by Stuart Batley | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation
Picture this: you’re out on a serene lake or cruising along a beautiful coastline in your motor boat, enjoying the wind in your hair and the gentle lapping of the water against your vessel. However, amidst the bliss of boating lies a lurking danger –...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership
Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. This is the second of his articles on the race aboard Lancelot II, a Beneteau First 40. The first night of the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race proved to be a major challenge for the fleet, including us. Many yachts...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership
Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. This is the first of several articles on the race and focuses on the start. The 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race proved to be a classic offshore sailing event that lived up to its reputation as being one of the toughest...
by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation
This year’s Round the Island Race turned out to be a really thrilling and competitive event. 1100 boats entered the race, which took place on Saturday 1st July. The race started from the world famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes UK, with the largest and...
by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation
It is one of those sailing facts of life that, however hard you try to avoid it, sooner or later you will most likely find yourself aground. It has happened to me twice. Once when I was on a RYA training vessel near the entrance to Beaulieu River in the Western...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Boat Maintenance, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, First Aid at Sea, Navigation, Preparation
Here we focus on tips and advice for staying safe on a sailboat at sea, the common causes of accidents on sailboats and what to do in an emergency. 9 ways to stay safe at sea Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) or life jacket. This is the most important...