Swimming with humpback whales

Having paused their Pacific cruise in Mo’orea, Josh Shankle and Rachel Moore find wonderment swimming with humpback whales “Slip into the water, don’t jump. Try not to splash, and follow me,” our guide Torea hurriedly told us as the panga-style boat slowed to a stop, only 100m away from a sleeping giant. “Stay together, stay […]

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How to provision a yacht for a long passage

Long term liveaboard Catherine Lawson talks about how to provision a yacht for a long passage and passes on some of her top tips Provisioning a yacht for a long period away from conventional shops, with limited cold store space, dry goods stowage and galley facilities, can be daunting. In a beautifully illustrated new book, […]

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When a sailor and a chicken took on an incredible voyage

Young Breton sailor Guirec Soudée and his famous red hen, Monique, ride out Christmas ice-bound in Greenland. Tom Cunliffe introduces this extract Say what you will, but the French have got style. We Anglo-Saxons may fancy ourselves as adventurers, but then along comes an unsponsored lad from North Brittany in a 30ft steel boat and […]

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How to trim asymmetric sail in light airs

Pro offshore sailor and Olympian Francesca Clapcich shares tips on how to trim an asymmetric spinnaker in light airs with Andy Rice Francesca Clapcich has enjoyed a hugely diverse and successful racing career. Her years racing the Laser Radial at Olympic level honed her wave-riding skills where sailors steer huge arcs – either luffing up […]

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What you need to know to sail across the Pacific

A Pacific Ocean crossing can be spectacular, but also daunting. Kate Ashe-Leonard has advice on what you need to know before you set sail across the Pacific Coffee in hand, I gaze out from our cockpit across the flat lagoon of the palm-fringed coral atoll in Fakarava. We are in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia. Yesterday […]

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Double handed sailing skills: Tacking

In the latest instalment of her series on double handed sailing skills, Pip Hare explains the best process for tacking with two onboard Double handed sailing skills are increasingly important to master as the recent boom in double handed racing, both inshore and offshore, continues and boats designed for couples to cruise two-up become ever […]

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World’s coolest yachts: Windward Passage

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Luca Bassani nominates Windward Passage “A very modern boat for her times: very large stern (almost like today’s naval architecture) and semi-round bilge hull made her very fast in reaching – and with a flush deck!” […]

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World’s Coolest Yachts: Cal40

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. This time pro navigator, Stan Honey, selects the Cal40 The Cal40 has iconic status in the United States and was a game-changer in the 1960s as a true racer/cruiser. Designed by Bill Lapworth, it has a […]

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World’s coolest yachts: The Waszp

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Hattie Rogers nominates the Waszp “I’d like to be able to say the AC40 [Women’s and Youth America’s Cup foiler] because hopefully – fingers crossed! – I will be in it and it’s definitely the coolest […]

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St Maarten Heineken Regatta: Kicking off the Caribbean season

St Maarten Heineken Regatta kicks off the Caribbean inshore season. David Harding met teams who’d made remarkable voyages to take part The Caribbean regatta season is something of a pilgrimage to the sun, drawing competitors from across North America as well as across the Atlantic. Those coming from northern Europe or the Mediterranean often cross […]

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15,000 miles around Europe’s far north in a windsurfer camping under a sail – a fascinating tale

Exploring Europe’s Arctic margins by windsurfer is an extraordinary challenge for Jono Dunnett. Tom Cunliffe introduces this stunning book extract Most of my deepwater sailing I’ve done in conventional yachts or classics. Board sailing and windsurfers, although I tried my hand years back and enjoyed it, are a world of mystery, so when Jono Dunnett’s […]

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The coolest record breaking boats

We asked top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest record breaking boats of all time, here’s what they came up with While hyper-luxury superyachts are clearly cool to look at (and would be very cool to own) there’s no denying that speed is cool and this collection of record breaking boats selected […]

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How to live aboard a yacht for years at a time

What if one or two years of adventure just isn’t enough? Meet the cruisers who’ve been on board for a decade or more, and find out how to make long-haul cruising work for you “I probably wouldn’t even recognise the person that I was when I first started,” admits Brian Trautman, skipper of the Amel […]

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The best semi-custom superyachts

The 70-90ft semi-custom superyachts sector is booming. Toby Hodges explores some of the hottest new designs bridging the gap between production yachts and superyachts A bubble has appeared, the rise of a buoyant large yacht market sector that’s proving difficult to label. It typically caters for those who are looking for extra size, space and […]

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