Sailing News
All the latest news from the world of sailing and stories from experienced sailors.
Plain Sailing So we remain on our course north (roughly speaking and helmsmen skills allowed for) in bright sunshine and 18 knots of wind, under reefed main, storm sail and yankee and have covered around 390 nm . After a lumpy sea state for the first day of the voyage, things are now calmer all… Read more
Crew prepare to eat own body weight in Spag Bol
The first update from Challenger 2, as they sail across the pond, is in! Everyone seems to be settling in to the watch system. Here is a word from crew member Nick. Challenger 2 left Antigua on Tuesday, bound for Portsmouth via the Azores. So after leaving beautiful Antigua watch systems are progressing in… Read more
Final preparation for Challenger 2 before sailing across the Atlantic – Man Over Board and emergency drills
The Crew of Challenger 2 – go swimming Training Challenger 2 slipped lines shortly after 1100 yesterday for a training sail to complete MOB & emergency steering drills in slightly more clement conditions than they had back in the UK last month. They then picked up a mooring buoy in Falmouth Harbour for some more… Read more
Bin doing our bit for the environment.
A Marina in Southampton is installing “seabins”. It looks like quite a nifty contribution in helping to clear up the trash that is in our seas. How much? At last count there is an estimate 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Let me just repeat that, 5.25 TRILLION pieces of plastic in the… Read more
Challenger 2 has reached the finish line in the ARC Rally 2019
Back on dry land You will no doubt be glad to hear our intrepid crew have safely made port in St Lucia after an epic trip across the Atlantic. Here at First Class Sailing it has been my honour to post the blog daily and most of the time I have merely posted the thoughts,… Read more
ARC 2019 – Day 17 – Nearing the end of an amazing adventure
Only a day away With the crew of Challenger 2 around a day from the finish line today their thoughts are turning to being back on dry land, seeing loved ones and of course sampling some of the local rum! We wish them good luck for the final few miles of an epic trip and… Read more
ARC Rally 2019 – St Lucia here we come!
Tuesday 10 December Becs and I are back on MF watch today, having taken over from the chuckle brothers Jim and Jason. Personally I don’t get why they have a problem with getting up at 5.30 having been sailing half the night to cook a bunch of smelly crewmates breakfast Land ahoy! Sat here about… Read more
ARC 2019 – DAY 16 – More stories from the Motherwatch
What a shower! Avid readers may be interested in the process of showering on the good ship Challenger 2 . Our water production capacity allows for a shower every other day provided we all use minimum water. As we are very warm below deck and subject to random dowsing with sea water whilst on deck… Read more
ARC 2019 – DAY 15 – Challenger 2 then surfs down into the wild foam and spray
Jim’s Blog – 2243 Nautical miles covered, computer says 740 Nm to go There’s been a perceptible change in the mood aboard Challenger 2 today, at least from my perspective and I think it’s shared by others. It seemed that after the half-way party (of which more later) which was excellent and a great release, the… Read more
ARC 2019 – DAY 14 – What winds me up – penguins!
Ode to my Mum from Mothers Watch It was just past midnight when I glanced at our logbook before tucking into my bunk and noted that we had sailed 2,080 nautical miles with only 892 miles till the finish in St Lucia. I left word with the crew on watch to be woken promptly at… Read more
