I’ve often wondered why people give names to inanimate objects, why they feel the need to christen cold steel, personalise plastic or anthropomorphise auxiliaries. Perhaps it’s superstition – a belief…
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Navigating medical emergencies at sea
Why do accidents happen at the most inopportune times? Occurring when you least need them and potentially putting a crew member out of action or more. Accidents vary from the…
‘The underdog that could shake the rank’: How solo skipper Isa Rosli is preparing for the 2026 Golden Globe Race
For a long time, sailing was Isa Rosli’s secret. ‘I’ve wanted to experience sailing ever since I was in elementary school,’ the solo skipper says. ‘But I knew the cost…
From the Mountains to the Sea: How solo skipper Andrew Ritchie is preparing for the 2026 Golden Globe Race
Andrew Ritchie will celebrate his 70th birthday somewhere in the Southern Ocean. He’ll be well underway on the solo, nonstop, unassisted circumnavigation by sextant he’ll undertake after departing from Les…
Saare 47 review: A proper take-you-anywhere cruiser
The afternoon sunlight had the sharp clarity of spring in the Baltic. Low shafts of warmth cut through cold winter shadows as we drifted out past the church spire, the…
The Sailor and the Showgirl: How solo skipper Mara Løvenskiold is preparing for her 2026 Golden Globe Race
Mara Løvenskiold is currently livestreaming her Atlantic crossing. She’s just over a week into her qualifying passage for the 2026 Golden Globe Race, during which she and 23 other skippers…
Finding my feet (and my sense of humour) in yacht racing
My friend Claire told me there was no such thing as a slow race, but that’s exactly what I got – twice. The first in Uproar, a Hunter Impala, with…
Why now might be the time to upgrade your yacht’s toilet
Efficient use of power is rarely far from a skipper’s mind, so building in capacity to flush toilets using battery power when the tried-and-tested mechanical option is so much less…
‘Unfinished business’, Pat Lawless says of returning for the 2026 Golden Globe Race
For Pat Lawless, the 2026 Golden Globe Race has been a long time coming. Lawless grew up sailing on Limerick’s River Shannon. As a young man, he followed the OSTAR…
Cruising to the starting line: How to get started yacht racing
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, confusing…