Essential Knots: Round turn and two half hitches
Use: Tying a rope to a pole or a ring.
Step 1. Pass the end around the object.
Step 2. Make a second turn.
Step 3. Take the working end over the standing part, tuck it between the two parts to make the first hitch.
Step 4. Repeat the previous step to make a second hitch. Pull tight.
Tip: Practice tying a rope to a mooring ring or a post using a round turn and two half hitches.
A one stop guide to tying and understanding all of the 50 most useful nautical knots!
Know your Navlights & Shapes – essential for all skippers
How to ensure your boat is in proper working condition
In this article Eva Tucker from Volvo Penta presents a handy check list of all the things that you need to check regularly in order to make sure that your boat is in a seaworthy condition. Including maintenance, safety gear and electrical checks.
Boat Handling – anchoring
Passage Planning Advice & Safety for skippers
Boat maintenance below decks
While most interior maintenance work can be done when a boat is afloat, some jobs such as servicing the seacocks have to be done ashore. It makes sense to do any major interior repairs and improvements with the boat hauled out in the boatyard.
Understanding marine sealants & adhesives
Fractures, sprains and dislocations at sea
Moving about a boat at sea often results in a few knocks and bruises, but if a crew member has a fall or major bump and is in serious pain, they should be examined and treated accordingly.
Understanding boat engines
Irrespective of what kind of engine a boat is equipped with and who does the work, the regular care and maintenance of a marine engine is essential. The most common cause of marine engine failure is widely known to be lack of maintenance.
Essential Boat Safety Briefing
Nautical paper charts – a reminder of the basics
The nautical chart is an indispensable tool for navigation. A chart is a graphic representation of an area of the sea which might also include coastlines, estuaries and islands. All cruising leisure boats should carry up-to-date paper charts.
Boating emergency – how to broadcast a MAYDAY emergency call
Points of Sailing
Getting a tow for your sail or power boat at sea or on inland waterways
Boat gas system maintenance
There are correct types of hose for marine plumbing, sewerage, exhaust, cooling and gas and all hoses should be checked regularly for wear and deterioration.
How to operate a winch
Navigation safety: a quick-reference mobile app to learn the ColRegs NavLights and Shapes
Keel design – options to consider when choosing a yacht
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 7 – Motivation
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the seventh of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Sail trimming for cruisers
Sail trimming tips for cruisers. Whether racing or cruising, a well tuned boat will sail faster and tend to heel less than a boat with badly adjusted sails.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 10 – The Return Trip
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the final instalment of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Propeller care and maintenance
Propellers are complicated and repairs should be done by specialists but owners can carry out checks and some routine maintenance themselves when the boat is in the boatyard. A propeller is critical to a boat’s performance, fuel consumption and ride, so it makes sense to keep a propeller in good working order.
Safety Equipment Checklist for Boats
Medical Emergency at Sea
Common marine electrical problems
Most problems with marine electrical systems arise from four possible sources, a lack of maintenance, a poor standard of initial installation, insufficient battery capacity, or ineffective charging systems.
Water ingress is a frequent issue – salt water can corrode contacts very quickly. If connections are not scrupulously clean – or are loose – resistance will be increased, resulting in progressively reduced power.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 3 – Preparations
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the third of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.