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Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 3 – Preparations

by Emma | Boat Handling, Boat Maintenance, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, First Aid at Sea, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. The Jester Challenge was created for skippers of small boats who want to test their skill and self-reliance, is a uniquely successful...

Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 2 – Weather

by Emma | Boat Maintenance, Communications, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. The Jester Challenge was created for skippers of small boats who want to test their skill and self-reliance, is a uniquely successful...

Sail trimming for cruisers

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

Whether racing or cruising, a well tuned boat will sail faster and tend to heel less than a boat with badly adjusted sails. On a racing yacht, constant effort and considerable skill is required by the crew to keep the sails trimmed to gain maximum performance, added...

Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Getting to the Start

by Emma | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. The Jester Challenge was created for skippers of small boats who want to test their skill and self-reliance, is a uniquely successful...

How to trim a genoa sail

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

I recently had two new sails made by Sanders Sails, based in Lymington UK. The first to arrive was the new genoa and it took me a little while to get to know it and learn how to adjust it correctly. Here is an aide memoire for getting to know how to trim a genoa so...

Engine failure at sea – keeping the boat safe

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

If the engine stops when you are underway, or your have to shut it down when a warning buzzer sounds, you also need to make sure the boat remains safe. This is no problem if you’re in open water with no dangers nearby, at least for the short term. However, this is not...

Weather forecasting resources and tips

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Navigation, Preparation

All competent sailors need to have a good basic understanding of how to interpret a weather forecast. They also need to be able to interpret the actual conditions they are experiencing. Most weather forecasts present a general picture of what to expect in a given area...

Essential Boat Buying Tips for First-Time Boat Owners

by Skipper1 | Yacht ownership

If you’re planning to join the highly selected group of boat owners, there are a few things you should bear in mind. Buying a boat isn’t so different from buying a new car. Both purchases involve careful research and a clear idea of what to look for. Although the...

Liferafts

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, First Aid at Sea, Yacht ownership

A liferaft is an essential piece of equipment to carry on offshore or coastal passages and should be regularly serviced by professionals according to manufacturers’ recommendations. Liferafts should be stowed where they are ready for immediate launching. All...

Narrowboating on the Kennet and Avon Canal

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Navigation

A recently cancelled sailing event I was due to take part in left us with a free weekend in the diary. Given that my wife and I were celebrating a bumper wedding anniversary and the weather forecast was for fine weather, we decided to hunt around for a last minute...