by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership
Who gives way to who at sea? Even seasoned sailors sometimes get this wrong and in a crowded harbour this can easily lead to a collision or at best considerable embarrassment for a boat that mistakenly thinks it has right of way over another. I recently went sailing...
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...
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...
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...
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Yacht ownership
We enjoy ourselves on the water knowing full well there are risks attached. The same applies to most sporting activities and many leisure pursuits, but this does not put us off indulging in such fulfilling pastimes. A safe skipper will be mentally prepared for all...