Category: Europe

Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month how to get out of a tight berth without damage Sarah and Mark have enjoyed a holiday in Guernsey but the wind and tide are both now favourable for them to return to England. They are on board their 11m yacht…

Changing gears as the conditions change is about instinct and feel as much as it is about numbers. Alan Denham explains how to get the best from your boat Many of you, like me, probably started their sailing adventures in small dinghies. The purity of just you, the wind and some canvas. It’s where we…

Author of the book. Illustrated Navigation, Ivar Dedekam talks Yachting Monthly through the process of taking a noon sight To take a sextant noon sight you first have to figure out when the sun will pass over your meridian. It is good enough to work it out to the closest minute. Start by taking a…

A key feature of coastal sailing, land and sea breeze are a commonly encountered phenomena for most sailors No matter where you are in the world, coastal sailing is all about knowing how to read your immediate surroundings to have fun and stay safe while cruising and one of the most common localised weather phenomena…

Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month should you avoid a mystery green light Mike and two crew are sailing north up the east coast of England towards Sunderland. They are on board Amelia, a 15-metre gaff cutter and finding the trip hard work. The wind is right…

Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month he gets to the bottom of a Swellies quandary Nick and Judy own a 9m bilge keel yacht with a draught of 1.2m. They are on a voyage up the west coast of Britain and are now in the Menai Strait.…

You’ve done the training and passed your Day Skipper qualification, but how do you become a genuinely good, experienced, all-round sailor, asks Anna Bingham Don’t worry, I’ve got a wetsuit you can borrow,’ reads the text from Rafa’s mum. ‘No thanks,’ I reply, ‘I have no intention of getting wet… and anyway, I don’t want…

The clothes you wear, and how you wear them, can make all the difference when sailing during winter with the coast to yourself, says Justin Morton. There is something really quite special about finding yourself out on the water and having most of it to yourself. Being the solitary boat in an anchorage or being…

Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month how to pick up a tricky mooring solo? John has been sailing with friends for many years but has finally decided to buy his own yacht. It is a 10m cruiser racer which he reckons will be light enough to sail…

Practice makes perfect when it comes to using a sextant for navigation says Ivar Dedekam, author of Illustrated Navigation Before using the sextant you must note the index error. All sextants have an index error, especially plastic instruments which have to be checked regularly. When you have achieved an unbroken line, note the index error.…