen, so inquire about…
World Cruising Club hosts weekend seminar for those looking to sail offshore
If you have ever harboured thoughts of taking your boat on a round-the world trip, then a seminar hosted by the World Cruising Club could be just the ticket. The…
How to lay up a yacht abroad: cruisers find they can fly home and still save money
A high percentage of cruisers we meet plan to lay up a yacht in a safe place to fly home, often once a year. Since international air travel has never…