Low pressure systems can be bad news for sailors, bringing storms, squalls and general unpleasantness. Thankfully, they can usually be predicted – and you’ll need to know how if you are planning to take your RYA Yachtmaster exam, or indeed if you intend to have a long and relatively comfortable sailing career. Depressions are low …
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has died at Windsor Castle, at the age of 99. One of the more controversial members of the British royal family (one might respectfully describe him as having been a “character”), he was also a keen sportsman and had a lifelong love of sailing and the sea. Philip was …
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The weather can be a sailor’s best friend, or worst enemy. Learning how to predict what kind of mood it is in is a vital skill, and you will need to know about this not just for safe and pleasant sailing, but also if you intend to take a Yachtmaster exam. This article is the …
Read more “Sail training theory tutorial 4: global weather for sailors”
For most sailors, it is second nature to pull on a life jacket before slipping the lines. Modern designs are lightweight and comfortable to wear, and can last many years if serviced regularly and professionally. Early life jackets, though, were a different matter altogether. They were bulky and inconvenient, yet did the same job that …
Sail power is making a comeback, as shown by the recent example of the cargo ship that docked in Torquay bringing wine, coffee and olive oil from Portugal. Nordlys (pictured) was built on the Isle of Wight in 1873, which could make her the oldest vessel of her kind still operating. But that’s not all …
Skippers who can spin their boat on a sixpence, moor alongside under sail in the teeth of an offshore gale and fix their position without instruments in fog so thick they can’t see their own bow might still fear one aspect of a Yachtmaster exam: the interrogation about their knowledge of the International Regulations for …
Read more “Sail training theory tutorial 3: understanding COLREGs”