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How to read nautical charts

by Simon Jollands | Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation

Most sailors today rely on GPS to find their way at sea. While GPS has helped to make finding your way at sea far easier than in the past, sailors still need to study charts before they embark on a passage and to use them en route to check and record their progress....

Understanding tide tables and tidal curves

by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation

No two coastal places have exactly the same tidal pattern. There are many factors that influence this, from the shape of the coastline, the funnelling effect of channels and estuaries, the depth of the sea and the proximity of oceans. The times and heights of tides...

Tidal heights and the rule of twelfths

by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation

In our previous article we looked at tidal curves and how we can use them to find the time of a specific height of tide. Following on from this we now take a look at how we calculate a height of tide for a specific time. This is not a complex calculation but it helps...

2023 Rolex Fastnet Race – Part 3

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership

This is our third and final article about the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. It is a first hand account by Simon Jollands who was one of the crew of Lancelot II, a Beneteau First 40 skippered by John Gillard. The Fastnet Race is named after the Fastnet Rock, which the...

The dangers of running aground in a motor boat

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 –...