Why Sailors Can't Swim and Other Marvellous Maritime Curiosities
We review the Icom IC-M35 handheld. Read the full review
Reeds Nautical Almanac is the indispensable trusted annual compendium of navigational data for yachtsmen and motorboaters, and provides all the information required to navigate Atlantic coastal waters around the whole of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and the entire European coastline from the tip of Denmark right down to Gibraltar, Northern Morocco and the Azores. Buy your copy 
The SafaSail Hard Hat looks just like a sailing cap, but will help protect you if you get a bang to the head. Â See our Sailers.co.uk - latest news
UK switches on GPS backup in English Channel
- Created on Monday, 28 January 2013 04:09
- Written by Sailers
- Hits: 5913
The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland (GLA) have announced that ships in the Port of Dover, its approaches and part of the Dover Strait can now use eLoran radio navigation technology as a backup to satnav systems like GPS and Galileo. The ground based eLoran system provides alternative position and timing signals for improved navigational safety. The Dover area, the world’s busiest shipping lane, is the first in the world to achieve this initial operational capability (IOC) for shipping companies operating both passenger and cargo services.
Ben Ainslie Knighted in New Year's Honours
- Created on Saturday, 29 December 2012 11:50
- Written by Sailers
- Hits: 7191
Ben Ainslie, the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, has capped off his record-breaking 2012 with a Knighthood in the New Year Honours list, reports the RYAÂ (full story here).
'Sir Ben' claimed his fourth straight Olympic gold – and fifth Olympic medal in total – on the waters of Weymouth and Portland this summer, with this most prestigious honour now coming as fitting curtain call to his lucrative Olympic sailing career, which he called time on last month in order to focus on his America's Cup ambitions.
Yachtsman given large fine for ignoring the TSS
- Created on Saturday, 08 December 2012 19:39
- Written by Sailers
- Hits: 8290
Ignoring theTraffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Dover Strait (or anywhere else, for that matter) can be very costly, as ocean yachtsman Marc Guillemot, skipper of the French racing yacht Safran,discovered when he was fined £9,381 and made to pay costs of £4,125 today for travelling the wrong way in busy shipping lanes near Dover.
Safran made an attempt in June this year to break it's own record from 2011 for the fastest sail around the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Southampton Magistrates heard that at 11.43pm on 6 June, the Safran was seen by Dover Coastguard travelling in a North Easterly direction in the South West lane of the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme ( TSS). On the 7 June at 4am, the yacht failed to proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the Sunk traffic separation scheme.
A Fastnet Diary - Part 3
- Created on Friday, 16 November 2012 04:16
- Written by Fastnet Skipper Glenn Smallcombe
- Hits: 8492
We are following Quantum Sailing's Fastnet Race 2013 campaign – this diary is our 'soup to nuts' account of what's involved in preparing for and participating in one of the world's most challenging offshore races. We hope that this will be useful to others considering doing something similar in the future.
Part 3 - October 2012: Introducing the Crew
As this is the third of our diary entries, we thought that it was high time to introduce the crew that will be heading off towards the Fastnet rock next year. We'll be sailing with six plus the skipper, so it will be cosy onboard Quantum Leap, our Jeanneau Sunfast 37. We asked the guys (sorry but its an all male crew) about their background, their sailing experience and why on earth they would want to put themselves through the discomfort of a Fastnet race – and pay for the privilege!!
Second Vendee Yacht damaged in trawler collision
- Created on Friday, 16 November 2012 03:49
- Written by Richard Thomas
- Hits: 9194
A second Vendee Globe racing yacht has been damaged in a collision with a trawler off the coast of Portugal. The Vendee Globe website reports that Louis Burton, skipper of Bureau Vallee, was napping on watch with his radar and AIS systems switched on, but woke when a trawler scraped up his port side. He intends returning to the start to effect repairs, and then re-starting the race. He said: " My main emotion is just shock and I am pretty depressed that I have to get back to Les Sables d'Olonne. In fact I was going through the front and had a couple of hours to go and had 30-35kts of wind. There was very poor visibility, rough seas and I had the radar and the AIS on. I was under the canopy to nap a bit and was making about 20kts. I turned my head bit and so a medium sized trawler slide along the hull. I grabbed a light to inspect the hull in a panic to see if it was OK. I was relieved but then saw the damage to the shroud. I tacked on to starboard immediately and focused first on Lisbon looking to get to land as quickly as possible.
Hot Liquid Skipper & Owner Not Guilty of MCA Failures
- Created on Wednesday, 14 November 2012 06:28
- Written by Richard Thomas
- Hits: 7913
Jason Manning, owner of the RYA Sailing School 'Hot Liquid' and Charlie Sturrock, an experienced skipper employed by the Sailing School have both been acquitted at Southampton Crown Court of charges following the rescue of the skipper and five students sailing on the Sailing School's yacht Liquid Vortex, a Beneteau First 40.7, in January this year (see our story here).
Judge Peter Ralls decided there was not enough evidence to convict Mr Sturrock of sailing at night without proper equipment, Mr Manning for failing to contact HM Coastguard or either man for failing to comply with standard operating procedures,
'HMS Bounty' lost in Hurricane Sandy
- Created on Monday, 29 October 2012 15:12
- Written by Sailers
- Hits: 8417
Rescue crews are searching for two people missing from the HMS Bounty, the 180ft sailing ship used in the film Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Island and Mutiny on the Bounty. The Tall Ship apparently got into difficulties trying to avoid the path of Hurricane Sandy.
