TECHNICAL - THE POWER OF DATA

The new NMEA OneNet claims to offer more data and a faster, more secure network for onboard devices. Toby Heppell investigates...

The sounds of sailing

Clack, clack, clack. These words describe perfectly the noise sails make when slatting in light airs offshore, and the sound of sails, rig and boat when becalmed in an ocean swell.

SOUTHERLY 42RST

For versatile adventure, there are plenty of go-anywhere cruisers on the market, as Duncan Kent discovers

HOW TO troubleshoot your engine electrics

If your engine won’t start, knowing how to find the source of the problem will help you get underway

Eyeball pilotage skills for coast crawling

Getting close in to the coast to explore a tidal channel or fi nd a snug anchorage is rewarding, but close attention must be paid to the visual clues, explains Ken Endean

ADVENTURE VIRGIN ISLANDS

Kieran Flatt cruises the Marker Wadden and finds nature is already thriving on the newest part of the Netherlands

ADVENTURE THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Hamish Southby-Tailyour and his young family find themselves caught up in a grisly crime whilst meandering through France’s picturesque inland waterways on the way to the Mediterranean

A WEEK AFLOAT CORSICA

The mountainous Coriscan coast offers breathtaking anchorages and charming towns for a memorable Mediterranean cruise

A testing passage

Natalie and Nathan Hamilton experience challenging conditions while cruising the south coast between the Solent and Salcombe

Adventure - All Creatures Great & Small

Sheridan Lathe recalls her early experiences sharing her veterinary skills with the locals while on a unique cruise of the Panama islands

VANCOUVER 34 CLASSIC

Duncan Kent looks at the enduring appeal of this versatile yacht which is suitable for blue water as well as coastal cruising

TECHNICAL KEEPING UP TO DATE

Allowing your electronic charts and other software to become out of date is dangerous, but updating can be something of a mine-field. Toby Heppell looks at the options...

Predicting navigational hazards

Jonty Pearce gives a thorough breakdown of how to avoid other ships at sea, from tankers to trawlers

TECHNICAL CHECK YOUR DECK FITTINGS

What’s really going on under your deck fittings? Ben Sutcliffe-Davies investigates the hidden weaknesses

ADVENTURE HELL OR HIGH SEAS

Taylor Grieger and Stephen O’Shea faced pirates, navigated the Furious Fifties and came to blows during a life-changing voyage from Florida around Cape Horn

Why motor-sailing is good seamanship

Pete Goss looks at the times it can pay to switch on the engine, making life easier and allowing for better sailing

A WEEK AFLOAT SCOTLAND

Breathtaking scenery, a plethora of cruising grounds and friendly locals make cruising the West Coast from Oban round the Isle of Mull an unforgettable experience, says Norman Kean

HOME WATERS - RECAPTURING AN EAST COAST CHILDHOOD

Nick Ardley helps a New Zealand expat relive some of his memories of sailing along the Thames Estuary as a boy

A dream fulfilled

Peter Kersey experiences a lively channel crossing aboard the Brixham trawler Provident

Southampton Water to Shamrock Quay

Southampton Water, what could be easier? A wide, almost straight, well-mapped route to the city, a bit like the M3. In daylight it is straightforward but at night the navigation marks, so obvious on the chart, get lost amongst the multitude of shore lights. To port is another blaze of lights from Fawley, one of the biggest oil refineries in Europe.

TECHNICAL DON'T FLOOD YOUR ENGINE!

Water in the cylinders is enough to destroy an engine, but it's easy to do by mistake, says Vyv Cox

Night sailing top tips

Toby Heppell is sailing editor of Yachting Monthly. He has been sailing his whole life and writing about it for many years

FIRST TEST X49

A stylish performance cruiser that is manageable short-handed and gets you to your destination fast

HOME WATERS - SECRET IRELAND

Armed with a new drone, Norman Kean and his wife Geraldine explore some of the lesser-known cruising grounds as they circumnavigate Ireland

Entering harbour at night

James Stevens looks at how best to prepare for arriving at an unfamilar harbour after dark and what to be aware of

Dealing with isolation

Solo yachtsman Conrad Humphreys shares the lessons he learned while competing in the 2004-05 Vendée Globe

Channel crossing mishaps

Rob Jordan tells Janet Floyer about a rough passage and a fouled prop while sailing from Dartmouth to Guernsey with young offenders

ADVENTURE - THE LANDS OF GIANTS & LEGENDS

Ben Kemp shares the delights of exploring Northern Ireland, the Hebrides and St Kilda by sail with his young family

A WEEK AFLOAT THE IONIAN, GREECE

A friendly welcome awaits Lu Heikell as she explores the picturesque bays and coves of the Ionian’s Inland Sea

What Would You Do In A Spinnaker Situation?

Q Penny and a group of friends are racing her Sigma 33 in the Autumn Series. Penny and two of the crew are regulars along with two beginners who, while keen, are losing valuable seconds in the race by making up sheets the wrong way round the winches and other basic mistakes.