The North Sea at night: I love it. It can turn wild, like any mountain or desert, but that’s not all the time. When it’s calm, fishing lights appear, dodge…
Gear
Why I took my Ketch rigged yacht and turned it into a brigantine square-rigger
People have asked why I decided to change a perfectly good ketch into a staysail schooner? It’s a reasonable question. The simple answer is that I always wanted a brigantine.…
Best boat knife – 11 options tried and tested
The best boat knife will be a life saver and a constant sailing companion for years to come. Make sure you find the right one that suits you and what…
Everything you need to know about yacht solar power
Keeping your batteries topped up without having to run the engine is a continuous challenge for cruising sailors, especially those who are highly conscious of their carbon footprint or just…
How to convert a yacht to electric propulsion
There are hundreds, if not thousands of yachts still sailing with 40-year-old diesel engines emitting smoke and pollutants, so is now the time to replace them with a clean, low…
Best boat shoes: From leather deck shoes to deck trainers
When buying boat shoes, you face a choice between traditional moccasins that look the part but lack support and cushioning, or modern deck trainers that cover the sporty angle but…
Keeping your boat afloat: how to find and fix hull moisture
No matter how hard you try, a completely dry boat without hull moisture is a rarity. The older a boat gets the more likely seals will start shrinking, sealant around…
6 of the best boat cleaners – The lazy persons way to a sparkling clean boat
I am not a huge fan of boat cleaning if I’m being honest. Frankly it’s one of my least favourite things to do, next to fishing a lost bolt out…
The best multitool for boating: 10 tested
A multitool is a toolkit in your pocket for when you need it the most. The Yachting Monthly team put eight popular models to the test
How to prevent corrosion on your yacht
One of the most worrying things that can happen to a boat owner is to discover vital and expensive metallic underwater items such as propellers, prop shafts and saildrive legs…