Sailing News
All the latest news from the world of sailing and stories from experienced sailors.
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
Yacht Winter Refit – do it yourself: Anne’s Refit tips – If I can do it, so can you!
I am just finishing the winter refit work on a Jeanneau 40 . She is from 2002 so it’s important to check things carefully each winter so that there are no unpleasant hiccups in the summer sailing period. Time spent in the winter really pays dividends. Some of it starts when you take the boat… Read more
Winter Sailing Gear – Top tips from First Class Sailing
As well as a warm hat, pack sun glasses for when the sun is low. A peaked cap is great under an oilskin hood when its raining. It keeps the hood out of your eyes. Staying warm means staying dry, invest in a good set of oilskins. We supply, free of charge, high spec ‘Musto… Read more
5 Reasons Why You Should Take the RYA Day Skipper Shore-based Course Now….
Taking a shore-based RYA Day Skipper course makes sense for many reasons, five of which are listed below: It will make you a better and safer sailor whether you intend to be crew or skipper as you will learn, amongst other things: How to work out tidal heights and tidal flow How to get from… Read more
RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Course in London
Is navigating using a sextant a dying art? In this modern age of GPS do we still need to know how to navigate by the stars? The RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Course (such as the one being run in Canary Wharf, London at the end of January) builds upon sailors’ basic navigational knowledge so those present… Read more
