Category: Europe
-
Rogue waves! What can they teach us about managing risk at sea
Managing known risks is one thing, but how do you prepare for unexpected events? Mark Chisnell examines the problem of rogue waves If there is a single point on the planet that figures in the imagination of every sailor, it’s Cape Horn. It lies at the southern end of the South American continent, squeezing the…
-
What to do when your yacht hits a rock under autopilot
After a navigation error leads to a 4-knot grounding in the Hebrides, Rachael Sprot explains how to assess hull damage and manage the crew Emma and Karl are cruising the Outer Hebrides aboard their Sweden 390, Vision. They put the boat on autopilot after leaving Stornoway harbour whilst they rig for a spinnaker run up…
-
how to make the most of your coastal sailing
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…
-
The furler has jammed and the wind is building: What do you do?
Expert Rachael Sprot tackles a mid-channel crisis: Helen and Mark are over-pressed with a jammed furler and rising winds. What’s the move? Helen and Mark sail their Halberg Rassy 34, Gemini, in the Bristol Channel. They’ve left Padstow at high water at 0900 bound for Milford Haven, which is 70 miles away on a course…
-
How to get started yacht racing
Many cruising sailors can’t think of anything worse than charging round the cans, but it can make you a far better cruising sailor, says Nigel Lloyd As a committed cruiser of 30 years, I often wondered what the point of yacht racing was. There seemed to be a lot of expensive looking boats, some shouting,…
-
Essential Guide to Marine Rope Materials and Construction: How Ropes are Made
Understanding how ropes are made and used for running rigging will help you knot, splice and care for them better To master the practical aspects of knotting and ropework, it is important to learn a little about the materials, tools and terminology used, as well as allowing you to converse with others about knots and…
-
Beginner’s guide to drying anchorages
Pete Goss was enchanted by the Isles of Scilly, but deliberately going aground still feels unnatural, so he’s outlined how he does it… With life pulled in too many directions we’ve come to the conclusion that any window of opportunity must be buttered up with optimism and grabbed with both hands. It was with this…
-
What lifejackets should you have for offshore cruising?
Every month Yachting Monthly’s resident skills expert, Rachael Sprot answers a reader’s question. This month, what lifejackets should you have for offshore cruising Father and daughter Richard and Lisa have recently bought a Sigma 33 to be kept on the east coast for North Sea cruising and club racing. In time they’d like to do…
-
From sextants to screens: Has modern tech made us better (or worse) sailors?
Society and sailing have both changed dramatically in 60 years. We explore how new tech and yacht design influence our approach to cruising Bob Dylan’s ageless song was released at about the same time as I started sailing yachts. Its aim was to influence people’s views about society, so it seems to be an appropriate title…
-
How would you try to avoid this tidal marina collision?
Every month Yachting Monthly’s resident skills expert, Rachael Sprot answers a reader’s question. This month how would you try to avoid this tidal marina collision? Roscoff Marina is one of the few all-tide ports in North Brittany. However, whilst it doesn’t have any depth restrictions, it does have a strong current which sets south through…
