Category: Europe
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Can you really only visit Scilly in light winds?
A strong easterly is forecast for the Isles of Scilly—should the crew of Odette risk sailing there to beat the blow, or heed the local skipper’s warning? Sigma 33, Odette, is cruising the West Country in August and hoping to get to the Scillies. Skippered by Michelle, with her two teenage sons on board, the…
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How to find the perfect sailing crew match (and avoid know-it-alls)
Crewing on other boats is a great way to explore new places, sail new boats and meet new people, but it isn’t without its pitfalls, says Anna Bingham We’re all different. We have diverse aims, agendas and ways of getting there. All of them are right. So, what holds people back? A large number get…
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Simple tweaks that will immediately improve your boat’s performance to windward
Some boats need persuasion to make to windward, so tweaking the sails to best advantage can make all the difference. David Harding offers a few tips Who doesn’t just love heeling over, bouncing up and down, getting cold and wet and pointing in a direction that bears little relation to where you want to go?…
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With engine failure in the Thames, what would you do?
Each month Yachting Monthly’s new resident expert, Rachael Sprot answers a reader’s question. This month what would you do with engine failure in the Thames? Jenny and James, who both hold the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal qualification, are en route to St Katharine Docks in London aboard their Westerly Oceanranger 38. They’re motoring up the Thames…
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Will this anchorage be safe to stay in overnight?
Each month Yachting Monthly’s new resident expert, Rachael Sprot answers a reader’s question. This month will this anchorage be safe to stay in overnight? Louise and Julia are cruising the north east of the UK on their Grand Soleil 43. They seize a brief weather window to visit the Farne Islands off the Northumbrian coast.…
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Why you might be wrong about production yachts – and why they are great for ocean crossings
Most online pundits are wrong and you don’t need a long keel to go offshore, reckons Mike Morgan, who makes the case for modern production yachts As an addict of YouTube sailing channels, I am surprised at the amount of misinformation surrounding the ocean capabilities of modern boat design compared to the boats of a…
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Why you don’t need an anchor windlass + how to cruise without one
Paul Trammell sails his Cartwright 40 Windflower singlehanded. Here he explains why you don’t need an anchor windlass My first sailing boat didn’t have a windlass, and this led to a bit of unexpected drama. I was sailing in the Bahamas in my 30ft Dufour Arpege when I came across beautiful waves at Egg Reef.…
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Should you set sail if a Force 8 is forecast?
Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month Should you set sail if a Force 8 is forecast? Toby is skipper of Cutting Edge, a 13m cruiser racer which he keeps in Salcombe. Cutting Edge is a powerful yacht fully equipped for racing with a comprehensive sail wardrobe and…
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‘The Atlantic taught me how to calculate a boat’s carbon footprint’
Craig Simmons explains how you can reduce your boat’s carbon footprint and save money For nearly three decades, I have been deeply involved in shaping environmental solutions across many industries, from agriculture to aviation. My colleagues and I were even honoured with a prestigious Queen’s Award in 2006 for our groundbreaking work. Yet, it is…
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Should you enter this harbour with a navigation electronics malfunction?
Each month Yachting Monthly’s resident expert, James Stevens answers a reader’s question. This month should this reader make a difficult harbour entrance? Dave and three friends are sailing their 10m cruising yacht from the Solent to Brest. They were going to enter L’Aber Wrac’h, a rocky inlet in north-west France, for the night, but the…