by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Navigation, Practical, Preparation, Yacht ownership
Welcome to our virtual Solent sailing cruise – a five day sail in the south of England from Bosham Quay in Chichester Harbour at the east end of the Solent to Lymington in the west. On our five day sailing cruise of the Solent we will be sailing more than 65 nautical...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
How do navigators identify the different types of light around our coasts at night and what are their characteristics? Navigating at night is made possible through an assortment of navigation aids, both ancient and modern. Lights are arguably the most important of...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
Sector lights, directional lights and leading lights guide vessels safely through hazardous waters or narrow channels at night. These lights are used when approaching or leaving harbours and are marked on charts and in nautical almanacs. How do they differ from one...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation
Whatever their size or type, all skippers have a responsibility to avoid collisions with other boats at sea. It is important for all boat skippers to know the give-way hierarchy at sea to help avoid accidents. But how similar are the rules of the road on land and at...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
Passage planning and pilotage help skippers navigate safely from one port to another. A passage plan takes into account all the various steps and eventualities involved in a voyage, from the welfare and safety of the crew to planning the route itself. Pilotage is a...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
Boats have many blind spots, including the headsails of sailing boats. Always keep a lookout, stay safe and remember that whatever their size or type, all boats have a responsibility to avoid collisions with others at sea. If you are heading out on the water for the...