Sailing News
All the latest news from the world of sailing and stories from experienced sailors.
The forecast said good to moderate occasionally poor. Knowing that meant visibility we set off in a flat calm sea with the mist gently swirling around the river bank. The Essex marshes appearing and disappearing as the damp air condensed over the cool sea. We thought of Davis in Riddle of the Sands as he… Read more
Lateral marks-know your shapes and colours!
Maybird recently sailed down Lough Foyle to Derry or Londonderry as it is called on the Admiralty chart.The passage is some 18 miles from Magilligan Point at the seaward end. Lough Foyle covers a vast expanse but is very shallow and has an average depth of just 3 mtrs!The narrow channel down to Derry is… Read more
Newly qualified Competent Crew tries her hand at Boat Handling!
Hello, a quick introduction from myself, I am Justine Lloyd, new to sailing having completed my Competent Crew Course at First Class Sailing last Month, and also a new recruit at First Class Sailing HQ. I thought I’d write you all a little blog and let you know how last weekends’ Boat Handling Course at… Read more
Where do you have that first pint after stepping ashore? How involved should the skipper be in that crucial decision?
Musings from Darryl – our man off the Irish Coast on his yacht Maybird – T’is an interesting question to reflect on where the boat’s crew should have that first pint when they arrive ashore after a sea passage.Should the skipper give some structural guidance or should they be left to their own devices? Now… Read more
Local Knowledge can be Vital for a Sailor by FCS instructor Darryl Hughes
As Maybird left Malin Head to port on her track westwards I often think you then sail into an area where, the GPS is more accurate than the digital charts on which it plots your position and the notion of Local Knowledge has to be plucked out of the Navigator’s toolbox along with the old… Read more
The Sailing Question: Dealing with Diesel Engines – with FCS instructor Darryl Hughes
Maybird was recently in Derry/Londonderry – City of Culture for 2013. She was there for crew changes and so I took the opportunity to do some maintenance. I tend to change oil and fuel filters every 200 hours and keep as many spare parts on board as is practical especially spare oil and fuel filters,… Read more
The Sailing Question: Trusting Charts – with FCS instructor Darryl Hughes
Last Sunday I was sailing Maybird from Rathlin Island to the city of Derry on Lough Foyle. Rather than do the dog leg entrance to the River Foyle recommended in the pilot books which necessitates sailing out to the Tuns PHM and then proceeding down the river Foyle some of the pilot books mention the… Read more
Hands on a Boat Handling Course
Last weekend was part work and part pleasure for one of First Class Sailings’ crew as Louise Petropoulos was an observer and pupil on board one of our new courses – the Boat Handling Course! Here is Louise’s report… When it comes to sailing the vast expanses of the open sea is what we yearn for… Read more
How you go about getting a VHF Radio Licence (SRC) is all about to change!
It turns out that at the moment if you live anywhere in Europe except in the UK and you want to get a VHF Radio Licence (SRC) you have to attend a two day course. In the UK, at the moment, you only have to attend a one day course. We have clearly had it… Read more
The Sailing Question: Signals in Fog – with FCS instructor Darryl Hughes
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 Island. There was very little wind so we were motor sailing… Read more
