THE UK'S 11 FIERCEST TIDE RACES

Breaking waves and lurking rocks have earned some British tide races a fearsome reputation. Dag Pike explains how to navigate them

FIRST TEST - SPIRIT 44CR ELECTRIC

A wooden boat that blazes a trail for modern technology and sustainability sounds too good to be true. Theo Stocker went to see if she is as good as promised

Surviving a Force 11 storm with a series drogue

Small cruising boats aren’t always fast enough to run away from severe weather. Tony Curphey explains how he survived the Southern Ocean in a Nicholson 32

PIP HARE Lone star

Pip Hare talks to Elaine Bunting about the long road to fulfilling her Vendée dream

A WEEK AFLOAT STOCKHOLM ARCHIPELAGO

All within a day’s sail of mainland Sweden, these islands offer stunning scenery and the chance to escape the crowds, as Nigel Wollen discovers

COVID-19 Channel cruise

Andrew Beveridge’s solo adventure to the Isles of Scilly and Brittany

Recompense for last-minute cancellation of boat shows rejected

Some exhibitors at Boats 2020 have criticised the last-minute decision to cancel the Southampton event, leaving many of them out of pocket.

Novice sailor to the Netherlands

Bethan Griffiths’ first taste of cruising life with her two young children and disabled husband Chris, who has cancer, osteoporosis and Parkinson’s

TO THE FRACTAL WEST OF IRELAND

Ed Maggs and his wife Frances enjoy the slower pace as they cruise south-west Ireland

‘Lightning destroyed the boat's electronics'

Paul Tinley recounts a truly shocking experience aboard his Beneteau 393 Blue Mistress and the subsequent insurance claim

MONACH ISLANDS, OFF NORTH UIST

The anchorages around the Monach Islands in the Outer Hebrides offer total isolation for the intrepid sailor Jonty Pearce discovers

ADVENTURE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Kari Nurmi dodges ice and predators as he sails around Svalbard’s Spitsbergen in his trusty 30ft Bavaria 300

SOUTH DEEP, THE SWALE

Dick Durham mulls the algorithm of a pint ashore while anchored in this East Coast creek

A WEEK A FLOAT SICILY

The Aeolian Islands delight the senses, with delicious cuisine, charming bays and smouldering volcanoes, as Lu Heikell discovers

British yachting's post-lockdown boom

UK yacht brokerages are reporting a spike in new and second-hand boat sales, with many of them now struggling to find used yachts to sell. The increase began during the summer following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

Adventure The Eighth Continent

Thom D’Arcy cruises off the beaten track and explores the extraordinary culture and rich natural history of Madagascar

UK Coastguard To Replace Emergency Radio Network

More than £170 million is to be spent on installing a new emergency radio network for HM Coastguard.

Tributes to pioneering Arctic cruiser and environmentalist Brian Black

Renowned Arctic sailor, journalist and environmentalist, Brian Black, has died, aged 77.

‘Dead ahead were the bows of an unlit freighter'

Paul Dale has a harrowing near-miss with an unlit freighter at night while on a 110-mile voyage from Trinidad to the Grenadines

TECHNICAL IS YOUR ANCHOR CHAIN UP TO THE JOB?

It’s all well and good having a solid anchor, but having ground tackle that is going to keep you secure is equally important, says Vyv Cox

TO PROTECT & SERVE

Ireland’s Fastnet Lighthouse has kept sailors safe for over a century. John Greeves talks to one of its former keepers about life on the rock

Larry Pardey remembered

Legendary bluewater cruiser, small boat sailor and master boatbuilder Larry Pardey has died in New Zealand, aged 81.

CHAPMAN'S POOL, DORSET

Often overlooked by cruisers, Dag Pike discovers solitude at this semi-circular bay on the south coast

A WEEK AFLOAT GALICIA

The enchanting Rías Baixas in north-west Spain offer rewarding, sheltered cruising, making them ideal for a sailing holiday

A LIFE WELL SAILED

Brian Black looks back at 50 years of cruising, mostly shared with his wife Lesley and their children Kieron and Sarah, and reflects on how it shaped his sailing

Scotland's best voyages

Whether you’ve just got a few days to explore the West Coast, or the open North Atlantic is calling, Scotland’s sea routes offer almost endless options says Brian Black

‘With no sails, no engine and no jury rig - I decided to abandon ship'

Solo skipper Billy Brannan lost his home when his 34ft yacht Helena was knocked down, rolled and dismasted during an Atlantic storm - and the rescue itself proved to be a challenge

Shrinking insurance market causes headache for offshore cruisers

Yacht owners who want to sail further afield are being advised to provide extra information, such as evidence of sailing experience, in order to improve their chances of finding a policy.

Southampton Boat Show on hold until 2021

Organisers of the Southampton Boat Show are looking at holding a smaller event for 2020, after confirming that the show in its current format would not be going ahead in September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOME WATERS CONQUERING THE FEARSOME PASSAGES OF WALES

Jonty Pearce finds his planning and sailing skills tested while cruising the sometimes challenging west coast of Wales