Most of us can admit to having recently trawled through yacht ads on the internet. If my own experience is anything to go by, we do this out of interest…
Ben Lowings
A hundred years of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
Back in 1925, Malden Heckstall-Smith, then editor of Yachting Monthly, was one of a small group of yachtsmen who formed the organising committee for the inaugural offshore contest, the Fastnet…
Shared boat ownership: All the fun at a fraction of the cost?
Many sailors dream of owning their own boat, with heady dreams of a seafaring life, but the mundane reality is that many yachts sit unused for the majority of the…
X-Yachts XC38 used boat review: Great value fast cruiser
A stalwart of Exmouth’s Exe Sailing Club, Rick Newcombe has now owned three separate yachts, all of which have borne the name eXehibitionist. The first was a Beneteau First 31.7.…
Scandinavia’s largest regatta: ‘More like a cruising rally than a race’
Cruising yachts in Scandinavia make a beeline for the Danish town of Skagen over every Ascension Day holiday in May. Nearly all of the entrants are production cruisers. This, along…
Sailing square riggers: ‘You’re more appreciative of what sailing used to be’
Most cruising yacht sailors would agree that any field of knowledge that might sharpen their own skills is worthwhile learning about. But does Patrick O’Brian rattling on about thimbles and…
Vito Dumas: Ace of spades
Vito Dumas was the first person to sail solo around the world south of the three great capes. Ben Lowings recalls the Argentine’s inspiring achievement
Royal Cruising Club: Treasure Trove
Ben Lowings delves into the journals of the Royal Cruising Club to discover how yachting has changed over the decades