Spinnaker stories
Persistent Shift How to put a more positive spin on your crew’s downwind experiences, by Tony Bull THE FIRST recorded use of the word spinnaker is believed to have been in 1866, in reference to a downwind sail specially built…
Racing
The best yacht, keelboat & dinghy racing news, race results and personal insights, with racing series and regatta reports and lots of beautiful high resolution sailing photographs. Including daily news coverage from major races and circuits Olympic Sailing, America’s Cup, Sydney Hobart, SailGP, 44Cup, The Ocean Race and more.
Using radar effectively
PRACTICALITIES BY RYA (TIM BARTLETT) Using radar effectively could be the difference between staying safe in a foggy shipping channel or approaching a night anchorage without anxiety, so getting the basics of its operation right is important. Radar works just…
Speed & Smarts: Building boatspeed
SPEED & SMARTS Boatspeed 2008 IQ test Expanded answers to last month's quiz on boatspeed, by David Dellenbaugh. IN OUR April issue, we published a Boatspeed IQ Test with 56 questions about all aspects of what it takes to sail…
After the weigh-in
FIT FOR SAILING Strategies for optimal recovery after the one-design regatta crew weigh-in, by Andrew Verdon. IN the February issue we looked at strategies for making weight for a one-design regatta crew weigh-in without affecting your performance. This month I…
Speed & Smarts: Another limit on Starboard tackers
One more angle on Rule 16 governing changes of course by right-of-way boats, by David Dellenbaugh. TWO boats on opposite tacks (S and P) are approaching each other on a beat. As they get closer, P starts bearing off to…
Speeds & Smarts: Changing course FAQs
Speeds & Smarts Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about the application of Rule 16 on the race course. Some of these questions are also addressed in other parts of this issue. Q: If I'm on starboard…
Speed & Smarts: The Alinghi-ETNZ incident
SPEED & SMARTS ANALYSIS IT DREW the first penalty ever given by an umpire in America's Cup history. It was the deciding moment in the seventh and final race of the 2007 America's Cup. “It” was a port-starboard situation between…
Devil in the detail
HOME BOAT-BUILDING Joining hull and deck of the Swift Solo meant long periods of head scratching, says Jordan Spencer. AT THE completion of stage five of construction of the Swift, I figured we were close to finishing, but the “devil…
Rig tuning for safety and better performance
PRACTICAL: RIG TUNING The basics of adjusting the rig are covered here in this extract from a new book by Charlie Wing. While there are unstayed rigs (rigs where the mast is strong enough to be supported only at the…
Communication choices: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Keeping up to date with what's available gives the sailor even more freedom and assurance on the water. We look at the situation now and ahead and at what options we have. Current safety comms in…
Choosing a compass: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Compass technology has moved on, so understanding the underlying principles helps when choosing the best instrument for your boat. Magnetic compasses remain essential equipment, but are often not the only heading reference system a yacht can…
Watermakers: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Why Bother? Watermakers, or to use their technical name, reverse osmosis desalinators are increasingly common on both cruising and racing yachts. In this article we examine the main options and delve into the practical side of…
Head-aches: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Environmental protection is very much on everyone's mind so being aware of the options for taking care of onboard waste is more important than ever for sailors. BACKGROUND We know that discharging boat head or toilet…
Power options: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
PRACTICALITIES by ANDREW BRAY Powering Up Nothing is more basic or essential to the efficient management of a yacht than its sources of auxiliary power. YACHTS GENERALLY rely on DC electricity for cabin and navigation lamps, radios and engine starting,…
Viking slips anchor
RACING LEGEND How a teenage Swedish seaman jumped ship and became a sailing legend in Australia, by Bob Ross. The big Swede with the ready laugh “Ya Ya” to the offshore fraternity led from the front, both as sailing master…
I feel the need, the need for speed
Sailmaker, Ian Short, shares sail trim and rig adjustment tips that will help you sail faster under a range of conditions. It’s a fallacy that only racers need to sail quickly. If you’ve ever been caught out in a gale…
Headsails: Practicalities by Andrew Bray
Headsails Reefing gear continues to develop so real gains can be had by checking out the latest systems. The greater efficiency of the new technology has allowed systems to be adopted by larger yachts, racing boats and, of course, cruisers….
CLUB SAILOR
CLUB SAILOR After a succession of cruising boats, David McLean's latest boat, a nimble X-37, has given him the chance to mix it up with the club racer fraternity. For almost 30 years, I have continued a wondrous voyage of…
Repelling The Enemy
Hull Maintenance Special How to select and use the best anti-fouling paint system for your boat, by Bob Ross. ANTI-FOULING a boat is expensive. It's hard and dirty if you do it yourself with the labour of heavy-duty wet- sanding…
Finding the finish line
NAVIGATION for HOBART Hobart-winning navigator and world-record-breaking sailor Adrienne Cahalan reports on what it takes to win the blue-water classic. The great race south is on again and it is time to either dust off the race files that were…
Ocean racing: Family set for Osaka
Ocean racing Family set for Osaka A father and son building duo from Yamba on the NSW north coast are set to contest their first major ocean race together, reports Di Pearson, when the 2007 Melbourne Osaka double-handed yacht race…
A parting of the ways
OFFSHORE BY DAVID SALTER Our sport of ocean racing may be coming to the crossroads. The potential for a serious parting of the ways is both real and imminent. Competing forces are now so firmly counterpoised that a schism seems…
Sydney-Hobart musings
OFFSHORE by DAVID SALTER One of the handiest things about the sport of offshore racing is that almost any judgement you may wish to make about it can be true. Or false. Each contest has so many inter-dependant variables ‘…
Latest in lights
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Navigation lamps Boat lighting is moving beyond the purely functional, with lifestyle convenience and pleasurable aesthetics becoming an achievable consideration on boats that are by no means in the superyacht class. You only have to scan…
Fit for Sailing: Time out
Rest periods are an important element of competitive sailors' yearly training plans, by Andrew Verdon. Taking time off is crucial. You should not train all year round as if you were still racing. This includes both on and off the…
Winning isn't everything, but it's a good start
If you’re tired of finishing back in the placings, then one place you might look to gain some ground is at the start. In this article, Ralph Skelton, looks at strategies and tactics many of the pros use to win…
‘The bad one’ – Reflections on the ‘98 Hobart
Traumatic events can leave physical, mental and emotional scars, as does the very fact that you survived, when others did not. In this article, Ed Psaltis, overall winner of the ’98 Hobart, reflects on the race, on surviving, on winning…
Heavy Air Racing
It is fascinating to watch a fleet of yachts sailing upwind in a heavy wind; so much can be learned from observing the different styles and techniques from a bird's eye perspective. It is amazing how much variation there is…
Catching the 'magic carpet'
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SOFTWARE TOOLS TO HELP OFFSHORE RACERS FIND THE MOST FAVOURABLE OCEAN CURRENTS, BY PENNY HAIRE. ANY COMPETITOR in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race will be aware of the East Australian Current. It is the largest ocean…
Put A Tick On Your Tacking
Reducing lost time through tacks can shave minutes from your time around the race track – By Tony Bull. We all know that the boat that sails fastest around the race course is invariably the first boat home, but let's…
Speed & Smarts: Gaining ground to leeward
Tactics for protecting your lead and clear air on the run, by David Dellenbaugh. One thing I hate on a reach or run is when the boat behind me sails higher than I want to sail. This forces me to…
Taking On Tactics
Life is never dull in the challenging role of tactician, reports Tony Bull. THE ROLE of tactician is arguably one of the most critical on the boat. As the name implies, he or she is responsible for positioning the boat…
Crossing the great divide
Small boat and big boat sailors can learn so much from each others' worlds, by Tony Bull. One of the new buzzwords we hear floating about these days is cross-training. In order to get fully fit it is not enough…
