Getting a tow for your sail or power boat at sea or on inland waterways
FREE tips from the Safe Skipper App for iPhone/iPad/Android: Getting a tow for your sail or power boat Plan how to secure a...
Essential boat engine checklist
Boat engine checklist Engine oil level check Even if you have checked it previously, confirming the engine oil level is up...
Essential Boat Safety Briefing
Skippers Responsibilities Skippers are obliged to give a safety briefing to the crew even if they are a regular crew. At...
A five day sailing cruise of the Solent, UK
Welcome to our virtual Solent sailing cruise – a five day sail in the south of England from Bosham Quay in Chichester...
Essential yacht tender safety for skippers and crew
Essential yacht tender safety - the dangers inherent in using a dinghy to get ashore from a moored or anchored yacht are all...
Know your Navlights & Shapes – essential for all skippers
Know your Navlights & Shapes International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (ColRegs) Anyone who is...
First Aid Afloat – fish spine injury
First Aid Afloat - Here is what to do if somebody stands on a fish spine: • Check for dangers. Is it safe for you to enter...
Essential Knots: Bowline
Essential Knots: BowlineUse: Making a secure eye or loop in the end of a rope. Bowlines have many uses on a boat, for example to make a...
First Aid at Sea – strains and sprains
Strains and sprains respond well to rest and cooling. Wrap ice in a tea towel before applying. First Aid at Sea Strains and...
Safety Briefings – leave nothing to chance
Before giving your crew a safety briefing, it is worth considering the specific circumstances of the planned trip, the...
Anchoring – getting it right is not always straightforward
If you can set an anchor correctly with confidence and know your boat will be safe in a secure anchorage, then you can rest...
Seasickness – how can you prevent it?
Seasickness is a common problem at sea and affects both seasoned sailors and novices. What are the causes and symptoms of seasickness?...
Gybing a sailing boat
Gybing is the sailing manoeuvre used to change a boat's direction through a following wind. As with the tacking manoeuvre,...
How to predict wind direction and strength by reading a weather chart
Weather charts, also known as surface pressure or synoptic charts, contain a lot of information that helps weather...
Dag Pike’s Boat Survey
We're really pleased to be working with Dag Pike on some great new apps for iPhone & Android. Here'a a bit more about...
Competent crew skills: arriving and leaving a berth
Skilled boat handling is needed when entering or leaving harbour. Crew tasks include preparing the mooring lines and fenders...
Tacking a sailing boat
Tacking is the sailing manoeuvre used to change a boat's direction through an oncoming wind. Tacking a sailing boat calls...
Competent crew skills: mooring lines
Mooring lines are used when arriving or leaving a berth. One of the most important competent crew skills is to know how to...
Boat Engine Safety Checks
Boat Engine Safety Checks Every skipper needs to make regular essential boat engine safety checks. Below you will...
Essential Knots: Figure of eight
Essential Knots: Figure of eight Use: Stopper knot, prevents a rope from being pulled through a hole e.g. through a block or...
Points of Sailing
The course on which a boat is sailing can be described by its angle to the wind, not to be confused with its compass...
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
There is a growing trend in peer to peer yacht charter. How does it work? People already rent rooms, cars and bikes from one...
Boat Handling – anchoring
Anchoring your yacht or motorboat Anchoring is one of the most important boat handling skills. If you can set an anchor...
How to operate a winch
Winches are drum shaped mechanical devices used to handle halyards, sheets and control lines. One of the important crew...
Rewiring a boat – overcoming the challenges involved
Skippers need to have a basic knowledge of boat electrics, to avoid potential problems and to be able to solve them when...