As he sails around the Irish Sea, First Class Sailing instructor Darryl Hughes is reporting back on his experiences and posing readers a nautical question. Today he is navigating through fog... Last week I was making the 40 mile passage from Campbeltown to Rathlin...
'I’ve always loved the sea, water and things that float. I remember having wind-up motorboats in the bath as a boy and sailing the tiny wooden yachts (the little wooden hull with two small sails) across the boating/paddling pools on holidays. Learning to sail dinghies...
When coming into the river Crouch a young man was told by a yachtmaster candidate to steer a course of 245 degrees and to follow the buoyed channel. Because the boat was on the starboard tack and the wind from the north the student could not see the red channel marks...
A roast bacon joint, roast and boiled potatoes, green beans and carrots plus lovely gravy polished off with steamed pudding, custard and a glass of Macon. When we joined Kingfisher we were shown a copy of the menu we thought mmmmmmph. Must be pre packed meals, then we...
It’s a packed calendar for sailing and boating enthusiasts this year, with a multitude of events coming up. Here’s a glimpse into the months ahead: Cowes Week (3rd – 10th August) Pretty much the biggest event in the UK sailing calendar, the Cowes Week regatta...
The internationally recognised Day Skipper qualification is something any aspiring skipper or someone just starting off in yachting should be setting their sights on. It is the qualification that most charter companies like to see before they charter you a yacht. Day...
Running aground is something that will happen one day, and if you sail on the east coast it is a possibility every day. Get your calculations wrong and a great day of sailing becomes a day of mud wrestling. But the mud can be a great asset when training. Our skipper...
Back in the beginning of February when it was wet, cold, windy and a bit more cold I was fortunate enough to jump aboard one of our Weekend Channel Hops. Setting off from Gosport we headed Southwards under the shimmering lights of the Spinnaker Tower. We were a...