Each month Yachting Monthly's resident expert, Rachael Sprot, answers a reader's question. This month, how to cope with a prop wrap
Sadler 29, Nimbus, is on passage from North Shields to Grimsby when the engine falters and cuts out. Skipper, Tim, …Continue reading »
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Having thorough, easy-to-use checklists for all situations and emergency processes on board can dramatically reduce failures and improve safety for all on board, says Tom Sanders
Would it sound far-fetched if I told you a simple piece of paper could save your boat from expensive breakages …Continue reading »
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Every month Yahchitng Monthly's resident expert answers a reader's question. This month, Mike and Linda ask if it's wise to cross a shipping lane without AIS
Mike and Linda are crossing the Channel from Poole to St Peter Port via the Alderney Race in their Bavaria …Continue reading »
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A raucous welcome awaited in Treguier. Photo: Getty
With a combined age of 140, two intrepid ex-dinghy racers sailed in the Yachting Monthly Celtic Triangle Race 2025
The Yachting Monthly Celtic Triangle is a single- or double-handed offshore race from Falmouth to Kinsale (Eire) to Treguier (Brittany) …Continue reading »
The post ‘We were battered by Force 7 winds for 24 hours’: The…
A mental image of your sail’s shape from above will help you trim it for maximum drive
Sails are not flat sheets of fabric but are cut and fabricated so they form a shallow dish shape. To …Continue reading »
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**The Cruising Association has launched its new lobster pot campaign, Marked Gear = Safe Gear, which calls for existing guidance around the marking of static fishing gear to be mandatory – and you can join!
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Poorly marked fishing gear, lobster pots and creels in UK waters are a hidden and real safety hazard to yachtsmen, …Continue reading »
The post Join CA campaign to mark static fishing…
Offwind sails keep you sailing in lighter airs, but a furling system will make it far safer and easier to rig and set sails solo
Whether it’s by choice or necessity, being able to handle your vessel solo in harbour and at sea is a safety skill that’s also hugely enjoyable, says Detlef Jens
When asked why he always sails alone, a well-known character of YouTube fame who notoriously sails in…
When a Yachting Monthly reader questions the need for pyrotechnic flares, our resident expert, Rachael Sprot, explains the pros and cons
Sarah and Jan co-own Audax, a Hanse 348 based in Plymouth for cruising the West Country and northern France. They …Continue reading »
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Photo: Clare James Photography
Pinning down what caused recurrent yacht engine trouble that affected multiple cruises took patience and perseverance for Justin Morton
A year or so ago I was helping a friend, Monty Halls, bring his boat Sobek, around from Plymouth to …Continue reading »
The post Solving yacht engine trouble: ‘Water had got in through the filler cap’ appeared first on…
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. …Continue reading »
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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 …Continue reading »
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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 …Continue reading »
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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 …Continue reading »
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A braided line is spliced and coiled differently to a stranded line, while knots weaken them in different ways
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 …Continue reading »
The post Essential Guide to…