Porpoises, whales, dolphins, sturgeon… any of these within three miles of the UK coast technically belong to Queen Elizabeth II, and she’ll have you in the Tower for a swift height-reduction operation if you bother them. Well, maybe the punishment isn’t really that extreme – but anyone who harasses, injures or kills a cetacean in …
Read more “Environment: don’t disturb the dolphins (or the Queen will be very angry)”
Gone are the days when a skipper in the UK could hop aboard their own boat and go exploring Europe without a care in the world. Brexit has locked British sailors into not so splendid isolation, effectively making any passage more than 12 miles from shore a bureaucratic nightmare. So what’s changed? And who is …
Read more “Captain’s notes: how Brexit bombed British sailing (and who to blame)”
Anyone who spends their sailing life in the Baltic or the Mediterranean could be forgiven for thinking that the sea is a constant. Either it’s there, or it’s not. Sure, there can be significant current where water funnels through narrow spaces such as the Messina Strait or the Strait of Gibraltar, but no tide to …
Read more “Sail training theory tutorial 7: introduction to tides”
Sailors can be a superstitious bunch. It’s hardly surprising, given the dangers of life at sea in years gone by – but even now, there are some who look out for portents that might please or displease Neptune (pictured below in Gdańsk), and none of them are taught on the RYA Dayskipper courses. So what …
When land and sea come into contact, this will inevitably influence the behaviour of the wind. And, the temperature of the land, sea and air will combine to produce different types of fog. Understanding how these happen will help you sail more safely, and this knowledge is vital for Yachtmaster and other sailing qualifications. In …
Read more “Sail training theory tutorial 6: weather – sea fog, land fog and coastal winds”
Amid lockdowns, travel restrictions and other COVID-19 curbs, many boat owners won’t have had an opportunity to get their boats out of the water and lavish a little TLC on the hull. We’re among them, so we started looking at issue of antifouling with a view to finding a compromise between the needs of Amneris …
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 …
Read more “News: yachtsman, consort, mariner, prince – the death of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh”
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 …