Sailing News
All the latest news from the world of sailing and stories from experienced sailors.
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
From Bathtub to Fastnet – Challenger 3 crew member Rod Brassington’s sailing story
‘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 on various activity holidays was always more enjoyable than lying… Read more
Going to the Wrong Buoy
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 and so followed the… Read more
Jamie Oliver eat your heart out!
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 noticed recipes for each meal attached to… Read more
Upcoming Sailing Events for 2013
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 regularly attracts thousands of competitors from across the UK and… Read more
Day Skipper Training
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 Skipper Training is split in to two separate courses. The Day Skipper Theory… Read more
Running aground while learning to sail – it will happen one 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 asked each of us… Read more
Weekend Sailing Channel Hop February 2013: Ship Dodging and Cheese Smuggling
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 skeleton crew of just 3 with a… Read more
