After much deliberation, we finally decided in Darwin that we were not going to Asia. We would miss out on an exciting cruising area but due to the pandemic, we…
Yachting Monthly
Brian Black Memorial Award Winner: Living With the Ocean
Long before living in tiny houses became a big trend, sailors did exactly that. Living a good life in a small space with scarce resources. Not necessarily because they had…
A family charter adventure: ‘The squall suddenly passed and the wind and waves abated to a quiet calm in the bay’
We’ve just touched down at Dalaman airport, Southern Turkey and it’s June 2024. It’s our first time bareboat chartering as a family and we’ve chosen a four-day family charter around…
The secrets behind a compass: What are agonic and isogonic lines?
Imagine for a moment, after a long expedition, you are at the geographic north pole. You look at your compass, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it is far from pointing at your…
How to prepare for an Atlantic crossing
If taking on an Atlantic crossing in your own boat is high on your list of sailing dreams, I can thoroughly recommend the experience. However, a dream will stay a…
How to improve single-line reefing
The trend in recent years is for newer yachts to have smaller just-overlapping jibs, even non-overlapping self-tacking jibs, with the mainsail area increased in compensation. Since the introduction of jib…
Sailing to warmer climates for winter: ‘The nerves are still there, sometimes utterly stomach churning’
You don’t really notice it too much at first. At each stopover on our summer Mediterranean wanderings we meet up with other yachties, and talk inevitably comes to your cruising…
Planning a cruise: Secrets of successful skippering
When planning a cruise more than a few days out it is rare that the navigation and weather stars align, allowing you to choose your destination, the time to leave…
Everything you need to know about marine AI technology
Innovative technology has always created fresh new chapters in how we approach sailing. You only have to look back at the most advanced and sophisticated navigation systems of the mid-twentieth…
Exploring French Polynesia by boat: The call of the South Seas
Friday’s dinner topic in late September, 2022: ‘I don’t want to go to French school. I don’t even speak French.’ ‘You will make friends,’ I argued, but the hoped for…